Authors are always asking me how to sell more books. So I’ve made a quick list of 12 things you can do starting right now. In fact, I just sent these to an author I know who has only a book and is wondering why he’s not selling very many. It’s because figuring out how to write a book is only the beginning. Not only do you have to write it, you also have to get the word out about it.

Because of this author and so many exactly like him, I need to briefly get on my “soap box.” Before I share these book marketing strategies, I have to say something very VERY important.

The reason most authors fail to sell many books is because you’re chasing small change. Most authors have nothing more than a book and a desire to do some speaking, or if you’re really on top of things, maybe you also have a 1–CD audio presentation. Whoopie. Wow, now there’s a way to make a REAL living!

Your best option as an author is to offer other products and services to a hungry market who wants them. No guessing. No stab in the dark. Discover what they want and serve it up. Go hang with them, find out what they want and sell it to them. And it has to cost more than $20 bucks or even $100.

I’ll cover some ideas for additional profit streams for authors in a separate post.

For now, here are 12 ways to promote your book right now today.

2. Think of where your book would be a good fit for customers – besides the usual local bookstores, you can look into specialty bookstores, shops selling things your audience would also like, organizations, book clubs..

3. Is there a charity for whom you could offer a buck per book and have them invite you to their function? You could do a signing and perhaps speak. Invite them to start a discussion series around your book.

4. Go where your people are hanging out. Find out who  the key influencers are and start getting to know them.
5. Get bloggers to review your book, interview you or run an article on their blog. Find blogs talking about your stuff and offer them a PDF copy to review.

6. You might even host a blog tour and get 10 or 12 bloggers within two weeks or a month to write about you.,  (book review, interview or post an article) And keep a list on your blog.

7  Enter your book into contests. There are several for published books. This will bring exposure.

8. Start a Podcast or weekly  Internet radio show. Mine is Relationship Marketing 101. You can do free or paid podcasts at PodBean.

9. Look under relevant categories on .BlogTalkRadio.com for shows where you would be a terrific guest. Hosts can display your book in the show notes and it will give you greater exposure.

10. Sign up for Amazon’s free Author Central, amazon.com/authorcentral so you’ll have a more complete author bio. Be sure to link up your blog.

11. Start developing a presence on Facebook and Twitter. Find the influencers in your niche and start getting to know them. Converse, ask how you may be of service.

12. Find someone known in your niche with whom you can co-create a product.

John Kremer has a great newsletter about marketing tips BookMarket.com and he has a book called 1001 Ways to Market Your Book. I call this the book author’s bible. Pick 3 or 5 and delve into these.

I hope that get you off to a great start marketing your book.

Resource

I really love #1 bestselling author Sally Shields’ Author Publicity Secrets Revealed Course. Yes, I am an affiliate, and I promote this product because Sally does such a brilliant job of breaking everything down into very simple strategies you can use immediately. She used every strategy she teaches to promote her bestseller The Daughter-in-Law Rules.

A couple things I shared here are tips she shared on a live call we did as a bonus for those who invest in the Instant VIP Multimedia Home Study Course. They are also part of her Publicity Secrets Course.

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