On Writing: Marketing Post Number Seven

I’ve had several writers ask me about “local” marketing and what are some effective methods to use to promote yourself and your book(s) locally.

Of course, marketing this way involves a lot of bucks, legwork, phone calls, and time that you’d rather spend on writing. Nevertheless, to get your name out there, here are a few suggestions that have worked for me:

1. As soon as your book is released, contact all the local newspapers. Newspapers are usually VERY eager to write an article about local authors and their books. When the first two books in my Keystone Stables series came out, the local newspaper sent a reporter AND a photographer to my home and did a nice lengthy article about me. After that interview, the reporter joined our local critique group!
After my other books came out, I’ve written my own articles and have provided my own photograph every time I had a new book released. I found out who did that genre of reporting for the newspaper and submitted the press release via email to that person with these words typed at the top of the page:
READY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The paper has always printed within days the article I sent them almost word for word.

2. Unfortunately, it takes money to make money. Although I don’t have “money” in that sense of the word, I’ve spent quite a lot buying my own books (which you have to do whether you self publish or royalty publish) and giving them away to promote myself. I’ve given books to:
a. All local libraries – WITHOUT autographing the books. A librarian told me once not to sign the books because they’d be stolen because of the autograph.
b. Leaders of churches, clubs, or organizations that would like your book. I give my prayer Bible study guide to every missionary wife who visits our church. Talk about worldwide exposure!
c. Give books to your target clientele. When a new family visits our church, the children get a free book from me. I also usually carry a book with me when I go to a restaurant or grocery store. If I see a kid who’s in my target age group, I introduce myself, give the adult my business card, and give the child the book. (Yes, it hurts the pocketbook, but often the family buys more of my books because the kids love the ones I give them.)

So, there are a few ideas to get you going locally with your book marketing. In the next post, I’ll continue with a few more ideas. Keep on writing, and keep on trucking!

Marsha Hubler
Best-selling Author of the Keystone Stables books
(Web) www.marshahublerauthor.com
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www.montrosebible.org
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www.horsefactsbymarshahubler.wordpress.com

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