Five Best Post-Publication Book Marketing Activities

Originally written by Keith Ogorek on Indie Book Writers

Image courtesy of Bill Longshaw / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1.) HOLD YOUR BOOK LAUNCH EVENT.
Congratulations! You are a published author. Time to celebrate. If fact, this is one of the most important things to do once your book is live. It is a great way to recognize your hard work and share the joy of becoming a published author with others. Also, don’t think you only need to hold your event at a book store. That is always an option, but you can be creative. I know authors who have held their launch events at a restaurant or a church. Have fun with it.

2.) SCHEDULE OTHER EVENTS.
You laid the groundwork in Phase Two. Now follow through using your press materials to finalize a calendar of events where you can promote your book and signings. Don’t just think locally. As you travel, plan ahead and look for bookstores or venues that might be interested in having you sign your book. Also, if you are part of church, synagogue or organization consider asking the leadership if there are any other potential speaking opportunities.

3.) PITCH TO LOCAL AND WEB MEDIA OUTLETS.
Using the hook you developed in Phase Two, contact local reporters at newspapers and broadcast media (radio, TV) to try to secure stories about your book. Identify websites and bloggers that might be interested in your topic, and make a pitch to them as well. National coverage may be one of your goals, but the best place to start is locally; then expand from there.

4.) COMMIT TO A SOCIAL MEDIA SCHEDULE AND FOLLOW THROUGH
One of the keys to social media is being clear on your audience and message, but it is also important to be consistent. You are trying to build a relationship with potential readers so as in any relationship, sporadic or infrequent contact is not a good thing. . Also the more you give them, the more they will have to promote out to their audience about you.

If you have a blog, encourage reader interaction with your posts. Comments allow for feedback from readers, offering you the chance to learn what they liked and disliked about a certain post or even a certain section of your book. Paying close attention to the words of your followers can help you define your target audience.

5.) EVALUATE AND REVISE YOUR PLAN.
Even the best-laid plans will not go exactly as you thought. Be willing to evaluate results and make adjustments. If something is working, try to find a way to expand your efforts in that area. If something didn’t work, adapt or try something entirely new. Make changes learned from experience to accomplish your goals.

Starting your marketing efforts locally is always a good idea. As you learn what works best, you can adapt and improve your plan appropriately as you gradually expand your efforts into larger markets and non-traditional venues.