As an introvert, self-promotion isn’t something that has
ever come naturally to me. And yet…as a debut author, promoting my book is
something I had to start thinking about back when I signed my contract last
year.
Fortunately for me, I spent almost fifteen years in
marketing and public relations before I decided to focus on my creative writing
full-time, so I had some experience to draw on when it came time to start
marketing my book.
1.
Fish where the fish are swimming. Look
for online communities where the readers of your particular genre get together.
Facebook has a number of groups designed specifically for readers of Christian
fiction. Join them as soon as you can so you can get to know the key players
and the kinds of discussions that take place. Let people get to know you by
participating in conversations that have nothing to do with your book. Send
friend requests to the people you meet and start building relationships with
them.
2.
Develop content that isn’t tied to
your book. I see a lot of authors on social media who constantly—and
continuously—post about their newest release. There’s nothing wrong with
letting people know about your books, but if that’s all you’re doing, a
lot of people will probably tune you out.
Instead of thinking about what you can get from your social media followers (i.e., sales), think about what you can give them. If you’re publishing posts that provide value on a regular basis, your followers will be more inclined to pay attention when you post about that upcoming release.
Instead of thinking about what you can get from your social media followers (i.e., sales), think about what you can give them. If you’re publishing posts that provide value on a regular basis, your followers will be more inclined to pay attention when you post about that upcoming release.
3.
Enlist other people to help you promote
your book. Tap into other people’s spheres of influence by building a
launch team, participating in giveaway promotions, and leveraging book
bloggers. Your own circle of friends and acquaintance is limited, so do what
you can to enlarge your reach by getting your book in front of other people’s
networks.
As a first-time author without a readership base, I paid to do a Goodreads giveaway of my book, which had a number of benefits, including:
As a first-time author without a readership base, I paid to do a Goodreads giveaway of my book, which had a number of benefits, including:
a. Putting
my book in front of thousands of people who otherwise would not have seen it.
After all, nobody will buy a book they’ve never heard of!
b. Giving
me a reason to talk about the book on social media before the launch without
asking people to buy it. Instead of asking for something, I was offering
something of value (i.e., a chance to win).
c. Allowing
me to spotlight early reviews of the book. I put snippets from three of my
early reviews right in the giveaway description on Goodreads, so everyone could
see that it was getting great reviews.
I still have a lot to learn about effectively marketing a
book, but these three tips have served me well so far with my first release!
As an introvert, self-promotion isn’t something that has
ever come naturally to me. And yet… via @MeghannWhistler #SeriouslyWrite
~~~~~~
Meghann Whistler writes sweet Christian romance novels
that won’t make your grandmother blush. A hopeless romantic who met her
husband on a blind date, Meghann recently left her marketing career to pursue
her lifelong passion of writing sweet, hopeful stories that demonstrate the
power of love and grace. She loves to hear from her readers, who can reach her
at:
Website: meghannwhistler.com
Facebook: facebook.com/authormeghannwhistler
Twitter: twitter.com/MeghannWhistler
Instagram: instagram.com/meghannwhistler/
About Falling for the Innkeeper
A battle for a charming Cape Cod inn…
But what happens when romance checks in?
Single mom Laura Lessoway won’t accept her mother’s plan
of selling her late grandmother’s
inn without a fight. But when big-city
attorney Jonathan Masters arrives to arrange an offer from his client, she’s
drawn to him. And working together as he helps with repairs only brings them
closer. With his career and her home on the line, can they ever find common
ground?
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2Wvcc0a
HARLEQUIN: https://bit.ly/2YR54MK
WALMART: https://bit.ly/2KQJqAq
