Think you can’t afford to market your books because of the high cost of advertising? You can! And, you’ve got many low-cost and no-cost promotional options to choose from. Here’s the good news. Your zero-cost efforts will often out-perform paid marketing! Yes, it’s true!

Let’s look at some of them:

1. Improve your blurb: It’s a free ad for your book!

Your “blurb” is your book’s description — it’s free advertising for your book on the book retailer websites. Book not selling? Start by revising your blurb to entice readers.

Tip: Keep editing your blurb until your sales measurably increase.

2. Use your book’s backmatter for subtle promotion.

Your book’s backmatter, the last few pages of your book, contains opportunities to sell more. You can:

– Add a link to your website, along with the link to your mailing list’s subscriber page. (Note: Never be shy about asking your readers to send you a review of your book to publish!)
– Add cover images and short descriptions of your other books
– Add your contact info. and descriptions of other services you might offer if you are a freelancer
– Write a friendly (short) letter to readers to inform them about upcoming books.

3. Cross-promote with other authors in your genre.

Network with other authors in your genre or category, and then suggest cross-promotions. Pair up with another author to promote the author’s latest book to your email list and social media accounts while he or she does the same for you.

Your authors’ group can also publish free holiday-themed collections of stories as a group-wide promotion! The collection can include links to each author’s book.

4. Send press releases to your local media.

You’re an author – a local celebrity! Local media are hungry for local news so send a one-page snail-mail press release to your local newspapers, as well as to TV and radio stations.

5. Investigate the dozens of free book promotion websites.

Enter “free book promotion” into a search engine. You’ll discover hundreds of websites which will promote your book for free, or inexpensively. Many of the free promotion sites are booked up months in advance so get in touch early if you want to use a site in your next book launch.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT make your press release boring! READ THIS for help!

6. Immediately start creating your email subscriber list!

You don’t need an expensive website. You’ll find many companies offering free, professional-looking single-page websites. Set up a page to host your mailing list signup form. Then promote a link to the page in your books’ backmatter. For advice on regularly contacting your readers without being considered a spammer, CLICK HERE.

7. Bigger together: Collaborate with other authors to publish more books.

Many indie authors form collaborations because Amazon’s algorithms reward frequent publication. So, in addition to cross-promoting with other authors, consider collaborations so that you can publish more frequently. Finding an author who writes in your genre and whose style complements yours can be a challenge but the benefits are huge. Also, co-authoring means more hands in the marketing pot! Be sure to include ads for each author’s other books in the backmatter.

8. Ensure the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon leaves readers wanting more.

Amazon’s Look Inside function lets readers read around 10% of your content. Make the most of this. Think of it as advertising space. If your novel’s initial scenes are slow builds with little excitement, restructure your first chapter to put exciting content at the beginning. Hook that reader! You could even excerpt a page or two from later in your book. Add it to the front matter labelled an “excerpt.” It’s also a good idea to put reader reviews at the very front of your book, even before the title page.

9. Get visual: Find readers on Instagram and Pinterest.

Savvy indie authors use the #bookstagram hashtag on Instagram to promote their books. “Bookstagrammers” can have huge followings, and sell lots of books. Not a photographer with styling skills? you can download free, high-quality images from Pixabay.com.

Popular hashtags for authors on Pinterest include: #amreading, #BookLovers, #GoodReads, and #WhatToRead.

Avid readers hang out on Instagram and Pinterest so it’s worth using these sites.

10. Still having slow book sales? Considering updating your categories and keywords. 

Your categories and keywords might not be finding the right audience. Advice on how to determine that is RIGHT HERE.

RELATED

• Pages and page of advice on free book promotion!
• Book Marketing Secrets!
• Does Facebook Trump Ezines for Book Promotion? No!
• Book Promotion: Why Postcards Work by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones
• BEFORE YOU PAY TO PLAY: Ethical Book Promotion – Rachel Rueben
• Your Book Promotion Plan: One Size Does Not Fit All By Patricia Fry

Want to make writing easier? Veteran author and blogger Angela Booth currently offers three free templates for fiction and nonfiction. Download them HERE.

90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy

Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.

We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!

Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor, which makes it fun for creative folks like you!

Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!

The Best of Boyd's Blogs: 87 Solutions to a Life of Better Speaking and Listening

Ever wish you could have your favorite blog in book form? There's nothing like flipping through the pages and reading helpful snippets here and there.

In this book, Steve Boyd gives you that very opportunity. He has intrigued his readers and clients for years with his insightful newsletters and blog posts. This book includes some of his most interesting stories and communication tips, from listening to speaking. As he quotes this Chinese proverb, "From listening comes wisdom and from speaking repentance."

You won't need to repent from your next speech if you use these articles to guide both your preparation and delivery. As an avid reader of his blog said, "These articles are priceless! People need what you have to say."

Steve Boyd's articles on motivation and communication-related topics have appeared
in various publications. His books on public speaking have sold over 30,000 copies.
He is a popular after-dinner speaker and conducts workshops for businesses and associations
whose members want to speak and listen effectively to improve personally and professionally.

Read more here:

https://booklocker.com/books/7171.html

Make Sure Your Marketing is Targeted at the Right Audience