When it comes to book marketing and selling, poetry books are no different from fiction novels or nonfiction books. All books need a well thought-out, integrated plan to build a solid readership. If you want to get the word out about your book so that readers can discover and buy it, you need to utilize what I call the “POEM” method of book marketing (no pun intended!):
Here is how you can use this simple framework to create an effective marketing plan for your book:
Publicity involves using traditional and digital media outlets to create awareness for your book. Traditional channels include television, radio, and newspapers, while digital channels include online bloggers and social media.
The first step in generating publicity for your book is to create and distribute a press release. This announces to all media outlets that your book has launched. The next step is to pitch your book to these media outlets so that they will want to write an article about it, interview you, or review the book. The key to an effective pitch is to make it relevant and newsworthy. What’s your central theme or message, and how can your poetry help or inspire people in the current climate?
I always recommend starting with your local media outlets and then branching out from there. Community and regional newspapers, news stations, and radio stations enjoy covering local authors.
Also, look for online bloggers that write about or review poetry specifically. You can even offer to write a guest article across multiple poetry-focused blogs and create a “blog tour” for yourself.
Having a strong and consistent presence online is essential to readers discovering you and your book. At a minimum, you need to have a simple website or blog that can act as your central marketing hub. It’s the place you will send people to learn about you, your work, upcoming events, where to buy your book, and more. Use a blog to share samples of your poetry so that readers can get a feel for what you write.
It’s also important to be present on at least one social media platform. Not all platforms will reach poetry readers, so do your research to find out where they hang out. There are many poetry groups and forums on Facebook, and Instagram and Pinterest are popular for short-form poetry when shared with high-quality visuals and images. Start connecting with these potential readers and share samples of your work or interesting content on a consistent basis. Link to your blog and website to share even more. If they like what they see, they’ll start following you.
In-person events and live readings are great ideas for any author, but for poets, making face-to-face connections can take your work to another level. Look for open-mic night opportunities in your local area where other creatives are sharing their talents on the stage. If your poetry lends itself to being spoken or performed, enter poetry slam contests.
If your poetry is more low key, contact your local libraries, galleries, colleges, and organizations to see if there are live reading opportunities. Reading your work aloud adds intimacy, deeper meaning, and a personal touch, which poetry fans love.
Always be sure to have copies of your book for purchase at these events, and don’t forget that virtual speaking engagements are also an option!
For a well-rounded book marketing plan, think beyond sharing your work in the written form. People are consuming content in a variety of ways these days, so don’t miss out on reaching potential fans with other formats.
Create pre-recorded videos of you reading or performing your poetry and post these videos on your website or on a YouTube channel. Consider starting a podcast where you read some of your poetry and invite other poets for discussions or interviews.
Video and audio content can be used to broaden your reach and find new pockets of poetry fans.
Here are some additional tips that will complement the above initiatives:
-Get reviews. Don’t underestimate the importance of consumer opinions.-Partner up with other poets to do group readings or panel discussions. There’s power in numbers.-Submit your poetry for publication in literary journals/magazines or enter contests. The more you are published and recognized, the more people will know about you.-Poetry books are a great gift item, so capitalize on the gift-giving aspect and the seasonal holidays that make sense, like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day. Increase your promotional activity during these times.
Make sure your marketing plan taps into each of the areas mentioned in order to maximize your reach. To continue building a following and maintaining a loyal readership, it’s important for poets to keep writing and sharing content. Push yourself to try out different types or forms of poetry and different themes. Readers will keep coming back to see what you do next!
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