Honey, While You’re Out: Traveling to Support Your Book
September 4, 2008
“I will go lose myself, and wander up and down to view the city.”
William Shakespeare-The Comedy of Errors
Going on vacation? Taking a business trip? Going to see the in-laws? Why not take your marketing plan with you?
You might as well multi-task in your free-time. As an emerging author, you are probably used to doing more than one thing at a time (hopefully making time for writing, too). Likely, you’ve become familiar with your local market and gotten involved in promoting your book in your hometown.
So if you are going to be out in the world for some reason, why not take that opportunity to double the impact you’ve already made in your local market? We’ve talked about electronic resources and going online to support your projects, but let’s not forget about the real places out there where you can make an impact.
I have personally worked with a number of authors in the past, and many have told me stories about sneaking copies of their books into bookstores and leaving them on the shelf. Nowadays, with communities like Book Crossing, you can actually tag your book and follow its progress. Who knows, your publication could take on a life of its own. Why not release a book into the wild any time you’re on the road?
While you’re at it, call ahead and see if local bookstores might have an opening for you to do a signing. Call the area newspapers, and let them know that you’re an author and you’ll be in their area soon. Editors might like to feature you in their local events, or even do a review about your book.
Don’t stop there. Contact the local radio stations where you might be wandering, and see if they would be inclined to interview you or host a radio event. There’s absolutely no shame in promoting your project. While you might not be able to take six months off for an international tour, you can definitely hit the road for other practical promotion strategies. Let’s see what kind of impact you can make while you’re out there…
“By east, west, north, and south, I spread my conquering might…”
Entry Filed under: Marketing, Writing. Tags: Marketing, Author, Local, signing, bookstores, radio, event, Book Crossing, communities, travel.
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1.
Patricia Fry | September 4, 2008 at 1:35 pm
This is a good idea, especially for those authors who claim they don’t have money or time to travel for promotional purposes. I write books related to writing and publishing. So when I travel, I contact writers’ groups in the area and try to set up presentations. We drew about 30 authors and hopeful authors at a Borders store in Nashville last March and I sold numbers of books. Next month, I’m meeting with a writers’ group in Prescott, AZ in their public library.
I suggest to my editorial/consulting clients that they seek out clubs, organizations, associations and even companies related to the topic of genre of their books and set up presentations locally and while on the road. This would be approriate for any number of book topics–for example, spiritualty, personal recovery issues, family budgeting, subjects related to pets and their care, fitness and health, gardening, foods and cooking, entertaining and on and on.
Patricia Fry
Visit my informative blog:
http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog
2.
Karen Syed @ Echelon Press | September 5, 2008 at 9:23 am
This is great advice! There are so many reasons to get yourself out there, especially if you are traveling. You don’t want to just be known in your own hometown. You want national exposure and family vacations are a gret way to do it. Don’t forrget to caryy large amounts of promo materials. Even if they won’t host you, they will almost always take bookmarks. Rest area bathroom mirrors, leave a card and someone will pick it up. I’ve seen it work.
Plus, if you work on your family vacation, you can talk to your accountant about deductions. Woohoo!
Karen Syed
http://karensyed.blogspot.com
3.
1000chimps | September 5, 2008 at 11:29 am
Thanks Patricia and Karen…I appreciate your insight. I especially like the ideas of contacting local associations and talking to your accountant about deductions.
I hope we hear from you both in the future.