Who Can Help You Sell Your Book?

By Kim Dushinski - Jul 27 , 2007

When you wrote your book, you had a clearly defined target market in mind. Chances are that your marketing efforts are aimed toward reaching that target market – one reader at a time. I encourage you to think bigger. Find the people who have influence over your target market and you will reach your target market more effectively – many readers at a time.

For example, let’s say you have a book that is targeted towards married couples in crisis. You could market to marriage counselors. Or maybe you have a business book that is especially good for small business owners – develop a campaign around reaching small business development centers. These “influencers” can be a very powerful tool in your marketing toolkit.

If you are having trouble figuring out who the influencers are for your target market, I suggest asking them. Do a survey on your website or email your list of customers and ask them who they get information, help, services, or advice from.

Here is a list of ideas you can use to market to your influencers:

• Look for associations to which your influencers would belong.
• If you can find an association, you will likely find a newsletter or magazine to which you can submit articles and request a review. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to get coverage in a publication that is specifically focused on your book’s topic.
• You will likely find an annual conference at which you can speak. Be sure to look into this very early. Annual conferences typically have their Call for Speakers months in advance. Submit according to the guidelines the association outlines and be professionally persistent in following up with the event organizers.
• Exhibiting at an annual conference can also be a great way to get your name in front of the right people. It is best to exhibit when you are also speaking.
• A mailing list is often easily obtained from an association. You can use this mailing list to contact influencers. Keep in mind that repetition is your best friend in marketing. Consider mailing to them multiple times using different mailing pieces.

First you could send a postcard that would “tease” the topic and plant the seed. Next you could send a hand-addressed letter that outlines exactly how your book helps their audience. Then another follow-up postcard. You could even do a hand written note card, depending upon the size of the list you are using.

Remember that any one of these people is not an individual book sale. They are reaching dozens or hundreds of readers.

• Ask each influencer with whom you develop a rapport for a testimonial or a review. You can put these into your media kit materials, use them on your website and in your targeted mailings. This will help you to build social proof – “everyone is talking about it.”

When marketing to influencers be sure to be specific in what you want. Do you want them to informally recommend your book? (“This is a good book. See if you can get it at your local bookstore.”) Or do you want them to place a wholesale order from you and offer it at retail to their clients? Whatever you prefer, make it clear and make it easy.

This whole concept was brilliantly implemented for the runaway bestselling book The Purpose-Driven Life and then outlined in PyroMarketing by Greg Stielstra who was on the marketing team for The Purpose-Driven Life. I highly recommend getting this book. If you want to listen to it, you can download the whole audio book for free on Stielstra’s site at PyroMarketing.com.