Smith Publicity Blogs

                                   With hundreds of traditionally and self-published books coming out every week, the competition is more intense than ever before. It's why everything about a book marketing campaign needs to be flawless – and it takes support from you as an author to bring success. First off, it's crucial to know your book's audience for both the mainstream and niche markets. For example, a book about managing your money and how to invest it will easily appeal to personal finance media. It can also work for self-help content in women's and men's magazine/website brands, on newspaper lifestyle pages, etc. As you put together your book marketing plan, make sure to share your expectations with your book marketer before you sign a retainer. It helps publicists have a candid conversation with you based on their experience about what can happen versus your goals. There may be some med...

                                         Well written and edited titles are the most successful when introduced with a powerful book marketing campaign. Editors watch for the same content that publicists do, which means a focused message, identified target audience, and differentiation. To arrive at your message, condense your book into one sentence and three supporting points. For audience identification, define your target reader precisely. Think also about what is referred to as an aspirational audience, which is when a book reaches unexpected readers and fans. To differentiate, think about what you are offering readers. Before you write your book, hold yourself to a high standard of originality. Visit your bookstore or check out online booksellers. Read the table of contents of competitive titles. You need to write something original for your target audience. Editors st...

There is no doubt that a strong book publicity campaign will help books sell – but the content on the cover and jacket of the book itself is crucial also. The back cover copy should summarize the book nicely. Make sure to say enough, but for fiction books, don't go too far and give the plot away.  The objective is to entice people to read the book. For non-fiction titles, the author's credentials are vital. If you can, hire a professional editor to make sure the text is optimal. If you plan to use a photograph, make sure it is a high resolution, professionally taken image that aligns with the book's tone and genre. Potential readers and book buyers are impressed by reviews included on the front or back cover of your book. The opinions of industry experts, respected book reviewers , or people with impressive and relevant titles mean a lot. However, don't include less weighty reviews such as one from an anonymous "Amazon reviewer." Some authors have e...

                                  If you're self-publishing your work, effective  book marketing  is crucial to your overall success as an author. Promoting a book can feel daunting, but when you have a plan with the right elements, the chances of finding success are greater. Paid clicks (advertising through search engine result pages) can be effective in getting visibility for your book. However, if you're not careful, it can cost a lot. If you want to test paid clicks, it's best to come up with ten solid search keywords for your book and spend $5-10 per day. Watch and see if paid clicks lead to book sales. Results vary widely by book and author. Social media advertising  may also be effective, but develop a plan that keeps what you spend in line with book sales. Start small and watch for results (or not). It will determine what you spend and if you continue. Be sure to give all soc...