You’ve written a book you’re excited about. You know it will inspire, inform, challenge, or encourage your reader.

Now comes the fun part: sit back and watch the sales roll in. After all, your book is listed on Amazon.com so there’s nothing left to do, right?

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Book Promotion

As a publicist who promotes books every day, I hear some authors share their frustration with low book sales. When I ask them what they’re doing to promote their books, they usually respond, “Nothing.”

If you want your book to sell, you have to promote it. People don’t automatically buy books listed online or in a catalog; they need to become familiar and interested first. That’s where promoting your book comes in.

Opening a Business

If you opened a new retail business you would put up an awning and turn on the open sign to draw customers. Just sitting there would spell low sales and disappointment.

Think of your book as that new business. You’ve invested time and resources to write and publish; now open the doors through promotion and let people know about your book.

Five Basics

Here are the five basics of publicizing your book.

1. Professional media kit – Create a professionally designed media kit; it is a foundation tool to present you to media.
2. Media interviews and events – Schedule media interviews with radio, TV, print, and bookstores to increase awareness of your book, build your speaking platform, and sell books. This is best done by a professional publicist.
3. Speaking engagements – Speak to groups and have your book available for sale afterwards. You’ll be perceived as an expert.
4. Advertise – Advertise to reach readers and complement interviews, speaking, and marketing materials.
5. Marketing materials – Mail and give out marketing materials such as postcards, flyers, and business cards. This kind of grass roots marketing works best in conjunction with interviews and speaking.

Get Started

Sit down and create a promotional strategy for your book that includes as many of the basics as possible. Estimate how much time you have to invest and perhaps partner with a publicist to enhance your efforts.

Remember you have something people need and want but don’t know about… yet. Go ahead, turn on the open sign and tell them about your book!

Adam Cothes is a Pleasant Word Solutions Advisor who helps new authors begin the publishing journey. He also helps coordinate advertising opportunities for authors to gain valuable exposure.