Book promotion includes publicity, media attention, online book promotion, and offline book promotion. Which you use is as important as in what sequence. Learn what the best literary agents are doing these days.
Book promotion and book marketing used to consist of the lonely book tour. As the author, you were required to visit a ton of cities in a relatively short time, exausting you to the frustrating end, often with few book sales to show for your troubles.
Author book promotion can be tiring, frustrating, and often financially draining. That's why the most successful authors will often hire a good book publicist, or literary publicist.
Increasing Book Sales through Book Marketing
Book sales is the name of the game, and if you're promoting a book the old way, or if you've enlisted the help of a book marketing service who is doing it the old way, it's time for a major change.
On our web site for writers, http://www.writeandpublishyourbook.com, we're committed to providing site visitors with the best and most current information. You won't see us putting a lot of energy into book promotion through lengthy book tours. But, you will see articles and information about "Virtual" book tours, or online book promotion.
The Tried and True Media Blitz
But don't worry. We haven't given up on some of the old tried and true approaches to book sales. One major reason we asked Marika Flatt of PR by the Book (http://www.prbythebook.com) to help us with our writing contest is that she's adept at both the new and the old forms of book sales.
For example, Marika will work with you on establishing a presence in the media. Why is this important? The media is still your key ticket to successful book sales. By media, we mean radio and TV. Two minutes on Oprah will put you in author heaven. But, you aren't restricted to Oprah.
Good Book Marketing is a Process
Good media coverage is a process, as is all book promotion and book marketing. You can't wake up one day with a best seller on your hands. First, you have to establish a relationship with the media, and that can take some time. Marika, or another book promotion specialist, might send a series of queries, press releases, and "tips" to radio, TV, and newspaper reporters who are hungry for anything that might be interesting to their public.
It can take time to establish yourself as an expert, but it's well worth the trouble. Once you're there, your book promotion almost runs itself.
Looking New Book Promotion in the Face
If you've got a book that you'd like to promote, then don't leave it to chance or an old school literary publicist. Look for someone who knows something about blogs, podcasts, and internet marketing.
But, don't just go the Internet route! Be sure you also do the "hard" work of getting in front of the public through radio, TV, or even book tours. While the virtual book tour can be a huge benefit, the old ways still do work.
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Real Book Publicity Requires a Professional's Hand
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