Book Marketing: The DIY Decision - article

Deciding whether or not to do book marketing on your own or with outside help can be a difficult task. On one hand, you may love completing all the details of your book marketing plan yourself. On the other hand, getting some help could save you some time and help if you aren’t comfortable with the various aspects of book marketing.

Doing your own book marketing means that you have complete control over everything that happens related to the promotion (and hopefully the sale) of your book. But it also puts all of the pressure on you. How well you do will depend on any number of factors. As you explore your options, there are some key questions to ask. Are you skilled at marketing? That is… can you craft a compelling message that encourages people to act? Are you comfortable with Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, YouTube, and other social media tools? Do you know how to build a website and have time to maintain it? How well do you know your genre or subgenre? Other key considerations… How much time can you dedicate to it? Can you multi-task? Will you enjoy it? Can you do it even if you don’t? If you don’t do it yourself, how much can you budget for outsourcing the services?

The truth is… most authors today must participate in the marketing efforts for a book, whether you are independently or traditionally published. This is because traditional houses are spending less on marketing their authors (unless you are already a big name) and because YOU are the brand. You, the author, are the key to building a platform on which you can stand to promote your book. Your platform helps you drive awareness and interest in your and your book. It’s personal and you’ll need to be involved to some extent.

If you know you’re not that good or comfortable at “promoting yourself,” you’ll likely need to work on that to some extent. The good news is we are all adaptable and there is tons of great information available to help you learn and grow. In addition to that… you might consider hiring some help. That may mean getting a local marketing student to intern with you, or asking friends and family members with more skill and comfort in this area to assist. It might mean hiring a PR firm that specializes in helping creative folks like you.

Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or a delegator, you have to choose the best option for yourself as to how you would like to market your book.