We\u2019ve all heard (and used) the term\u2014\u201cif it ain’t broke, don\u2019t fix it.\u201d But what if it IS broken? What if your book sales are not what you had expected or hoped for? What if your promotional efforts (or lack of) are not producing sales? Then it\u2019s time to change your tactics.<\/p>\n
People ask me why my Klepto Cat Mystery books aren\u2019t available for the Nook, for example. Well, Amazon offers an exclusive package through their Kindle Direct Program and, since sales have been amazing from the start of my relationship with this program, I haven\u2019t considered making a change. I\u2019m constantly trying to come up with ways to sell even more books, however, and to get more exposure for them. Wouldn\u2019t you?<\/p>\n
Are your book sales meeting your expectations? Maybe you\u2019re offering your novel in print form only and sales are disappointing. I can tell you that novelists are devouring books on e-readers. Consider formatting your book for Kindle, Nook, etc. and see what happens.<\/p>\n
Of course, you\u2019d better also be promoting your book like crazy\u2014getting exposure for your book. Contact reviewers of books in your genre, visit blog sites and websites related to the genre and post something, go out and talk about your book, build your own website and offer irresistible content\u2014contests, fun facts about the era or topic of your book, etc.<\/p>\n
Another way to ramp up your sales is to add to your \u201cmerchandise.\u201d Create a series. The more books you have, the more sales you can expect. If your cover or the theme of your book is a real eye-catcher, offer coffee mugs, pens, note cards, t-shirts\u2026<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a believer in opportunistic promotion. In other words, always carry bookmarks and offer a couple to someone you see wearing a t-shirt depicting the theme of your book–a cat, horse, antique car, movie or cartoon character, for example. Leave bookmarks lying around in restrooms, on picnic tables, on the bulletin board at the library\u2026 Carry a book with you and pull it out when you\u2019re having lunch, sitting on a park bench, waiting for a plane. Yeah, read your own book. What better way to capture the attention of other readers\u2026<\/p>\n
Sure some of these suggestions won\u2019t necessary garner huge numbers of sales, but these are things you can do in the course of your ordinary day. Why spend a day out among potential readers and not use the opportunity to get exposure for your book? In fact, you can wear a t-shirt with your book cover on the front\u2014or back, have jewelry fashioned to represent your book title or theme, wear a baseball cap with the book\u2019s title or carry a tote bag with the cover on it.<\/p>\n
Be brash or be subtle, but do something that\u2019s going to get your book noticed. If you don\u2019t, who will? And if no one does, your book will die a very fast death.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re still confused or intimidated by this thing called book promotion, be sure to read \u201cPromote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author.\u201d www.matilijapress.com\/PromoteYourBook.html<\/a> Also available at Amazon in print, for Kindle and audio.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019ve all heard (and used) the term\u2014\u201cif it ain’t broke, don\u2019t fix it.\u201d But what if it IS broken? What if your book sales are not what you had expected or hoped for? What if your promotional efforts (or lack of) are not producing sales? Then it\u2019s time to change your tactics. People ask me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t