Why an author marketing plan is a vital part of your book’s pre-release strategy and one step you can’t afford to skip!
Regardless of which genre you publish in, an author marketing plan should be essential to your self-publishing plan.
Trade published, self-published, or hybrid published, it doesn’t matter. You need an author marketing plan if you want to give yourself the best chance of success as an Australian author. Don’t let your book wither away in obscurity!
As an author, social media and marketing often feel like throwing a bunch of stuff against a wall and hoping some of it sticks. It can be frustrating, but the important thing is to never give up.
Let’s jump into why you need an author marketing plan and what’s involved in creating one!
The ‘Musts’ of An Author Marketing Plan!
Before we jump into what your author marketing plan should include, first, we need to understand what an author marketing plan is. Basically, your author marketing plan is a roadmap or schedule of how you’ll plan on selling and marketing your books.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking once you hit the ‘publish button,’ your work is done, and your book will sell itself. Wrong.
This couldn’t be further from the truth, and if that’s the only plan you have, you’re going to need to be extremely lucky or famous to sell any of your books. However, with an author marketing plan, you could be one of the lucky ones that actually make a living from your books.
Step 1 – Plan Ahead
If your plan is to start your marketing plan after your book is published, then you’re already behind the eight-ball. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that just because your book hasn’t been published, you don’t have anything to market.
The truth is, it’s never too early to start marketing both yourself as an author and your book.
Even if you don’t have a physical copy of your book, you can still begin the process of building an audience or following, especially on social media and Goodreads.
You can show a potential audience your writing, editing, illustration, or cover design process and even give them a glimpse into your life as an author.
The sooner you build that emotional connection between your readers and your book, the better.
Step 2 – You Need to Focus On Launch Day
Your book’s launch day is the most important day in its life and should be the core focus of your author’s marketing plan. It’s the day that you and all of your followers on social media have been waiting for!
Think about things like street teams, book reviews, interviews, launch parties, and takeover events. Look at what other authors in your genre have done. Try to collaborate with other authors to come up with social media ideas.
If you can funnel a load of sales into your book on its launch day, you’ll be more likely to accelerate it up through the ranks of retailers, and getting your book higher in ranks on platforms such as Amazon is crucial.
When it comes to launch day, nothing else except your book matters. Clear your calendar!
Step 3 – Marketing Never Ends
Although you’re putting 110% effort into marketing on launch day, that doesn’t mean you can take a month off from all marketing activities.
This is just the beginning of your book’s journey. Now isn’t the time to rest on your success. It’s time to capitalize on it!
You should take any chance possible to promote yourself or your book. Consider the following:
- Rent tables or booths at shows, fairs, events, or bookstores.
- Reach out to author publishing sites, like our Author Interviews, and consider video interviews, blogs, and podcasts.
- Employ a marketing company that specializes in promoting authors and books.
- Talk at schools, libraries, or bookstores.
- Always keep a copy of your book with you when you travel.
Why Every Author Needs An Author Marketing Plan – Conclusion
When you start planning your author marketing plan, nothing is impossible, and you should consider every possibility. Just because it’s never been done doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be done. Think outside the box. Look at what other authors have done. Learn what works and what doesn’t. If you find something that works, try and replicate it.
If you need any assistance with author marketing or social media, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us directly. Our friendly and professional team at Author Services Australia is happy to help! Need help with self-publishing, such as ghostwriting, editing, formatting, cover design, or uploading? Our experienced team is here to help.
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