by Libby Hellmann
So I’m writing an article for Sisters in Crime on – what else – book promotion. Since I’ve been around for a while, the subject is “Then and Now”… things I’ve learned about promotion over the years, and what I would or wouldn’t recommend today.
Here’s what I’ve got so far:
Then: Produce 100-200 ARCS for reviewers, booksellers, influencers
Now: Even more if you can
Then: Tour everywhere you can
Now: Be selective
Then: Go to Conferences and Festivals
Now: Concentrate on Festivals
Then: Produce/buy/distribute tschotkes
Now: Don’t bother, except maybe a flyer and/or chapbook
Then: Have a website
Now: Become a member of Web 2.0: Website, FB, Twitter at least.
Anything else come to mind? I’d really like input…
Thanks.
1 comment:
Libby, I think I'm always tagging on after you and don't have new suggestions, but I've found that running Google ads and Facebook ads are pretty inexpensive. You can limit the per day cost--on both you pay for each time someone clicks on your ad. I don't know if they generate sales, which is a downside to it. One thing I'm trying for the first time with my upcoming novel is a sweepstakes, which I'm running through Facebook--people just send in an email and every week we do a random drawing. I'll let you know if that does anything.
Re tours: For many years I've thought they were unproductive, but I'm veering back around to thinking they're a good idea as hard books disappear--tours bring books, wr iters and indy stores together. And I'm starting to experiment with getting stores to do events in combo with other groups, literacy or pro-choice or--whatever.
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