7 Book Marketing Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
Whether you are working with a traditional publisher or self-publishing a book by yourself, it is important that you take your book marketing seriously. Remember that even if you write the best book in the world, if your book marketing is lacking you won’t be able to reach your full marketing potential.
So before you even start the book marketing process, you will need to be aware of the mistakes to steer clear of.
Here are 7 Book marketing mistakes to avoid at all costs.
- Not knowing your target market
When it comes to marketing a book, you should always identify your target market. It will serve as a guide throughout the book marketing process. If you fail to identify your target market, you will most likely try to market your book to everyone.
Which is a waste of time and money. So make it a priority to identify your target market. You should even identify it before you start writing your book. By doing so, the book publishing process will be so much more focused and efficient.
- Marketing without a set strategy
Once you identify your audience, then it is time to come up with a marketing strategy. With a strategy, you will be able to make your book marketing more systematic and effective.
When you plan out your book marketing strategy, you should have a set schedule that you will follow throughout the book marketing process. That way, you won’t waste time on unnecessary pursuits and stay focused on your ultimate goal.
- Stretching yourself too thin
When you plan out your book marketing strategy, it is important that you pace yourself. It is a common mistake that many book marketers make. They believe that marketing in as many media forms will enhance their chances of success. However, if you stretch yourself too thin you won’t be able to focus on the most important aspects of your book marketing.
So it is imperative that you choose your methods as meticulously as possible. That way, you could focus all your efforts and resources on one or two key methods. Overall, your choice of marketing is all up to you. What matters is that you choose them carefully.
- Procrastinating
Yet another mistake that authors make is that they start the book marketing process too late. Remember that a multitude of new books gets published every day. So if you want to make an impact with readers you will need to get started as soon as possible.
This does not mean that you rush the process. This just means that you should know the best time to release and market your book. Research what month is the best time to release a book. You should also do research on what time of the day you should market your work.
- Not updating your online platform
One of the most important things you should have during the book marketing process is establishing a digital footprint through online platforms. This is technically your base of operations in terms of promoting your book on social media, reaching out to your potential audience, expanding your readership, etc.
However, if it is outdated and lacks new content, then your chances of attracting a fan base decrease significantly. So make it a priority to update your online platform. It is also a good idea to change the color theme and add new content every few weeks. This will show readers that your platform is active and worth visiting.
- Not reaching out to fellow writers
If you want to market your book effectively, you should remember that no man is an island. No matter how good you are as a book marketer, you could get even better if you have the right people to help you.
So make it a priority to reach out to fellow writers. You could join an online writing group or if you are quite confident in your work, you could even send them an email and ask for a review of your work. Remember that they are not obligated to help you and they could refuse to do so.
However, if you are lucky enough to get a positive book review, then it will really help you throughout your book marketing process. Be sure to thank them for their help, and use the book review effectively in your book marketing.
- Giving up too easily
The book marketing process is a complicated and difficult process. There will be times where you will be tested, and you will have to push through a lot of obstacles before you see any semblance of success.
Think of it as a rite of passage. Unfortunately, a good number of authors give up in the middle of their book marketing journey. It could be a lack of recognition, funds, or knowledge on how to traverse the complicated maze that is book marketing.
However, you should remember that anything worthwhile is difficult. So when things are at their hardest and when you want to quit, this is exactly the time where you should buckle down even more. Who knows? It might be the last great obstacle before you gain success as a writer.
Before you start marketing your book, you should make sure that you know all the potential pitfalls. By knowing which mistakes to avoid, you’ll be able to reach your full book marketing potential.
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