Book Marketing How to Strategically Market to Increase Book Sales

Book Marketing How to Strategically Market to Increase Book Sales Book Marketing: How to Strategically Market to Increase Book Sales Just because you wrote a new book doesn’t mean that your book is guaranteed to sell.Harsh? Maybe. But its true. And here at Self-Publishing School, you first have to learn the truth before taking action.Even if your book is the next Great American Novel, it won’t be a success if it doesn’t get into the collective conscious of the public.This is why youneedgood book marketing tactics to back it up. Here are the book marketing strategies we cover:Social media marketing strategiesUse a launch team for book marketingPricing your book effectivelyBuild a website to market your bookGrow your email listInfluencer outreach for book promotionApply for BookBubLand interviews on podcastsReach book clubsWrite another bookBook Marketing for Self-Published AuthorsMarketing takes planning, organization, and consistent action; it’s hard work. But the good news is that marketing is also about fostering connections and relationships, which can be rewarding to you and your fa n base.And since you’re the one who knows your book from cover to cover, your backstory, your reasons for writing it, and who your ideal reader is, its your duty to put a plan in place to best connect with your intended audience and share your story.We know, we know†¦you’ve put a ton of effort into writing, editing, and getting your book ready for publication that the thought of adding another layer of â€Å"work† is not the most appealing idea.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about how to build a platform and maintain consistent book sales in our Sell More Books Program. Learn more about it hereBut realize that if you launch your book without a marketing plan, FAR fewer people will read it.It will hamper the success of the book you’re working on now, as well as others you plan on publishing in the future. So if you dream of becoming a New York Times bestselling author, or if you want your book to help you reach other lifesty le goals, a book marketing strategy is your essential key to success.And if you want a quicker, easier way of understanding whats in this blog post, check out your free training.Join Chandler Bolt at his FREE Webinar Training as he reveals the exact tactics and strategies he used to write and publish 6 bestselling books in a row and how he used them to build a 7-figure business in less than 2 years!Spots are limited!Click Here to Save Your SpotBook Marketing Strategies for Social MediaHaving a quick overview of exactly what you can do and how much time and effort each will take can help you better plan for your book marketing plan.Here are our recommended book marketing strategies and what you need for each.Book Marketing PlatformWhat to doTwitter- use appropriate hashtags - post relatable tweets to increase shares - engage by liking and replying to others - search common hashtags to find your audienceInstagram- use appropriate hashtags - post photos related to the content of your book - engage by liking and replying to others - ask questions in photos to increase engagement - search common hashtags to find your audienceFacebook- create a page for yourself or your book - post video content - go Live to answer questions or discuss your book - post blog posts supporting your topic/ideas/bookPinterest- create pins linking back to your website - repin content related to your genre - create appropriate boards for your content - optimize pins with keywords - join group boards - connect with others who pin similar ideasLinkedIn- great for business-related topics - share insights/stats - share blog posts supporting your ideas/topics - connect with leaders in your industryPersonal Website- create a website - maintain a blog with posts about your main topic - use this to create an email list - keep this updated regularlyFree Book Marketing PlanHaving seen and been involved in so many book launches ourselves, we know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to book marketing.We’ll walk you through a play-by-play of exactly what you need to do so that your readers can find your book and buy it.We’ve broken this guide down into three main sections for learning book marketing:Pre-Launch: Building Your Book Marketing Launch TeamPricing Your Book for Maximum SalesPost-Launch: 8 Strategies for Selling More BooksLets get started! Pre-Launch: Build Your Book Marketing Launch TeamThe first step of preparing for your book launch, and the marketing behind it, is to build your launch team or street team, as its also commonly referred to.What is a launch team?The ideal launch team, also known as a street team, is a dedicated, hand-selected group eager to make your launch successful. If you use your team’s talent and communicate well, there’s nothing your launch team can’t accomplish!This video does a great job of detailing what a launch team is and exactly what they do: #1 Launch Team SizeThe first step is to determ ine the projected size of your book marketing launch team basedon the size of your audience.Your audience is anyone interested in you, your book, and your product. They could be five of your lifelong friends, members of your community, big organizations you’re connected to, social media followers, email subscribers, anyone who might be interested in what you’re sharing.If you have a smaller following, we suggest you aim for a launch team of 10-50. Those with hundreds in their network can aim for 100-250 team members.How to Finda Launch TeamIf you don’t have much of a following right now, start by looking at your personal inner circle- your family, your close friends- then branch out to their connections, families, and colleagues.You can reach out to peers from college, your volunteer work, or even your first job. You may even consider parents at your child’s school, fellow dog owners, or members of your yoga class.Even though you may not know these peopl e well,they are a part of your network, and you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that they’re inspired by your book and would be eager to share it.Once you’ve completed this exercise, you should have an initial list of potential launch team members!