1. Spend most of my time researching blogs and online websites instead of kvetching that my traditional publicity firm is just not trying.
2. Understand that I don’t need a publicist, mygrandma or even my publisher to work on my behalf to get coverage for my books! I can compile a list of blogs and start participating way before my book is out!
3. Take to heart that it is an author’s job to help publicize their book.
4. Get on Twitter and start tweeting.
5. Remember that if I’m going to build a FACEBOOK fan page I’m not done working with it just because I built it. I have to post to it at least three times a week and make those messages lively, dynamic and not marketing blabbity-blah.
6. Do a search for book awards and submit my book to every single one of them that I’m eligible for.
7. Take my book and page by page I would highlight short tweets I could repurpose on Twitter, and identify what ideas I can use for blog posts to help drive more interest about my books.
8. Stop believing that by getting a ton of “friends” to compile a bunch of empty bonuses together that those are going to take my book to #1 on Amazon.
9. Commit that I’ll be conversant on the news as it relates to ideas in my book and commit that I won’t try to get my book to fit every news angle.
10. Commit to not growing hits, but reaching new communities with valuable insight and the goal of long-lasting relationships.
11. Have an active profile on Linkedin.com, participate, offer good insight and join the groups that care most about my book content.
12. Stop spreading myself too thin across 8 billion social media profiles.
13. Use Google. Use Google. Use Google. To search for new opportunities for my book.
14. Pro-actively write a reading group guide and save that as a downloadable PDF that I offer for free on my site.
15. Thank every single reporter, blogger etc. that notes my book each time they do it.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Amen!
Nettie, thanks so much as always for your straightalk about what it takes to publicize your own book. When mine — Breakdown, Breakthrough — came out in Nov. 08, there was SO much I didn’t know about what’s required to get the word out about one’s own book. As I learn, the word is spreading. It’s not an overnight thing – but a steady swelling of buzz, support, and appreciation from a community that’s building and whom I love. It’s a beautiful thing. Thanks for all your help!
Excellent post! I especially appreciated 7, 9, 10 and 11.