It just hit me this week that most authors either DON't, WON'T OR CAN'T market their books.After going to so many book signings, so many conferences, and so many author events/signings.
Most authors do not know how to market their stuff! And they wonder - why they aren't selling any.
If I see one more rectangular bookmarker or one more boring white business card with a name in black writing - times new roman font - I think I am going to scream.
Let's be creative! After all, you are creative so use it.
Therefore, I've decided to drevamp my blog a bit and center more entries on Marketing. I mean after all - no one really wants to hear about my kids or daily issues - though I am sure they'll still pop up.
How does anyone expect to sell a book just through handing out bookmarkers at school visits.
People - there is so much more to marketing than that! There is more than Borders signings, more than school speeches and more than a web site.
I get the same questions everywhere - "do you need to do marketing on the internet?"
I've said it once and I'll certainly repeat it about 100 more times. YES, YES, YES!!!
YOU MUST GET AN ONLINE PRESENCE - how you do that is up to you and what you feel comfortable with.
Yes, that means a web site
Yes, that means a blog and joining a community of bloggers
Yes, that means social networking: facebook, jacketflap, twitter, myspace, blog tours.
In this day and age - you will not skim the surface of marketing if you do not include emarketing/online marketing/internet marketing. Whatever you want to call it. Get online.
Here is my advice
If you don't know how, learn it
If you have something crappy, please make it better
If you hate doing marketing, who cares or don't do it if you don't care about selling books
If you think your publisher will do it for you, you're wrong and in la la land
If you think you don't need marketing b/c your book is great all on its own, wake up
If you don't have time, turn off the tv and make some
If you have a question, ask me.
The last thing I have to say is please please if and when you do marketing. Make a few pieces great. Stop with the chincy stuff. Your marketing represents you. Do you want to look like a second rate author that does not have enough pride in their work to invest in quality items?
You can do great things with very little.
So for goodness sakes, go market yourself!
4 comments:
This is great advice!
I have been duly reprimanded. I will, I swear Mistress Shelli, improve the quality of my marketing stuff. Just don't use that whip on me again!
Gosh, yes. I agree so much. I won a book in a contest, won't say more than that, but it came with a piece of plain white paper printed with more information in regular old black, Times New Roman font. It was so underwhelming that I had to force myself to read it, and I was really excited about this book! It left me with the impression that the writer wasn't trying very hard to win me over.
"There is more than Borders signings, more than school speeches and more than a web site." Sigh. You're so right. And I thought I was doing so much with those three things...
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