How do you respond to the term, book marketing?
Are you excited by the term or fearful?
When I published my first book I expected I would sell thousands by the mere fact
that I published it but how wrong I was.
I began to learn about book marketing and that is when I realized my mistake.
I know now that if I am going to grow as an author and sell more books, my mindset
towards book marketing needs to change.
I cant be fearful of it anymore. I need to embrace it as a part of an author’s DNA, my DNA!
Shortly after publishing my first book and not making the kind of sales I expected I
started educating myself on book marketing. I listened to podcasts, watched YouTube videos
and read books on marketing.
And there is a book I purchased recently.
It was a book from Ricardo Fayet of Reedsy, on marketing and what a book it is.
It’s filled with great advice on marketing.
One of the points that resonated with me is this,
“Whether you’re self-publishing or have a deal with a traditional publisher, the responsibility for marketing your book falls mainly, on you. Marketing, just like writing or editing, is a skill, and it is one you cannot afford not to learn - that is, if you hope to have any success at selling some copies.”
I totally love that statement and there are a few nuggets in there.
Firstly, the responsibility of marketing falls on me and instead of trying to outsource it I need
to embrace it and learn it which brings me to the next nugget;
Marketing, just like writing or editing, is a skill.
So even though I didn’t know a thing about marketing before I know a considerable amount
and there is more to learn.
The point is this, I can get better at marketing. Just because I was bad at it doesn’t mean I can’t
get better.
I can get better and am getting better and that’s my goal.
So you may not like book marketing or you find it very difficult. The good news is that you can
get better at it.
And that’s the mindset we should adopt. There is no need to fear marketing but we should
embrace it and get better at it. Off course it’s a step at a time but that’s progress.
That’s what needs to happen.
With that I will end here.
Before I go I want to ask a few questions.
What is your mindset around book marketing?
Are you intimidated by it or you love it?
I would love to know.
See you soon
Rolain
