Four Tips to Effective Book Marketing

copyright 2008, Nadia Brown

It can be difficult for new authors to create the kind of publicity needed for book sales, though not impossible. The most effective ways to market a book is to follow these simple tips.

1. Promote daily.

There are number of ways to market your book, and whether you are sending a book for review, lining up an interview with your local papers, or submitting articles to magazines, authors should make daily contacts. Author-Promotion (http://www.author-promotion.com/) is a resource directory for authors -- comprised of articles, marketing tips, and resources on book promotion. It is great way to get started. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish if you make a goal to promote each day.


2. Contact small and major publications.

Authors should also contact national newspapers, reviewers, magazines, or other forms of media. Though all forms of marketing have value, the larger your audience or exposure, the easier it is to generate demand for your books. For example: Reader Views - an online book reviewer, publicity and editing service, is a great place for authors to have their books reviewed, but authors should also request book reviews from well-established reviewers such as Publisher Weekly, Boston Globe, Kirkus Reviews, The Denver Post… these are merely samples used to illustrate a point. The same example could also be used when referring to submitting articles, getting interviews, etc.


3. It is essential for authors to promote their web sites.

You must market your web site in order to increase traffic. The best way to promote a web site is by having it ranked among the top of major search engines. When submitting a site for inclusion to search engines, authors may want to try the web optimization feature. Be sure to create meta tags and list the proper keywords that fit your product-related web site. Authors can go to (http://www.submitexpress.com/optimize.html) to learn more about meta tags, keywords, and web optimization. In addition, authors can use Google AdSense (www.google.com/adsense/) or have their sites listed on business directories (www.directoriezsubmission.com/). Other ways to increase web traffic is through various advertising methods such as flyers, business cards, or having your content listed on vendor sites. You can also submit your site to the Open Directory Project (http://dmoz.org/), and promote your site through writing-related forums and groups.


4. Target organizations for book purchases.

The best way to sell large quantities of authors’ books is by having organizations like libraries, schools, universities, churches… buy them. You can find U.S. public libraries listed here: http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb/Public_main.html, or search the Internet to find other organizations of your interest. Do not send unsolicited books. Query first, by either phone or email. Suggest your book’s title for possible purchase and request the appropriate address and department where you can send a sample review copy of your book along with the descriptive publicity materials, including price and relevant purchasing information. To increase sales, it is best not to contact individual libraries or schools, and instead contact the regional library or county school system of that particular area. By following these marketing tips, you will greatly enhance your ability to effectively market your book.

Nadia Brown is a poet, freelance writer, and author of the award-winning book, UNSCRAMBLED EGGS. Her poetry and articles have appeared in national and international magazines and literary journals. She is also the founder of http://www.author-promotion.com/ . For more information about her, visit her website at http://www.nadiabrown.com/