Blogger: Rachel Kent
Ever been overwhelmed by marketing your book? Perhaps you’re short on extra cash to spend on marketing. Well, I have some book marketing ideas for you! This post is based on an old series of posts I did, so it is rather long, but I hope it’s helpful and sparks fresh ideas for you.
The first idea is: Waiting Rooms
Take a few copies of your book with you to places with waiting rooms and leave them there. If you are a regular patient somewhere and you know the staff, this should be easy. It’s best to ask for permission, but I know my doctor or dentist would say “Go for it.” I bet yours would, too!
Just think how many people could be exposed to your book or name through this! Doctors and dentists have new traffic coming in each day. Even if the patients don’t pick up the book, they will still see the cover and title, and it could subconsciously cause them to purchase the book or recognize your name in the future. If a few do start the book while waiting in the office and enjoy it, they’re likely to purchase the book to finish it.
Feel free to take this beyond your own doctor or dentist, too. If you tell other doctors and dentists that you are a local author and ask to leave your book in the waiting room at their offices, I bet some of them would be excited to have it there.
Cost: Gas and time, and you need to step out of your comfort zone.
Perhaps you will need to purchase the books, but authors usually get free copies upfront and a large discount on additional promotional copies.
Rewards: Exposure to approximately 1o0+ people each week per office.
Tip: It might be useful to take a one-sheet with a short summary and author bio to hand to the staff while asking permission. That way they can double-check that the content is appropriate for the office.
Extension: Get your close friends and family to take the book to the waiting rooms they visit as well. Include your out-of-town friends and relatives, too!
If you try this idea, please do report back to let us all know how it worked! 🙂
Here are three easy ways to market your book using mail: either email or snail mail.
1) Only use personalized stamps with your latest book cover on them. This is an easy way to spread the word about your book without saying a single thing. The stamp will not only be seen by the recipient of the letter but also by postal workers. You might as well use them to pay bills, too. Perhaps the person processing your bill will purchase your book.
Cost: The price of the software (on sale for $16.99 right now) + the price of stamps (which you are already paying). Here’s the link to the software if you are interested.
Rewards: Exposure without doing word-of-mouth marketing.
Has anyone done this before? It’s probably nearly impossible to track the results of this effort, but if you have tried it, was it easy to do?
2) The second way to use mail to market is to include your new release in your yearly Christmas letter. Your friends and family should be happy to hear about your latest release as long as you don’t come across as a braggart or like you are asking them to purchase a copy. Leave the decision to purchase the book to them; just announce how excited you are about it.
Cost: None. (The cost of stamps, but you will already be spending the money if you are sending Christmas cards.)
Rewards: Sharing exciting news with people who should be pleased for you can lead to word-of-mouth marketing.
3) The last way to use letters to market is to send a mass email to all of your contacts the day your book releases. If you have a reader list, be sure to send the letter to them, but also put a note on Facebook and send an email to your personal email contact list. Include the cover and the title of the book. Be sure that you don’t spam people. Only send the announcement to personal contacts and to those who have subscribed to your reader list or Facebook list.
Cost: Just your time.
Rewards: Potential sales. Your readers will be informed about the new release, and your friends and family can pass along the news to their friends as well.
Have you used either the postal service or email to promote your book? Were you able to track any sales as a result?
Many of you have author newsletters, which are great, but if you can take newsletter marketing to the next “circle of influence,” you can reach that many more people and hopefully they will come to join your “inner circle.”
Here are a few ways you can take newsletter marketing to the next level:
1) Send an announcement about your new release, with the book cover and a link to your website, to your Alumni Association or college magazine. I know the U.C. Davis magazine will publish alumni news snippets. Many colleges have an alumni newsletter.
Cost: The cost of a stamp (or free, if you can email your announcement) and the time it takes to put together the news item.
Rewards: Exposure to thousands of graduates. Hopefully building your inner circle through those who check out your website and sign up for your personal newsletter.
2) Send an announcement about your new release to your church for publication in the church newsletter. Again, include a book cover and link to the website. Offer to host a book group/potluck at the church if enough people are interested.
Cost: The time it takes to put together the announcement and to possibly host a book group.
Rewards: Exposure to the entire church congregation. Hopefully some will join your personal newsletter list.
