Hack #1: Start Promoting Before Releasing your Book
If you want to experience a significant level of success during the earliest stages of releasing your book, then you should never wait until your book launches to start marketing it. You need to have people excited about its release – they need to be waiting for it. For first time authors, this seems like a difficult task.
Those releasing their first books dream of becoming a best-seller. That’s certainly a great dream to have but the reality is that this is not likely going to happen with your first book. It’s definitely not going to happen if you don’t market in advance. If you look at all of the first time best-selling authors, you will uncover the fact that they all started promoting well before releasing their books. They collected bloggers, media, and other supporters and kept in touch with them right up until the day they released their book.
Hack #2: Realize That It’s Never Too Late to Start Promoting
If you have already released your book then don’t panic. You have nothing to worry about. All it means is that you’re going to have to wait a little longer. You have plenty of time to market your eBook since it will be there forever. You’ll have time to find an audience but you need to start today.
The fact is that your first book isn’t likely to “fill the theatre” so to speak. Your goal should be to release more books on a consistent basis. That way, you are becoming more credible with each book release. Fans that you gain from one book will carry over to the next like a snowball rolling down a hill. Your fan base will get larger as you keep building momentum. Plus, there is always the added advantage of gaining experience.
Hack #3: Plan on Your Book Being Read
Aspiring authors all dream of seeing their books on the bookshelf, whether that bookshelf is digital or traditional. That aspiration often leads to them moving too quickly. They are so worried about their book being on a bookshelf that they forget the most important goal for authors is to write a book that is readable. That thrill of seeing your book on the market will wear off pretty quickly, but when it starts selling copies and getting raving reviews then you’re going to get a thrill that lasts a lifetime.
Publishing is only the beginning of the process. Your goal needs to always be to publish a book that helps readers – whether that help is through tips, advice, or entertainment. There is no greater thrill than success. Your fans will become avid readers if you produce high quality books. So your task is to give these people what they want. Readers don’t care about what a book looks like on the shelf; they care about what it looks like when they open it and start reading.
Hack #4: Connect With Your Readers
Avid book readers have committed to buying your book so you should do the same with them. Take the time to communicate and try your best to reply if they ask questions or leave you glowing reviews. By maintaining contact with your readers, they become your biggest promotors.
Fans value authors more than you might believe. By purchasing your book, readers have invested in you so if you give them what they want, they will buy even more from you in the future. This is the kind of allegiance that deserves your unwavering support.
Make it a priority to communicate with them. Post on Facebook, Twitter, write a monthly newsletter to them, and even consider putting together a special fans only email list.
Above all else, you need to start today!