Top Ten Ways to Promote Your Book
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Carry copies of your book with you wherever you go. When people are interested in you, they will
often be interested in your work as well. You never know when there will an opportunity to sell your
book or when you'll meet someone influential that you ought to hand a copy to.
If there are situations where you can't carry enough books, be sure to take fliers or postcards so that those interested will remember your name and the title of your book. - Create a website for yourself and your book with a book summary, sample book content, biography, organizations you are involved with, articles you've written, events you are participating in, and news about you, your book, and your work. This can be done for free on WordPress or Blogspot which will invite comments and participation.
- Participate in events. Make yourself available as a speaker. Get to know as many people as possible in all the areas that are relevant to your book. Stay in conversation with your colleagues and with people who disagree with you. Stay relevant by keeping up with new information, new opinions, etc. Don't be discouraged by controversy: it is great for selling books.
- Make your book title a part of your name. Anywhere your name appears your book title should too, whether that be on a blog, in the newspaper, in the speaker listing for a conference, or in the signature of your emails.
- Remember, you are your own best publicity. Always talk about your book. Don't assume friends and family have read it, ask them to and ask them to discuss it with you. (This assures they'll be able to talk about your work with authority when presenting it to others.)
- Contact locals. Let alumni magazines, local magazines, newspapers, and radio shows know you are available for interviews and commentary on current events.
- Participate in social networks both off- and on-line. Set yourself up on Amazon's AuthorConnect, Library Thing, GoodReads, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. and send out event notices, blogs, and news.
- Trade. If you ask people to read your book and support you, check out their projects too. Write heartfelt reviews. Let people know what you appreciate about their work (and when you disagree too). Provide links to their sites. Engage!
- Contact organizations you belong to and ask them to sell or review your book, or better, yet to use it at their events.
- Take work vacations. Whenever you travel, organize a reading or event at your destination.
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