You can always write a book…that’s one thing. You don’t have to do much for that. But what’s the use, if your book doesn’t get readers, though it carries some excellent contents. As an author don’t you think it’s your duty to see that whatever you create reaches to the maximum number of people? Yes, you know you’ve got to make your self published editions marketable and it’s high time you get to it.
But how? You know it’s a million dollar question.
In this article, you get some very useful tips as how you get your self-published book hit the market.
Here are your tips:-
1. Start early-Even before you complete the manuscript, you should be ready with a concrete plan to promote and market your product. Remembers, many authors falter here, and by the time they start, it’s just too late.
2. Press release-This can be one of your most effective tools. Make sure that your press release is transparent and vivid and clearly spells out the ‘who, what, where, when, and why.’ This method of promotion is getting more and more as publishers discover the prevailing benefits of using press releases.
3. Nonstop mailing-Merely designing a good press release and posting it to one or two sites is not going to suffice. Make sure that your press release reaches at least 1000 print and broadcast contacts before you publish your title. And repeat the process again even after you publish. Also, remember to mail the press-release to all the trade journals in your field. Ideally, you should send at least 10 press releases to the print and broadcast media in your area every month.
4. Use software– It will be quite a smart idea if you invest in press release submitting software. Again, every week you can set aside time to send out a press release online to the press directories. You can also have at least one good press release, written in AP style which you can send out for the lifetime.
5. Articles-Make sure that your articles are submitted to online article directories. Your such articles must have a focus on your book’s topic so that it pulls traffic to your website. A good idea is if you have a website that It’s important to publish a website that centers on your title. Once you do it, you can refer all interested people including editors and your prospective readers to your book information with the click of a mouse.
6. Testimonials-Get in touch with the renowned experts of the subject you are writing about. Obtain as many testimonials as you can from them about your book, and use on your fliers and back of books.
7. Telephone calls-Yes, even this is crucial..use telephone to market your book. Make it a point to make five calls a day that relate to marketing your book.
8. Internet-You cannot overlook this either. Make sure that you’re interviewed or profiled for sites both about writing, publishing and about the topics covered in your book. You can even give away your book in a sweepstakes at any local function. This will sure to give you more recognition for your book.
9. Headline-An eye-grabbing headline in your sales letter can be of immense help to catch attention of the buyers.
10. The non-bookstore sellers-Contact them and offer to leave your stuff on consignment.
11. Online contest-This is another very smart idea. Design an online contest and list it in online contest directories to drive traffic to your website.
12. Get it listed-You must ensure to get your book is listed in Books-in-Print. Your mere assumption that it’s already listed isn’t enough.
13. High quality sales letter-Remember that it’s our sales letter or flier that’s going to promote your title formally to the prospective buyer. So, make it of top class.
14. Your website-Build a site which should be like an online press kit. You can exchange links with those sites that relate to your topic and subject. Let me tell you that your site could provide another avenue for ordering.
15. Women’s market-Another very smart idea is to ensure that your stuff fits into the women’s market. If you go by a survey, women do buy more books than men.
16. Online and offline promotion-Make sure that you market your books in both ways. When you see that your book fits into a particular sphere, you can look for a store that sells your type and offer to leave books on consignment. Do you know that many publishers have minted money this way?
So, why do you want to delay?
Don’t ever loose your focus..apply yourself and make it a point to promote your book everyday. Remember that how good you might write, but unless you can sell it, you won’t be known as an author..many a talents die as they’re never noticed.
So, don’t fall by the wayside, do some smart marketing of your stuff and soon you would see yourself reaping in the profits you deserve.
You can always check-in with renowned organizations like www.writer4me.com or lulu.com who are there to take you through.