You've Published Your Book...
Great!Now What?

by Rita Milios

 The day you've been anxiously awaiting has finally arrived.  You're holding your brand new, incredibly beautiful, enormously engaging, valuable/helpful/informative/inspiring/uplifting/touching) BOOK in your hot, little hands. Congratulations!

 Now what?

 After the initial excitement dies down, that seems to be the question on the minds of most newly self-published and POD authors. You realize that you, the author, will be responsible for a majority (if not all) of the marketing for your book.  Of course, you trust that thousands of people will want to purchase your book. (After all, it is enormously engaging, valuable, helpful, etc., etc.) But you also realize that this throng of buyers won't exactly be knocking your door down tomorrow.  Because, for the moment, aside from your publisher and a few family members and friends, hardly anyone else knows that your book even exists.
 So, how do you go about getting the word out? Just how do you do this thing called (gasp!) marketing?

 First, Make a Plan    Think about both what you can do and what you are willing to do, to bring your book to the attention of readers.  Consider your personality. Are you (like many writers) basically a shy person? If you feel more at home behind the keyboard than behind a lectern, you may want to focus on a web-based marketing campaign. But perhaps you are outgoing and adventuresome, and you enjoy being in front of people, sharing ideas and offering your expertise. In that case, public speaking might feature prominently in your Marketing Plan.  Deciding ahead of time on the overall components of your Marketing Plan can save you time, money and embarrassment. Whatever your style, your Marketing Plan should include some (or all) of the following:

Book Announcements: 

-Press Releases (sent via snail mail and/or email)
-  Flyers
-   Posters
-   Postcards

Send these to local and regional media, bookstores, libraries and friends, family and acquaintances. There are many free email Press Release Services. Of course, they try to up-sell you to their fee-based services, but at http://www.free-press-release.com, http://www.i-newswire.com, and http://express-press-release.com you can get to the actual free-submission form in just a few clicks, quickly bypassing the up-sells.

Giveaways:

-   Bookmarks
-   Pens
-   Note Pads
-   Other inexpensive promotional items

Articles:

-   Magazine
-   Ezine
-   Blog
-   Newspaper (daily, weekly, shopper)
-   Newsletter (association, corporate, college, hobby, niche-focused)
Writing articles based on your book, or created from excerpts of your book, is an excellent way to get free publicity. Write short 500-750 word articles for the web, and somewhat longer articles for newspapers and magazines. Always follow each publication's specific guidelines.  Use the bio lines or signature/resource box at the end of the article to plug your book. Be sure to include contact information. If you really want to get people to contact you, however, you'll need to include a fee offer...a Tip Sheet, Special Report, e-book or other useful gift.
You can get plenty of mileage out of a single article by using internet article distribution services. I use Ezine Articles.com (http://www.ezinearticles.com), where I am listed as an "expert author" because I have credentials (I am a licensed psychotherapist). Article Dashboard (http://www.articledashboard.com) is another good article submission site. There are many more; a simple search will turn them up. (Search for "article distribution services.") The value of these submission services is that they quickly disperse your articles and signature box-which should contain a mini-ad for your book-to hundreds of ezines, where potential customers can learn about it.

Spin-Offs:

-    Quiz
-    Survey
-     Poll
-    Tip Sheet
Take your book's content and spin it into gold by creating a Quiz (my personal favorite), Survey, Poll, or Tip Sheet(s). These bite-sized educational tools are more interesting, more fun and more likely to get read than an article, simply because they are different. Make sure your spin-off item contains questions that inform and educate your readers about something they are interested in or need help with. (See my resource box below for an example.)

Blog or Website:
  These days, you can't have a book without a website or a blog. The key is to update both on a regular basis. A blog is easy to update...just add a bit of new information-a single paragraph will do-at least once or twice a week. Make sure you add information that readers will find interesting and useful; and quote from your book whenever possible. Always sign off with a signature line containing a "plug" for your book.

Create an Event    Start something -a contest, a community event,  or an Awareness Day, that has a tie-in to your book. As an example, I have a children's book (not yet published) called Dream Share. As part of my future Marketing Plan, I have a Dream Share Kickoff Contest (kids share a "special" dream and why it was special. Was it scary? Did it teach them a lesson? Did it remind them of someone or something special?)  Winners receive prizes, such as a Dream Share Slumber Party that includes a free Dream Journal book (a prior publication of mine) and an online chat with the author (me, of course) during the Slumber Party.  A Dream Quiz asks "What Kind of Dreamer Are You?" (Daily Dreamer, Problem-Solving Dreamer, Mystical Dreamer, Lucid Dreamer), and a Dream Share Pop Quiz asks kids to answer questions---that require them to have read the book.  See how it goes?
 Another kind of event could be an Awareness Day, or a special  "campaign," sponsored by yourself and a community organization. You might start an "End Workplace Bullying" Campaign and partner with a local corporation. The media would cover your event because of the topic and the civic-awareness angle.
Think about your book and its contents....what could be used as a tie-in to an event? Think about theme, setting, issues (is one of your characters mentally ill? Have they been a victim or domestic violence?) You get the idea....
 Above all, be creative....be industrious...be a resource for your community....and you will be someone people like to buy books from.

Become Media Savvy  You need to make friends with the media...newspaper reporters, magazine editors, TV and radio (both land and internet).  But you don?' have to take them to lunch to do it. Create a print Media Kit and have an Online Media Center, that each tell about you, your book, your passions and your expertise. Include FAQs, Questions and Answers for interviewers, Tip Sheets, Book Reviews and Testimonials.
 How do you get these last two? Ask and you shall receive. Send review copies (or pre-publication galleys) of your book to editors of magazines and ezines that relate to your book's topic. Ask an expert to endorse your book (easier for nonfiction).
 It doesn't hurt to ask! For my forthcoming book, Instant Inspiration: How to Have Creativity on Tap...Anytime...All the Time...and Never Have Writer?' Block Again, I asked publishing guru, Dab Poynter, for a review, as well as a number of other prominent writers. Amazingly, about 90% said yes, and most sent their endorsements in a timely manner.

 Get Out There  Marketing doesn't all happen over the internet (although it can). If you resolve to get involved, and become a "joiner," you can add greatly to your base of potential book buyers. The key is to go where your buyers will be. Go to conferences, trade shows, and industry or hobby workshops as well as book fairs and publishing events.
Network...meet and greet. Exchange business cards (which should have your book's cover printed on them). If you have the option (and the desire), offer to be a speaker or to man a vendor table. Creating relationships with potential book readers and buyers one-on-one at such events can really boost sales.
Whatever you do to increase visibility for yourself and your book will positively impact your sales. The number one thing you can do, however, is to be there for your readers. Have your readers' interests at heart at all times. Give them quality and value. Offer tools that they can use to improve their lives. Inspire them, encourage them, uplift them. Give them a thrill....Just give...and without even trying, you will also get back. And your precious book will find its place in the world.

Rita Milios, "The Mind Mentor", is a psychotherapist and author of more than thirty books, plus hundreds of magazine articles, for adults and children. A former writing instructor for a national writing school, Rita is a frequent speaker at writers' conferences. She offers Author Marketing and Promotional Services to help fellow writers find markets for their books. Call her at 727-860-5675 or go to www.ritamilios.com for information. Take the Powerful Press Release Quiz and the Blockbuster Blurbs Quiz to test your book marketing skills.

  

...you are free to reprint this article in your ezine or on your website, as long as the contents of both the article and author bio are not changed and are reprinted in their entirety. For more free articles, visit www.ritamilios.com