Indie authors - 3 ways to promote your book

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Three strategies to promote your book during this holiday season

Have you been wracking your brain to come up with ways to promote your book? You have written your masterpiece, if only in your eyes, and you’ll be happy if a few hundred readers get access to your story, taking into account the fact that while over 2 million books are published in the world each year, only a small percent go on to impact the majority of the reading public. 

As an indie author, you will have realised that it is challenging at best to get readers to pick up your book – at least the paying ones. However, to build a readership is a process and the strategies that I'll share with you will help you to further this process, while not necessarily bringing in the dollars right away. But don’t lose hope. You have embarked on a marathon, not a sprint when you go solo in this business.

Here are three strategies to promote your book and I guarantee that you will get some positive feedback and, no doubt, some negative ones too.. Use them and see what happens. "Nothing beats a trial but a failure" as the old adage goes.

Gift a few copies of your book

Every author should have a mailing list. Why not search through your mailing list and select a handful of fans and gift them one of your books? This book could either be a kindle version of your book or a paperback or a hardcover. You’ll be doing two things by gifting your books:

  • You will be making a reader happy.
  • You will be introducing your book to readers who may read it and if they like it may spread the word to others who may buy your book.

Ramp up your social media campaign

  • Hopefully, you have a following on social media. Introduce your work on your social media platforms and ask your followers to share your work with their following, thus widening the audience who knows about your book. If all your followers share your book on their platform, hundreds of people will know about your book. But be realistic. Only a handful of your followers will share your book, but you will have more people knowing about your book than if you tried to get "free" promotion all by yourself.
  • Ask your friends to gift your books to their friends and family.
  •  Make creative use of social media. Think of ways to package your book to stimulate the imagination of an audience who may be wowed to check out your book. Dig deep. You may find that one big idea to kickstart your campaign.
  • If you have a few dollars to spare, start an ad campaign on Facebook. Learn how to target your ads to your audience, if you don’t know how to do this as yet. You want to know that your ad goes to the people who are likely to read your book.

Have a sale

  • Reduce the cost of your book, providing an incentive for people to check it out. This strategy will reap much benefit, if readers had been lining up to read your book but couldn’t afford it.
  • Buy copies of your book, advertise your sale on your community notice board or send word to community members through other means. Set up shop in an open area in your community and persuade those who stop by to buy your book. 

Conclusion

So, there you have it! A few ways to promote your book! Selling dozens of books using these strategies is not guaranteed. What is guaranteed is that you will get your book in front of many people who may be inspired to buy it now or some time in the future.

Before you go, spend a few minutes to browse the blog, subscribe to get the latest posts as soon as they are published and do read some of my other reflections.


About the Author

Janette B. Fuller is a ghost writer and author of four books. 

When you are ready to write your story and/or after you have written your story, make contact with her at writingwisdomtree@gmail.com. She'll help you write your best story by helping you arrange your thoughts and/or edit your work. Check out her books here. 



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