Three Ways to Promote Your Book for Free

You’ve worked hard to write and edit your book.

You’ve taken great care with your cover design and secured the necessary endorsements to get your book noticed. The beautiful product of your craftsmanship is just the beginning of the long road ahead to getting your book into the hands of buying readers. So, how do you begin?

#1 Send a news release to local media.

The key to your news release is finding the right “news” hook or angle that shows the relevance of your book to a current event. As a former newspaper editor, I remember reviewing hundreds of news releases every day. The news release that was timely and relevant got my attention.

If I were an author, I would not want to try this on my own. Crafting a news release that catches an editor’s eye is an art in itself and a whole separate article. The benefit of a news release is that your book could get a mention in your local newspaper or land you an interview on a TV or radio show.

#2 Schedule a book signing.

Setting up a book signing in your local bookstore is as easy as picking up the phone and talking to the bookstore manager. Bookstores, especially independent bookstores, are always eager to promote local authors. The tricky part is promoting the signing yourself to ensure a good crowd.

#3 Create a presentation or workshop related to your book topic.

Your local library, Chamber of Commerce, community education centers, or business groups are always looking for presenters or speakers. Create a PowerPoint presentation or a workshop and make contact to get yourself booked as a presenter or speaker. To pitch your presentation or workshop, you need a good bio, so be sure to dust off your latest list of achievements before you get started with your pitch.

Good luck!

Image credit: jramspott

The Ups and Downs of Your Elevator Speech

What do you do when asked, “So, what are you working on?”

Do you roll your eyes, duck your head, and say in a muffled voice, “Oh, I, uh…well, you know, I’m kind of writing my sort of book thing.”

It is humbling to tell people that you value your own opinion, your life experience, or your ideas. That’s where the elevator speech comes in handy. You can create a standard answer, an answer you can believe in and share with strangers and dear friends.

An elevator speech is a short statement that describes who you are and what you do—what you would say to a stranger you met on a 1-minute elevator ride.

By turning your focus from yourself to your work, you will find a comfort level with saying, “I’m writing a book on how to run a pet rescue and keep your sanity!”

“My name is Alice, and I write books about dogs.”

Well, that works, but it’s boring. That statement is focused on the facts: who, what, how. Those are all important elements, but to grab the attention and interest of your listener, start with the ”why”—your motivation for writing this book.

A good elevator speech lets your listener know what problem your book solves. Consider these questions:

• What solution does my book offer?
• Why am I writing this book in this way?
• What problem does my book solve?
• What is my purpose for this book?
• What would I consider a successful outcome for a reader of my book?

“I’m Alice, and I’m so passionate about the plight of animals in our city that I’m writing a book to help others understand how they can set up their own pet rescue organizations.”

I’m not writing that book, but it’s not a bad idea.

Image credit: Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester