Marketing A Book (part 1)
What a week! There have been ups and downs this week with respect to my writing journey. As of June 4, 2021, it has been a month since I officially launched The Perilous Road to Her. Wow! Some days, it feels like it was a long time ago and that I am failing at trying to get it into people’s hands. I tend to set high, maybe too high, expectations of myself. Other days, I remember it really hasn’t been that long and I have done quite a few great things during that time. I have also done them on top of maintaining a full time job!
This past month I have:
Appeared on the podcast YYCPopcast (Episode 17)
Recorded another podcast to be released in July
Had over 50 book sales (with little to no marketing) - including those outside my friends & family ;)
All of the book reviews are 5 stars!
Amazon (15), Goodreads (5), Barnes & Noble (4), Google Play Books (3)
In discussions with a local bookstore who supports Indie authors to have my book on consignment.
I had two bookstores decline because Covid has, understandably, impacted their business.
Why do I feel so discouraged?
Part of it is, I had set out to just mark an item off a bucket list. I hadn’t given any thought to trying to market a book in the hopes of more than those outside my social circle reading it. As such, I am now overwhelmed trying to play catch up. Having a marketing plan before you release your book is a must - oops.
The other part of my discouragement is social media and influencer marketing. The growth of followers on social media seems to have stalled. I can correlate some of this to my lack of participation. As I have been so run down/disappointed in myself, I have not been motivated to be as active. This drops me down in the algorithms and therefore I am not seen. A vicious circle!
I am also struggling with learning how to properly use Twitter and Instagram. Mainly, in regards to stylizing images to fit their parameters. I will need to watch some YouTube videos, as I have tried Canva and my brain is just not getting it.
I have created a social media plan to have a consistent presence. This will involve:
Today Matters Tuesday - I will share information about social issues that either tie into the themes/topics of my books, or are relevant for what is in the news.
Writing Wednesday - I will share samples of my writing, talk about where I am at with writing (stalled, active, frustrated, etc.) or samples of other’s writing that inspires me.
Self-Publishing Saturday - As you may have noticed I published my journal a day early. To spread out the scheduled posts I decided to move the publication date. Otherwise people would see everything during the first half of the week and have nothing at the end of it. Which would lead to the whole algorithm debacle.
I will still post outside of these as I desire, however this will allow followers to see me on a consistent basis, and potentially attract more new followers.
Regarding influencer marketing, I have been trying to connect with book influencers in the hopes of them reading and reviewing my book. I have had one rejection, as, although they read thrillers, my story was not something they were interested in. I am waiting to hear back from some others but I need to reach out to a bunch more. The problem is, I feel like I have no idea how to pitch my book. Another thing to add to my list to learn!
Other than that, there is a big learning curve when it comes to:
Finding good virtual book tour companies who aren’t booked for the entire year.
I learned about them after my launch and it is a good idea to give 2 or more months' notice to the tour company(s) you are interested in. Thankfully, I am still a new release so in a couple of months I should be a viable book to promote.
Creating Amazon/Facebook ads etc. and understanding the best time to use them.
Pitching to podcasts to be a guest on their show.
Just learning how to market a thriller novel!
Not knowing where to start is intimidating but I have to take a leap of faith and just try new things.
I am only at the beginning of learning what a good marketing strategy is for me. As well, what might work for this book might not work for my next one.
If you are looking for avenues to market your own writing, research is key. Thrillers market differently than self-help or romance. However, a few tips I have:
Research, research, research!
Find out what other authors in your genre are doing and see if that is a path that interests you. In the end you have to do what you are comfortable with and what is inside your budget.
#bookstagram
There are a lot of book reviewers/influencers on Instagram. Check out what types of books they read and if they match what you have written, reach out.
Podcasts
In addition to Google, matchmaker.fm and podbooker.com connect guests with podcasters. I only signed up (the unpaid version) this week so I am not able to comment on how successful this road will be.
Follow podcasts on social media, listen to some episodes to make sure you are a good fit, and then reach out.
Read
There are lots of books about marketing your book. I still have to read some of these, however, just because a book or website says a method will work, it is no guarantee. All marketing is a risk.
Facebook Groups
There are many great groups of authors supporting authors. For example, 20booksto50k focuses on marketing strategies.
Writers Guilds/Societies
Identify any local, national or international writers societies. They generally provide support to authors in the way of making connections, offering classes and hosting conferences and/or events.
I will continue to share what I learn as I go, but I hope this gives you a good place to start. As I have to continually remind myself, take it one day at a time.
Thank you for joining me this week!
N.L. Blandford