3) Approach a local bookstore or two about sending a newsletter or e-newsletter for you announcing that a local author has a new book out. You might get lucky and the bookstore might do this for free (especially an e-newsletter, if you are willing to do an in-store event) or you could offer to pay a little for the use of their newsletter contacts and time. It’s pretty likely they have had requests like this in the past, so they’ll know what do tell you. In Santa Rosa, we have an independent store, Copperfield’s Books, that’s very willing to work with authors to promote books. Check out what they do here: Copperfield’s Online
Cost: The time to put together the announcement and to possibly do an in-store event.
A fee of some sort for the newsletter exposure, if that is how the store operates.
Rewards: Your name and book title will go out in a newsletter to book lovers, and you might even get a chance to speak and sell books at the bookstore. Might get some personal newsletter sign-ups to expand your inner circle.
Can you think of other ways that you can take newsletter marketing beyond your immediate circle of influence?
Does your book involve a topic that certain groups of people might be interested in? For example, two Books & Such clients had novellas release in a collection called A Log Cabin Christmas Collection. Through a little online research, one of the authors found a log cabin society so she sent a note to the society when the book released.
Another Books & Such client has historical books releasing that are set in a town that still exists today. She has visited the town and has done on-site publicity for her books. In this case, the town is one interest group. I don’t know about you, but I love finding books set where I live! Francine Rivers and Lori Wick both have books set in and around Santa Rosa, and I enjoyed reading them very much.
So here is my marketing suggestion for you: Take a close look at your book. List the main topics, settings, and themes. Do some online research to locate interest groups relating to any of those items. Put together a different letter for each group, emphasizing the connection between your book and that group.
Cost: Time and possibly postage if you can’t email your letter.
Rewards: Getting news of your book to people who have something in common with the story or topic.
Take it to the next level: Offer to do a Skype interview with the group or offer to send bookmarks or signed bookplates. Think of some way to personalize the note you are sending to encourage book sales and exposure.
So, what interest groups are out there that might be interested in your book or work-in-progress?
I hope my tips are useful to you and please try some of them! Do you have any other easy book-marketing ideas to share?
Laura Weymouth
Great ideas, Rachel!
I would think keeping a one sheet on you at all times would be a very useful practice. You never know when you’ll get into a conversation with someone while you’re out and about, and in my experience people are generally fascinated when they find out you write. If you’re able to give them something tangible to remind them of the personal connection they made with an author, they’ll be all the more likely to actually go out and buy the book. I’m not saying we should be peppering strangers with one sheets, but if the subject comes up naturally, why not? Keeping promotional bookmarks with you would work just as well with the added benefit that now you’ve given your potential new reader a gift.
Check with your nearest libraries about keeping hard copies of your author newsletter on hand, too. Most libraries have places to display brochures, flyers, and pamphlets dealing with local news and events. If the librarians really like you, they may even keep your newsletter at the front desk! This way if people missed your book on the shelf, they may go back and check it out. Once they’ve read it and loved it, they also have your contact information in hand which makes it easy for them to join your inner circle. Hard copies are nice because those who don’t have time to read your newsletter right then and there can take it home and peruse it later. I often do this with local handouts from the library. As in the previous suggestion, bookmarks would be a nice addition. Everyone loves gifts, and we all appreciate generosity.
Shirlee Abbott
Good ideas, Rachel. Thank you. I hope to put them to use someday.
Our public library features occasional displays of books by local authors. Likewise, our local newspaper.
Take your church suggestion up a level–the regional arm of your denomination might feature your book on its FB page or its website.
Meghan Carver
Rachel, fantastic ideas! Thank you! I had thought once-upon-a-time of sending a notice to my college alumni magazine but then completely forgot. Thanks for the reminder! I’ve never heard of personalized stamps, but I’m going to look into it. Clipping this to Evernote for future reference.
Shelli Littleton
Well, this won’t help anyone else, but my mother is my greatest asset, regarding my work. She’s my greatest fan. She has gotten me two speaking engagements … and when I speak, she’ll be there with bells on, helping me. Sometimes she advertises me in high profile areas that cause me a little embarrassment … but there is nothing she wouldn’t do to support me, I fear. 🙂 And I love her.
Hannah Vanderpool
I’m wondering if, in the end, brick-and-morter type advertising will be more effective than digital advertising. While getting the word out online about a book reaches more people than word-of-mouth, at least initially, I wonder if digital marketing ends up being “white noise” because the market is already so saturated and people are getting book ads thrown at them all the time. You can’t get on Twitter anymore without seeing hundreds, maybe thousands, of “loud” advertisements for new books. I think a lot of people end up ignoring them. But handing books to people or talking in person about a book has a different kind of value. At least it seems that way.
