We are all learning how to leverage the newest technology to further the conversation about great books and ideas. But unlike authors who are busy writing and creating those ideas (we hope), we’re obsessed with new technologies and strategies for promoting books.
The digital revolution has been wide and deep. One of our favorite clients, Larry Kramer, the author of C-Scape, says the internet was the biggest jump in the democratization of information since Gutenberg invented the printing press. We agree.
That means that traditional media no longer holds all the cards. And it’s easier than ever to take your message directly to the people you want to reach through Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms. Perhaps it isn’t surprising, but a lot of authors are coming very late to the party and, as a result, are losing some great opportunities. They don’t want to blog, they don’t understand Twitter, and they think Facebook is nothing more than a waste of time where people you have been running away from all your life come back to haunt you.
But as an author, you ignore these mediums at your peril. They are the tools you use for building your tribe, communicating with your fans, and mobilizing them as ambassadors of your brand. They are a safe haven in an ocean of risk that surrounds your odyssey in publishing.
Risk? Yes, risk. We tell every author to think of themselves as a small business. In this scenario, the publisher is their venture capital, their lawyer, their printer, and (if they’re lucky) their motivated salesforce. It’s YOUR business and it will succeed because you guide it and nurture it. No one cares as much about your business as you do. If it fails, no one will have lost as much as you have.
How do you minimize your downside risk when you publish a book? For one thing, you must become an active participant in the marketing of your own book and your own message. That’s the subject of this blog. So please, set aside your feelings about these mediums, “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, and we promise to bring you valuable insight and tips for taking your book to the widest audience possible. It’s easier than you think to become a bestseller!