As you know, it is very easy to be published if you have anything worth publishing. Expensive publishing methods through the traditional book houses is slipping each year, as the self-publishing business grows like wildfire. The numbers of self-published works grew by a half million in 2009 alone, due largely to strategic book marketing.
If that many publications became available in such a short time, there has to be a downside. And, the obvious one you see first is that with so many books flooding the market, who will buy them. Readership probably hasn’t increased by as large a percentage as publishing. Unless people in general are suddenly going to read more, book marketing is going to be tougher.
Quality alone can’t make sales. Many good writers are published, and more are surfacing all the time. Many of the self-published authors do not use the tools they have available to make sales and draw readers. Failure to do book marketing is usually a recipe for failure to sell.
You probably have heard of building communities that aid each other and group market. This is one of the better ways of marketing as long as everyone contributes to each other in pre-selected ways. For instance, you might be selling a book on dog breeding or training. This presents a tie to someone else who is selling dog food, supplies, or even breeding services.
If you allow freedom of imagination, you will discover all kinds of ways that you can help someone who will aid you in return. It’s common for people to assemble lists of clients who have interest in the services or products they sell. Tapping into these lists for mass mailings can present some sales and in return, you can give contacts of your own. Communities provide the best internet marketing tools you can get when they serve the entire group.
