So how I do I promote my book? I carry my book postcards around with me wherever I go. I tell anyone I meet about my book and give out a card that I sign for them. You would be surprised how many people are excited to meet a real author. This week so far I have given out four or five cards. I gave one to the eleven year old daughter of the cake maker I visited to get my daughter's birthday cake and signed it for her. Two weeks ago I gave a card to the nurse who helped me with my colonoscopy. Today I was with my daughter for her endoscopy and I started talking with these two women in the waiting room. I handed them each a card and told them I would sign it for them. They were so happy to see I was an author and they were thrilled to have me sign it for them. One of them wanted my website.
I have gotten some of my paperback books from my publisher and I plan to go to as many independent book stores as possible. I will also probably drop into the school that was interested in having me visit and bring them a copy. I have sent an ebook to the National Eating Disorders Association and I will be sending them a paperback copy for their library. I will be sending a goodie bag to a book fair and I continue to give out free copies on my blog and other people's blogs.
I think when you bring promoting your book into your daily life you can find lots of places where you can promote it. So next time you are wondering how you can promote your book think of using your own life and let the people with whom you come in contact with know you are an author.
My book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor is the 2nd place winner of the Young Adult category of the Preditors and Editors Poll for Best Book of 2011. So, maybe this will bring up my sales. I do believe in doing things gradually, so maybe my one to one promotion will pay off for me.:) See if it works for you
18 comments:
Keep us posted!
Oh, my goodness. My thoughts exactly! How DO you make sales? My book is an e-book and many people's eyes glaze over when I tell them, no print, just online. So not only do we have to sell the book, we have to educate folks on e-books. I am giving a "talk" sponsored by my library club on e-books. Maybe, maybe, that will help a little? I must admit I need to get out there and hand out those post cards and business cards. I have to be more bold!! Thanks for this post.
This is such a breat post. It is hard to sell your book. I talk about my book when I can. I sold two copies of Little Shepherd just because I was volunteering in the school library and a fellow mom asked me what I do for a living.
Congratulations on placing in the YA category of P&E. Hope you'll let us know if that seems to make a difference for you.
Barbara: I hadn't thought about postcards for my novel; our little start-up indie publishing co. has postcards for one of our very few products, but for some reason I hadn't applied that idea to my upcoming novel. So, now that's on the list for my partner to design. Thank you!
I tend to give our business cards and brochures, whenever I can. I've snitched a promo scheme from Cindy Sample, who says it works well. She uses cookies in the outline of a dead body, which is so clever.
I'm going to bake some cat cookies and frost them to look like Tugger, one of the characters in my Alvarez mystery series for my next Meet and Greet. Every person who buys my print book will receive a free cookie. Thank you Cindy!
I am very excited about this and will let you know how it turns out. I don't think I can mail them to anyone who buys an ebook, tho. Too expensive and messy.
Okay Heathet! I am so stealing Cindy's cookie idea. How fabulous.
Barbara, I too love your postcard idea. The other day I was buying something and was actually freaked out because I couldn't find my Debit card in my purse. I began pulling out stuff and laying them on the counter (including my postcards and business cards). The clerk saw them and picked one up and asked what it was. After telling her I was a writer she got excited and asked if she could keep them. It was a good moment as well as a bug sigh of relief when I found my Debit card and scored a potential fan. I'm a local and have actually been building relationships as a writer with the merchants throughout my village.
Thank you for sharing and for letting me share. Love you bunches.
Listen, my darling Karen. I think a set of cookie boobs might just be the ticket. Possibly you have another idea, tho!
Heather, love the idea of cookie boobs for Karen!! Karen I hope you understand we say this with love!!!
Gail, keep you posted on what? I'm hoping that each person to whom I give a postcard will want to read the book and buy it.
Cheryl, you can get the postcards on VistaPrint for very little and then you have not only the book cover, but a little blurb about your book with all the information your reader needs to get the book. Also you can use them as bookmarks and they have that space to sign in the back. I put the information on one side and then leave the other side blank like a real postcard!
Kat, so happy I could give you an idea. I always love gathering ideas and the cookie idea that Heather is telling us about is a great one for big gatherings or book signings.
Karen, that happens to me all the time, but I keep my cards in a plastic bag in a zippered compartment so they won't get lost and messed up in the rest of my bag. When I get my bookmarks I will hand out one too. People love bookmarks!
J.Q, postcards are a great way to promote an ebook. Also demonstrations in a library are fabulous. I have to go to mine and see if I can give them a copy in paperback. That is for the coming week. I will be running around giving out copies of my book and trying to set up book signings. Wish me luck!!
You all are too funny although you both have seen me in person so don't forget I've seen you too. I could challenge you both on those boob comments.
Love you guys and what an informative visit today. Thanks darling Barbara.
Karen, back to you, my well endowed friend!! Yours are movie star worthy!!! Anyway, glad you enjoyed this. I like to get away and blog here. It's like my vacation home.:)
That's a great post, Barbara, thank you. I gave out postcards for my first book (historical) when it came out in May. A good way to talk to people!
Thanks for sharing, Barbara! How neat that you sign book postcards. I would never have thought of that. I'll bet you'll see sales the more you "socialize" on social media, too. :) Congrats!
Promoting is always challenging. Good job on keeping your name out there.
Hi Barbara-
I came across your blog via the Author Friends facebook page.
Congrats on your 2nd place win with If I Could be Like Jennifer. You are right that awards and reviews do not always equal discoverability.
If you are interested, here's an article I wrote for Readers Entertainment on ePublishing and discoverability.
http://readersentertainment.com/2012/10-secrets-from-the-trenches-of-ebook-publishing/
All the Best,
Nina
Hi,NinaP. I'm so happy you connected with me with Author Friends. I'm always happy to meet another writer! Thank you for the encouraging words about my placing in the P&E Poll. I'm hoping it will bring more sales too. I find that meeting other authors is a good way to get word out about my book, because authors read books and will review them or talk about them. Thank you for the link. I will read it soon.
Thanks for the great post, Barbara. I'll definitely be getting postcqards made for my new releases!
I like bookmarkers too. If I'm in the doctor's office, I sneakily leave a few on the magazine table.
Just another thought to add to the ones Barbara mentioned.
Nice post.
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