A strong marketing strategy, combined with the excitement, urgency, and newness of a book launch will carry many authors and their marketing, social media, digital media, and publicity teams for months following publication without a lull. But once the launch strategy has been executed, how do you maintain promotional momentum and book sales? The below suggestions will provide focus to your ongoing marketing efforts.
Whether you just intrinsically know you need to be more engaged on social media to support your creative efforts or you have a strategy plan in hand that you now need to execute, taking that next step can be daunting. Some authors and experts elect to handle this role themselves, while others opt to enlist external support to get the job done. Both options have merit – as long as what is put out into the world is truly reflective of you, your voice, and your brand.
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The most successful ad campaigns have one thing in common. It’s not celebrity endorsements and it’s not catchy jingles. It’s the ability to reach a target audience. When you’re ready to explore advertising opportunities for your book, identifying and making contact with your key reader demographic will have an enormous impact on the effectiveness of your campaign. Podcast advertising has emerged as a great solution for getting your message in front of potential readers.
Congratulations! Winning a book award is no small feat. Thousands of titles are submitted yearly for various award programs. If your book is selected as a winner or finalist for a book award, don’t be afraid to celebrate it! Below are a few ways you can promote your book’s award recognition.
Getting your book into the hands of readers for reviews, discussion, and word-of-mouth is an essential part of a book marketing campaign. It’s also the dream of most authors to see their book spark lively discussion and community building. One way to do that is by connecting with book clubs, which can be challenging and time-consuming as there’s no one central place where book clubs congregate. Below are some ways that you might connect with book clubs both locally and virtually.
You’ve likely heard a publicist talk about a press kit, but what about a speaker press kit? Both are effective and professional ways to market yourself to specific audiences, and knowing the differences between the two can help you tailor your outreach and could result in more media coverage and speaking engagements.
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As an expert, you’ve spent years building your network. From newsletter subscribers and social media followers to clients and professional connections, you’ve engaged, offered value, and built relationships. When it comes time to publish your book, your network is the single most valuable promotional tool at your disposal. If you can effectively harness their influence and support, you can achieve a stellar launch and sustain your book sales for the long-term.
Your local independent bookstore is likely struggling, and as a publisher, we feel it’s our obligation to support them in any way that we can, including encouraging our authors (and all authors!) to do their part in helping support local bookstores.
