A recent reader of The Book Shepherd’s blog emailed about her strategy for marketing her book. She was an alumnus of a university with a few hundred thousand graduates and 15,000 current student body. Getting a review in the alumni magazine was her game plan. Assuming it was positive, that, she felt, would spread the “get this book” word.
Other forms of marketing would be bypassed. She didn’t want to put her time or energy into other forms of marketing, including all things social media. Blogging and Facebook were questionable. Reviews would be her strategy alone. Those she would direct to her past educational connections. She writes, “Isn’t that one review worth more than all of my blogging would be?”
Maybe, maybe not. Could she succeed in creating a book buzz? Would it create the momentum to propel her book forward? And would it create the tipping point. Success book sales do have a tipping point … sometimes it’s obvious as book sales begin to domino; most times, it’s the collective energies and actions of a variety of activities.
There are, of course, exceptions. You may be a major player in an industry that waits with bated breath to hear your words. The instant a book is birthed, reprints are already in the works. Or you could have a topic that is on the lips of the media and the population who want to, who feel, that they need your words.
Those are the exceptions, not the rule. We authors should, no must, create a broad effort in our marketing strategies. Rarely is it going to happen with just one strategy—reviews, blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube—or whatever platform surfaces as a tool. Sure, one will be more dominate than another—but keep in mind—your buyers don’t just read reviews. They don’t just blog, or Tweet or Facebook or Pin or watch YouTube.
When you start tuning into the tools that can cut your time, such as Hootsuite, you can create something that goes everywhere at the same time with one click. It requires that you get organized and become efficient. When you do, you become effective. And the tipping point may come your way.
Judith Briles is the Authoring and Publishing Expert and known as The Book Shepherd. She’s the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Author U, a membership organization created for the author who wants to be seriously successful. Judith has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences throughout the country. Her next audio and guidebook series, Author YOU: Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Fall of 2012. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book publishing on the www.RockStarRadioNetwork.com. Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at Author U on Facebook and join the LinkedIn Author U Group.