Second was last week: 5 More Book Promotion Tips.
Today, I present 3 Final Book Promotion Tips.
Remember why I'm doing this? Because published authors must promote their books in this fiercely competitive business.
Unless you're high up the food chain, the print publisher provides no support. If you're an indie author, you are your own publisher so that makes you your own publicist too. Remember my tee shirt design? Ask me about my ebook because the buck stops with you when it comes to promotion and publicity.
3 Final Book Promo Tips
1. Join professional organizations.
If you're eligible to join a professional writing organization, do so because you'll learn a lot from members who have far more experience in the business than you. Plus, it's wonderful to have friends in the biz. Of course, networking is always a result of memberships in organizations. Who can tell where a tip from a member might lead you?
2. Pay it forward.
Go to book signings of other authors and buy books. Tell the organizer of the signing that you have a book too. Be gracious and friendly and give them a card. Let them know that you'd love to participate in a group signing. Do NOT be pushy, obnoxious, and overbearing. If they like you, they'll call to set up a signing with you.
If you have a Guest Blogger, buy their book.
3. Post book reviews.
Post a review if you like the book. As a writer to writers, I encourage you NOT to post a bad review if you don't like the book. Here's why. No writer sets out to write a bad book. Sometimes, for whatever reason, the elements just don't come together.
Posting reviews is not cutting-edge journalism whether you do it on your blog or on Amazon. You're providing content with a goal of building an audience. But, you're also building karma. One day, that author you slammed in a nasty review may just repay the favor.
Sure, you can build an audience with snark, but you can also build one with graciousness.
I've noticed that the people who leave the best reviews on Amazon are authors because they usually point out what about the book is good. Seldom do they write negative, nasty reviews. Yes, they may point out an area where the author could have done better, but they don't post vicious remarks the like of some I've seen on bookpages.
The nastiest reviews seem to come from people who roam the internet looking for a hapless book on which to vent their spleen. If you check their other reviews, you'll seldom find a book they liked. In fact, after reading some truly bad reviews, one gets the idea that the reader didn't read the Product Description before purchasing the book because the elements deplored as pet peeves are mentioned in the Product Description.
There are 2 ways to have the tallest building in town. Tear down all the other buildings until yours is the only one standing. Build a taller building. For which do you want to be known?
I think good promotion amounts to sharing. You speak and share something you know. You write an article for a newsletter and share your expertise. You blog and spread the information you know. I share because I like to share. Information wants to be free.
Takeaway Truth
Perhaps, in the end, that's the best form of promotion: just giving to others, and enjoying the people you meet along the way. If you sell some books, then that's just a bonus.
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