Book Marketing 101: Three Tips to Promote Your
Book(s) Without Driving Away Readers
You’ve
just published a book. Congratulations! You’ve done something that many have
tried and few have succeeded. Give yourself a pat on the back… then put on your
thinking cap. It’s time for the next step: promoting your book.
Book
promotion is something most authors dread. I get that and I’m here to help.
Being an author myself, I know how overwhelming it is to sell and market your
book. In today’s publishing market, both traditional and indie authors are
expected to promote and be active on social media.
Ruth
asked me to share some book promotion tips with you today. Who am I? My name is
Mrs. N and my pen name is N. N. Light. I am a social media marketer by trade
and I have the social media reach of over twenty-six million. I’ve been in the
book industry for over twenty-five years and I specialize in matching books to
readers. In addition, I’m the author of three books (with more on the way) and
I firmly believe in authors helping authors succeed.
Below
are my three tried-and-true tips to promoting your book(s) without alienating
readers. The key to effective book promotion is to balance your selling of your
wares and connecting with your followers/readers.
Tip #1: Be a real live person. In the digital age, robots and automation
are everywhere. Don’t be a talking billboard on social media. Don’t scream at
the top of your lungs, “BUY MY BOOK! BUY MY BOOK! BUY MY BOOK!” Instead,
connect with your followers and take an actual interest in their lives. Say
hello and talk about things that interest you.
When I
first joined Twitter, I had no followers. I started following people who shared
similar interests. I soon had a following and made connections. I built a trust
with my followers and laid a foundation that’s more valuable than money. Sure,
it was a slow process but these same followers are still with me today.
Love
to bake, shop, hunt, travel or another hobby? Talk about it online. Intersperse
news about your writing and books with what you like to do in your free time.
Your following will soon grow and readers will connect with you, the person.
Tip #2: Pick three social media outlets and be
consistent. Every day, a new social media outlet pops up. It’s hard to keep up. I
mean, who has time to tweet, pin, facebook, tsu, post pics on Instagram, etc? I
surely don’t. Readers want consistency so here’s my advice: pick three social
media outlets that work for you. For me, it’s my blog, Twitter and Pinterest. I
post to my blog every day (Monday through Friday), tweet 24/7 and add pins to
my Pinterest boards at least once a week.
My
followers know that if they want to connect with me, the first place they do it
is Twitter. It’s my go-to platform and I’m always on there. I’m a social
butterfly and I love how Twitter is like a global social club. I meet people
from all over the world, get news I can’t get elsewhere and connect with people
I’m interested in. I can share my thoughts on a topic without having to explain
myself. If I have news to share (whether personal or professionally), it goes
out to my followers and even strangers (when I use the right hashtags).
My
blog is my secret weapon. Secret weapon? Yes! Every day, I create new content
online and Google grabs it, sorts it and ranks it. Through SEO (Search Engine
Optimization), I’m able to help Google get my writing into the hands of
readers. Since I started blogging, my followers have sky-rocketed.
Authors
underestimate how powerful a tool a blog is. Not only can you have one place
where you can promote your book(s), the more you write, the higher your blog
gets ranked by Google. Think about it for a second. Every time you post
something on your blog, your writing goes out into the world. If you post twice
a week for a whole year, that’s 104 sales pitches for you as a writer and
author.
Sales
pitches?
Yes,
sales pitches. Each time you write a blog post, it’s a sales pitch for someone
to read, secretly disguised as an inspirational thought, writing tip, recipe,
book review, vacation memories, holiday remembrance, etc. Someone who’s never
heard of you will run across your blog post and read your writing.
What
happens next will be up to your writing. If your writing inspires/moves the
reader, they’ll comment, follow your blog or even check out your book(s).
The
best thing about using your blog to showcase your writing is that it’s
absolutely free. It doesn’t cost you a thing and the results will astound you.