#2 Recruit Quality People for Your Launch TeamNow that you’ve determined your potential recruitment pool, the second step is to initiate contact and gauge their interest level. The most important lesson to consider about your book marketing launch team is that  QUALITY trumps QUANTITY.One top-quality, dedicated team member trumps a handful of mediocre ones.To begin recruitment for your launch team, create a simple questionnaire process that describes your book, your expectations of the team, and questions asking:Why are you interested in supporting my book?What part of my book speaks to you?What specialized skills can you contribute?What’s your available time commitment?Who are influential people you can reach out to?Why would these influential people be interested?To sweeten the recruitment deal, feel free to offer a free signed copy of your book or an inclusion in the â€Å"acknowledgments† section. You can easily do this through email, or through online forms like Typeform.#3 Record a Welcome VideoTake the time to record a warm welcome video for your new supporters! In your video, first, congratulate your team for being selected and express gratitude for their help.Then, detail your expectations, your unique mission for writing your book, and why you want to share it with as many people as you can!This welcome video will help you create a more personal connection with your book launch team, and show them a bit more about why you’re creating it and what message you’re trying to convey.Be sure to send it to everyone who completes your questionnaire!#4 Establish a Communication StyleHere’s the secret to a successful book marketing launch team: Effec tive communication. Communicate with your team regularly to keep them focused on weekly tasks, progress, and innovative ideas by doing the following:Strive to send one email per week preceding launch then increase it to three or more during launch week.Use a Facebook group to engage, share ideas, and post feedback. Set the tone by posting â€Å"Dos and Donts† to keep conversations focused and positive.Boost morale and build rapport by sharing inspiring quotes, gifts, and goofy photos to keep energy high and build vital connections.No matter which mode of communication you’re using, remember people like to be treated well.Always make sure your team knows how grateful you are to them and their dedication!#5 Book Marketing Launch Team AssignmentsYou can’t just build up a catalog of supporters and not use them, though. You have to give them small assignments to help you with launching and the book marketing process in general.It might feel weird telling people to h elp you, but don’t worry about it!They’re here because they want to support your project, and as long as you’re gracious and ask nicely, they’ll be happy to support your work.Facebook Groups will be the most effective way to dole out weekly team assignments.Here are some book marketing initiatives you can assign your team to do: Share snippets of content from your book across social mediaSubmit reviews on AmazonAdd their reviews to GoodreadsShare a book review on their YouTube channelRecord a testimonial for your bookBuy extra copies to give to their friendsGive you more marketing ideas!#6 Utilize TalentsYour team members will have a different variety of skills and talents, and it’s your job to effectively manage your team by assigning work based on their strengths.To identify your team’s talents, write a post during the introductory week and say the following:â€Å"If you have any special talents or connections you’d like to lend t owards my book launch, please comment on this post and let me know. I’m looking for ways to help spread my book’s message to a wider audience.†#7 Have Fun and Say â€Å"Thank You!†Your launch team will commit weeks of their time, energy, and talent, so make sure you thank each and every person for their contribution!Ensure that each person on your team feels valued and appreciated for their efforts.And most importantly, let them know how to get your book for free (or at least at a deep discount)!Which brings us to†¦How to Price Your BookOne of the most important factors in how successful your book launch is will be how you price it.To find out how to price your book for success, we recommend reading Book Launch.But for the sake of this article, here are some of Self-Publishing School’sbiggest secrets that will get your book to soar up the Amazon’s charts:If you have a sizable audience, we recommend launching your book for $0.99, and the n increasing the price to $2.99 or higher after about a week.For first-time authors, we recommendAmazon’s Free Book Promotionsfor your book launch.Although you won’t get paid by putting your book out for free,realize that it will be featured on another author’s page which instantaneously increases your exposure and recognition. Once the freepromotion has ended, switch your book’s price to $0.99 for the following week, then slowly increase the price by $1 per week until sales stagnate.Post-Launch: 8 Book Marketing Strategies for Selling More BooksAll marketing- no matter which market or industry- is fundamentally about people and making connections.Part of pitching your book will be figuring out how your book relates to your readers and how they will benefit from it.Now that your book is out in the wild, you want to get as many people to it as possible. Here are the eight best strategies for doing just that.NOTE: We cover everything in this post-launch