As the author of 11 novels, I’ve learned over the years the value of promoting yourself as a writer. It’s a key component in assuring your success in increasing your reader base.
I’ve found that the following ten ways are the most effective methods:
Have an up-to-date and attractive website
- Include links to your Point of Sale (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple).
- Make sure to include a sign-up page or link for signing up to your newsletter.
- Be sure to use photos and graphics in your website.
Be active in Social Media
- Social media is effective because you can have a conversation with the readers of your books.
- Join readers groups, writers groups, and book clubs, in social media and interact with other authors and readers.
- Certain social media sites such as Goodreads will allow you to set up a blog on their site. It’s also important to create an author page on these sites, which is a very effective way of branding yourself.
- Provide interesting content, photos, and humor in your posts on your social media sites. If all you do is promote your book you will not be able to maintain interest in the long run.
Create a newsletter and email it out on a regular basis
- You need to actively add email addresses since a portion of your current email addresses will become obsolete every year.
Develop an “Author Platform”. This includes:
- Your website
- Your blog
- Your press releases
- Your presence on social media sites
- Speaking to groups
Have a consistent “Author Billboard”
- (This is just another name for your visual branding) which includes your photo and the covers of your books prominently displayed across your promotional online banners.
Have a consistent author bio that you use for of all of your promotions and all press releases
Have a fully functioning Amazon author page which includes
- Your photo and bio
- Links to each of your books, in paperback and e-book version
- Link to your blog
- A link to your videos on YouTube
Use discount and free promotions for the Kindle versions of your book
- Run limited time (1-5 days) promos.
- The best price points are $0.00, $0.99, and $2.99.
Reach out and offer to speak to book clubs
- Include local business associations, authors groups, and any other organization, in order to become better well-known in your area. Offer to speak via Skype for groups outside your area.
Maximize the number of reviews for your books.
- Quality and quantity of reviews is a very effective way to increase sales of your books.
As you continue to grow as a writer you’ll find that these techniques will help you become a better known author, and will increase your reader base. Feel free to check out my website and to friend me on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Lee Gimenez is the award-winning author of 11 novels, including several bestsellers.