There is no shortage of success stories in the pantheon of book promotion ideas. But your book is unique, so what worked for someone else might not be your optimal strategy. Finding success relies on answering three questions: What are your goals? Who is your target audience? What tactics will seem fresh and exciting? Once you begin formulating answers, you’ll start to see what’s best for you and your book. It’s also an excellent idea to check out the competition and do some benchmarking, but trying to re-do someone else’s PR program isn’t optimal. You need a one-of-a-kind program.
The internet is a dominant force in the world today, and becoming more visible online is a must. But quality is a crucial consideration, and selecting the places where you’ll appear makes a difference. It’s also why many publishing industry veterans advise self-published authors to seek media coverage. The TV stations and newspapers you’ll approach all have websites and become hybrid media, with their original medium plus a website. It’s also a fact that any media coverage you earn today ends up online, where people can search and find it later. It extends and amplifies the value of media coverage.
Virtual book tours have been widely used since the pandemic, and even though some authors make in person appearances, nearly everyone appears online. You can livestream, reach fans, and target readers directly or appear as a guest in other online forums. With no downsides, it’s a cost-effective way to reach people with news of your book’s publication. When you appear in person, have someone take videos and images that you can turn into website content and social media posts. It extends your event’s value and makes it accessible to people anywhere there’s an internet connection.
Key messages are also crucial. They are the things you say about your book to spark people’s interest. It’s important that they seem new and exciting because repeating things already said by others won’t get you far. If you’re a novelist, trying to get people interested in your book’s characters and story is the goal. If your budget allows you to work with a publicist, you’ll use them in the interviews and comments you give to the media. Ensure you have an author’s website posted before your book is published and released. People will expect to find one, so give them ways to order your book.
