Once your book is in print and it’s hot off the press, the next step in the journey is to start making sales. In order to do so, you’ll need to come up with innovative ideas to market your book.

But before you hit the ground running, you might want to take a step back and plan your approach. Creating a marketing plan will help you narrow your focus and chart your plan of attack. Take a look at the four steps below.

Start early.

Before your manuscript is transformed into a physical book, you’ll want to start promotion. There’s no such thing as starting too early! Build your online presence via social media, as we’ve discussed in previous blogs, and start teasing out your upcoming project to your connections. Share updates and ask your followers for feedback. Pique their curiosity and make them feel like they’re included in the process as well.

Be strategic.

When it comes to social media, it should be about quality over quantity. Just because there’s myriad social platforms, that doesn’t mean they’re all necessarily right for you. Start slowly and determine where your target audience resides most often. From there you can tailor your approach and build your following on that platform. Once you’ve mastered one, then you can add another social network to your repertoire.

Schedule appearances.

Putting a face to the words can help your book resonate better with your audience. Contact your local bookstores and libraries to set up a time for you to hold a book signing at their venue. This type of event will create awareness around you and your book, and will help you to connect with the people who might be interested in reading your work. Once you’ve solidified a time and a place, make sure to market this event on your social media platforms and through word of mouth. And don’t forget: While at your event, make sure that no one leaves your table empty handed.

Start a podcast.

Podcasts are a convenient and personalized approach to showcase your expertise to your followers, and can be a great resource to add to your marketing plan. Before you begin your podcast, be sure to do your research. You’ll first want to find out what sparks your target audience’s attention, and build content around those points of interest. Always remember that your podcast isn’t a sales pitch. Be natural and personable, and slowly but surely begin to integrate some information about book sales.

Being prepared can help you think through and implement a marketing plan that works best for your book. Take note of these four ideas when it comes time for you to strategize.

Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2016