What are the three keys to building a strong online sales strategy?

Discoverability. Awareness. Action.

There are a multitude of ways to promote your book online. A strong foundation for your book marketing campaign should include tactics to promote discoverability, awareness, and action. Build discoverability by optimizing your book to ensure that readers are able to find it. Create awareness by building conversation, buzz, and reviews for your book. And, finally drive action that encourages readers to buy your book.

One of the most exciting (and nerve-wracking) times for an author is putting their book into the hands of readers for the very first time. This is when all of their hard work comes to fruition, and they begin to hear what readers really think of their book and ideas.

In the process of publishing a book, the publication date can often be viewed as the end goal. But for a book to truly be successful and have staying power in the market, it’s important to see beyond the publication date. During the lead-up to publication and surrounding publication, there will be a flurry of marketing, promotion, and publicity. But what do you do after the initial fireworks to keep your book top-of-mind with readers?

“If you build it, they will come.”

In the nearly three decades since Field of Dreams blessed our culture with this mysterious misquote, it has served as powerful inspiration for countless people pursuing an endless variety of dreams.

Writing a book can be a romantic notion for many aspiring authors, but it is a process that requires time, dedication, and perseverance to get to the finished product. The thought of simply giving away your newly published book, which you poured your energy into for months—maybe even years—can seem like the most absurd idea ever.

When Google bought YouTube in 2006, the platform skyrocketed to prominence. The subsequent proliferation of video into a daily information-sharing tool is evidenced in today’s ease of capturing, viewing, and sharing videos in the social media sphere. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat all offer the ability to stream live video to your followers. The serious investment made in video by these social sharing giants has cemented the importance of the medium to building brand awareness.

When it comes to content creation, consistency is key. Consistent content is what builds trust with consumers and keeps them coming back. While keeping a regular blog is a great way for any thought leader or influencer to appeal to their audience, it isn’t the only way to connect with readers.

The process of launching a book into the market and positioning it for success among the competition can seem like a daunting task for many authors. There are so many components and moving parts to think of that many authors find themselves feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to begin. While there is no one thing that will guarantee success, there is a golden ticket that will get you through the door to reaching readers and building a loyal and engaged followership: the newsletter.