Rave Reviews Book Club Spotlight Author …

I am pleased to introduce Rave Reviews Book Club’s Spotlight Author on the first stop of her Spotlight tour! …

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Welcome, Rochelle Carter!

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3 Steps to Market Your Book 10 Times Better Than Before

Today, there are authors of every stripe, from those in time-honored fiction and non-fiction categories to business people and professionals who’ve learned that writing a quality book is essential to building their brand.

In 2012, Americans self-published more than 391,000 books, according to market research giant Bowker. That’s a 400 percent increase since 2007. Also in 2012, traditional publishers released nearly 302,000 titles for a whopping total of nearly 700,000 new books. In one year! With the glut of new books being released each year, promoting just one can feel like a mission impossible.

But just as publishing has democratized, so has getting publicity. Yes, we still have gatekeepers – editors, producers, etc. – guarding access to traditional media, and yes, it’s still important to get their attention. But now we have social media to help us do that. With hard work, the right message and some marketing savvy, anyone can potentially build a following large enough for those gatekeepers and their audiences to take notice.

Looking for media attention for your book? Here are three steps to market your book better than before:Book Cover

  • Establish an online presence and following – ideally long before you’ve written your book. In the old days, authors crisscrossed the country, their car trunks weighed down with books. They arranged book signings at shops and events in an exhausting effort to get in front of as many potential readers as possible. While some authors still do this, it’s a big investment that doesn’t offer much in return unless you have a recognizable name. Establishing an online presence with a high-quality website and regular postings on social media is a much more efficient and effective way of connecting with potential readers/buyers.

  • Build a platform that will create a built-in audience for your book. Whether you’re a business leader with a book or a fiction author, it’s essential that you regularly provide fresh, engaging content to an audience. This is how you build a platform which, as the name suggests, puts you on a stage so others – including the media – can see you. Many writers do this by penning a blog on their website. Some writers host an Internet radio show; professionals using their book as a marketing tool may pay a radio station for a weekly time slot. If you live in a community with public access television, you can even host your own TV show.

  • Form strategic alliances with other authors. Don’t think of all of those other authors as the competition; rather, look at them as potential allies. Find authors who appeal to much the same audience as you and who have large followings, and join forces. Just as social media users help one another gain visibility by “liking” posts or “retweeting” tweets, you and your fellow authors can increase exposure for one another. Promote each other on social networks; guest-post on one another’s blogs, or participate on their radio and TV shows. One group that has mastered this collaborative approach is the Rave Reviews Book Club. Founded by Nonnie Jules, this is one group that truly creates a sustainable community for authors of all genres.

On the one hand, it’s wonderful that anyone with a message to share in the form of a book can now do so. Gone are the days of pinning all your dreams on some faceless editor in a New York high-rise.

But as with anything, greater accessibility leads to bigger crowds. If you want to stand out, you’ll have to plan a sustained marketing campaign. If your book is a tool to build your business brand, don’t worry so much about sales; it will pay for itself in establishing you as an authoritative expert in your industry.

If you hope to establish yourself as a fiction or non-fiction author, plan for long-term marketing even as you get to work on your next book.

Do you have any savvy marketing tips? Share them in the comments below!

 

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19 Comments on “Rave Reviews Book Club Spotlight Author …

  1. Rochelle, this was a very informative post. Any author, young and old could benefit from these tips, as we all know, times are a’changing! Thanks for taking the time to share and hopefully, you’re enjoying this fabulous tour. Thanks for plugging RRBC…you only spoke the truth! We welcome new members, authors and readers.

    Harmz, you’re an awesome host, but why did I have to solve a math equation to get in your door? LOL

  2. Great post, Rochelle – I’m sure many authors out there will find this post and your book very helpful! Congratulations on your Spotlight tour! Thanks for hosting, Harmony!

  3. Informational post, Rochelle. Here’s a tip that Anelia and I did. While we were writing the book, we formed a connection with Bulgaria National Radio, from whom we got a lot of research info. Then when the book was out, they did an interview with Anelia in English and Bulgarian. So, my advice is to try to connect with people you meet along the way. 🙂
    Enjoy your tour.

  4. Congratulations on winning the spotlight Rochelle Carter. I don’t think we formally met but we are all family here. Have Fun! Harmony you must have jumped off the last tour that we were on because that’s what I did to get here. lol Its wonderful that you are the host.

  5. Hi Rochelle, pleased to meet you. These tours are a great way of meeting and knowing our awesome #RRBC members. Congrats on your blog tour, and thanks to Harmony for hosting.

    • Thanks for stopping by, Joy! It’s always nice to see you 🙂 It has been fun hosting Rochelle 🙂

    • Thanks for stopping by, John! It’s a pleasure to host Rochelle, today. I’m so pleased you enjoyed your tour! 🙂

  6. Hi Rochelle. That’s a great post. Very informative. I hope you enjoy your tour.
    Harmony, thanks for hosting. And…you’re an awesome tour buddy. I loved the room chat with you & Shirley.
    *Hugs*

    • It is a pleasure to host Rochelle today!
      Thanks so much for stopping by, Rhani, and for your kind comments. I loved the Facebook Party chatting too! <3 :)