The art of marketing

One thing I’m focused on learning and mastering is Marketing. Yes, I know I capitalized Marketing. It’s so important to the success of any business venture that I can’t help but capitalize it. Without excellent Marketing, businesses fail. And so do books (if you’re looking to make money and your book doesn’t sell, that’s a financial failure. Although, the book may still be an excellent work of fiction. Also, if you’re book doesn’t sell, that means nobody is reading it. Writers write to be read!!)

Realistically, once I sell Skinwalker 1.0 to a publisher, it will be at least a year before it hits the shelves. Also, publishing houses (even the majors), aren’t known for dropping lots of money to market their authors. Every author does not get a Dan Brown marketing budget. That’s a bit of crucial information every novelist should know. So, when your book comes out, most of the marketing is the responsibility of the author. Authors can’t even expect their publishing house to organize a book tour. Writers, just like entrepeneurs, have to hit the pavement running and sell their books as though it were the hottest product on the planet.

For me, this means reading up on marketing and watching marketing gurus, learning from them, seeing how each marketing campaign is put together and executed. I’ve learned a lot during the ongoing process and hope to learn much more. Among the biggies I’ve learned:

1. Having an easy to navigate and read website is paramount.
2. Releasing a regular newsletter (always released at the same time every month/week (however often you choose to release it) with useful information as well as fun information, is helpful.
3. Becoming a master at social media is also very important in this day and age.

I’ve still got a lot of work to do on my website. I used to release a monthly newsletter…and I need to start it up again. As far as the social media thing goes, I’m not a master by far, but I’m learning. For me, my blog is a fun marketing tool, as is Facebook. I post regularly and often. People are more likely to buy a book from someone they know, after all. Also, I simply can’t seem to stop myself from writing. Give me a platform in which to write, and I will write! A lot! (My mother always asks me, “Why do you have to tell Facebook everything?” I don’t actually tell “Facebook” everything, just the things that amuse me.)

But I’m getting off topic.

I have a few marketing books here at home that I’ve got to read, and I’m a huge fan of Marie Forleo. This is an ongoing process for me. I suppose everyone will see how successful I am when Skinwalker 1.0 comes out and hits the NY Times Bestsellers list!!

If anyone has any marketing tips to share, I’d love to hear them.

Related Articles

• Self-Publishing Expo: Panel, “Flying Solo” (teleread.com)
• Do I Write About Marketing (chrisbrogan.com)
• Social Media: Moving Beyond the Wire to Real-Time PR (cindykimblog.wordpress.com)
• Earning Extra Income with a (Small) Blog (getrichslowly.org)
• Invaluable Lessons in Book Marketing (oup.com)
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• Where Does Social Media Fit in Your Online Marketing Program? (wordsellinc.com)
• The Art of Marketing (nvisolutions.com)