So… what am I on about? What is ‘Book Marketing’?

To break it down, book marketing is the way in which people try to advertise and sell their books. There’s a lot of ways in which people can do it, such as social media posts, word of mouth, events, and all sorts. Take it as putting your book or written piece out there to get your audience in.

Now then, why is it important?

Take for example you’ve written the greatest mystery novel of all time and you go to publish it… how will people know it exists? Sure, you can wait for them to notice it on the shelves, but that won’t truly bring in your target audience. Book marketing is especially important so you can get your name out there, as well as your work. No marketing means no audience, and no audience means people miss out on such a great mystery novel.

How do you get started?

Let’s get down to business. First things first: research!
Yes, researching into not only your target audience, but your competitors too. That mystery novel isn’t the only one on the market, and you need to see what’s hot and what’s not currently. Advertise it where you can, show it off to people on social media, set it up on new platforms. Some people try to use videos to advertise it. As long as you do your research and make yourself loud and clear, those are the first steps into getting your book out there.

 

Anything we shouldn’t do?

Rather than something you shouldn’t do, it’s more of things that might not be as effective. First things first, if you happen to get your hypothetical mystery novel in a book shop (good on you!), try not to get it tucked into a corner out of sight. See if they have a display table to put it on. Another small faux-pas is your cover – people like to see something new and exciting. If you decide to stick just a magnifying glass on it and say it’s done, not many people are going to draw themselves in. Ironically enough, people do judge books by their covers, so don’t slip and lock away the power of your great novel!

 

Finally, how will this impact your stories?

These tactics and more will bring people in to read your books. That (hypothetical) mystery book has become a huge success thanks to your hard work, and your publisher might ask you to write another one – or you could even get a publishing deal for somewhere higher up! It might not be an overnight sensation, but with these tips you too can be a pro at book marketing.

Good luck for now with your scribbles, and remember that the only stories missed are the ones untold.