Self-Publish and Promote Your Book

This blog site is dedicated to promoting self-published books and authors. We are also committed to supporting aspiring authors who make the choice to self-publish.  Our goal is to help you  gain access to information you need to get your book perfected, published and promoted.  Below, is information we believe you can use.

A Few Basics on Self-Publishing
Obtain an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). If a publisher or printer assigns an ISBN to your book, then they would be the publisher of record for your book.  You can purchase ISBNs directly from R.R. Bowker or via a Bowker approved agency in blocks of 10, 100 or singularly.  ISBNs are assigned to publishers and associated with their “imprint.”  If you plan to have someone purchase ISBNs on your behalf, have them purchase under yours or your company’s name.

Your self-published book will represent you.  Have your manuscript professionally edited, copy edited and proofed.

Have your book cover designed by a graphic designer—preferably one who specializes in book covers.  Your book represents your brand.

You will need a Bookland EAN barcode, which will include a price code.  Your printer or book cover designer can purchase it for you or generate it from a software program.  The barcode should be printed on the outside, bottom of the back cover.

You will need to select a print company.  And, you may be considering an order fulfillment company and distributor, as well.  Don’t invest large amounts of money to contract these services without doing your research first.  For the fastest and most economical Print on Demand (POD) service available today, we suggest you review the Lightning Source (lightningsource.com) book model.  Lightning Source is used by traditional, as well as, self-published authors and vanity presses.

Tips for Marketing Your Self-Published Book
Self-published authors confront the same book marketing challenges, as do commercially published authors, after the publishing process is completed. The question becomes how to get your self-published book out into the marketplace and into the hands of your target audience.  We will provide several marketing tips that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Send a press release. A well written press release is a good way to announce that your book is published and ready to purchase. You can start by targeting your own local newspaper. Send a press release on a consistent basis, until they contact you for an interview.  You can also send out a press release to your family, friends, co-workers and to online directories. This will save you a tremendous amount of time, expose your book to new markets and potentially lead to sales.

Authors should also be bloggers. Blogging is a form of social media, and a powerful tool to have on your side.  In it, you can be generous with the information you provide to benefit your readers.  And, since the purpose of your blog would be to promote your book, the information you provide should relate to your book.  In being generous, you will very likely gain a loyal fan base.

Join social networks. Social networking is very popular today.  At the very least you should join Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Twitter allows you to create micro-blog posts of 140 characters and drip information about your book to your followers.

Facebook lets you develop a profile and build a list of friends to interact with on a daily basis. This can also lead to valuable contacts both in potential customers, as well as marketing your book online.

Linkedin is another social networking site where professionals interact. This is one you should consider joining and building up contacts as well.

Search Engine Optimization
Learn basic search engine optimization and target specific keywords that relate to the theme of your book. This can drive traffic to your website or blog, where you can provide a link to your book content and ordering information.

There are other things you can do that are also focused around social media to promote your book.  These would include:

• Relevant discussion forums

• You-Tube videos

• Article marketing

The more readers who know your book is available for purchase the more potential sales will lead to you.

Free Book Marketing
Other examples for attracting attention when promoting your book include:

• Book club discussions

• Speaking engagements

• Author interviews

Set up virtual blog tours. Virtual blog tours are becoming more popular than
ever in getting your book in front of a wide range of book-lovers across the globe.

Start Your Book Promoting Efforts on Internet Radio
Are you the self-published author of a book that addresses interesting, entertaining or hot (controversial) topics like, consumer debt recovery; identity theft protection; politics vs. good government; spirituality vs. religion; gay marriage; health, diet and fitness; medical insurances vs. medical expenses; unemployment vs. work-at-home options; or various other topics of interest to 1.9 Million listeners on Blog Talk Radio? Take advantage of the self-published author interviews happening now on Abrah-Cove Publishing’s Blog Talk Radio show, Out the Box.

• If you self-published a fiction or non-fiction, we want to talk to you about it.

• If you are an author/expert and would like to promote your self-published book and services to a national audience, we want to hear from you.

• If you want to share your self-published book of poetry with poetry-lovers, promote it with an Internet radio interview.

Contact us today if you would like to promote your book on Blog Talk Radio—with over 1.9 Million listeners.

Also, contact us if you wish to record a Book Overview Audio to add to your press/media kit.

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