Hey Authors:
It’s Booktober … What Are You Doing the Rest of the YEAR?

Would you like to schedule a colonoscopy? Or go for a root canal at the dentist? Or How about tackling the author elephant in the room—book marketing?

The most common phrase out of too many authors’ mouths is: I can’t market my book. Or I don’t want to market my book. I just want to write.

Get … over … it.

You must market your books—your product. Oh please, please, PLEASE, get over your resistance. Get … Over … It.

The reality is, YES … you can! You, the fabulous book writer that you are can be an outrageously successful Ninja Book Marketer. To be a successful author … you must transition from the CWO—Chief Writing Officer to the CMO—Chief Marketing Officer. Yes, you can.

Here’s why:

1. If you can write, you CAN market. The definition of marketing is: 

The action or business of promoting and selling products or services. 

So …. What are you doing when you write? Aren’t you promoting your ideas via storytelling or how to fix or solve something? Yes, you are … and Hello … that’s marketing.2. The Internet was built for YOU and is your best marketing friend. Designed for the introvert—the Internet can take you places that you would need a bottomless credit card to get to. Use it. Find your crowd. Connect with it. And it’s FREE! You already have a head start—you know how to write.

2. The Internet was built for YOU and is your best marketing friend. Designed for the introvert—the Internet can take you places that you would need a bottomless credit card to get to. Use it. Find your crowd. Connect with it. And it’s FREE! You already have a head start—you know how to write.

3. Think of Book Marketing as a numbers game. Work in the areas in which you feel most comfortable, whether that’s LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter—what, which, and how many platforms? It’s not that you have a zillion connections—what you want is “like-mined” connections.

Then, choose a number. Any number—but make it reasonable—this number is the number you will shoot for to make new connections each day on your social media platform of choice—is it 5 people, 7, 20, 40 … what?

Most authors got caught up in the HUGE factor, sometimes debilitating factor—everything they must do is off the charts—HUGE. It doesn’t have to be. Most likely, it shouldn’t be. Try it step by step; one connection at a time; and the word—meaning you—goes out. It will take time. Embrace your patience. Your perseverance.

Using the right social media channels and building on them will do wonders for you and your book. And these connections may turn into your SuperFans. Please, get over your book marketing resistance … yes, you CAN! And that’s Ninja Marketing Tip #1.

Remember … YES YOU CAN … be a successful author in book marketing, a certified CMO. Think of every month as Booktober month … what can you do, one step at a time, to support your book?

Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 37 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms, Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Amazon. Collectively, her books have earned over 45 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences. 

Throughout the year, she holds Judith Briles Book Unplugged experiences: Publishing, Speaking, Marketing, and Social Media. All are two-day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE. 

Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact me.

©2021 Judith Briles – The Book Shepherd™ All Rights Reserved.