Kristen Joy Wilks
That waiting room idea is awesome, Rachel. If only my book were print and not e-book only…maybe someday. I did mention it in our Christmas letter…that went out in March. But yes, these are all great ways to reach new people. Thanks for the info.
Erin Keeley Marshall
I especially love the idea of putting books in waiting rooms. I’m going to try that soon!
Karen Barnett
“Have you used either the postal service or email to promote your book? Were you able to track any sales as a result?”
Yes! I subscribed to Library Insider and sent flyers to hundreds of libraries in six different states. Many of these libraries purchased the book (LI tracks that for you), and some even contacted me personally to thank me for the flyer. I was able to get one speaking engagement out of it, as well.
You can make personalized stamps?! That’s so cool! I’m on it.
Karen Barnett
Oh, yes…I also joined an extremely active FB group that discusses San Francisco history. Since my series is set during the 1906 quake, it’s the perfect connection for me.
With that said, I’m extremely careful to not overtly market there. I participate in the conversations like everyone else, contributing and making personal connections. The only time I post blogs is when I have content that will help the group (photos or eyewitness stories about the earthquake). I only mention my books if they come up organically in conversation, though I might do a single announcement when the next release rolls around. I’ll probably check with the admin first, though. It’s important to be viewed as a giver, not a taker.
Samuel Hall
Thanks for your info re Library Insider. There are more museums out there than I imagined and most are very receptive to historical fiction.
Karen Barnett
Congratulations on your new book, Sam! I was excited to see the cover pop up on FB yesterday. So excited for you!
Jennifer Zarifeh Major
My doctor may not go for it, but I think my dentist might.
It’s amazing what he and his wife will do for cheesecake.
A few books to browse, a bunch of bookmarks to take home and maybe a few goodies.
Leon Oziel
Thank you for these inspiring ideas, so refreshing to read in this digital age. I feel similarly to Hannah Vanderpool’s comments. Oh, and by the way, have I told you about my new book?
Tara Johnson
Wonderful ideas! This is going in my ‘keeper’ file of marketing. 🙂 Thank you!
Davalynn spencer
Love the stamp idea, Rachel. What a unique approach. I make bookmarks and leave them everywhere – even for my e-books. My latest mark had two book covers, one at the top and one at the bottom with an info-bite between them containing my website and other purchase locations. Also, last Christmas I sent a 99-cent e-book *gift* with a personal message to people with e-readers rather than a card. When I figure the cost of stamps and cards, I may have come out ahead.
Norma Brumbaugh
Rachel, great ideas. The stamp idea is clever. I’m going to check it out. Thanks for sharing some practical, creative marketing ideas.
Kathy Gronau
I am working hard to market my book and you have given me some great ideas. Hope you will check out my writing and book. Blessings, Kathy
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Hastings bookstores are very author-friendly, and will do a lot to make signings successful.
Locally-owned coffeehouses are also worth a try; one could leave a fre copies as in-store ‘readers’, and a few on consignment, or as a straight lets-fight-Starbucks donation.
Linda Rawlins
Our local beauty parlor is a Steel Magnolia type of salon – a great place that promotes and hands out my bookmarks.
Linda Rawlins
Depending on content I would also try donating a copy to your local Assisted Living Facilities, and Independent Living communities – some of which have impressive libraries.
Kathy Boyd Fellure
Thank you so much, Rachel! This is incredibly helpful in areas I had not considered before. I love the personalized stamp idea and will give it a try right away.
Since my children’s books and novels take place in a real town at Lake Tahoe, California, I do a lot of extra marketing there. That is how I got locked into their annual Tahoe City Wine Walk event and am hosted each year by a different store that is participating. This will be my 5th year. I have special frame-able large postcards made up each year with an illustration on one side and a listing of my summer signings at Tahoe on the back. Cost used to be free through Vistaprint and now is minimal as I watch for close-to-free sales and order early at the lowest snail mail rate to save more money.
This developed a faithful following that bought the children’s books as each of the four came out with the collectable postcard, and created a waiting list for the not-next-published novels on a sign-up sheet I have out at the event.
Hope this can help someone else that has a story in a real town.
And thank you again, Rachel. I can’t wait to ask my illustrators to try the stamps!