Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Marketing And Self Promotion

"Carly's Wish" has sold 55 copies to date!

Marketing has to be one of the most challenging parts of self-publishing but it can also be very interesting and even fun! So far one of the best marketing tools I have found has been use of the social networking sites. Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are a few of the most popular.

By keeping active on these sites I have seen authors build an unbelievable fan base in a very short period of time. The more people following you, the more sales you can generate.

For "Carly's Wish," I have started a Facebook Page called "Concepts with Carly" where I plan to post daily preschool related games, activities, recipes, and tips. I also have included fun facts about caterpillars, butterflies, and insects from the book; which I plan to expand on in the future. Everything on the page is written from the perspective of Carly the Caterpillar the main character in my series of children's conceptual picture books.

I am also getting ready to have my first book signing at the John McIntire Public Library in Zanesville, Ohio on Saturday September 26th from 11:00 to 1:00. This is something I need to work on advertising in order to draw more people to the signing. Books will be available for sale at the signing for $8.00 each.

Self promotion is not easy and I would recommend networking and even taking a promotional workshop to help in this area if you are entertaining the idea of self publishing.