Remember
one important thing about social media: be consistent. No matter what social
media platform you use, be consistent. You don’t have to post every day like
me. Find what works for you and do it. If it’s only once a week or once every
two weeks, that’s fine. Just let your followers know what the schedule is so
they’re in the loop. If they think you’ve abandoned them, they’ll leave and
won’t come back.
Tip #3: Use graphics in your promotion.
Studies show that 76% more readers will click-through to check out your book(s)
if a graphic/photo accompanies your blog posts/tweet/update. Readers are visual
creatures and one way to pique their interest is to create a quote graphic.
Find a
compelling quote that will draw readers in. Create a graphic using one of the
many software applications available (Photoshop, Adobe, Canva, etc) and save it
to your computer/device. I have a folder with all the graphics I’ve used for my
books so it’s easy to post to Twitter/Pinterest/Blog.
I
can’t stress this enough, use graphics in Twitter and on your blog. Trust me,
you’ll get more readers intrigued with a visual aid than by saying you have a
book for sale.
Like
the graphic states at the top of this post, it all comes down to trust. Readers
will be more likely to buy your book(s) if you have established a connection
and they trust you. I’ve built trust as an authentic author/blogger/reviewer
and readers trust me when I tell them something is great.
I hope
these tips have helped you to see that book promotion is not only essential but
fun, too. You’ve done the hard stuff,
writing and publishing the book. Promotion is sharing your writing with the
world while building your brand.
Question Time: What
do you struggle with the most when it comes to book promotion? I’d love to hear
from you. I’m happy to answer any and all questions, too. If you prefer, you
can email me.
Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
Torn between two men, Sally must
follow her heart and decide if love will lead her to the city or the
countryside.
Back Cover Copy for Planting the Seeds of
Love: A Novella
Twenty-Two
year old Sally Rayton returns to the family farm she deserted four years ago to
bury her grandfather. Her plan: to settle her grandfather's estate and return
to her life in the city with her boyfriend, Trevor Mattson.
Her childhood
friend, Jack Smith, has other ideas.
Jack
convinces Sally to transform the farm into a brewery and fulfill her
grandfather's dream while keeping the Rayton Farm in the family. Sally works
side-by-side with Jack while Trevor is hundreds of miles away in the city. The
more time she spends with Jack, the stronger her feelings are for him.
When
Trevor shows up to propose to Sally right before Christmas and finds her in
Jack's embrace, she must make the biggest choice of her life: true love.
Reviews for Planting the Seeds of Love: A
Novella
Bottom line: I enjoyed
PLANTING THE SEEDS OF LOVE. It reads quickly, has a solid romance based on
compatibility and respect rather than being merely about sex, and the love
triangle was realistically drawn, and earned four very solid stars — and a
recommended tag. ~Barb Caffrey, Vine Voice
Reviewer
The author does a
splendid job of building the internal tension as well as some wonderfully
lighthearted interactions that play out perfectly and keep the reader engaged.
The secondary characters are well thought out, and bring an added dimension to
the setting. ~Jacquie Biggar
Sweet and full of heartfelt emotion, this is a powerful little
short story that will make the reader feel Sally’s angst as she considers her
options. Sally must dig deep to decide what is best her both her and her
grandfather’s legacy. ~Award-Winning and Best-Selling
Author Carole P. Roman
A perfect read, even for
a reader like me – someone who doesn’t normally read romances. ~Award-Winning and Best-Selling
Author Nicholas C. Rossis
Buy Links:
Excerpt from Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
"Jack, thank you so much for the lift
into town," a woman replied behind Sally. "Let's grab some lunch
before we shop."
Sally froze. She stared at Linda who shook her
head. What was Jack doing with a woman in
town?
"Here, let me take your coat, Emma,"
Jack said.
Emma? mouthed Sally to Linda.
"She's the daughter of Lonnie and Mary
Beth." Linda gave Emma the look-over and scoffed, "She can't be a day
over sixteen."
"What do I do?" Sally panicked.
Normally she didn't care what Jack did or who he went off with. Curiosity got
the better of her and she turned around.
Emma stood five foot three with curly blonde
hair and innocent green eyes. Her figure was slim with curves in all the right
places. Sally narrowed her eyes as Emma stood on tiptoe to kiss Jack on the
cheek.
Fuming, Sally turned around. Linda chuckled.
"What?"
"You better tone down your jealousy,
darlin'. You're shooting darts everywhere."
Sally gritted her teeth.
"I'm not jealous. If Jack wants school
girls kissing him, what do I care?" She took a deep drink of her coffee,
draining the cup. She slammed it down.
"Simmer down, here they come,"
whispered Linda. She waved to Jack while Sally swore under her breath.
"Well, fancy meeting you two here,"
Jack drawled.
Without looking up Sally retorted, "I
told you I was coming into town today."
Linda kicked Sally's leg under the table.
Sally plastered a smile across her face, greeting Jack and Emma.
"Yes, what a coincidence." Sally
noticed Emma looping her arm in Jack's and snuggling closer.
"I was on my way into town to pick up
those parts we ordered for the tractor when I ran into Emma walking by herself
in the snow." Jack smiled. Emma squeezed his arm.
"He pulled over and offered me a lift
into town. Isn't he a gentleman?" cooed Emma. Jack patted her hand.
Sally's chest constricted at the sight of the
two of them acting all couple-y. She stared into his twinkling eyes. Oh God, is he laughing at me? Emma can't
have him. He's mine. Wait what?
"So," Linda broke the strained
silence. "I have to go powder my nose. Emma, would you care to join
me?"
"What's that?" Emma looked confused.
Linda laughed. "It's the bathroom, dear
sweet child." She stood up, untangled Emma from Jack and guided Emma away
from the table.
Jack sat down.
"What's with you today?" he asked.
"Nothing." Sally cleared her throat.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Really!" A few diners turned to
stare. Sally flushed with embarrassment. She didn't mean to talk so loud. She
looked everywhere except in Jack's direction.
Jack observed Sally as she fidgeted, first
with her coffee cup then with the silverware. His gaze unnerved her and she
practically jumped out of her chair when he placed a hand over hers.
Electricity flew up her arm while warmth filled her core. Butterflies raced
around her stomach, only she didn't feel sick; she pulsed with life, like never
before.
"Sally...look at me."
Sally shook her head.
"You'll only laugh at me."
Jack's thumb caressed her hand gently, causing
her breath to hitch.
"You know I'd never laugh at you. Laugh with you, definitely, but never at
you."
Sally lifted her gaze to meet Jack's loving
eyes. He slid his fingers between hers, never breaking eye contact. Sparks flew
between them. He moistened his lips with a flick of his tongue. Her gaze
dropped to his lips.
"Please tell me. I'm begging you,"
he whispered.
Unable to think clearly through the fog of
desire, Sally tilted her head to one side. Her skin vibrated with heat while
her nerve-endings jumped at the slightest caress.
"Tell you what?" she whispered. Her
throat dry, her breathing shallow, she wet her lips with her tongue. She was
under a spell and everything fell away except for Jack's passionate eyes.
"Tell me what my wasted heart needs to
hear." His eyes flashed. "Tell me Emma made you jealous."
Sally started to nod but Emma interrupted.
"What are you guys talking about in
hushed tones? Crops and stuff?"
Jack groaned. He dropped Sally's hand as if it
burned him, causing the water glasses to jostle.
About NN Light
N. N.
Light has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather
remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs
and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him)
with her hands on her hips. Let's just say she was a born storyteller.
She
was born in Minnesota, lived in Southern California only to move to chilly
Ontario, Canada to marry her beloved husband MR N. She is blissfully happy and
loves all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking. Her
mantra is to spread the Light.
Most
of the time you can find her on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread
the Light on Pinterest. She is a proud member of ASMSG, Independent Author
Network and Marketing for Romance Writers.
In addition
to being an author, she's also a book promoter/reviewer and social media
marketer. She loves books, has ever since she was young. Matching up books and
readers is something that gives her great pleasure.
Social Media
She’d
love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media
sites:
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html