By J.P. Jones
Today authors are finding themselves in the trenches of marketing whether published with a large publishing house, a small vanity press, or going the route of self-publishing.Thanks to the world of advanced technology, marketing doesn't have to dominate all our time. Here are 3 top tips to help get your marketing off on the right track.
1. Change the way you think about marketing. Marketing is not the enemy. It can be fun! Many people feel marketing is boasting or tooting their own horn. In reality, marketing is simply what you do to start conversations around your product. Think of marketing as a bridge that allows you to connect with people and find common ground.
Example: Recently at a family member's funeral, I met cousins and relatives I never really got to know. In conversation, one of the first things we do naturally is asking the other person what they do for a living. They answer, we reply in kind with our career story. That's marketing in a nutshell. You're telling someone what you do and why it's interesting to you. The same idea applies to anything you've written. For instance, while I was chatting with relatives, the subject of Facebook came up. I love that topic, because I can talk about my first book, “Market Yourself: A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media” and it’s a great segue for
me to mention my book. There we have a marketing bridge. When you change the way you think about marketing, you will see opportunities around you, even in daily routines.
2. Use tools you already have.
The best marketing strategies are created around something you're already doing. If you find yourself constantly sucked into Facebook, make sure you talk about your latest writing, editing frustrations, character development, or anything else related to what you do in your daily writing routines. It may sound simple, but I can't begin to tell you how many books I've sold from my personal Facebook account just because one day I'm venting about something related to my writing!
3. Take advantage of “Free” marketing.
Paid advertising is a wonderful marketing venue. Whether it's through catalogs, magazines or newspapers. I also encourage you to take advantage of free marketing venues. I talk about that in my new book, 31 Days of Marketing. Each day we tackle a new marketing opportunity you can tap into— many are free! A couple of the best free opportunities out there are:
Social Media: Most social media outlets are free to join. Look into Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus, LinkedIn, etc. Find other authors using them to garner ideas for promoting your own books!
Blogging/Guest Blogging: It doesn't cost anything to start a blog. Check out Blogger or Wordpress. They allow you to get up and running with no fees. Write a guest post for other established blogs. It’s a great way to spread your name and showcase your writing. Be sure and check the guidelines for being a guest poster here on Suite T.
Digging your way out of the marketing trench, you’ll be amazed how quickly you turn your marketing efforts into book sales.
JP Jones is the author of Market Yourself: A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media and 31 Days of Marketing to be released
October 20. She is also one of the hosts of Life After Publishing, an event
created to help authors learn how to market themselves—and get the recognition
they deserve. Learn more at www.lifeafterpublishing.com
Every retail business owner, manager, and entrepreneur should read Marketing from the Trenches. I offer digital marketing services in Australia. The book provides to the reader proven ways for growing their business through stories, real-life experiences, and established growth trends. The author's rising fan base is reflected in the increasing number of endorsements.
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