Creating a Successful Book Marketing Plan

If you've just written a book and have decided to self publish it, congratulations. A great book marketing plan is the next essential step. As a self-publisher, you can be a very successful author, given that you have "skipped the middleman," and taken your destiny into your own hands, so to speak.

Although it's certainly "easier" in many ways to have your book promoted if you find a publisher first, this is a hard road to go for many authors; it is much easier and quicker to self publish your book at the start, as a means to establish a track record. Once you are successful with your book, it's much easier to find a publisher who would be willing to invest. The likelihood is that you will enjoy self-publishing enough to never give it up.

Build a website about your book

In fact, you should be building your website at the same time as you are writing your book. You want to have it ready to go once you've got a book to sell. Your website will be the central location for people to go to when they want information about your book, or to read samples of it.

It's all about who you know

In other words, build relationships from the very first day you begin to write your book. Get online and begin to talk about your book with others; there are many writers communities online where you can get help, encouragement, feedback, and simply a sense of community as you work through this usually solitary practice of writing a book.

As you work on your book and talk about it with others at the same time, you should begin to notice that there are a few people that stand out from the others. Lots of people online are "wannabe writers," so how do you make yourself stand out from them? First of all, when you post, make sure you treat every post as though you were talking about your book with an esteemed colleague, such as an editor, publisher, and so on. There is a lot of "junk" out there, such that many people post gibberish that shouldn't see the light of day Make your posts stand out. Be remarkable and authentic. Make sure that everything you send out is professional and knowledgeable sounding.

Comment on related forums, blogs, and websites

Once you've got yourself ingratiated with several of these communities, begin posting on these like-minded sites; it's not always necessary to talk about your book directly (in fact, this is sometimes completely forbidden), but do include a sig line with every post. Your sig. line should contain sample links of the book itself (so that people can read a sample of it before they buy), and links to your website so that people can go and purchase your book directly from there -- or be linked to the source of your choosing.

Remember, you're the professional -- so write a press release

Many authors overlook that they must treat publicizing their books with as much care as they did writing them. Get a press release and send it out wherever possible, so that the world knows your book has been released. Have a publicist edit or write your press release to make it professional, containing all the key elements.

Article writing means more exposure

Don't give away your book's central focus with your articles, but do write and post articles on as many free websites, professional newsletters, and so on as you can find. This will further increase publicity, so that people will go and read the sample link you posted -- and then buy your book.