How’s your book marketing doing?

Are you scrambling for ways to connect in the social distancing mode of 2020 … or are have you chosen to submerge yourself in the shadows of your marketing, waiting for a better day? A better year?

Don’t. 

5 Book Marketing Questions for Authors …

The better thing to do is ask yourself a few questions to flourish with your book position, marketing, and sales. Ask and answer my 6 Essential Questions for Your Authors and Book Marketing Success:

5 Essential Book Marketing Tips for Authors

1. WHO, exactly is your buyer?
Why do I get the “deer in the headlights” look from newbie authors when I ask this?

From the get-go, writers and authors must know who they are writing for. I know; I know … have someone add the “must” word can be a rebelling factor. Get over it. If you don’t know WHO you are writing and publishing for, you are in deep marketing doo-doo.

When you know your target markets’ problems, concerns and pains, you are way ahead of most authors. That means when you can say the WHO with clarity and confidence, your writing and publishing solves those issues. You are recognized as someone of influence … and you sell more books.

2. What is your buyer’s pain?

Book buyers buy because they want something–that something deals with pain and problems. They want help. It’s that simple. You, the savvy author and writer that you are, deliver them.

For the nonfiction author, your topic and content deliver the answers they are looking for. For the fiction author, you deliver escape and entertainment.

3. What motivates you as an author?

It’s a question every author needs to ask and answer. Is it simple, “I did it”? Or, is it something else? Whatever it is for you, it should be the guide to what you do and how you do it.

Your next question is:

4. What motivates your buyer?

You and your book are products. Any product sold today has “motivation” behind it—I don’t care if it’s an air conditioner, new car, comfy sweater, a new restaurant … whatever. And yes, your book.

If the whatever “it” is, it’s looking for a consumer to buy it. That’s a product.  The marketing team for a product is probing, searching, and studying its consumer. The team doesn’t jump into it lightly. Next, it creates a plan designed to lure the consumer, meaning you; to hook you and create a sale. You and your book are no different.

My next question is:

5. What’s your marketing plan?

The truth is no one is going to motivate you to take any action in creating your marketing plan and launch it.

• YOU must be the motivator and the initiator.
• YOU must be the decision-maker.
• YOU must launch it for your author and book success.

If you don’t like the results you are currently experiencing, I arrive at my final question:

6. What are you going to do to change them?

My six-bits … what say you?

Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and author of 37 multi-award books. She’s guided over 1,000 authors in creating their books, earned in excess of $3,000,000 in speaking fees based on her books, and gathered over $2,000,000 in onsite book sales at her speaking gigs. Her book, How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech flips a difficult topic into a simple and easily comprehensible plan. If you want to get into speaking, this is the guide that will be the game-changer to success. And, if you want to know more about Judith’s life, her book of “hope” is When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present. You can get it HERE. 

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©2020 Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd