Today, I\u2019d like to revisit a topic I wrote about six years ago here at this blogsite. Prepublication promotion.<\/p>\n
Question: When is it the right time to start promoting your book?
\nAnswer: The minute you commit to writing it.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s true! Promotion starts way before you actually have a book to sell. You might ask, \u201cHow can I sell a book that I don\u2019t even have?\u201d Well, you probably can\u2019t, but you can certainly start planting seeds that may develop into eventual sales.<\/p>\n
Start by building a mailing list of potential customers. Who is a potential customer? Everyone you meet. You might be surprised who will buy your ethnic recipe book, a book of poetry, a historical novel or your workbook for realtors, for example. You can\u2019t tell by looking at someone whether they are interested in your book topic or whether they have several friends who are. But you sure can find out who is a good candidate for your particular book by talking to people and by going where potential customers hang out.<\/p>\n
This brings us to our second most important prepublication promotions activity\u2013talk about your book everywhere you go. When someone expresses an interest in your book topic, ask for a card or make note of their email address. When the book is ready to sell, you\u2019ll want to notify everyone on your mailing list.<\/p>\n
While you\u2019re working on the book, take time every week or so to locate potential book reviewers, appropriate showcase sites, websites and radio talk shows dedicated to your topic and magazines and newsletters related to your topic where you might submit articles to promote your book or get your book reviewed. <\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve finished the book and while it is with the publisher or at the printer, you\u2019ll have more time to do some prepublication promotion. This is a good time to contact everyone on your mailing list to announce the coming of your book. I like to offer a prepublication discount to folks who purchase the book during this period. If you\u2019re self-publishing, this is a good way to pay your printing bill or your pay-to-publish fees.<\/p>\n
Follow this advice and you\u2019ll be a busy author during the first several months after your book is published\u2014filling orders, depositing checks and following up with all of the promotion you\u2019ve lined up for yourself. <\/p>\n
Professionals suggest that once you\u2019ve done the big blast of promotion for your book\u2014usually requiring a lot of your time during the first three (or more) months of your book launch\u2014you should spend at least an hour each day promoting thereafter. Or do one book promotion activity each day.<\/p>\n
Do you have a book to promote? Has it been successful? How are you handling promotion? We\u2019d like to hear from you.<\/p>\n
Keep in mind that most authors today fail\u2014the number in recent years was over 75 percent. I believe it is higher now. What could go wrong for an author who strongly believes in his or her book? Sign up for a free copy of my ebooklet, \u201c50 Reasons Why You Should Write That Book.\u201d This will give you the insight and the information you need in order to succeed as a published author.<\/p>\n
Download your FREE copy here: http:\/\/www.patriciafry.com<\/a><\/p>\n