In the previous blog we discussed the necessary preparation and steps required prior to commencing your marketing campaign. (if you missed it, you can read it or any previous issues here.) This month we’ll be looking at arguably one of the most important components of your marketing campaign. If you’ve been doing research on book marketing, you may have come across the term ‘mailing list’. It’s important to understand now that if you are planning to be a serious author/publisher (and I’m assuming you are because you’re reading this) you will need to build a mailing list. So, I’ll be using my mailing list to sell books, right? Well no … sort of,  but ….  It may sound contradictory seeing as we’re discussing book marketing but the aim of your list isn’t to sell, its main purpose is to give, not take. Of course, there is method in the madness, which is, the more you give your audience, the more they wi...

  ‘Build it, and they will come!’ You might remember that line from the 1982 W.P. Kinsella’s novel, Shoeless Joe or the 1989 movie adaption, A Field of Dreams. This famous line can work as a great analogy for the author who is at the beginning of their marketing campaign and not sure where to start. Here’s why: Build it … Build what? You need to begin your publishing journey by planning and building your brand. What do you think of when you see the Coca Cola logo? That’s right, a brown fizzy substance that, apparently, can clean your floor as well as taste great with Jack Daniels. In author terms, Stephen King is a great example of a brand. He writes horror novels, and he has millions of followers who love his books. When he brings out a new title, fans don’t even need to know the name of it, they can simply go into any bookstore and ask for the latest Stephen King novel. And because they’re buying the brand, they know exactly...

Things to consider prior to your book marketing campaign.  You know, being in the fortunate position of working with hundreds of self-published authors as I do, arguably the most asked question is ‘How do I market my book?’ I wish there were an easy answer to this. It would certainly make our lives easier if there was a product or a magic bullet that could take care of this part of the publishing journey for us, but regardless of what BS systems you might see out there on the internet, there is no such thing! The only answer to this dilemma is education. At the end of the day, you as the self-published (or Indie) author needs to be in full control of your writing/publishing career. This will be the first month when we’ll begin discussing all aspects of the book marketing business from beginning to end. There are endless options out there but it’s important to find the right strategies and tactics for you. The best place for us to start is at the very b...

You've put in the hours or, more realistically, weeks, months, or even years of creating your masterpiece. Writing, rewriting, editing, and rewriting some more, followed by layout, design, copyediting, proofing, and the countless small tasks involved in preparing your book for publication are finally behind you. Now your book is done, and the publication date lies ahead. You heave a sigh of relief and savour this triumph. Then it hits youI have to sell this thing! For some writers, finishing the book alone is enough. And it's true, writing a book is a laudable accomplishment on its own. Bask in that triumph! But, for most authors, the desire to be read is almost as fierce as the desire to write. Chances are you're hoping to reach audiences beyond just your friends and family. However, the quickest glance at any bookstore or online retailer shows a market absolutely saturated with self-published works. In recent years, the number of self-published books has exceeded on...