Your Book Marketing Plan - Winning Strategies and Tips

Many authors hit a roadblock when it comes to putting together and implementing a book marketing plan. You know you need to have one, you have a vague idea of what it needs to include, but pulling it all together into a step-by-step plan of attack is not nearly as easy as it sounds.

A good starting point is to break your plan up into major categories. From there, you can further define and set up strategies for each area of your book marketing plan.

The first thing that comes to mind for most authors and self publishers is book store sales. Makes sense doesn't it? That's where people buy books don't they? It's true that making your book available to the general public through bookstores is a very vital component of your marketing plan.

However, it is just that -- one single component of your plan. There are many elements that will make up your book marketing plan and arranging to have your book available in bookstores is just one of them. Let's call that component #1:

Book Marketing Plan Component #1

Making Books Available in Bookstores

Now, it's one thing to secure placement for your book on the bookstore shelves, but now how are people going to know it's there? Customers can't (and won't) buy something they've never heard of. This is where the publicity component of your Book Marketing Plan comes into play. Setting up and ongoing publicity campaign is the number one way to drive customers to the bookstore to buy your book. We'll call this component #2:

Book Marketing Plan Component #2

Setting up and Implementing a Successful Publicity Campaign

Besides book stores, you can also sell your books to nontraditional book buyers like display retailers, book clubs, catalogs, gift retailers, volume buyers (think Costco and Price Club), corporations, foundations and foreign markets. We sell thousands of self published books to buyers like these all the time and targeting these buyers should make up a good portion of your book marketing plan. This will be component #3:

Book Marketing Plan Component #3

Non-traditional Markets

In this day and age, you would be making a big mistake if you didn't include the internet as a vital component of your Book Marketing Plan. The internet is the best way to directly reach your target customers. It is also the best way to sell to them since you cut out any third parties and retain 100% of the profits. There are many ways to research the internet to ensure that there is a demand for your book and the best ways to fill that demand.

Book Marketing Plan Component #4

The Internet - Your Book Website

These are the four most important components of your Book Marketing Plan. Now you must research each component individually to customize the approach you take for your book.

© Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. We have all the tools you need to succeed in book marketing and book promotion. Let us help you make your book a success. http://www.inktreemarketing.com/BookMark etingKit.htm



Top 10 Tips for Book Titles that Sell Well

A clever title is great if it is clear, but... Read More

Online Book Marketing: How to Sell Your Book Even If You Are Not a Salesperson

What you do after you have written your book is... Read More

7 Vital Book Promotion Tips

As a literary publicist I often am asked about publicity... Read More

Book Signing: Fun and Profit for Writers and Readers

Have you ever walked into a bookstore when an author... Read More

FSBO Author believes in Bookswaps

Hi Noel,I absolutely love your website, As an MS sufferer... Read More

Is Traditional Book Marketing Getting you Down?

"Are you disappointed and tired of time and money down... Read More

How to Make Money With Your Short Stories, Poems, Essays, and Novels

Recently, someone rated my "Online Book Marketing" article a 2... Read More

Promotion - Credibility Extras

For many of us, marketing our titles is one of... Read More

4 Questions to Answer Before Contacting a Book Agent

Obtaining agency representation is your first step toward getting profitably... Read More

Increase Book Sales: When a Sale Is No Longer Just a Sale

Do you have books sitting in your garage that you... Read More

Marketing Your Book on Radio

Have you listened to radio lately? If you have, chances... Read More

What?s Wrong with the Internet? It Must be Broken!

After months of scouring the internet, I could not put... Read More

The Lecture Experience: Part I

During the past year or so, I have done nearly... Read More

Five Tips To Consider When Choosing A Publisher

Choosing a publisher probably seems like a complicated task, however,... Read More

Spend a Little Time, Get Free Books Online

There's just something so gratifying about owning your own books... Read More

Sell More Books With an E-mail Newsletter

NOTE: Because many words in this article are likely to... Read More

Publishing Your Book?What Way is Best For You? - Part 2

Your print or ebook is nearly finished. You wonder if... Read More

Sell Your Book with Pennies

Imagine you share a huge penny... Read More

The Perfect Book and Where to Find It!

If I was asked to describe the perfect book, one... Read More

A First Time Authors Publicity Kit Materials

If you're a new author that has been requested to... Read More

Is There a Book Hiding Inside You?

Have you always wanted to write?Are there ideas churning in... Read More

Marketing for Writers When Writing Just Isnt Enough

Many writers write for the experience. Others dream of having... Read More

How To Promote A Book

Nowadays it's no longer a matter of whether or not... Read More

Does Your Book Cover Pass the ?Ignore? Test?

Your book cover is the first impression a potential client... Read More

You , Your Book and the Internet!

Authors, especially self published, small press and Print on Demand... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: