How Authors Can Take Charge of Their Marketing

By Tim Brookes

published May 28, 2012 on Business 2 Community

The world as writers and authors know it has changed dramatically these past two years. Authors no longer need to go through the painful process of searching for an agent to find a publisher. These days, a few minutes after finishing the novel, the book can be available in e-format across the globe.

Like work from home plumbers, electricians and auto mechanics, writers have to develop skills outside of their usual mindset to manage their business correctly. They need to grasp an expertise in marketing, accountancy and public relations or be able to buy-in outside help.

Writers need to commit to marketing

While it has become easy to put a book up on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, it won’t sell unless you promote it. A publisher would have taken on this task for you, but when you self publish, you become your own marketing department.

You now need to learn about compiling book covers, websites, press releases and personal branding.

The most successful of the current wave of self employed authors spend as much time on social networks as they do writing their next novel. A little promotion every single day goes a long way to making your product marketable.

Writers need to invest

Unfortunately, new authors have a tendency to believe they can master all the tasks of putting their book together without looking at outside help.

Like all businesses, you are the master of the main component, but you will need to spend money to employ the professional services of others. Writers must invest in book cover design, editing and professional branding.

The book needs to look as through an international publisher has just launched it at a book superstore. Too many self published books look like an amateur has been at work arranging the cover with the wrong software and without taking sufficient advice.

Allocate your time 

To ensure success, authors need to dedicate time to be available for book signings, making online trailers for YouTube and working at marketing activities that embrace personal involvement. This will go against the wishes of many writers who simply wish to stay at home and write.

The route to success is defined by organizing time management to develop those roles usually outside a writer’s remit.

Work with the media

Authors can hire publicists if finances and sales look good. Becoming news worthy is a revelation in the world of selling books online and in print. Potential purchasers need to be constantly reminded about a book’s availability. Regular press releases may become a number one priority.

Use technology to boost sales 

The most successful of authors will have a blog showing the human side of the writer. This will encourage readers to become involved with the writer and not just a purchaser of the book.

Social media will become an author’s new best friend or worst enemy, but both Facebook and Twitter and other social media channels will need to be worked hard to establish easy distribution of book knowledge to an audience who want to be able to get the inside details about the next bestselling book.

Successful authors will try to build a good sized following before a book is released, to ensure good sales to secure top ten sales slots which inevitably leads to higher sales numbers.

Finally, the income will allow the author to purchase the professional services of an accountant, an agent and a lawyer to secure a regular publishers deal.