I’ve just remembered, a few months ago I said I was going to be marketing the books I’ve written and am selling on Amazon and I’d keep people informed as to what seemed to be working and what wasn’t.
Well, here’s a bit of an update with how things have been going, it’s a bit of a mixed bag of results, but I’m pleased to say I think we’re ahead and seem to be moving forward.
One step forward, two steps back!
At least thats what it’s felt like at times. Learn a new skill and watch an old one get wrecked, but it’s been a case of “keep moving forward!”
One thing I did learn pretty quickly is you can’t ‘let the grass grow under your feet’ as my dad used to say. That can be a bit of a challenge!
Step 1. Letting people know.
Let’s face it, the days of just putting a post up on your FB page saying, “buy my book (please)” just doesn’t work anymore! So, if you can’t do thst anymore, how do you let people know?
As writers that’s something we are all supposed to struggle with right? 95% of writers tell me that they just want to take a ‘back seat’ and do the writing, let someone else worry about the Marketing, well guess what? If you want to go the traditional route years ago that would have happened. Not Anymore!
Nowadays, if a writer wants to get their book out, then they’ve got to make a bit of effort, but where to begin? All I can do is tell you where I began, where I’m at now and where I want to be in the future.
Facebook is a great place for networking, and that’s what we as authors need to do, find groups on Facebook where we can both get to know the people there and get to be known by them.
Some of these groups are okay with us advertising our books, some are even just for that, and they’re a start’ as the saying goes. But the danger is that everyone else is doing that, and pretty soon you get covered in the mire of all those that are doing the same. But these groups are a great place to learn, and you’ll get a few sales from them.
Notice here I’m not talking about advertising on Facebook, that’s a whole other beast and can be really good, that is if you know what you’re doing! No, with this part I’m talking about getting onto a Facebook page and putting a post on there telling people about your book, some will allow it. Some are particularly geared for it, and some won’t, but they’re all worth the new writer joining and getting to know people there as well as getting to be known by writers on them.
One great tool is to seek out Facebook groups for writers and readers in the genre you write in, like the Mystery writers, or Romance writers, there are groups for all of them, some are mostly for traditionally published writers, but others are for self-published and ‘Indie’ writers. Some groups have a mix of both and they can be really good to listen to as you get to hear both sides of the story.
Hey’ I was going to cover all the steps I’ve done so far, but realised that would take too long, it’s nearly eleven pm here and already a day past when I wanted to publish the post, so I’m going to sign off here and will put the nest step together for nest week.
Have a go at finding those Facebook groups and let me know how you get on. Bye for now.
Lawrence
Lawrence's letters 