Book Smarts: Practical Marketing Strategies for Writers

I see many writers with newly published books, or manuscripts about to be published, and they have no idea what their next steps should be. Don't let the unknown be an obstacle to your success. Let's get book smart with these practical marketing strategies for writers.

First off, congratulations for finishing your book! Now comes the exciting part - getting your name and your work recognized.

Regardless of whether you chose to traditionally publish, or you self-published, you as the author must now play a significant role in the marketing of your book. While self-published authors typically handle all their marketing themselves, and traditional publishing houses do provide some marketing support, we’re all expected to actively participate in promoting our books. The bottom line is, author involvement in marketing their manuscript is crucial for it to succeed.

If your budget allows, you might consider hiring a PR firm that specializes in book marketing. A professional PR team can help you develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy, secure media coverage, and connect with influential reviewers and influencers in your genre. They can also provide valuable insights and guidance on how to optimize your social media presence, website, and author platform. While hiring a PR firm may not be feasible for every writer, it can be a worthwhile investment for those who want to take their book marketing efforts to the next level.

For the rest of us, this stage of the game is all about the hustle. Nobody can read your book if they don’t know it exists! Sshhh-sssh… I hear you. You identify as socially-awkward and the thought of talking (gulp!) to strangers sets your heart aflutter. Now is the time to face that gatekeeper to your success and kick that barrier down! This is about the life of your book and talking about it will benefit you both in so many ways.

When promoting your book, remember that every step you take brings you closer to the success you desire. Embrace the journey and let your book’s life thrive in the world of anxious readers hungry for an authentic and compelling reading experience. As you embark on your book promotion journey, remember that the success of your work depends not only on its quality, but also on how well you can share it with the world.

Leverage social media platforms. Start by defining your niche and target audience and identify the specific group of people whom would most be interested in your content (fiction readers) and tailoring your content to their interests (your specific genre). For example, as a writer, I want to attract readers in general, so my basic target audience is readers who enjoy novels. Then I fine-tune this to readers who prefer thrillers and mysteries and network heavily in these groups. I also publish a weekly blog geared toward new and emerging writers, so I expand my followers by directing traffic to my website as well. By targeting specific audiences, and creating quality, engaging, and relevant content, you can attract followers and build a strong social media presence.

To optimize your social media profiles, provide clear and professional information about your book(s) and include a link to your website. Use relevant hashtags in your posts to increase visibility to users interested in those topics. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, messages, and mentions in a timely manner to foster a sense of community. You might collaborate with influencers in your niche to reach new audiences and gain credibility. Create targeted social media campaigns to promote your content and reach new followers.

It's hugely important to analyze your metrics to track performance and help you make data-driven decisions to improve your strategy. Be consistent with your posting schedule. Finally, promote your social media accounts by including links on your website, business cards, and other marketing materials to drive traffic and increase your following. Building a following on social media requires a genuine commitment to consistent quality content.

Consider joining a writers’ group. Remember, marketing a book is not just about advertising and promotions; it's about building meaningful relationships and leveraging connections. By joining a writers’ group, you have the opportunity to tap into a community of individuals who share your passion for writing and can help you navigate the complex world of book marketing. Additionally, writers’ groups often host events, workshops, or conferences where you can showcase your book and gain visibility among fellow writers, literary agents, publishers, and potential readers. These events can be invaluable for networking and establishing connections with key industry professionals who can further assist in marketing your book. There’s truth in the adage, ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’.

Evaluate the performance of your author website. Whether you hire out, or create it yourself, a website is an important tool for writers wanting to gain exposure and market their books. But readers need a reason to visit, so you’ll need to find a way to drive traffic there. As afore mentioned, I publish a weekly blog but there are many ways to direct people to your author website, the least of which is including a link in your social media bios. Use relevant hashtags in your social media posts. Offer exclusive content on your author website such as short stories, sneak-peeks into works-in-progress, host giveaways, or raffle off autographed copies of your book. Maximize your knowledge of SEOs and be sure to optimize your website for search engines. This means improving your site’s visibility and ranking on search engine result pages through the use of keywords, and meta descriptions. Participate in online forums and communities.

Setting up a table and displaying your books at farmers markets, holiday markets, or flea markets is an excellent way to get yourself out there and a good way to move a few books. This approach can be even more successful than setting up at a big book event, where you’re trying to stand out amongst all the other writers. I was able to sell over two-dozen books in two hours in my tiny, rural Montana town of less than 1,700 people this past Christmas. People love a local author, and they love supporting them even more!

Similarly, in the spirit of supporting local authors, connect with your local newspaper(s) to do an article on you and your book. Likewise, reach out to any local radio shows, or morning television shows, like AM Northwest (familiar to those in the Portland, Oregon area). Is it a guaranteed ‘yes’ they’ll give you a spot? Nothing in life is guaranteed, but it’s an absolute no if you don’t make a connection and an inquiry.

Getting your book(s) into your local library is free exposure, and your local library is a great place to hold author events. Also, get your book(s) into every single bookstore in your state from the mom-and-pop stores, to the big chains stores. Find other authors in your area and put together a reading event at the library, a bookstore, or get creatively out of the box. Do a picnic-style reading event in the local park (weather permitting) – create a stir (you know what I mean) that draws the curious. Join your local chamber of commerce and talk up your book at every event and luncheon. Give a copy of your book to your hairdresser - those folks are a town’s news network, they know or know of everyone, and they love to share their client’s success!

And always, always, always keep copies with you - in your car, tucked in your desk at work – I’ve sold several books just by casually chatting with someone at a pub, or standing in line at the grocery check-out. If keeping copies on hand isn’t feasible, get business or postcards cards made with all your pertinent social media information, website address and space-willing, a short synopsis of your book. These are great to hand to people when you can’t get to a copy of your book. This is a great way to keep you and your book in their mind. And be sure to give some to your spouse when they travel; my husband has turned several people onto my work just by sitting beside each other on a long airplane flight.

In the world of book marketing, there are endless possibilities for promoting your work. Embrace your creativity, think outside the box. Remember, there are no limits to how you can showcase your book and reach new readers. Get innovative, have fun with it, and let your passion shine through with fearless tenacity!

~Dani

Be sure to sign up to get notified when new blogs are published. TY