To say the best book marketing ideas have evolved in 2020 would be an understatement.
With author events canceled, book tours rescheduled for who knows when – and book releases moved – the publishing world has seen a lot of change.
But the thing is, books are still selling. Perhaps now more than ever.
Escapism is, to say the least, at an all-time high. And that’s likely going to continue for the foreseeable future. But it’s not just books to escape in, it’s also the opportunity to learn a new skill, or polish an old skill. Getting into gardening or baking – or anything to do with home repairs.
There’s probably not a single one of you reading this who doesn’t have a book that’s in demand right now.
So let’s look at some of the best book marketing ideas for reaching more people, building your sales, and finding new readers in these Covid-lockdown times – but keep in mind this is just a taste of what we covered on the podcast – so be sure to listen to the full episode for all our tips!
Discounted eBook Promotions and the Impulse Buy
Since Amazon got all wonky about shipping books, eBooks have really surged.
Have you considered doing an eBook promotion, even just discounting your eBook by $1 could dramatically help your exposure and impulse sales.
I spoke with a small publisher the other day who said they’ve been rotating eBooks in and out of sale pricing and have been selling a ton of eBooks on Amazon!
Libraries are Evolving in Creative Ways
Many libraries are looking for virtual events – I know a library just north of me in Anaheim is powering through a ton of online classes, which is great.
So reach out to your local library and see if they’re open to online content.
Local Bookstores Need Your Support Still
If your local stores are still closed, or only open for limited shopping you might want to ask them how they’re handling author events, because there could be some good opportunities to do virtual programming, too.
Check Out the Virtual Conference Circuit
If you’ve always wanted to speak at a particular event or events why not email and ask them if they’re interested in having you speak virtually?
I’ve actually done more speaking events during lockdown (all virtually) than I do normally in a year. It’s really been fantastic.
Sell More Books Virtually
Yes, you can sell your books on Amazon but you can also sell them on your own using the online events mentioned above or perhaps a BOGO or gift with purchase offer.
These are fun drivers for additional sales and to extend your reader reach. But if you’re wondering how to sell books via virtual events here are some ideas.
First off, see if you can capture sign ups using a free landing page via LeadsPages or a page on your website, if the event allows that it’s a great way to send out a post event reminder about your book.
If the event won’t let you do the sign ups, be sure that you have a “special” offer during your class, it might be a BOGO (buy your current book and get a free one of an older title) or something similar.
Video is Key to Making Your Brand Stand Out
Now is a great time to do video, or more video – and it’s so easy with smart phones and video apps, you can do a quick video pretty easily and the best book marketing strategies are ones that make you stand out as unique, and video is ideal for that.
Using video on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter is a fantastic addition to your social media posts. If you have a how-to book maybe it’s time to do a short tutorial!
Social Media Cannot Be Avoided Anymore
So many more people are on social media – now more than ever – and some of the best book marketing ideas involve pushing your brand and your personality on social media!
Get serious about creating a clear, unique, memorable look and a consistent plan to drive more reader attention to your book.
Also, don’t be shy about creating some custom imagery that reminds readers why your book could be a fun escape while they’re stuck at home.
What will they learn or experience by reading your book?
If you’ve shied away from social media previously maybe it’s a good time to hunker down and learn or spend some time on your favorite platform.
Setting a social media strategy isn’t always easy, but you won’t know till you give it a solid effort.
Goodreads Groups Prove You’re Committed
We’ve talked about Goodreads a lot and Amy and I did a special podcast series on this very topic (see link in resource section!).
Networking within Goodreads groups isn’t hard and it doesn’t require a ton of work, but it can give you lots of exposure so be sure to listen to this episode because there are lots of tips for networking and building readership!
Book marketing in the age of Covid isn’t hard, it’s just different. Traditional ways of marketing may not return for a while, but there are many other opportunities to get the word out there about you and your books!
Stay healthy and stay focused!
Resources and Free Downloads
Check out our Book Marketing Podcast for all the episodes mentioned in this piece!
This is perfect and helpful especially at this time we are in now. It doesn’t mean that since there is Covid-19, our lives, work, and passion will also stop.
I just received my 2nd book of Poetry. Around and Back. Looking for outlets to sell my self published book of poetry. Since our grand child died the day after childbirth Nov. 2019, I committed to “Proclaim” his life by publishing a book of poetry. 200 poems in all and I wrote over 25 as we grieved from afar. Our son and his wife live in New Zealand. The sales of this book of Poetry will assist us to fly to NZ and see our 2 precious grand twins Leo and Felix, born 5 months ago after the lost of their first child. As a result we would like to assist them as soon as the no fly stops and we get our 2nd Covid19 vaccine. So the sale of my poetry book is crucial to helping with the cost of flying. That’s my dilemma! Hopefully you will be able to help . Thanks
Linda, how tragic but wonderful that you have made something good from it all. You can feel free to reach out to Amy, my programs manager, at campaigns@new.amarketingexpert.com to see how we can help with your book marketing.