How to Create a Book Marketing System That Really Works

Let me startsby saying that this is a standalone article, but it will really help your understanding if you go back and read last month’s article here.

In this article, you will discover why most book marketing is doomed to fail and how you can buck the trend and build a robust, long-term marketing strategy.

Going Viral

Let’s start with why most book marketing is never going to work.

Book marketers will tell you that you need to be on social media, and you do, but not for the reasons they think.

The problem with platforms such as TikTok and Twitter (X) is that they are built to keep users on their screens and scrolling. The algorithm is showing them what keeps them hooked. The issue is that even if someone follows you, if your content is not hitting the algorithm, then it will go unseen. Your well-crafted TikTok video will be buried under a pile of cute cat videos.

And… for any kind of success on these platforms, you need to go viral each and every day. Over and over again.

That’s impossible.

Ohh, and if that wasn’t bad enough, try moving from TikTok and taking your followers with you. You can’t. They might have picked to follow you, but you don’t own them.

1000 Fans

In the last article, we learned that being a bestseller was next to impossible and that chasing this dream was a recipe for failure.

A much better approach is what Chris Anderson discusses in his book, The Long Tail, where a writer focuses on nurturing a smaller group of loyal fans.

This is linked to the idea of 1000 royal fans being enough to create a successful book.

And that’s the foundation of successful marketing: creating content that your readers will love, building value over time and turning potential readers into longer fans.

One… at… a… time…

Success Landscape

The key to your success is going to be abandoning the idea of quick, viral payoffs and focusing on authenticity.

You are going to look to create high-quality content consistently that adds real value to readers’ lives.

Over time, this content is going to build trust and credibility, turning followers into fans.

You are going to avoid mainstream, hate-filled, siloed websites that are run by algorithms and have no interest in you.

Instead, you will focus on regaining control.

Before we get there, here are a few things to realise…

The New Rules

Three rules for successful marketing will become your mantra.

1. Add Value.
2. Be consistent.
3. Be authentic.

Add Value

The single most important element to success is creating high-quality content that adds real value. This goes for marketing, but also your book.

No one is talking about mediocrity.

When was the last time you recommended that restaurant you went to that was ok?

And honestly, if your book is mediocre, stop now. You are wasting your time. If your book isn’t worthy of comment, if readers aren’t going to recommend it to their reader friends, then this is all a waste of time.

You are just pissing in the wind.

So what is high-quality, value-adding marketing content?

This is content related to your book, genre, etc., that readers are excited to receive.

It’s content that adds value to their lives.

Content they want to share.

This is where people mess up. One good article isn’t enough; it needs to be good each and every time.

Be consistent

You build trust by doing what you say you are going to do. You need to show up on a regular basis, no excuses.

This isn’t every hour and every minute; it can be to a timetable you set, and that’s suitable for your content.

You are creating a social contract with your readers. If you are posting to social media every day, then every day it is. Consistency is everything. Trust is everything.

Be Authentic

Marketing isn’t about scamming people or tricking them into buying your book.

It’s about creating a book that’s so good that you are doing a reader a favour by telling them about it.

Good marketing is about telling people about a great product that they want and need.

People are really good at spotting lies. Be a person of integrity. Be authentic. It matters.

The Marketing Plan

So here’s the plan: three elements matter…

1. Social media.
2. Reader magnet.
3. Mailing list.

This is the holy trinity of marketing; if used correctly, they will produce results, but you need all three.

Social Media

We need to start with social media. This provides a wide net. The aim here to attract as many people as possible into the top of your ‘funnel’.

But there’s only one person who matters… someone who might buy your book. You can have a million followers, but if they don’t buy books of your genre, it’s all just vanity.

Remember, you are not trying to be an influencer. You are not trying to go viral.

You are after true fans.

You need to stay away from platforms that are run by algorithms.

Instead, you need a platform that allows users to see the content of the people they follow.

I’d suggest Bluesky, with Mastodon as a backup. If you want to learn more, Google ‘decentralised social media’ or ‘federated web’.

I’d suggest regular posts, two or three times a day, focused on high-quality content.

What this content looks like will be based on you and your readers. It might be book reviews, or news articles, or links to book covers, or something different.

All that matters is that it’s stuff that potential readers of your book will love. Think about what you’d want to see.

You are not creating ‘read me’ or ‘buy my book’ content; this is all high-quality, engaging stuff.

Then…

Once every ten posts, you can create a link to your reader magnet.

Still not selling your book, that comes later. Instead, a link to free content that potential readers will be excited to read.

Let’s deal with that next…

Reader Magnet

A reader magnet is something that you are giving away for free that will attract potential readers.

Well, not free; it’s in exchange for an email.

But it’s not the email that’s most important; it’s the permission it represents.

When someone follows you on social media, they are giving you permission to post and let them read your content. You don’t have permission to message and sell your book.

Yet…

However, if a reader gives you an email, they are permitting you to contact them. They are not saying it’s ok to spam, but they are saying it’s ok to send the occasional email. No promise they’ll read it, though. We will come back to that.

What’s important is that you are growing the relationship, moving them from potential reader to long-term fan.

So, what’s a reader magnet?

It is something you give away for free that potential readers of your book will love.

I would suggest a short story collection. This will show the reader your world, characters, and the fact that you can write.

You can give other stuff away, such as free chapters, but at this point, you are trying to prove your worth to the reader.

You are also marketing to readers; give them something to read. A small selection of short stories is always a winner.

Before we move on, I need to say that it’s essential you get the email address in exchange for the giveaway. That’s the whole point. Once we have the email address, we move on to the mailing list.

Mailing List

This is the next step in the process.

Social media was the start of your funnel, exposing you to large numbers of fans and allowing them to easily see your content. Next, a proportion of these followers downloaded the reader magnet, in the process increasing the permission and allowing readers to see what you have to offer.

Your mailing list is going to be used to seal the deal. It’s the next level of permission. This is a way to communicate on a more intimate level with your potential readers. You are going to turn them from readers to fans.

The first mistake writers often make is to assume that newsletter means news; it doesn’t.

The value rule still applies; the high quantity rule still applies. The newsletter should be a regular communication with your readers.

What you write is, once again, down to you and your readers.

What matters most is that the quality is so high that readers look forward to your email. You should aim to be in a situation where, if you miss one time posting, people will email to check that you are ok.

As for how often, I’d say weekly is the maximum. Writing high-quality content is hard; I’d therefore aim for one newsletter a month. You are better to be consistent, high quality, and monthly than pumping out crap each week.

So what to write?

Again, I can’t answer that. What I would say is to look at this newsletter. I write articles that do two things. The first is that they are of interest to writers, you. The second is that I am excited to write them. I have a list of potential topics, and at the start of the month, I pick one that I find interesting. From there, I tap away over the weeks until it emerges ready. I let the ideas roll around in my head. I do research. I mention ideas in conversations with the writers I edit. I enjoy the process. I know if I am engaged, then it’ll be of interest to you.

It’s a labour of love, and I think it shows. I am building trust and connection through authenticity. And then… when you are looking for an editor, you’ll perhaps think about me and get a free sample.

Selling Your Book

So, all of this is great, but how do you sell books?

The answer is twofold. It might be an implicit part of the content you are creating, but even if it’s not, I’d suggest you end each newsletter with a small reminder of where people can buy your book.

Just a sentence or two. If you must.

The second is publishing a book. I would say that you are allowed three newsletters about your book. In the month before your book, you create a newsletter about your process. In the launch month, you get one full ‘buy my book’ newsletter. I’d suggest that you give readers some incentive, such as a discount or free chapters. The third post is something interesting about your book, a month after launch, perhaps some reviews or lessons learned. A link to the opening chapter is always a winner.

Then…

Back to the grindstone.

Remember, no one likes getting sold to. But you need to trust your readers. We buy from people we like. If you are creating content that they love, they’ll WANT to support you.

And that’s it.

Here’s the thing I want to say before we finish. This process is hard and time-consuming, but that’s marketing.

What options do you really have?

You could go back to sporadic social media posts, praying you’ll go viral, which will not happen.

You could try paid ads, but they will fail because it takes too much initial outlay to get the system working. There’s a reason big companies don’t use paid ads to sell $10 products. The financials just don’t work. And yes, you’ll see Coke splashing out on adverts, but that’s different. They are playing a different game. It’s called brand awareness. You are not building a brand.

You, as a writer, need a different approach. You need to focus on what you have and what sets you apart. That is passion and a love of story. You probably spent at least a year writing a book, which takes guts and commitment. Use that to market with authenticity.

So… good luck, and the sooner you start on that short story collection, the better.