For a lot of writers, marketing is a challenge, a necessity that comes along with writing and publishing a book.
And unless your publisher has a big promotional budget, chances are, you’re going to have to do at least some marketing if you want to give your creation the best chance at making its way into the hands of readers.
I’ve been working in marketing for about 15 years now and still shuddered when it came to promoting my own book. But there are lots of things writers can do that don’t have to be too time intensive or intimidating.
I’m not going to lay out lots of examples in this post, instead we’re going to consider marketing strategy, as this will help shape your action plan. Before you start your promotional work, ask yourself these three questions to build the foundations of your marketing plan:
What resources do you have?
There are several ways to answer this question and all are important when planning your marketing activity.
Who will be working on the marketing campaign for your book?
Often, the publisher will take the lead, asking you to support them by talking about your work on social media, going to readings and events, and doing interviews. Depending on the size of the publisher, there might be several staff working on the campaign or just one, who may also be managing other campaigns at the same time. And some writers will find, unfortunately, that all the marketing falls to them.
If that is the case for you, consider how much time you have available to work on your promotional campaign. Maybe you have a full-time job or caring responsibilities; perhaps you’re under contract for another book and need to spend time writing, or you struggle to have the energy for the additional work. Be honest about what you can offer of yourself and take that into account when planning your campaign. A few targeted activities can be just as helpful as a massive campaign that has you working into the night, desperate to keep up.
Your resources might also include particular networks, contacts or skills that will be useful when promoting a book. Know someone who writes for a national newspaper? Have amazing graphic design skills or membership of a professional network that will help promote your work? These are all things you can factor in to your campaign. Not to mention smaller things like access to Photoshop or a Canva account, so you can design your own social media visuals.
And of course, the other resource to consider is money. To have a real impact, you’ll need a budget for advertising, which might not be realistic. Even if you can afford a small amount, you’re unlikely to be able to compete with publisher led campaigns, so don’t feel pressured to spend money if you’re not able to.
Who is this book for?
Identifying and understanding your audience is key to marketing. And if you’ve been through the querying process before publishing, you probably have a pretty good idea of who this book will appeal to.
Spend some time making a list of all the groups who might like your book. Think on a micro level too: are there storylines or themes in the book that might appeal to people with a particular interest? Does your main character enjoy crochet or dog agility training? Find groups with similar hobbies who might like to read the book, or get in touch with magazines and blogs catering to them.
Knowing your audience can also help you craft the right promotional messages, particularly if you’re publishing a non-fiction book. What do your audience need and how does your book help? If you’re writing fiction, how will reading the book make people feel? What will they remember when the story is finished?
What makes this book unique?
The final question can be applied to you as a writer, or to your book. What makes the story special? What makes it stand out?
Do you have an interesting tale of your own that can be included in a promotional campaign? Perhaps you have an unusual job or you’re related to someone famous (use those contacts!). Maybe you’re an expert in a niche subject or have travelled extensively and have lots of cool stories.
Be aware that sometimes promoting your work can involve sharing things you’re not comfortable with, particularly if they’re relevant to the content of your book. Try and think about this before you start your marketing campaign and set some boundaries: no one should be required to share painful or upsetting stories if they don’t want to.
When it comes to planning marketing activity, try to play to your strengths. You’re more likely to be successful and it will help you enjoy the process!
Do you have any go to marketing strategies for writers? Feel free to share them in the comments.