mar keting section and much more about how to build a platform and maintain consistent book sales in our Sell More Books Program. Learn more about it here#1 Build Your Book WebsiteCan you imagine if you came home one day and your house was†¦missing?Well, that is what an author’s life can be like without a website to post fresh content.You’ll always be missing a home where you can park your books. Many authors think they don’t need a website because they can promote their books through social media or the author platform on Amazon.Sorry, not exactly.There is a huge difference. Having an author website is the difference between renting or buying a piece of property. When you rent, you are living in someone else’s space.It doesn’t belong to you and they can cancel your lease at any time. Maintaining your own website on a hosted server with your domain name is the same as having that piece of real estate.You can customize your site your way, publish your own content, and you are always in complete control of how it looks and what gets published.When it comes to book marketing with your own website, the sky’s the limit. You can: Publish your book’s landing page on your site. Post blogs about your upcoming book Create a countdown timer for the book’s release date. Set up an affiliate link to your Amazon page so you get commissions on book sales Include sample chapters from your book Link to video clips about the book on your website Communicate directly with your email subscribers about new releases or your current blog postAnd you can also set up a Google Alert so you can be notified about where your name and your book show up online. If someone gives you good feedback or a stellar review, reach out and thank them and ask them to link back to your book’s website.Action Step:If your book doesn’t already have a website, get one started! To set up your website and personal blog on a paid se rver, you can try Bluehost or Godaddy and use WordPress for building your site.#2 Build Your Email ListThere is a saying going around that says: â€Å"the money is in the list.† Why? It’s simple. A list of followers who are in love with your writing will be the first to line up when you have a new product to sell.These people are essentially your customers.Your email list is yours. It doesn’t belong to Amazon or social media. You control what you want to say, how you say it, and when. Imagine if every time you had a new book ready to launch, hundreds or thousands of people were waiting for it so they could get it first. If you are serious about your book marketing your current project and all future ones as well, building your list shouldbe a top priority. Nothing else comes close.Although building a list takes time, in the long run it is the easiest way to market.These are the true fans that will get the word out and be the first to leave verified reviews afte r buying your new release at the special price of 0.99. But that is just the beginning.You can continue to build your list by including a reader magnet at the front and back of your book. Get people hooked on your brand and then keep them there by writing your next book, and then, including them in your next launch.As your book reaches more people, and you get more signups, your marketing capacity grows†¦exponentially.Action Step:If you haven’t started on your list building, go to an email management system such as Mailchimp or AWeber and sign up for an account. Then get building and start to funnel your fans into your books today.#3 Reach Out to InfluencersWhen it comes to book promoting, nothing can have a bigger impact on your book than influencers through book endorsements.Even Gary Vaynerchuk, one of the most influential and knowledgable people in the marketing game, thinks so. What is an influencer? Influencers can be podcasters, bloggers, or authors with strong e mail lists. It’s someone with an established platform that can get you noticed if they notice you.An influencer is someone who has a lot of promotional weight and can spread the word about your book to thousands of people with just a brief mention to their email list, on their blog, or by sharing on social media, for example.Influencers have a long reach. What you can do is identify the influencers in your niche and reach out to them. Tell them who you are and ask if they can help to promote your latest book.A lot of the time, theyll want a free copy to read and review. You can also offer to support their future endeavors as a way of giving back.Influencers can have a major impact on your exposure as an author, so try to set up interviews in your hometown or reach out to someone online and offer to do an interview so you can deliver value to their target audience.Guest post blogging on an influencer’sblog or website is another way to market your book.For example, if yo u wrote a book on recipes for Italian food, you could try connecting with people in the Italian cooking niche.They may have a blog, podcast, or a webinar on which you want to appear.Action Step:Identify at least one influencer in your market and reach out to that person. Tell them who you are and what you do. Get on their podcast or get interviewed. Exposure to fans in your niche will have a big influence on book sales.