M is for Marketing

Do I need a marketing plan for my book? I do if I want to sell more than 5 copies.

Target audience, price point, promotions, oh my. Do I really have to do all of that stuff? No, of course not. You don’t have to do anything. But you do if you want some success–or at least die trying.

1. Identify your audience.
2. Create your brand.
3. Price your book right.
4. Create compelling copy.
5. Categorize it correctly.
6. Build relationships.
7. Ask for love.
8. Get out there.

Identify your audience.

Do you know who they are? Is it the kids the story is about or is the parents reading the kids the story? Who’s going to actually pay for the book Who’s going to be tugging on whose coattails to buy the book? Who writes the reviews? Whose friends have the book and so they want the book too?

Create your brand.

Is it a series? Will it be? Do you have consistent characters? Are they understood, loved, even idolized? Can they be?

Price your book right.

What is the perfect price? Can you change the price (e.g. with an e-book)? Can you put it on sale?

Create compelling copy.

For the book description, is it compelling? Will someone actually want to read it? Someone besides your cousin? If not, how can you make it better? Do you need some help? Can you identify that and get some help?

Categorize it correctly.

Is it about kids but filed under parenting? Who is it for? This is especially important in e-books where people will actually use those categories and search terms. Can it be in several categories? Are they conflicting? How do you choose?

Build relationships.

This doesn’t mean spamming all kinds of reader blogs, but how do you connect with people who might buy, promote or otherwise do something nice for your book? It’s a two-way street: what could you do for them? How do you start and sustain these relationships?

Ask for love.

If people love your book, they might sigh, close the back cover and close their eyes. That’s dreamy. But what you really want them to do is write a raving review on Amazon. How do you get them from sighing to signing? Tip: ask.

Get out there.

There are loads of ways to promote your book. There are even new, undiscovered ways. Will you find new ways? If not, will you at least try the traditional ways? Get out there, live a little, love your book, ask for love, love your readers.

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