Book Marketing Success

Last weekend we launched a new book marketing community. In preparation for it, I read a ton of information on book marketing, and just marketing in general. The #1 thing that I kept running across was that you have to think outside of the box. If 100 people are already doing it, you should do something different. I'm not saying that you have to do something as outlandish as chaining yourself to a shopping cart, but there are other things that you can probably think of to market your book uniquely.

It all comes down to passion. The author referenced above was passionate about getting her book into physical stores. I don't believe that the company succumbed to her marketing tactic and began marketing her book, but it certainly got her and her book exposure...

But what about you?

What are you passionate about? 

What's your favorite thing to do? 

Can you incorporate marketing into it? 

Can you do what you love and market at the same time? 

Absolutely! 

In the past couple of weeks I have seen a tent shaped as the authors book (front and back cover printed on the outside, with the ends looking like pages). A booth where an author had became a food vendor to market his book about adding flavor to life. And I heard about an author who gave a free, autographed copy of her book to everyone on the airplane with her to the destination of the setting for her historical fiction novel. 

Are these tactics memorable? 

Oh yes. But more importantly, they are genuine. These authors took things that they loved and extended their marketing efforts into them. I say good for them! Why can't we be genuine in our marketing efforts? Can't they simply become an extension of who we are?

Do you write fiction? Why not dress up as a character from your book for Halloween? Even if you just stay home and pass out treats, you could hand moms (or dads) a coupon to download a free copy of your book from Smashwords, or include personalized book marks in your goody bags. (This would be especially good if you wrote horror!)

If you write about beauty, why not ask a salon if they would be willing to host a giveaway for you? You could drop of a box and allow their patrons to enter to win a free copy of your latest book. At the same time, you could collect addresses (physical and/or e-mail) to send information to everyone letting them know that they didn't win, but they could download a free excerpt on your website, or that you are having a free day on Kindle (if your in KDP select) on a certain day and they could download a free copy then.

Do you write historical fiction? Why not take a photo of your book at landmarks contained within your book? 

Think outside the box. Extend your marketing into who you are. 

Try it.

I dare you.

f you are looking for more help with book marketing. I encourage you to check out our new book marketing community: Book Marketing Success. Each month we will be discussing a different aspect of book marketing. I invite you to join us: http://bit.ly/BookMarketingSuccess

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