I recently got an email question from one of my readers that I realized might be helpful to others as an Ask SmallBizLady post. She recently self published a book, and built a t-shirt line to promote the book. The t-shirts are selling, but the book is not. So she posed this question to me. How can I market my book while I’m at events? Should I bundle the t-shirt and book together as an offer? My short answer is No. The t-shirt business and the book business are very different. Make sure you know who your book is for and what your value proposition is for your reader. Here are a few more things to consider.
Market your book at events strategically: Always look for an opportunity to speak at an event. If there’s no panel opportunity, offer to be the moderator. If there’s no opportunity to speak be sure to have a flyer or postcard featuring your book cover, which will give you a leave behind for anyone you network with at the event or anyone who comes to your table to see what you are all about.
Develop your pitch: What’s in it for them to read your book. You must develop your pitch to interest people in reading your book. What is the payoff for reader? What are you teaching? Is it, how to be resilient? Survive humble beginning? Get through college? How long does it take to read it?
Build an audience: Continue with the t-shirt sales, use those sales to gather contact information to develop a customer list. Then use email to nurture your list to build your audience for your book.
Invest in a great resource: Grab a copy of book, The Nonfiction Book Marketing Plan by Stephanie Chandler. It will help you develop a re-launch marketing strategy for your book.
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