Authors face a competitive market and a platform will give them a competitive edge. It won’t, however, guarantee a successful book, though. Conversely, it’s not absolutely necessary to have a platform for a book to be successful. A platform will create a built-in readership for a reason other than the quality of the book. This readership already admires and respects the author for reasons generally unrelated to their book. Think about the number of celebrities and politicians who have landed on the best seller lists. There is no question that a platform can help sell books.
Celebrity status provides a clear platform for authors. Even though you are unlikely to have such status, you may still have a viable platform. Buyers of non-fiction books want content from experts. If you are an expert in your field and can pack an auditorium with an audience willing to pay for the privilege, you definitely have a platform for your book. This isn’t the only kind of platform. Business owners have clients and customers. Your business might form a solid platform for your books. You business will expand exposure of your book. Not every platform creates a physical following. You may have highly trafficked blogs. Others may have a huge subscription base for a newsletter. Some have grown a massive Twitter or Facebook following. All these platforms have proven successful in helping publicize books.
What if you have no platform? What can you do to build one? First you must think about who will want to read your book. Once you have a clear idea of your audience, you need to begin building a following that will connect with the content of your book. Many authors start with a blog or website. Next, a subscription newsletter can help you build a base of followers. If you give little, you will receive little. Make sure your newsletter is full of thoughtful articles that will interest your readers. Once you have a base, it’s time to partner with others. Promote them and they will promote you. You will also want engage social media. Don’t worry if you start small. Building a platform can take time.
Once you have the base-building activities in place, continue to expand your scope. Consider guest blogging for others. Start a podcast. Don’t let scale concern you. A base can grow from 10 to 1000s and more. Regardless of how many people join your tribe of followers, serve their needs and offer them your best content. If you are willing to put in the hard work of building a platform, you will up the chances of your book succeeding in a crowded marketplace.