Reel them in!
Marketing your book involves:
> finding your potential readers
> getting their interest
> getting the book in their hands
I'm going to consider the second of these. There are thousands of books being published in the English-speaking world every month. How do you get readers interested in your book?
First you have to define what makes your book different, special or unique. Consider the subject-matter. Even if your book is about a popular topic or has a familiar setting, consider if there is something about your approach which has shed new light.
Then consider yourself the author. Why have you made this book special? Are you an authority on the subject-matter? Have you had interesting life experiences which helped inspire or shape your book? Why did you write this book in the first place? What was it that made you feel strongly enough to put all that work in?
Make a list of three special facts related to your book, and another three to you the author.
These six facts are the hooks which you can use to grab your potential readers' interest and reel them in!
Now list the facts in order of interest. Getting an outside opinions from friends might be helpful - chose people who you think might be interested in your book anyway. They'll think hard and tell you if you've chosen anything which might work against the book and put readers off. The fact at the top of your list is the fact you want to be using when you only have the chance to say one thing about your book.
These facts are called in marketing-speak USPs (Unique Selling Points). Use them to help define who might be interested in your book. Include them in all your written and verbal communications about your book, matching the USPs to the audience of particular communications if you can.
Kate Allan
Marketing for Authors 2.0
Tel: +44 (0) 7973 218434
