Here’s a big fear we all have when it comes to writing a book: What if no one buys it?
While that is always possible, with a little planning and advanced buzz, it’s highly unlikely. The key is to get others excited about your book and to get them talking and sharing the news with their friends.
I fully believe that if you write it they will come because sometimes people don’t even know what they want or need until they see it in front of them. And imagine that they are browsing the bookstore and see your book and suddenly they realize, this is the book that they need to make a move in their own life?
You’ll want to set a self-imposed deadline about when your book will be published and start sharing with people what you are up to. This is a huge accountability trick that I use often to make sure I stick to my word.
Host a Launch Party. Weeks before your official publication date, it’s time to start revving up the launch engine. Offering bonuses for early purchases, incentives for a review, and free chapter downloads are all proven strategies for building the buzz for your upcoming book.
There are a lot of moving parts in a successful book launch—landing pages, mailing lists, JV partners, social outreach, and more but nothing that you can’t handle! If you have a virtual assistant, he or she can help you put all the pieces together.
Make the Interview Rounds. Two to three months prior to your book release, have your virtual assistant begin researching podcasts, blogs and other media outlets for potential interviews. Create a press package to send out, including headshots, book cover art, blurbs, and testimonials, and let everyone know that you’re looking for interviews and guest posting opportunities.
Blog About It. You are your own best publicist; so don’t be afraid to toot your own horn on your blog, in your email newsletter, and on social media. Include images of the cover, blurbs from advance readers, and give your audience plenty of time to get excited about the upcoming launch, so when the buy button finally goes up they’re eager to get a copy.
Free Kindle Days. This technique alone can catapult your book to bestsellerdom in a matter of days. The key is to build up a buzz on your mailing list, share, share, share on social media, and ask your friends and colleagues to do the same.
Book marketing isn’t as easy as simply listing it on Amazon and becoming an instant bestseller. Anyone who tells you that is the exception to the rule. But that doesn’t mean selling your book is impossible either. With some strategic planning and a little effort, you can have a fantastic launch, whether it’s your first book or your fourteenth.
And if being a best seller is your goal, awesome but I wonder if your message here should be the primary focus and the fact that you actually made the time to share your knowledge, authority, and expertise.