Being an indie author means wearing multiple hats as you fight to get your books discovered. You’re not only a writer… you’re an editor, publisher, cover designer, formatter, and yes, even a marketer. Time and time again, when I ask my fellow indie authors what they find the hardest about writing, they always say marketing… and I wholeheartedly agree. With limited reach and budgets, it’s easy to get lost in the quagmire of the millions of published books already out there. So, how do you get your books the recognition they deserve?
Where I’m far from an expert, after self-publishing five books and consulting with a marketing team I’ve learned several effective tips along the way that helped my sales and readership grow. And I’d love to share them all with you here so you can do the same. This is a lengthy topic, one which deserves proper attention, so I’ll be spreading it across a series of posts. Today, we’ll start the journey to building your book business by tapping into your warm market. Who is your warm market? Everyone you personally know: family, friends, coworkers, and your community. These are the people in your life who want you to succeed and are readily willing to support your business by purchasing the book(s) themselves, and/or by sharing your product by word of mouth. Here are a few ways to let your warm market boost your visibility and sales!
Warm Market Approaches
- Family, Friends, and Personal Acquaintances:
Start a buzz around your new release by contacting all your relatives, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances and provide an enthusiastic description of your book baby. If you have ARC copies, gift them to your loved ones and ask for a review. The more reviews you have posted on Amazon and Goodreads, and other similar book sites, the more your visibility grows on those platforms. - Book Launch:
Host a party to launch your book, inviting everyone you know, and also advertise it on your social media sites and in your local paper to boost your guest list. Then present your new book to your audience, read an excerpt to hook new readers, and plan a book signing at the end to sell stacks of your books to circulate throughout your community. - Local Paper:
Besides promoting your book launch through the paper, you can also ask them to feature you in an upcoming issue. Whether it’s an author spotlight, interview, book review, or sharing an excerpt from your novel, the extra exposure will allow you to tap into more of your warm market, free of charge. You can even offer to write an editorial about writing, the inspiration behind your book, or explore a topic you cover in your story that ties your book into the article. - Conventions and Pop-up Markets:
Check out which conventions and markets are coming to your area that reflect your book’s theme or genre and consider being a vendor. Writing conventions are ideal, but there are other areas that might match your book. Comic book conventions, paranormal conventions, Spring and Christmas markets, and the list goes on. Peruse your local listings for upcoming events that suit your book’s vibe and market your book directly to the masses. - Library, Book Stores, and Consignment Opportunities:
Reach out to your local library and offer them copies of your novel to stock on their shelves. Getting more people reading your book can generate reviews and garner a following. This is especially a good tactic if you have a book series or multiple novels published. Hook them and they’ll keep coming back for more. Some book stores will also carry local authors on a consignment basis, so be sure to contact your favourite venues and see if they’re willing to work with you. The more exposure you get, the more potential readers will see your book and start to remember your name. - Public Speaking Events and Book Readings:
If your book spotlights a specific topic, one you’ve researched, or perhaps one you even studied in college, you can arrange a public speaking event to educate others, while also promoting your book in the process. These people are your target market, so it’s a great way to plug your new or old release. For example, my Father of Contention series tackles the ongoing debate regarding our origins, where science and religion are typically believed to be separate sides of the coin. In my series, I use the theory of Id-volution to show how the two topics actually intersect, converging to explain where we come from and the possibility of an afterlife. Since I studied science and psychology in university, I could present the facts behind the theory, and offer my books as a fictional example for them to explore the idea further.
Book readings are another great way to gather a crowd and lure them into loving your book. Cafes, bookstores, the library, cocktail bars… so many exciting, fun venues would be thrilled to have you entertain their patrons with an excerpt from your book. - Book Signing Events:
Contact your local book stores and ask if they allow book signings by indie authors. Most of them will, even if they don’t carry your novel. Even better, if you have an indie book store in your region, do a signing there, or even at the library. It not only boosts your sales, but also allows you to increase your visibility and create connections with your readership. - Book Clubs:
Do you have any book clubs running in your neighborhood? Suggest for them to read your book, and then offer to create a discussion guide, and to attend their next book club meeting to answer questions and provide personal insights into your story. Besides creating sales as each member purchases your novel, book clubs are fantastic for getting reviews and promoting your novel by word of mouth. - Local Writing Groups:
Most communities have local writing groups that are a perfect place to bond with fellow authors, learn more about your craft, and also spread the word about your books. - Little Free Libraries:
These adorable little libraries are popping up all over the place and people love to frequent them because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love free books? Find a few in your area and leave your book inside. For an added bonus, sign the book and slip one of your bookmarks inside with your social media handles, website, and book info so if they love it, they can find the rest of your works to add to their TBR.
Taking the time to create a warm market strategy to promote your book is well worth the effort. After all, you spend months or even years writing the story… now it needs to be read! Put on your marketing hat and get that book baby to your readers and watch your sales grow!
Coming in my spring blog post, I’ll provide suggestions on how to market your book and ensure sales BEFORE your launch date! Until then, stay warm and don’t forget to keep reading!
💋 Lanie Mores
