Do you want to move beyond simply being a self-published author and actually be a successful one? If so, then there is one book marketing strategy that will work every single time.
You spent hours of heartache and finger cramps to get your book typed out and presented in the best possible way. You know it’s something special! That’s what makes it so heartbreaking when we see it sit on the digital shelf and never sell. You paid your dues but they don’t seem to be paying you back.
Publishing your book is only one level of satisfaction. It’s an amazing feeling but it’s not as mind blowing as you might expect. The real success comes when people start buying and reading your book. Then the real challenge comes because there are so many different ways to market your book that it becomes quite overwhelming.
Choosing the right one can be a difficult process. Fortunately, you’re in luck because there is one book marketing strategy that works every single time for every type of book. If you do this one thing right, then you will see your sales increase.
Word of Mouth is the Best Book Marketing Strategy
Word of mouth advertising has always been the most powerful form of marketing on the planet and in today’s world where millions of people are connected at all times, it has become a salvation for new authors. Everyone markets their book as the best ever, but when other people start singing its praise, readers start to listen. Social proof is powerful. Look at how Amazon operates. Their customer review system is the best in the world and it is what made them the number one online retailer.
Start out by creating a Facebook Page based on your book or an author page if you are planning to write more than one book. You can use this page to reach out to readers. As you get more followers, start asking for reviews of your book. You’d be surprised at how many of them are willing to take the time to leave a good review of a book they enjoyed. They just need a reminder.
Never Discount the Power of Social Proof
As you get reviews, start using them in your promotional material. Add them in your newsletters, on your website, and create posts for social media.
Host social media promotions where people can share a promotional post, leave a comment, and be automatically entered to win something.
Never discount the power of social proof. It is the most powerful form of marketing on the planet. It has always been this way and it likely always will. You just have to actively ask for reviews of your book. Some good places to start are:
- Colleagues
- Friends
- Peers
- Buyers
- Review Exchanges
When you get enough reviews, then you can start creating some Facebook posts and tweets that can be used for promotions. Look at all entertainment venues on social media and you will see the same formula. They usually post a review along with a link to their website. Sometimes they even host contests to encourage followers to share these posts.
The fact is that people buy books that others are reading.