OK so a month ago - I said I was going to do 30 days to marketing - covering different topics. I got side-tracked with the Comment Contest and some health hurdles.So I am back with Day 5!Here are the first 4 days if you want to review them.
- Day 1: Build Your Author Brand/Platform
- Day 2: Analyze Your Audience
- Day 3: Think about Your Online Presence
- Day 4: EZ Web Sites
Day 5: Tips for Book Tours
- Put your money where your book is? - how much is your publisher going to spend (if anything) and what can you spend. This should all be part of your marketing strategy.
- Where are you going to go? Is this a regional tour or national. If regional, plan out your trip - is a car cheaper vs a plane. If it is national - stick to larger cities - NY, LA, Chicago, San, Fran etc
- Who are you going to visit? Make a list of venues. You don't have to just focus on bookstores. You may want to focus on Libraries, Schools, Indies, Large stores, or maybe even art galleries.It all depends on your book. Pick the right market.
- Find the right partners. Look for events or authors or other artists to pair up with. This can increase the traffic/attendance and help you sell more books.
- Get the word out. Never leave advertising to the venue. Find out what they will do and do more yourself. Call the local paper to see if you can get a story or contact the local radio station for an interview.
- Don't forget to use your network. Make sure your friends in other cities know about your book. See if they have any local contacts at schools, bookstores, etc
- Seek out organizations. What about calling your college alumni contact or your sorority/fraternity? What about other organizations are you apart of?
- Prepare something. At any signing, you should try and find a way to connect to your audience. Read an excerpt and take questions. Talk about the craft of writing or tell your story. People are more apt to buy your book if they connect to you.
- Be polite. Always follow up with venue organizer to thank them for assisting you. Give them a small token so they remember you. A table topper for their counter with your book on it. Pens. book bag etc.
Coming up in the series: Blog Tours and Virtual Tours
Feel free to email me with marketing topics you are interested in hearing about.
12 comments:
Good stuff, Shelli...and some tips I'd never considered. Hope I can remember them when (not if-I'm thinking positive) my book gets published :-)
These are fabulous tips as always. :) I'd love some tips on design for giveaway items. What should they say; where can you get them, that kind of thing. Like pens: I never would have thought of that, have no idea what my pen would say, and even if I did, I don't know where I'd get them made.
Yep, I'm an idiot.
Excellent tips! I am very much looking forward to the day that I have a book to promote! Someday!
Wow, this is a great list, Shelli. It never even occured to me to think of doing a book tour. Being a Mom, it's probably impractical, but a girl can dream, right?
I am thinking about visiting Day care centers. This is kind of like going to story time at Libraries.
Shelli-
I just reviewed your book! It was great. I had a little glich with it taking 4 of 5 stars and I was freaking out because it wouldn't let me fix it but finally i realized i could just delete it and start over! lol.
Great list, Shelli! Thank you so much for putting this together.
Love these ideas - hope to be able to use them one day...soon ;D
Some great advice. But how do you know how much you should spend yourself? Does the publisher tell us? Boy, I'm dumb! :)
I think publishers should try make first time authors aware of some this! I had no idea back in 2006 when my book came out and my publisher didn't suggest a thing!!!
I am shocked that publisher would not think that newbies would know how to do this. Need to write this list down. Hope to need it. :)
This is great. So much to keep track of! Fortunately for us blog readers, we have your list to consult. Thanks for laying it all out like this. :)
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