As an author, most of your work is behind the scenes. You write a book with a purpose of attracting readers from all over the globe. Once your book is completed and published, now it is a product that you have to sell. As daunting as it might seem, marketing is the most important step in building a brand and selling the products. It is considered an essential phase in the effective book publishing process. To gain long-term success, you need to focus on marketing your book. Your job as an author is not finished after writing the last chapter of the book; in fact, it’s only half of your work.
From the new practice of self-publishing to traditional publishing, you can enhance the sales of your book by building effective strategies. This blog contains some book marketing ideas that an author can use to generate leads and increase readership. Let’s dive in without any further ado.
Top Marketing Strategies To Bring Attention Of Audience To Your Book
Setup An Author Website
Having an author website is a strong tool to mark your online presence and serves as a space to introduce your book that readers can access from anywhere. Even if you have your book present on the publisher’s website, there is the competition that can lead to the divided attention of your reader. This is why it is vital to create your own website so that your book can get the attention it deserves from the targeted readers. Apart from the promotion of the book, having your personal website can build a positive and professional image for the audience.
Host A Book Launch Event
Hosting a book launch event can be a very good initiative that will bring more readers on board. With greater interest, you are more likely to garner greater sales of your book. Invite friends, family, fellow authors and other people to have a successful book launch event. You can place copies of your book to sell at the event and even have giveaways.
Utilize The Power Of Social Media Platforms
We all know that social media is a powerful marketing channel. In comparison to traditional means, by using social media, you have a better reach to the audience. Most self-published authors and ebook writers have their write-ups in digital form. The readers for these books are mostly online; therefore, using digital platforms to promote your book can increase a good number of leads. There are limitless possibilities for promotional activities to engage and target all book lovers on these platforms. Also, you can host live informative webinars, share quotes from your book, and post book covers and much more.
Use Lead Magnet
If you are not aware of lead magnet, it is a practice in which readers exchange information with the author to receive something in return. For instance, you ask for the email address of the readers or a subscription; in return, you send them the first chapter of your new book. Using a lead magnet is a smart way to convert potential readers into paying customers in a little time.
Run A Pre-Order
Pre-order is the option of buying a book before its launch. Running or starting with a pre-order before presenting your book in the market is one of the most effective book marketing ideas that build curiosity and increase the number of orders.
Design An Attractive Book Cover
The process of marketing starts from the book itself. Having an attractive book cover is the key to grabbing the attention of people. You have to keep small details in consideration while designing a book cover. From the title and author name to reviews and descriptions, all the elements should be placed properly. If designing is not your expertise, then you should avoid taking such risks. Therefore, the better option would be to hire professional book cover designers UK.
Get Reviews Of Your Book
Getting reviews on your book should be your top priority if you want to promote and market your book. The author should work on this even before they launch their book. To get reviews, you should reach out to all possible reviewers, provide them with copies in advance and ask them to post their reviews on multiple platforms. This can help you in influencing people to purchase and give your manuscript a read.
Do Networking To Build Connections
Apart from the efforts you are showing to build a connection with your readers, you should not forget your fellow authors. Do networking by attending events hosted by other authors. In addition to in-person, you can do online socializing as well. Engage with authors on social media, leave good reviews, show support and build a positive relationship with them.
Don’t Forget To Do Email Marketing
Email marketing is considered the best friend of authors to do self-branding and grow their sales. You need to craft a proper marketing plan. Sending special sale announcements and monthly newsletters and telling about new products can be some goals that you can set for your email marketing. To receive effective results, your email should have a proper signup link, subscription button and list of contacts. You can hire Mailchimp or other book marketing services uk to assist you in this process.
Know Your Unique Selling Point
Knowing your USP is the most important thing that sets you apart from other writers. You should be aware of your unique selling point to build your marketing strategies around it. With fiction, it can be a unique idea of your book or a character. For non-fiction, it is challenging to find a distinctive angle, but with a deep focus and understanding of your topic, you can find it as well. For instance, anyone can write about running a business, but only a few can give personal experiences with it.
Build A Proto-Persona
Only a few people might know about proto-persona. It is a hypothetical reader that is designed according to the target audience. As an author creating a proto-persona will help you in the decision-making step of your marketing process. With better knowledge of your target audience, you will have the chance to cater to their needs more nicely.
Conclusion
In conclusion, effective book marketing is essential for any author who wants to boost sales and reach a wider audience. There are many strategies authors can use to promote their books, including social media advertising, email marketing, launch events and the author’s website. It is important to understand your target audience and create a marketing plan that aligns with their interests and needs. Additionally, building an author platform and creating engaging content can help you connect with readers and build a loyal following. By incorporating these effective book marketing ideas and tactics you can increase your book’s visibility, attract more readers, and ultimately boost your sales.