I recently asked some of my clients to let me know how their sales went this past year and what methods they thought worked best in their book publicity campaigns. A number of methods stood out, but here were their top four picks:1. Targeted Speaking Engagements
The number one method for building brand recognition and sales, according to almost all of my clients, is targeted speaking engagements. Those who appeared before niche groups to give presentations, and then sold their books afterward, said that this method was by far the best way to reach audiences and sell books.
Here’s a comment from Ona Russell, author of the legal mysteries The Natural Selection and O'Brien's Desk (www.onarussell.com) about the power of targeted speaking engagements:
“Book signings rank pretty low on the effectiveness scale, while speaking engagements are, for me, the best way to increase exposure and sales. That gig you got me at the Writer's Guild far exceeded expectations – I sold a ton of books there. Same goes for the law lectures you arranged. When you get a chance to showcase your skills and tell your personal story, audiences are more receptive to hearing about (and purchasing!) your book(s).”
2. Media Interviews
Many of my clients also mentioned media interviews, including print, radio, and television, as being effective marketing tools for selling books. Here’s what Greg Fournier, author of Zug Island: A Detroit Riot Novel (www.fournology.com), had to say about his radio interviews:
“The WDET - PBS interview was the high point of my experiences and the timing worked out great for me. My webmaster added it to my novel's website, and it is getting hit regularly. I hooked up with a free online radio booking outfit and have two web-radio interviews lined up - one at the end of the month and one in March. The subject is "Racism in America and the Obama Era" or some variation of that. The PBS interview online helped me score these new bookings.”
3. Giveaways and Promo Items
Other clients found that using giveaways and promotional imprinted items helped increase sales. Carol Cronin, U.S. Olympic sailor and author of Oliver's Surprise, Cape Cod Surprise, and A Game of Sails (www.livewirepress.com), explains how this method worked for her:
“My most successful selling tool is business cards I made up with the book's cover and a brief synopsis plus blurbs. I hand them out everywhere, on airplanes (see my blog post called "Airplane Sales"), in restaurants, at parties. Those that are already reading ebooks are psyched to be given a recommendation; those who are not yet reading ebooks are intrigued (especially by the QR codes).”
4. Social Media/Blogging
Finally, almost all of my clients mentioned using social media, especially blogging, as a powerful way to engage with readers and build brand identity and sales. Greg Fournier said, “The surprise of all that has happened is that my blog seems to be a qualified success. I have had over 2,700 hits in seven months, starting at ground zero. I have written fifty-six posts, and I enjoy the result of writing them more than the agony of deciding what to write about.” Carol Cronin added: “Social media has been a good tool, especially blogging. People like getting to know the "behind the scenes" stuff, as long as it's not too technical. And passion and personality continue to be the best sales tools.”
What methods have you found to be the most successful for creating brand recognition and sales for your books?
