How Long Do I Have To Do All This Marketing?

How long do I have to do all this marketing?

Everyone wants to know what it takes to sell your book—what’s the secret, where’s the magic bullet? The truth is, there’s no secret, and every book needs to be pimped out like the ones that came before them. That’s the harsh truth. The good news? It does get easier.

There are a few keys to book selling, but before you begin marketing, you need to start with a solid product. Don’t rush to finish your manuscript. Stories take time to develop, nurture them, give them space and time to bloom. When you type those last words on the page, there’s still editing, beta reading, and rewrites before your book will be ready to go public.

Once your book is polished, it’s time to think about a marketing plan. There are things that you can do to help your book find its wings. Send advance copies out to reviewers, set up blog tours, so when your book hits the shelves, it’s already being talked about. Join a community and connect with others to help you promote your book (I hear WoMen’s Literary Café rocks! Lol).

The most important part of marketing your book, is to look beyond your goal of sales. You can probably go out and sell ten books each day by talking to ten people and convincing them that your book is worth reading, but is that what you really want? Everything in life is about relationships. Get to know people, join networking groups, reach out to others, help other authors market their books—connect with book clubs and other reading groups. There are so many ways to market your book without screaming, “Buy my book!”

Most importantly, when you find an avenue that works, share it with others. Readers are plentiful, help others find their paths to success, and 99% of the time, you’ll find your own.

Check out Melissa's books on Amazon