When you hear the word “marketing” what first comes to mind? Do you think of pushy sales people, unwanted emails, lengthy sales pages, and a lot of work? You’re not the only one thinking that, but the fact is, marketing isn’t just sales messages alone. As an author, most of the content you produce could be called marketing, at least in some sense. If you’re creating content with the ultimate goal of reaching readers, you’re already marketing yourself, your characters in a novel, or the information you’ve put into a nonfiction book. But there’s more to it than that. People need to be able to find you and what you have to offer if you’re going to make any amount of book sales. A simple way to get started marketing your book is with social media.
Facebook is a great place to chat with friends, catch up on news, and enjoy humorous videos and memes. But for authors and coaches, Facebook is much more than that. It’s a place to belong to groups relevant to your business and connect with potential clients. Creating an author page on your Facebook account is a must. And—if done right—Facebook ads can boost your online presence and drive traffic to your author website.
Although it’s impossible to create compelling content on a platform that only allows up to 140 characters, Twitter is a great place to announce the launch of your books, post links to articles you’ve written, and inspirational quotes about writing or the writing process. As a rule of thumb, your Twitter feed should predominantly be links to news and information that appeal to the interests and needs of your audience. In other words, don’t make every tweet a sales pitch for your books or services.
LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn profile is where you can stand out from other authors or coaches in your niche. Here, you’re able to brag about your credentials and let self-promotion run the show. LinkedIn is a great place to share what makes you the best person to solve your readers’ or clients’ problems. Your LinkedIn profile is essentially like a resume, so be sure to list your most impressive credentials.
Whether you’re sending an email about a new book or product or simply letting readers know you have a new blog post up, your email serves as a marketing tool. Even the personal emails you send out can contain some marketing by adding a “signature” that includes your website link, book title, and other contact information.
Blog Posts
Blog posts serve several purposes. Obviously, they are conversations between you and your readers. They inform and entertain. Posts also introduce your audience to new books, products, and services. Your blog is the perfect place to build a subscriber list, and the posts can be used to give a call to action that entices a reader to get their hands on your book! Just remember to employ the art of balance. Your blog needs to offer great content, not just sales pitches.
About Page
Did you know that the “About” page is usually the most visited page on a website? Because of this, it’s a crucial part of your message and branding. The About page needs to be compelling. It’s where potential readers, followers, and clients get to learn about you and what you have to offer them. So use your creativity to make yourself and your writing shine!
Amazon Author Page
Finally, but not of least importance, is to create an author page on Amazon, even if you only have one book published. The benefits are innumerable. An effective author page contains a bio, links to your blog feed or website, photos and videos, and any upcoming events such as book signings and appearances. Additionally, it allows you to keep track of sales made on Amazon, improves search engine results, and gives you the ability to enroll in Amazon’s “Search Inside” feature—which gives customers a chance to preview a portion of your book before making a decision to purchase.
So there you have it! Seven simple ways to get started marketing yourself and your book at little or no cost! So what’s stopping you?
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Photo courtesy Shutterstock, Cat’chy
