David Yanez

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Marketing Your Book

One thing that all authors and publishers must accept is that it takes a huge personal effort in marketing your book. Marketing takes everyone who cares about this project to get behind it with a plan. This is an everyday plan to work on something that pertains to marketing your book.

I believe that a three year commitment to push each literally work must be embraced by every one involved. Sometimes there might be that one exceptional work that just takes off like a rocket to best seller status. That work may even be featured on hit shows and news interviews but that doesn't happen for everyone overnight. It takes hard work to make a best selling author. I believe it literally takes a team effort to make some serious authors be made known to the public.

First thing to remember is that your literally work is just the vehicle you will be using to get your real item your selling out there. That real item is YOU. People buy books not only because they like the stories but because of who is writing them. Your book will open up interviews, articles, speaking engagements and book signings. It is your job to make the audience aware about YOU.

Things that are needed to market are right in front of you a computer, internet and phone. These are the essential tools that every power sales team use everyday. There is no majical formula on how this works or what you should do. It's simple find target groups of people, shows and stations that are interested your subject matter or expertise. Yes expertise! People believe if you write a book on a subject that your an expert in the field. That is at least one automatic mystique that you have working for you.

Now its up to you start calling and sending copies of your book to these target groups. A press kit may be good to have to send to those that request it. Also because I do own a Christian Radio Station I get several request every week from artist, authors and agents asking to be on the air to promote themselves. One thing I request from them is a list of questions before we air the interview live or record. Why this helps? It gives me a preview of what the interview would be like, allows me to build my show around the questions and assures me these people are professional. TV and Radio host are needing guest to be interviewed all the time. So if your work is something that they can create a show out of while keeping the cost low because your free. Your book is now a win for the both of you. Remember that your the best promoter for your book.

Besides working the phones and emailing people about your book consider sending press releases in several regions announcing your book to the public. Several media outlets monitor these release blasts. You never know which one might find your book appealing. Who knows what the next subject of the Oprah show would be you might have just wrote that one book they are looking for. Let you local media know about your work contact local papers, tv and radio channels. Before you go across country work the area that you live in. Keep the cost down. The beauty of most interviews is they can be done on a phone from your home or office.

Take advantage of the internet create a blog, get involved in social media networking, join groups and most definately create a website for yourself and a seperate one for each book you write. A free quick $300 lesson on websites and internet traffic is that the information meaning verbage, links and media on a website will drive traffic to the site. Why? Websites use spyders to gather information on websites that connect words and interests together for search engines. You want as much verbage online about your work and about you as an author that would create enough activity in search engines about guess who YOU.

Create a commercial for your book one for 30 seconds and the other for 2 minutes. These will come in handy to send out to media interests in the future. You can stream these videos everywhere including your own site. Make an informercial for your book. Informercials have made fortunes for "Pitchmen" George Foreman and Billy Mays. In fact George Foreman was reported to make over 250 million in Foreman Grills which he owns. That's 5 times what he made in his career as a heavy weight boxing champ.

The point I am trying to make is that personally you can do more than you think in promoting your book. Until you get a name like James Patterson, JK Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, Stieg Larson, John Grisham and Elizabeth Gilbert. You personally will need to market your name and your book as often as you can.

Everyone is not able to afford the financial commitment needed for commercial marketing via magazines, mass postage mail outs, bookstore reps, radio and TV campaigns. This is the key reason why publishers do not take on literally work not recommended from published authors. There is much cost involved in selling books. If you can't afford to hire someone to do this type of marketing for you then guess what you have to do it yourself.

My best advice is work all the other options before commiting your budget to commercial marketing. These are just some ideas on marketing but out of all the books and seminars I have seen these are the most recommended basic ways to start Marketing Your Book.