Keeping Things Fresh
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Hi Authors!
Today’s newsletter is free for all. Enjoy!
In order to be a successful author (whatever your definition of ‘successful’ is), you must have an active marketing plan, and always be working on that plan. You can’t publish your book and then just sit back and do nothing, hoping your book will sell. Successful authors really live the role. They market, they engage, they continue writing.
Becoming a successful author takes time. Going from ‘newly published’ to a great success overnight is a myth. Success (again, however you define it) is a long-term goal that needs to be pursued on an ongoing basis. And this can be a challenge because enthusiasm can wane when you feel like you are continually doing the same thing week after week and year after year. It can be very easy to slip into a routine where your marketing plan continues to look the same. The reality is that continuous marketing is essential, but you must mix it up to create long-term success.
Keep it Interesting
An important part of keeping book-marketing interesting is thinking outside of the box. Set up a time each year to look at your marketing plan and add some different options that you hadn’t done or considered the year before. Perhaps you’ve gained enough confidence, and you now want to try speaking events or presentations, where in the past you’ve shied away from them. If you don’t yet have a street team, maybe it’s time to create one (we’ll talk more about street teams in a future newsletter).
Finding success as an author requires ongoing effort from you, but it should also be fun.
Freshen up Your Marketing Efforts Each Year
If you haven’t tried some of these yet, you might want to consider adding one or more to your marketing plan:
Create a book trailer, and post it on your website and social media accounts. (Note: we offer book trailers in the BQB store).
Are you blogging or sending out regular newsletters? If not, it might be time to do it. Blogs and newsletters amount to new content to share with readers and perspective readers (which add to your discoverability and credibility).
Set up guest blogs or guest newsletter-pieces for others, to help bring their followers to you.
Do a presentation. You can start with local organizations or a local meetup group.
Give a talk at a local school or business club (if your content is appropriate for the group).
Consider hosting a discussion group. There are several websites on which discussion groups can be hosted. Search the internet to see which ones are a good match.
Participate in a podcast. Even if your book was published several years ago, come up with some relevant topics you can speak on, and find podcasts that would be a good match. Lots of podcasts are on the lookout for first-time guests.
Do an eBook signing. Backlist titles work well for eBook signings, especially if your book has currently won an award or is relevant to a trending topic. There are sites that will guide you and help you host one.
If you are an author of a young adult or children’s book, doing school events or readings at school can be a productive and effective marketing tool. They can also be fun to do.
Homeschooling groups are often looking for online events to include as part of their curriculum. If your book is appropriate for school-age children, consider reaching out.
Put some fun into your marketing by finding a little known holiday and create a campaign or online event around one. Social media is a great place to do this.
Technology is consistently changing and offering new opportunities and ideas, which can keep marketing interesting. Take advantage of AI tools to help with that effort (we’ll talk more about this in a future newsletter).
A Marathon, Not a Sprint
We’ve touched on this a lot, but book marketing really is a marathon, not a sprint.
Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a long-term commitment, and a dedication to attention, to create success. And it requires regular assessment of what you’re doing, what’s working, what’s not working, and where you need to make changes to continue toward achieving your goals.
That’s it for today. As always, we hope you found this information useful. Let us know if you have any questions, and good luck!