Marketing Plan Strategies

By Maritza Martínez Mejía

I felt I could call myself a writer when I received my first printed book, yet selling without begging was a milestone. My writing journey began when I realized I needed a Marketing Plan. With a small budget, I decided to follow a simple plan:

1.    Improve my writing style before publishing my next Bilingual Children’s Book by taking a writing seminar online and at a local College workshop.

2.     Enhance my website with the support of a professional Webmaster.

3.     Look for opportunities to expose my books at local events. For instance, I booked myself into a local library event and a classroom visit to a local public school. I was nervous at the beginning, but the experience was priceless.

4.     Invest in business cards and brochures to promote my books.

5.    Use Social Media such as Facebook Writers Groups, Goodreads Giveaways, Twitter Parties, LinkedIn Articles, and Google+.

6.    Create a Blog and use TAG #LuzDelMes to pin articles on Pinterest.

7.    Open a YouTube Channel #LuzDelMes to add a Movie Maker Book with photos of the events and book covers.           

My Author name became visible when I used a #TAG and AVATAR attached to my name. In addition, I used the same picture on all my social media and the #TAG: #LuzDelMes. Technology is advancing faster than I was prepared for; there is so much to learn about this new cyber world.

Self-publishing can be exciting, but it is not for everyone. According to several articles, self-published authors who have been able to make a living out of their books, worked hard to reach their goals to success. It’s a long journey, with ups and downs that require tons of perseverance, discipline, patience, and sometimes sacrifice. It is more important to hold onto what makes you write than to make money.

One thing is clear, a marketing plan, even on a small budget, for promotion are important elements in an author’s writing path. Remember, one event leads to another, and one big effort brings you to your rewards.

Writing is a challenge for career authors. Don’t give up!

_____________________________________________________________________

Maritza Martínez Mejía is a Mother, Educator, Bilingual Author and Translator Her website: www.luzdelmes.com Recipient of the Crystal Apple Award 2006, VCB Poetry Winner 2015, The Latino Book Awards 2016 and Author’s Talk Book Show 2017. Five Books published and articles posted on Southern Writers Magazine and La Nota Latina. Graduated from Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca in Commerce and Foreign Language and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities and Women’s Studies from Florida Atlantic University. Maritza writes to inspire others to be better persons. ~ Escribo para inspirar a otros a ser mejor. #LuzDelMes https://en.gravatar.com/luzdelmes