Today's Hottest Book Marketing Strategies

 There are as many ways today of marketing a book as there is marketing anything else.  If you have a publisher in the traditional sense then your promotion would be different than if you are self-published.  Here is a brief overview of both ways:

Traditional book promotion:
scheduled for you 
* Press releases
* Radio and TV talk shows
* Book reviews
* Book signings
* Award submissions
* Speaking engagements
* Advertising and direct mail
* Testimonials and endorsements
* Tradeshows, book fairs and festivals
* Book clubs

Online book promotion:
 Scheduled by you
* Author website
* Author blog/forums
*  Video book trailers
* Relationship marketing
* Social networking
* Email Marketing
* Give-aways like chapters or special reports 
* Radio interviews

 AND

* Ezines articles
* Affiliate programs
* Article marketing
* Joint ventures
* Amazon promotions
* Virtual book tours
* Guest blogging
* Bestseller campaigns
* Audio and video promotions
* Contests
* Online advertising

Sure, they can overlap but notice all of the opportunities online!  And it can all be done from your home office.  Let’s talk about some of these.

Website:  
 
A website is like a brochure for an author.  It can be developed into a stream of income too.  If you are going to market yourself and your book on the Internet then you need to create a web presence.  Do you have a website?  If not go to www.iCandiBookTrailers.com/weebly.html  and get started for free!  
 
It is incredibly EASY to work with; it has a drag & drop website builder, free domain hosting, fast & helpful support, easy blogging, photo galleries & slideshows, video & audio players, no forced advertising, search engine optimized, e-commerce features, and more!  The basic version is FREE and the Pro version is only $4.95 a month. You can’t beat that!  (plus the price of your domain name – about $13 annually  for each name)  If you don’t have anything, then start right now with this!

Sell your book from your site.  Put links to different online bookstores right from your website.  That way when you drive traffic to your site you will get a lead instead of giving that lead away to an online bookstore.  From your website you send them to the purchase place.  This will help you know your customer and create an email list for future communication.

Blogs:  
 
Once you have your website it is very easy to add a blog.  This won’t cost you anything but time.  You need to give attention to a blog because this is one of the ways you can build your fan base and your community.

Many authors blog to share their writing life with their readers.   
 
Blogging can be used for various reasons:

· To serve as an online bookstore
· To serve as an online press room
· To attract agents and editors
· To serve as your newsletter
· To promote your next event
· To video cast your book
· To attract event planners and book clubs
· To serve as an online hub for your fan base

You must be consistent and have GREAT content to keep people interested in you and your books.  And that’s what it is all about; keep them interested.

Forums:

Fan bases grow exponentially when they form a community that talks about your book and issues.  If you’re successful your fans will come together and create a fun and exciting community for you as well. Take time to respond to the people who post.  This is a place to build relationships.
 
Book Trailers:  
 
Have a trailer of your book front and center on your new website. 
Like a trailer for a movie, book trailers summarize the book or message.  A book trailer not only keeps you up with the times but it also brings added dimension to your marketing platform.

Add a new dynamic to your online presence.  Using visuals and sound will create an emotional connection that will increase click through rates, conversions, Google rankings and can immediately stimulate a boost in sales!


Relationship marketing: 
 
Every action you have with your community creates an impression.  If people think you are just trying to sell to them, they will go away.  But if they think that they are a part of something, they will stay and they will listen.  You are always building relationships.  Be conscious of what you say and do.  Always give more than they expect.  They don’t just want your book; they want to be connected to YOU.


 Social Networking:

Using the social features of the Internet like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Bing, Youtube, etc. will expose  you to new people.  If you haven’t already, get out there and start making comments on other people’s blogs and posts.  Always look to find situations where you can make a positive comment.  People remember that.  Find ways to gently nudge them to your website. People react more positively if you don’t “tell” them something, and get them to “discover” it for themselves.  

Join groups online of people who are of like-minded thinking regarding your book.  There is already interest there. Make positive comments on posts. Once in a while refer to something in your forum and give them the link.  Generate interest.
 
Email marketing:

Now that you have these things in place you can start to create an email list.  Make sure you have permission to email people before you do so you will not be spamming. 
Here’s how you can start from scratch.  On your website create a landing page -
that is the page that people land on when they type in your web address.  On the top half of this page put a GREAT header, a video telling them what you are going to give them (in exchange for their email address), and an opt-in box, the place where people put their name and email address and submit it to you.  That submission indicates that they are asking for the information.  
 
Now you have their email address to add to your contact list. You MUST give great value to the people opting in.   What do you have, or what can you create, that will give the impression of great value to your customer?

Give-aways and free reports:

Give the customer something for free to receive their email address.  What do you have that is of great value to them that you can give to people to start creating your email list? Perhaps a free chapter from your book, or a free article that will have meaning for them.  Make it more than worthwhile!

And continue to give to them!  This is your chance to create a customer for life.  Put yourself
in their shoes.  Do you think they are getting more than they expect?

Give them a reason to stay. 
Make it about them, not you.


Radio interviews:

All of this makes you the  expert.  People are listening to you.  Now you want to get a bigger audience.  You can do radio interviews from home.  There are many Internet radio stations, Google for them.

When you are interviewed you know people are listening that would not usually hear about you. 
The radio station wouldn’t even be on the air if they didn’t have an audience.  A good interviewer will lead you by asking questions that you have prepared.

This is your chance to gain the interest of some people who will check out your website, your blog, your forums, and your video.  Now how’s that for coming full circle.  
 
Conclusion

You now have everything in place to start marketing online.  There is so much more to learn about.  Get these basics down and then move on to the rest. These basic things are important to start your online marketing campaign.  They will give you credibility and expert status, exciting more people to check you out.

Just begin…and take the next step.  

Click to download the Checklist so that you can create the path to get your book to the public as fast as possible. 
Click here: Checklist 
 
Contact us for a free consultation. 
Click here: Consultation