Marketing Your Book Doesn't Have to Suck: 5 Simple Shifts for Authors

When you author a book, you're a writer.

Then it gets published and…dun dun dunnnnnn!

Suddenly you're a marketer. And a 'content creator'.

That probably wasn't on your vision board when you set your sights on publishing your book!

You might dread marketing or resent needing to do it at all! 

I mean, you wrote a great freakin' book. Can't people just Google it and buy it?

Ahhhh I wish.

But! 

The good news is marketing your book doesn't have to be exhausting, pushy, or a 24/7 commercial about YOU!

A few tweaks will make marketing your book sustainable and way easier!

5 Simple Shifts to Market Your Book: (This'll be quick. I promise.)

1. Update all profiles to convey you're an author + include your book's title, art & release date!

Too many authors I work with forget or accidentally on purpose leave off 'author' from their profiles & bios.

Some think it's presumptuous and ask themselves, "Am I really an author?" 

YES.

You wrote a book. You're an author. 

Other people think it's redundant to announce it everywhere.

Doesn't everyone know I'm an author? I've been writing this thing FOR-EV-VER. Do I really have to tell people again?

YES.

Here's why: people are caught up in their own lives & don't notice what we're doing. 

Trust me: you have to tell them, overtly and repeatedly. 

2. People want to celebrate your incredible feat but need clear directions. 

Tell them E X A C T L Y what to do/where to go so they can help!

You're not being pushy or pesky.  

Telling them exactly how they can help is a gift. 

*How often have you wished someone would just tell you already how you could help so you could stop guessing and feel useful?

Make it easy: tell people overtly about goals you've set for your book. 

They want to be part of your success, help you create impact, & support you!

Give them the words, the links, the invitation to do exactly that.

3. You'll get sick of talking about your book & will feel annoying! 

Marketing your book is about managing your mindset more than almost anything else.

 Remember: only 1 - 2 % of people on social media will see your posts. 

Even if you have an email list with incredible open rates, still 50 - 60% of your subscribers will not see what you have shared. 

You're the only one seeing 100% of your book marketing.

Though you're tired of talking about your book, feel like you're a noodge marketing it, and are bored to tears with the whole thing.

Focus on the impact your book will make on readers.

What helps my clients is putting "Why I wrote this book" reminders on sticky notes everywhere.

Your job is to stay motivated to keep sharing your book. This takes mental focus & self-kindness. 

4. You've spent a lot of time bringing your book to life. Now, it deserves the red carpet treatment. 

It's okay to not want to be in the spotlight yourself. 

Focus. On. Your. Book.

That's what book marketing is all about.

Take your audience on the exciting journey to publication & let 'em live vicariously through you!

• Why'd you decide to embark on the arduous journey of writing a book?
• What secret, a-ha, or myth from the writing / publishing world would pique their interest?
• How long did it take you to write your book? What effort did you put in & what payoff did it have for you?

Remember: what's boring or pedestrian to you is fascinating and novel to anyone who hasn't gone through it!

5. Big or small, stories matter– especially in marketing.

Compel people to pay attention by sharing…

• What you learned, realized, or experienced during your book-writing journey
• Something your audience is surprised to know about you– as an author and a human…
• What you wish someone had told you before deciding to write your book. (Would you have changed your mind?)

Stories don't need to be vulnerable or expose you. They don't have to be epic "from hell and back" sagas. 

An audience that connects is an audience that buys your book. Share those nuggets.

Even though marketing your book is necessary, it doesn't have to exhaust you or make you feel pushy.  

These 5 Simple Shifts are designed to help you create realistic marketing approaches that move your book off the shelf and into the hands of your readers!

 ___________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jen Liddy, Brand Voice & Messaging Strategist

You know those people who loathe that overly-visible, spotlight-y feeling of marketing? That's who Jen Liddy works with. She translates your expertise into messaging your audience GETS…And discover your brand voice to set you apart in your field. She'll help you make your mark and Create Quiet Impact™

Access the Backstage Brilliance Marketing Toolkit using code SHEGETSPUBLISHED. It includes additional simple strategies + 21 tweak & repeat prompts to help you "do content" without putting yourself center stage: https://www.jenliddy.com/backstage