How To Write and Publish a Craft Book Part Seven

Phineas Taylor Barnum by Mathew Brady Public Domain Image from the National Portrait Gallery

I realized after I published my last How To Write and Publish a Craft Book Series post that I'd not really finished the series. Why is that? Well, my little chickadee, that is because after you write and publish your craft book you will have to promote your craft book. Yup, put on the PR and Marketing hat my friend, it's P.T. Barnum time!

"Without promotion something terrible happens...nothing!" P.T. Barnum

I am currently working on an e-book about personal branding, viral marketing and self promotion and I hope to have it finished very soon. Until then, here are a few tips and tricks about marketing your book. As I mentioned at the start of the series, the publisher is not going to do the bulk of the marketing. That is up to you. I like to think of it like this. If I spent months and months planning the perfect party, decorations, food, music, theme...and I never sent out any invitations...who would I blame if no one showed up?

Me. I'd blame me. While I slumped in a chair making pouty faces in my fabulous frock, I would blame me.

Yes, my fine friend, it is up to you to send out the invitations. That means promotions on your blog, your social networking sites and your website. If you don't actually have a blog, social networking presence or website, I suggest that you start by building these before you write and publish any book. People aren't just going to find your book, you need to tell them about the book and why they simply can not live without it. Get them excited and make it easy for them to find and purchase your amazing creation.

Make sure Amazon has the "Look Inside" feature activated, join Amazon Associates to get a referral fee, offer free books to colleagues to giveaway on their blogs, promote the book through Facebook and Blog freebies and sneak peeks. Generate buzz and excitement. If you send out a newsletter, make sure you start promoting the book before it goes to print, maybe even give your fans a little incentive, if you sell your book on your website, offer them a special fan discount. Have review copies sent to prominent people in your industry. If someone reviews your book positively, post a link to the review in your blog and on your social networking sites. The more you create threads that lead back to your book, the more people will find it, which is, of course, why it was called the World Wide Web once upon a time and why some folks still jokingly refer to it as the 'interwebs.'

Once the book is 'born' your job is to teach it to walk and then help it to run. If not, your book is not likely to succeed. Like every aspect of this process, it ultimately falls on you to make it happen. Resting on one's laurels, even if you've had a few successes, is never a good plan. I work each and every single day to build my brand, promote awareness and to generate buzz about my books.

If you don't like hard work and you don't want to put the time in to make your book a success, I suggest you refrain from taking the journey. There is nothing worse that pouring your heart and soul into something and then watching it shrivel up and die. You and only you can make the party a success, so make sure you get those invitations in the mail and get ready to pop open that champagne! Huzzah!

Oh and to those who believe they're 'too old' to reinvent themselves, PT Barnum didn't start his first circus until he was 61 years old! It is never too late to become the person you've always wanted to be.

Love
Madge