5 Clever Book Marketing Ideas To Sell More Books

“I hate book marketing — I don’t know how to do it…” If you’ve ever said this, or thought it, you can make marketing your books FUN. There are a million ways to market so you’re sure to find a few ways you enjoy.

Fun is important, because you can’t be creative if you’re not having fun.

Book marketing: make it fun, and you’ll boost your creativity

Research studies have shown that when you’re having fun, you’re creative:

The people who characterized themselves as playful also thought of themselves as creative, and this self-assessment was validated with a creativity test. Those who thought of themselves as playful performed significantly better compared to those who thought of themselves as less playful.

Let’s look at five fun book marketing ideas.

1. Create book teasers for social media to get attention — it’s easy

Images with quotes have been popular on the social media sites for years. Why not create a few images for your book?

Using PicMonkey to Create Book Teasers gives you a complete image quote tutorial using the wonderful PicMonkey graphics editor:

You can choose a direct quote straight out of the book, something from the blurb, or even a generic introduction.

2. Use other people’s audiences, and build your own

Have you explored Facebook groups? It’s easy to fall into a trance using Facebook — you just want to check in, and before you know it, an hour has passed — so why not make your Facebook browsing intentional?

Find a couple of Facebook groups related to your genre or topic, and become active on them. Please don’t spam the groups. Don’t mention your book at all. If people want to check it out, they can visit your page.

Here’s an additional benefit to groups: you’ll understand how to advertise on Facebook, because you’ll know what attracts readers.

3. Collaborate on book bundles with other authors in your genre

While there are Facebook groups set up to help authors collaborate on bundles, you can create your own bundle. Contact four or five authors who publish in your area, and invite them join with you.

When you split the cost of a great cover between five authors it’s a manageable amount. Your book can be perma-free, or you can charge a minimal amount. The publishing author receives the money, and splits it among the group every six months. Alternatively, you can put the money earned towards the cover for a new bundle.

4. Offer free reads on your blog for a limited time, then publish them

Here’s a clever and fun way to blog your books. Put up a book chapter, or a story you’ve written just for the blog once a month. Take the story down when you put up a new story. (You can add these specially-written stories to a collection and publish it later.)

Your free reads will build your blog’s readership, and your mailing list too.

5. Expand your formats: print, audio, and PDF

Consider that a new format can give you an entirely new readership. I used to read for an hour before bed, now I listen to audio books. I also listen to them in the car. Here’s Amazon’s explanation of the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX). Currently you need to be in the USA or UK to use it.

Amazon has made creating print books from your ebooks simple; you can create a print book when you upload your MOBI file; this new offering is in beta.

Try one of the clever and simple book marketing ideas today.

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