Tag: Book Promotion

Book Promotion, Uncategorized

Why March is the Best Time to Promote Your Self-Published Book

March is National Small Press Month, which celebrates small publishers and showcases the unique voices of the authors who choose them. This makes March the perfect time to promote your self-published book! To help you take advantage of this, I will be offering promotion advice and ideas on the blog every Monday this month.

To get you started, here are five things you should do to maximize your  promotional efforts this month:

1. Order author copies.

Author copies are important at events such as book signings and giveaways. Be sure you have plenty on hand to support your promotional efforts this month.

2. Contact to your local bookstore.

Contact your local bookstore and inform them it’s Small Press Month. Encourage them to help promote books published by small presses by hosting events and offer discounts. Be sure to mention your book during this discussion.

3. Contact your local newspaper.

Contact the book review editor, features editor, the calendar editor, and business editor. Inform them about Small Press Month, introduce yourself and your book, and tell them about any events you are planning for the month.

4. Contact professional organizations.

If you belong to any professional organizations, be sure to share information about your planned events with them.

5. Get on the radio.

Reach out to local radio stations. Pitch an interview discussing your book and/or small press topics. Be sure to mention any events you have planned.

Check back next week for more promotion ideas.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Don’t Miss These Opportunities to Promote Your Book

Book fairs are an excellent way to promote your self-published book, learn about the publishing industry, and network with other professionals. Even though the year is more than half way over, it’s not too late to promote your book at some of this year’s book fairs. Here are a few you might want to add to your calendar.

2014 Beijing International Book Fair

Show Date: Aug 27, 2014 – Aug 31, 2014
Location: Beijing, China
Deadline: Aug 05, 2014

2014 LIBER (Spain)

Show Date: Oct 01, 2014 – Oct 03, 2014
Location: Barcelona
Deadline: Sep 10, 2014

2014 Frankfurt International Book Fair

Show Date: Oct 08, 2014 – Oct 12, 2014
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Deadline: Sep 12, 2014

2014 Pennsylvania Library Association

Show Date: Sep 29, 2014 – Sep 30, 2014
Location: Lancaster, PA
Deadline: Sep 12, 2014

2014 Illinois Library Association

Show Date: Oct 15, 2014 – Oct 16, 2014
Location: Springfield, IL
Deadline: Sep 26, 2014

2014 New England Library Association

Show Date: Oct 19, 2014 – Oct 21, 2014
Location: Boxborough, MA
Deadline: Oct 03, 2014

2014 California Library Association

Show Date: Nov 07, 2014 – Nov 09, 2014
Location: Oakland, CA
Deadline: Oct 06, 2014

2014 New York Library Association

Show Date: Nov 06, 2014 – Nov 07, 2014
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY
Deadline: Oct 17, 2014
Many of these book fairs have deadlines that are fast approaching, so be sure to sign up soon.
In addition to these popular book fairs, look for local events where you can promote your book. County and state fairs are often a good choice as are hometown fall festivals.
I’d love to know, where do you plan to promote your book this year?
ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, Book Signings, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

5 Ways to Promote Your Book in March

March is National Reading Month and Small Press Month. This makes it the perfect month to focus on promoting your book. Here are five ways you can promote your self-published book in March.

1. Read Across America Day

March 3 is National Read Across America Day, also known as Dr. Seuss Day. This is the perfect opportunity for children’s authors to promote their book. Schedule a reading at a local school, library, or bookstore. You can also get creative and host a Read Across America event for adults.

2. St. Patrick’s Day

Holidays are always a great opportunity to promote your book. Even if your book has nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day, you can get creative with your marketing plan. Perhaps, host a St. Patrick’s Day give away or schedule a St. Patrick’s Day event. For instance, you could schedule a book signing, wear your favorite green shirt, hand out some Irish potatoes to your guests, and promote your book while “celebrating.”

3. Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2014

Bologna Children’s Book Fair will be held March 24-27. It is the most important international event dedicated to the children’s publishing and multimedia industry. Last year, the event had about 1,200 exhibitors coming from 75 countries and 25,000 international professional trade representatives. To learn more, visit http://www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it/en/the-fair/895.html.

4. Book Expo America 2014

Book Expo America will take place May 19-31. It is the #1 book and author event  that offers the book industry access to new titles,  authors, and education about the publishing industry. BEA is the best place to  discover new titles and upcoming books and meet face to face with favorite and  up and coming authors. To learn more, visit http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/.

5. Schedule an interview or book signing event

People won’t buy your book if they don’t know it exist, so schedule an event  that will help you connect with readers and gain some press for your book. Two great options are a radio interview or book signing event. Start by contacting local radio stations or bookstore to set up the event.

I’d love to know, how do you plan to promote your book in March?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Uncategorized

Self Publishing is Easy, Standing Out Isn’t

While there are many perks to self-publishing — easy to do, higher royalties, no rejection letters, and more — there is also a major drawback: competition. Self-publishing has become very popular, and it seems like everyone — new authors, previously published authors, professionals, even children — is doing it. While it is great for writers to have the freedom and control that self-publishing offers, it also makes the publishing industry even more competitive.

I’ll be honest about something — the majority of self-publishing authors aren’t best selling authors who make millions of dollars. That doesn’t mean you can’t be successful, but it does mean you need to understand the market, have realistic expectations, and work hard to make your book stand out. The solution is “simple”: write a great book, publish a quality book and do a great deal of marketing and promotion.

1) The Writing

Consider submitting your manuscript for a comprehensive, professional and unbiased review before having it published; actually the more reviews you have done, the better. They help you fine tune your manuscript to make it the best book possible.

2) The Publishing

As part of the publishing process, be sure to invest in professional copyediting and a custom cover.  If your book is riddled with typos and grammatical errors, it won’t be taken seriously.  If your book has a plain Jane cover, it could be overlooked.

3) The Marketing

This is the part many self-publishing authors miss.  Along with self-publishing comes self-marketing.  It’s not enough to just have distribution. The most successful self-published authors understand the importance of great marketing. Some self-publishing companies offer services to assist you with your self-marketing. Whether you choose to do it on your own, pay someone to help, or do a combination of both, this element of the process is an absolute must.

Don’t be discouraged!  There are many self-publishing authors who have had success, and you can too if you approach the process correctly.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks

The Importance of Book Award Programs

Whether you self-publish or use a traditional publisher, there is a lot of competition in the publishing industry. Thanks to e-readers and online book retailers, readers easily have access to thousands of books. Plus, readers also encounter hundreds of books every time they visit a bookstore or other retailer that sells books.

There are several ways to make your self-published book stand out. One of the best ways to do so is entering (and winning) book award programs. These programs increase an author’s credibility and exposure in several ways:

1) Adding an award to your resume/biography instantly increases your credibility.

2) The programs often help market your book by featuring it in publications, on their website, in a press release, and more.

3) The award badge can be added to your book cover. Be honest, how many times have you picked up a book because you saw an award badge on the cover? It instantly tells the reader the book is worth buying.

If you plan on entering book award programs, it is important that you purchase plenty of author copies to send with your submissions.

I’d love to know, what is your book award strategy?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.