Top Ten Ways to Promote Your Book

1. Carry copies of your book with you wherever you go. When people are interested in you, they will often be interested in your work, as well. You never know when there will be an opportunity to sell your book or when you’ll meet someone influential to whom you ought to hand a copy.  If there are situations where you can’t carry enough books, be sure to take fliers or postcards so that those interested will remember your name and the title of your book.

2. Create a website for yourself and your book with a book summary, sample book content, biography, organizations with which you are involved, articles you’ve written, events in which you are participating, and news about you, your book, and your work. This can be done for free on WordPress or Blogspot, both of which will invite comments and participation.

3. Participate in events. Make yourself available as a speaker. Get to know as many people as possible in all the areas that are relevant to your book. Stay in conversation with your colleagues and with people who disagree with you. Stay relevant by keeping up with new information, new opinions, etc. Don’t be discouraged by controversy; it is great for selling books.

4. Make your book title a part of your name. Anywhere your name appears, your book title should, too, whether that be on a blog, in the newspaper, in the speaker listing for a conference, or in the signature of your emails.

5. Remember, you are your own best publicity. Always talk about your book. Don’t assume that friends and family have read it; ask them to do so and to discuss it with you. This assures that they’ll be able to talk about your work with authority when presenting it to others.

6. Contact locals. Let alumni magazines, local magazines, newspapers, and radio shows know that you are available for interviews and commentary on current events.

7. Participate in social networks both off- and on-line. Set yourself up on Amazon’s AuthorConnect, Library Thing, GoodReads, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., and send out event notices, blogs, and news.

8. Trade. If you ask people to read your book and support you, check out their projects, too. Write heartfelt reviews. Let people know what you appreciate about their work (and when you disagree, too). Provide links to their sites. Engage!

9. Contact organizations to which you belong and ask them to sell or review your book, or better yet, to use it at their events.

10. Take work vacations. Whenever you travel, organize a reading or event at your destination.