Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Small Press Month, Tip # 9

March 9 - Market your book to your special interest groups. Who is specifically interested in your book?  I've got news for some of you... "Everybody" is not a person and they are not easy to find and persuade. On the other side of the coin, YOU are one of "Everybody"... Do YOU buy "Everybody" else's books?

Identify your audience. Develop your products to serve the needs of your audience. Focus your efforts on them (like a laser beam). Aim your message at that characteristic of your audience that your product fills, and keep firing messages at them over and over. Frequency pays off.

Most non-fiction books, children's books and a lot of theme fiction books have a specific audience that IS reachable. Do you know who they are? (Hint, you are probably one of them.) Can you find them easily? 

For example, is there an association or society that is specifically related to your topic area? Look at the Encyclopedia of Associations. I always find interesting little tidbits within the pages, but here are my most important words of advice:
  • Don't pigeon hole your search. Cast a wide net and you will find the most ideas.
  • Give yourself a good amount of time to go through and read what the associations do and what is their main focus.
  • Make sure they have multiple locations or affiliations, so you have more than one place with which to target your promotion.
  • Use your library's reference desk like they are your best friends. (There is an online version of the EA, but I really like the books best.)
  • Rinse and Repeat often.

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