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This week on the Open Book Blog Hop the topic is all about the best way to market our books.
I don’t really think that book launches, cover reveals and blog tours help too much with marketing a book. There can be an overkill where people get sick of the sight of a book and turn away from it if it’s marketed on too many social media sites and for too long. Hey, this is just my opinion, but feel free to comment if you think otherwise.
To start with I’d ask on WordPress whether anybody would want to review an ARC copy of a new book. When the review is done and corrections made I usually put the book up for pre-order for a few weeks at a reduced price (usually £0.99/$0.99) and advertise the book on my website. I will usually send a message about the book to my email subscribers too.
Following this I would then inform Sally Cronin at Smorgasbord of the publication date. Sally is very supportive of indie authors, and she will write a blog about it. Sally will combine her blog with any reviews received from ARC readers.
I’ve just contacted Sally regarding my new thriller ‘Examining Kitchen Cupboards‘, which is on pre-order until December 7th. There have been various re-blogs and enough of a response from subscribers to Sally’s blog that last week the ranking for my new book on AmazonUK stood at 28,000 (paid). So thanks very much Sally! Sally included D.G Kaye’s excellent 5 star review too (thanks Debby!).
I will then share Sally’s blog and D.G Kaye’s review on Twitter and Pinterest. I don’t do much more than that, because frankly I don’t find that much else works. Anything more would be ‘overkill’ I think.
What do other authors find is the best way to market their books? You can read their answers by clicking on the blue button below.
Rules:
- Link your blog to this hop.
- Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
- Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
- Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
- Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Stevie Turner 
Interesting post, Stevie. I shall write up my response and post it later.
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Thanks Robbie.
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We are all constantly looking for the “next big thing” to sell our books. First it was blog tours, then it was cover reveals, now, I don’t even now what the “Big Thing” is! Sometimes I think all we can do is put it out there and cross our fingers.
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There isn’t a ‘Big Thing’. The main thing that will sell them is an agent.
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Hey, you know me girl. There’s a reason I don’t reblog a post as soon as I read it. I do notice around blogtown (as I visit manyyyyyyyy daily), when an interesting post comes out somewhere and fellow bloggers generously share around, that because many of us belong to same blogging community, we see the same post 10 times in one day and that I think is overkill. Even my own articles I write for other blogs, I wait a week or two before resharing on my own blog. I find it gets new attention from many who haven’t seen :). Ya, marketing is a drag, I’ve literally done nothing with my books this year. I’ve written a ton, done a lot of articles, columns, book writing and writing post for future. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a cover reveal post to whet appetites and alert the masses that a book is coming, and of course great when others share on their blogs to spread the word to their readers – new eyes. I know myself from reading tons at Sally’s blog that I’ve often bought books from some of her posts. I also notice my book sales go up on a particular book when Sally promotes them. We do love our Sal! ❤
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I agree Debby.. it is a small world and we also tend to follow the same people on the other social media sites too, which adds to the overkill. Thanks for adding your testimonial for the Cafe and the promos.. I love it when a reader says that they have bought a book from a post..It also goes back to ‘people buy people first’ and that is what usually pulls them in… hugs ♥♥
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Just sayin’ Sal. That’s exactly it. We get to know writers from their blogs. If we gravitate to what they talk about I think there’s an inherit interest that grows and when they come across our books on feature, they stop and take a 2nd look. Some kind of psychology effect, lol. If I see a book link being thrown around everywhere on social media, it doesn’t grab me the same way. Another place I buy books from is our Literary group on FB. The group is always growing and when authors put up their books, excerpts, promos there, I always click on their book lin to take a better look on Amazon. 🙂
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Quite Debby.. and I usually pop in their on a daily basis to check on who has a new book out to promote and also to share a review.. it is very helpful all round..hugsx
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Of course you do! Lol 🙂 xxx
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Even better if I could spell there….time for a reboot….♥
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You’ve made an interesting point there, Debby. Yes, we get to know writers from their blogs and which ones have the same interests, lol.
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My observarion 🙂 x
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Good advice, Debby. I had noticed you wait a while before sharing or reblogging posts. It is good to understand why.
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I’m glad you get my drift now Robbie 🙂
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We do indeed. I had 5 pre-orders from Sally’s share.
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Boom! 🙂
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Book cover reveals are my least favourite, especially if the book hasn’t actually appeared – I am only interested in what the book is about. Which of course you can find out on blog tours, but if the book keeps turning up you get fed up!
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I agree. Who cares what the cover looks like? I’d rather read the words inside!
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I love that title, Examining Kitchen Cupboards, Stevie!
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Thanks Lela. There’s a reason for that title which isn’t immediately apparent.
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Reblogged this on aurorawatcherak.
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Thanks fore re-blogging!
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I stay away from blog tours as well. I do like to do guest interviews as long as the questions are different. Jacqui Murray did a great blog tour as she provided different content for anyone participating. She also provided the questions and answers. I still find the best marketing is getting in front of folks in person if you possibly can. Visiting bookstores, libraries, schools and even coffee shops work well for me. Sally’s Bookshop is a great on-line resource for writers and readers and I have told many about it. I agree, too much repetition can get annoying, especially if it’s all the same.
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I’ve done a few guest interviews. I prefer answering questions that are slightly ‘off-the-wall’, otherwise as you say, they all turn out the same.
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Thanks for the recommendation Darlene appreciated..hugs
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I’ve saved this post in my Evernote to return to.
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Thank you Liz.
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Thanks very much Stevie for the wonderful promotion I am delighted. I also agree with you about the blog tours,especially when the content is the same each time and condensed into 10 days or so on a lot of blogs usually within in the same group of bloggers who are connected. People will only read the once. One a week with different content such as guest posts over 6 weeks can sometimes be effective but these days I do the same as you… thanks again…hugsxx
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You’re welcome, Sally. x
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Pingback: Open Book Blog Hop – 25th November | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine
Thanks for linking up.
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I also have beta readers and offer ARC’s. I will tell people about a new release but shy away from shouting buy my book at every opportunity. I could do more, I choose not to.
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Me too. Less is more, so they say…
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