In
today’s publishing world, we have to do more promotion for our books. But who
should we be trying to reach? Readers, of course. Okay, you knew that. But exactly
who are these readers?
Writers.
They're voracious readers.
Book
club members. Book clubs are growing around the world.
Senior
citizens; they have more time now.
Women
(they buy 80% of all books)
Where
do we find them? Social Media. Websites for readers. Writer’s associations.
Local civic clubs/groups.
Social Media
I
use Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest and Instagram. Facebook, Twitter and
Goodreads are my favorites, because I see an increase in followers each time I
post. I target my Facebook marketing to the reader groups. Always use proper
social media etiquette and promote others twice as much as you do yourself.
Websites for
Readers
There
are several, but my favorites are Goodreads, The Book Club Network, and review
blogs. These are for readers,
not writers. It's a great place to find readers and TBCN is for book clubs.
I've picked up a few book clubs and a lot of reviews from giveaways there.
Writer’s
Associations
If
you carefully choose the authors whose blogs you ask to add to your blog tour,
you can gain readers. Here's the deal: I write women's fiction. Ronie Kendig,
while a dear friend, writes military thrillers. I won't glean many readers from
among her fans. I try to stick to women's fiction and romance authors’ sites.
Yeah,
I hear you shouting that you read all kinds of genres, but before you use me
for an archery target, hear me out. We only have so many hours for marketing.
Are you going to aim at a site with a few thousand readers of your genre (we
pick up about 3-7% of those readers) or a site where you might only realize one
or two new readers? Yeah, I thought so. Target your social media and your blog
tour.
Senior
citizens
Here's
an entire generation who reads. Target them through websites, churches, service
clubs (like Kiwanis), libraries, senior centers, parks, and even the grocery
store. Make business cards with your book cover on one side and the back-cover
copy on the other, along with a link to Amazon or your website. Leave them
everywhere.
A word for
email/newsletter marketing
Email
marketing is gaining ground. According to @PublishingPush on twitter,
"For every $1 spent, $44.25 is the average
return on email marketing investment."
Remember though, if you do an email newsletter, use a service
like MailChimp or Constant Contact. Several offer free newsletters to up to
2,000 recipients before they charge you. These services offer instant opt outs
for the recipient. At every event where you speak or do a book signing, have a
newsletter sign-up sheet, because it's
illegal to send newsletters without permission and an opt-out.
Who should we be trying to reach? via @AneMulligan #SeriouslyWrite
~~~~~~
Ane Mulligan
has been a voracious reader ever since her mom instilled within her a love of
reading at age three, escaping into worlds otherwise unknown. But when Ane saw PETER PAN on stage, she was struck with
a fever from which she never recovered—stage fever. She submerged herself in
drama through high school and college. One day, her two loves collided, and a
bestselling, award-winning novelist emerged. She
lives in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler.
Find Ane on her website, Amazon Author page, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and The Write Conversation.
In High Cotton
Southern women may look as delicate as flowers, but there's iron in their veins.
While the rest of the world has been roaring through the 1920s, times are hardscrabble in rural South Georgia. Widow Maggie Parker is barely surviving while raising her young son alone. Then as banks begin to fail, her father-in-law threatens to take her son and sell off her livelihood—the grocery store her husband left her. Can five Southern women band together, using their wisdom and wiles to stop him and survive the Great Depression?
In High Cotton
Southern women may look as delicate as flowers, but there's iron in their veins.While the rest of the world has been roaring through the 1920s, times are hardscrabble in rural South Georgia. Widow Maggie Parker is barely surviving while raising her young son alone. Then as banks begin to fail, her father-in-law threatens to take her son and sell off her livelihood—the grocery store her husband left her. Can five Southern women band together, using their wisdom and wiles to stop him and survive the Great Depression?
