When developing your book’s marketing strategy, there are several factors to consider. Social media campaigns, press releases, blog tours, mini-book tours, author readings, and signings are some of the elements of a good marketing strategy.
Each of these events can be better promoted and better received with an offer of a free copy of your book.
It's like the worm on the end of a hook. It draws in those hungry for what you're offering. Giving away just one book the right way can generate tons of valuable attention. Done consistently, in correspondence with other events, it can really help to launch your project to the next level.
Giving it away to places where books are popular.
Giving your book away to a place where books are popular, like the library, is a good way to be discovered over and over again. A single book can be loaned repeatedly for years. That's a lot of bang for one book.
Giving it away to places where people talk and share.
Along the same line, imagine all those popular places where people gather to share and talk, such as small bookstores, cafes, and coffee houses. Even a doctor's office waiting room can be a great place for discovery.
In addition to those public places where people gather, there are those people who write. Giving away a copy of your book to local critics allows them to review it. Giving a copy to a local reporter might entice them to cover one of your events. Either way you'll get a lot of return on that small investment.
Use it as a publicity ploy to draw people to your events.
That's right. Leverage the offer of a free copy of your book as a door prize. Mention a door prize on the flyers for your mini-book tour. Do a raffle and offer to sign the book for the winner. As matter of fact, offer to sign every book you give away because signed work adds perceived value and desirability.
Use the giveaway as a way to create buzz.
Once you've held your contest and given away the free copies, create an announcement in the form of a press release or a blog that announces the latest winners from the events. Take pictures of you signing and giving the book away. Be sure to include it in your follow up, telling everyone from the event where to see it online.
Finally, did you know giving your book away on Twitter can create “new follower” driven buzz? By simply running a contest in which you send out a “retweetable” message can go viral.
Want to learn more about giving your book away? Check out the next article in this series.