You wrote a book, and it’s published. Feels so good, doesn’t it? That first time is
the greatest, so you party it up. You
drink good wine, eat a fabulous meal, smile so big your cheeks begin to ache.
Then you check your rank on Amazon, realize you’ve sold some, and life feels
complete. “I’m published, and people are
buying my book!” Ahhhhh…
This feeling is fleeting for most. The hard fact is that once family and friends
have purchased your opus, you must rely on word of mouth and any and all
promotion opportunities available to you.
Blog tours are fun, and signings at your
local library might net a few sales. You
could go to a trade conference and hawk a few copies. But, in the end, it is word of mouth that
makes for long-term sales. You’ve got to
get people talking about your story.
How?
Talk about your book, your characters, your
process, if asked, but don’t tell
people to buy it. Let them ask you how
to get a copy. Then have at the ready
that invaluable writer’s tool: a business card with buy links and cover art.
Case in point: I spent a month and a half working
out at a gym before I told one person I had written a romance. It took her a few more days before she asked
about purchasing it. I gave her my
pretty little business card, and she bought it that night. The next day when I
entered the gym, she hooted and hollered about the read. She couldn’t put it down. She loved the story. She asked me for more cards, which I gladly
supplied, and she passed them out to other gym members. Then the owner asked me to post my cards on
the bulletin board. They disappeared at
a fast clip. And my sales went up. I didn’t ask one person to buy it. But when one person did, it started an
avalanche of interest.
The same thing happened at my dentist’s
office. After a few visits, the
hygienist found out I was a writer with a published novel. She expressed
interest in reading it. I asked her if
she’d like a card. “It has my web site address on it, and there, you can read
an excerpt for free.” She took a card,
and she wound up purchasing my novel. She read it then passed on the
information to other clients. Tick,
tick, tick, sales escalated.
Tomorrow I’m going back to my hair
stylist. She’s a wonderful gal, and we
yack like a couple of Mynah birds. I bet
the subject of my recent activities will arise, and I’ll tell her about my
newest novel. I bet she’ll ask for the title. I’ll tell her I have a new
business card with the cover image. “Would you like one?” I’ll thank her profusely for taking it. If she likes the book, the next time I come
in, she’ll talk about it, and more people will hear. More people will buy. And all I had to do was be myself, be
prepared, and be grateful.
My best tip: don’t over sell. Refrain from telling people anything they
don’t ask. If I’d have walked in to my gym day one and said, “Guess what? I’m a
published author,” they’d have smiled politely and dismissed me as a
braggart.
No sales. Sad writer.
Instead, be coy and hold that secret flame in your eyes--the gleam that says, “I’ve accomplished something so cool.” And wait. People will ask sooner or later; and when they uncover your secret, it’ll feel like their success, too.
You’ll sell. Happy writer!
Guest post by Ann Montclair.
I was born in Los Angeles, California, where my
parents and grown daughter now reside. I currently live in the Finger Lakes
region of New York with my sexy hero, our handsome son, and a pile of lazy dogs
and ferocious cats. I enjoy a plethora of hobbies including but not limited to
attending concerts, hiking and cycling, cooking, and gardening. I love to
dance, to dress up, and I'll go just about anywhere a good time can be had.
I've built a satisfying career as an English professor
at a small, rural community college, and now I'm also writing and publishing
romance. I've finished and sold a few contemporary titles, and I'm working on
perfecting a Tudor historical, and penning a modern day romantic suspense.
I plan to spend the rest of my life reading and
writing in my little cabin in the woods.
My biggest wish is that each of my readers will
be inspired to believe in and find their own happily-ever-after.
LINKS
Web
site: http://www.annmontclair.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/AnnMontclair
Buy
link: http://www.musapublishing.com/
Ann will be awarding three $10 Musa Publishing GCs to randomly drawn commenters during the tour.
So I encourage you to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/04/virtual-book-tour-one-wet-summer-by-ann.html