#4 Leverage Two Social Media PlatformsSocial media is a powerful way to promote your book to potential readers. We can engage with thousands of people just by hitting a few buttons.But with social media sites, the big scare is the amount of time we can get sucked into trying to do everything. If you try to connect with everyone, you’ll match up with nobody.When promoting and marketing your book, you can’t be everywhere doing all things at once.That is why we recommend you choose two social media sites to work withand post your content regularly on these two sites.For example, you can have a YouTube channeland post weekly videos covering a wide range of topics centering around your book. After a few months, you could build up a library of content that will bring in the right audience, engage with new subscribers, and even create a course out of your videos. Heres an example of Youtube content from a writer currently working on her first fiction novel. She created a Youtube channel to engage fellow writers, who are also readers:By creating a Youtube channel and giving advice about writing, shes appealing to writers while also advertising that she is also a writer and has a book in progress.Switching gears to Facebook, you can promote your book or blog using Facebook adsthat drive new readers to your Facebook page or your book’s website.You could also post popular quotes or snippets of material from your upcoming book. With Twitter, you can post multiple times a day with brief quotes or messages under 280 characters. Twitter h as proven to be a powerful platform for authors when it comes time to promote and market a book.And if your book is more business-focused, you may find that LinkedIn works best for you, since it allows you to connect with new readers on a more professional platform.We recommend choosing two social media platforms and focusing on consistent engagement. This will keep your book’s appearance fresh and invite new people in to check out your work.Using Specific Hashtags to Grow on Social Media#In the writing community, there are a number of very popular hashtags authors and writers use to connect with each other.Why make connections with other authors? Because almost every other isalso a reader!Here are some of the top hashtags you can use on each platform:Twitter#amwriting (as in, I am writing)#writerslife#fantasywriter, #scifiwriter, #contemporarywriter, etc.#writerprobs, #writerproblemsInstagram#amwriting (as in, I am writing)#writerslife#fantasywriter, #scifiwriter, #contempor arywriter, etc.#writerprobs, #writerproblems#writersofig, #writersofinstagram, #writersofinstaFacebook#amwriting (as in, I am writing)#writerslife#fantasywriter, #scifiwriter, #contemporarywriter, etc.#writerprobs, #writerproblemsAction Step:Choose two social media platforms and commit to publishing content regularly. If you only want to focus on one, master it, and then move to another that is perfectly fine! It is better to do one thing and get it right then do two things poorly.#5 Get on BookbubBookbub is the cream of the crop when it comes to promoting and marketing your book. In fact, you should submit your book for promotion as either free or for 99 cents right after your book launch.Bookbub has a massive following and can get your book delivered to thousands of readers. It really is the â€Å"Big One† when it comes to bookmarketing.The cost isn’t cheap and can run you anywhere from $200 to $2,000 for a promo, depending on the genre, category, and the price of y our book.But is it worth it? Yes. Definitely.For example, if you are running a promo for 99 cents in general nonfiction, you could potentially sell, on average, 2,000 copies of your book. Not only will you make a profit, but this could bring in hundreds of subscribers and leads to your email list.From there you can upsell readers on your other books or even a course if you have one.Action Step:Go here for Bookbub submission requirements. You can also check out the pricing here and submit your book here.#6 Interviews and PodcastsA local radio or podcast interview can introduce you to new readers. While this may sound intimidating, you can pull this off like a pro with a little preparation.Look to local colleges, podcast hosts, or local radio stations for interview opportunities(Pro Tip: Hosts love to interview up-and-coming authors, so you may be surprised at the many offers that come your way when you reach out).Reach out, let them know a little bit about your book and why it might be interesting to their audience, and include a free sample of it so they can see if you’d be a good fit.If you have a press release describing what your book is about, feel free to include that as well to give them more context.Then be sure that when you go on, you present a great story about your book and get their listeners excited to read it!Action Step:What are three podcasts or radio shows you could go on to talk about your book? Find their contact info and reach out with a pitch about having you on.#7 Book ClubsLocal book clubs are another goldmine of new readers; you already know they like books! Find and connect with these groups.You can offer to attend a meet-and-greet and hand out copies of your free signed book. You can also get your book listed in Facebook Groups and other groups dedicated to readers.There are also paid lists, such as Buck Books, that can reach tens to hundreds of thousands of readers. Book Launchalso teaches what lists are out there, and which ones are the best to use.Action Step:Are there any book clubs you could join? Look on Facebook for groups that would be a good fit for your book.#8 Write Another BookPublishing another book is great for brand building. In fact, it’s much harder to market just one book unless it is a ground-breaking phenomenal masterpiece.Your book may be great, but you can compound that greatness by writing more books, preferably in a series.With every new book you put out there, you increase the chances of your work getting recognized by influencers and people online who are hanging out in all the places you can target for promotion and sharing.Become a Book Marketing Guru with FREE TrainingLaunching your book is only the beginning. The real work begins after the initial â€Å"bang† is over and you have to dig in deep to promote, engage, and provide solutions to readers’ problems.Remember: Marketing is about delivering a product [your book] to the right people [your audience] who need desperately what you have to offer [your solution].