Introduction In order to become a successful self-publisher, you will need do devote a large part of your life to marketing.
This will encompass marketing yourself, as well as your book.
Like most self-publishers, you the author, and your brand, go hand-in-hand with that of your book.
You will quickly learn that writing your book was only the beginning of a long and interesting journey.
So with that in mind, always keep these five basic ingredients in your thoughts when you are marketing and promoting your book.
Understanding them will insure that your book marketing efforts will be a success, and lead to more book sales, more fans, more followers, and more clients.
1.
Credibility Credibility is everything for a successful author.
You, the author, are the product as much as the book is, so never claim to be what you are not or promise what you can't deliver.
A clever marketing pitch may initially get their attention, but ultimately you must deliver on your promises.
Your failure to deliver can alienate your audience.
2.
Emotional Connection Making an emotional connection with the reader is imperative.
People want to buy from those that they feel a connection to.
All of your marketing materials, media kit, blog, website, videos, articles, etc.
will all contribute to helping you make an emotional connection with your audience.
3.
Look Professional Every piece of your marketing material must look like it was designed by a professional.
If you want to be taken seriously by your audience and peers, you must look the part.
If you look professional, and all of your marketing materials look professional, and your book looks professionally produced, your audience will start to trust you and believe your message.
Looking the part is an easy first step to help you build credibility.
4.
Understand Audience A successful author must understand the needs and problems of his/her audience.
Your audience must believe that you understand their problems and needs, and have the solutions for them.
The more that they believe this, the more books you will sell.
This goes hand-in-hand with making an emotional connection with your audience.
5.
Repetition All of your marketing materials must be used to their fullest extent, over and over again.
Most prospects don't respond immediately to a single marketing communication, or perhaps even several of them.
Repetition helps build familiarity, which in turn helps build credibility.
Some prospects will start to recognize you and your book only after they've seen you over and over again.
Gradually they come to recognize that you are stable, not just another fly-by-night operation, and will eventually start to develop enough trust to start doing business with you.
Conclusion You will quickly discover that marketing is essential for the success of your book.
Marketing is, and always will be, the lifeblood of your book's success.
Never forget these five basic ingredients, and you and your book will do fine.
This will encompass marketing yourself, as well as your book.
Like most self-publishers, you the author, and your brand, go hand-in-hand with that of your book.
You will quickly learn that writing your book was only the beginning of a long and interesting journey.
So with that in mind, always keep these five basic ingredients in your thoughts when you are marketing and promoting your book.
Understanding them will insure that your book marketing efforts will be a success, and lead to more book sales, more fans, more followers, and more clients.
1.
Credibility Credibility is everything for a successful author.
You, the author, are the product as much as the book is, so never claim to be what you are not or promise what you can't deliver.
A clever marketing pitch may initially get their attention, but ultimately you must deliver on your promises.
Your failure to deliver can alienate your audience.
2.
Emotional Connection Making an emotional connection with the reader is imperative.
People want to buy from those that they feel a connection to.
All of your marketing materials, media kit, blog, website, videos, articles, etc.
will all contribute to helping you make an emotional connection with your audience.
3.
Look Professional Every piece of your marketing material must look like it was designed by a professional.
If you want to be taken seriously by your audience and peers, you must look the part.
If you look professional, and all of your marketing materials look professional, and your book looks professionally produced, your audience will start to trust you and believe your message.
Looking the part is an easy first step to help you build credibility.
4.
Understand Audience A successful author must understand the needs and problems of his/her audience.
Your audience must believe that you understand their problems and needs, and have the solutions for them.
The more that they believe this, the more books you will sell.
This goes hand-in-hand with making an emotional connection with your audience.
5.
Repetition All of your marketing materials must be used to their fullest extent, over and over again.
Most prospects don't respond immediately to a single marketing communication, or perhaps even several of them.
Repetition helps build familiarity, which in turn helps build credibility.
Some prospects will start to recognize you and your book only after they've seen you over and over again.
Gradually they come to recognize that you are stable, not just another fly-by-night operation, and will eventually start to develop enough trust to start doing business with you.
Conclusion You will quickly discover that marketing is essential for the success of your book.
Marketing is, and always will be, the lifeblood of your book's success.
Never forget these five basic ingredients, and you and your book will do fine.