One of the most prevalent questions that I hear from new authors is “How do I market my book now that I’ve written it?” Marketing can be quite a quagmire for authors because it takes us from behind the safety of our laptops and puts us directly in front of our target audience. Sometimes new authors may take a “ready or not, here I come” attitude about marketing because they feel that their book appeals to everyone. Yet that is rarely the case, and when they step out to do a book marketing campaign, it just may be a complete flop.
As a child, it took me several months to learn how to ride a two-wheeler. I was petrified of being in control of all of that metal. It wasn’t until I found myself being dragged down the street behind someone else’s bike after catching a ride, that I determined I absolutely had to learn how to ride a bike. With each missed opportunity to be mobile, I was being pushed further and further away from my goal of independently riding my bike. It took courage to take my bruised and battered body and put it back on the metallic monster, but I just couldn’t take being a passenger anymore!
Resurrect a Failed Book Marketing Campaign
I surmise that resurrecting a failed book marketing campaign requires the same grit and determination. Before my bruises healed, the whole neighborhood knew that I couldn’t ride a bike. What made matters worse I advertised that I was going to conquer my fear and ran into a telephone pole during my great solo performance. Can you imagine the bravery it took to try again? You will have to muster up that same nerve to resurrect a failed book campaign. Because a lot of times when facing failure our body may not be damaged but our ego sure is. Here are a few tips to get you moving in the right direction (away from a telephone pole catastrophe):
- Take a lessons learned approach to your failed book marketing campaign. Discuss your campaign strategy with some book marketing pros and let them help you identify the missteps in your planning and implementation.
- Evaluate the who, what, when, and where of the campaign. Did these combined elements create the appropriate “hook” for your target audience? Was the information shared in a timely manner to generate the appropriate or expected response?
- Conduct a survey addressing the actual price, product (book), and promotional aspects of your marketing campaign. In other words—was the pricing for the event or your book appropriate for your target market—was your book cover appealing and professional—was your print and virtual advertising of the event and all its marketing collateral professionally done? Was it appealing to your target book reading audience?
- Do a virtual Q&A using Facebook Live to invite potential readers to share their tips on what they would be looking for at a marketing book launch.
- Take all of the information you’ve gathered and put it to good use planning your comeback
Just Do It!
Yes, you can have a successful book marketing campaign with the proper planning, preparation, and promotion. But it requires you finding the courage to get back on the bicycle again. Remember a failed attempt is just valuable research that can be used for a future successful book marketing campaign. In the words of the famous Nike slogan — “Just do it!”
Sharon C. Jenkins, The Literary Midwife, is a serial “authorpreneur” and a consummate entrepreneur. Her main mission in life is to help authors and small businesses increase their “brandwidth” and to successfully pursue their passion for writing excellence.