So you’ve finally written your book and put it out there in the world. You’ve planned it out, jumped through the hoops of getting it released, and finally have it ready to be purchased. But there’s a problem: You haven’t heard of anyone buying your books. You keep refreshing the listing, and it never changes. Before you know it, It’s been months, and you haven’t sold a single copy! That would discourage anyone. Why is this the case? It’s all in the marketing.
In an age of constant information, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. According to Wordsrated.com, Amazon releases over 3,800 new books per day through its KDP plan, and those are just the books with ISBN numbers. It’s become easier than ever to get a book printed and released. You’re not just competing with people who can get signed with a publisher, you’re competing with the entire internet.
This may seem daunting to new authors, but thankfully, all is not lost. There are still plenty of strategies and methods that you can take to make you and your book stand out and stick in people’s minds. Even if you sell just 10 or 20 books in your first year, that’s more than what a lot of people sell: You would be surprised by the amount of people who go years without selling a single copy. Why is that? Because the people who want to buy that book probably just don’t know it exists. How do you fix that? Marketing.
Tip #1: Social Media Gets New Eyes on a Product.
Sharing your work on Social Media is a great tool to share your book with an audience who’s already following you, and get more eyes on your book from people. It can also be a place for your current fans (if you have any) to discover more information about your book.
The thing with social media is that posts are designed to be shared. Everything about the algorithm is specifically designed to have you, the viewer, discover new accounts. Ever notice how sometimes on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or TikTok, you will see posts from people you don’t follow? Your job as someone who’s marketing your book is to make sure that people who don’t follow you discover you and your book. There’s an entire world to social media, and there’s tons of resources available online.
Some people even pay to have their posts featured as ads on other people’s pages, but we don’t recommend this for new authors as it can be prohibitively expensive.
Tip #2: The Listing.
One thing that may separate you from other people self-publishing is having a strong listing for your book. Almost nobody wants to buy a book without having an idea of what it looks like, or a good idea of what the book is about. Having a listing that intrigues the viewer with a strong hook, but leaves them asking questions, will make them more likely to buy the book so that they can have their questions resolved. This can be anything from a catchy description to an excerpt from a great review, anything that will get a potential reader’s attention. We also recommend adding a call to action at the end to get a reader to purchase your book.
The same applies to the cover; having a strong, well-designed cover that looks professional and unique, yet leaves the viewer asking questions and feeling intrigued, is extremely important to a book. For more information on how to design a cover, check out our blog post on AI and the creation of a book cover.
Tip #3: Attend Local Book Events.
Sometimes all you need to do to get someone invested in your book is to just go to events and talk to people! That in-person, human touch is something that can’t be replicated through the internet. Join local writers & author groups, and talk about your book. They might buy your book out of curiosity, or know a guy who may be interested in your book. Ask the owner of a local bookstore if you can hold book signings; most small bookstore owners will say yes, as it’s a good way of drumming up business. Go to book fairs and festivals, and set up a booth. There are lots of ways to get your book out there in the hands of the community.
Tip #4: Reach Out to Journalists and Interviewers.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is reach out to people whose job is to drum up press. Call a journalists or a podcaster, and schedule an interview with them. Many journalists are always looking for new stories to write articles on, and may take you up on the offer. Or, send out press releases and review copies to various book journalists. Reach out to influencers on social media, and collaborate with them on spreading the word of your book. Influencers have a wide audience who takes their word as gospel.
You can also offer up your own writing services and become a guest blogger for these sites: Many news article sites that use guest authors will often include a blurb at the bottom of their articles that give a bit of background into who wrote it. You can use these blurbs as an opportunity to plug your book.
Tip #5: Never Give Up!
Finally, the most important thing you need to do in order to find success for your book: Be persistent. In the words of John Kremer, from his excellent book “1001 Ways to Market Your Books”:
For every book you write, you should be willing to commit three years to marketing it. You don’t have to market full time, but you do have to do something each day for the full 3 years if you really want your books to make an impact.
John Kremer
Even if you do just a little bit a day, it will go a long way to making your book a best-seller. If you want access to the full guide, just ask our AI chatbot, located on Zip Print.
Connor Mayhorn