Posted on June 4, 2018 at 11:38 pm.
Hooboy. It’s been awhile since I’ve written a blog post, and there’s a very good reason for that: my book is coming out in just under a month.
Before I get into the actual marketing of a book, let’s talk prep. Specifically, gathering all the materials you need to get started. Some of these may sound self-explanatory, but I promise you, it’s the little things you forget that will later bite you in the @$$ if you’re not thinking about them earlier on.
Here is a quick checklist of all the items that I put together to help future authors gather their promo materials in preparation for the book marketing phase.
Above is a post from my instagram showing some of my promo materials for my debut YA Fantasy, KISS OF THE ROYAL.
First and foremost, we are writers, and yet…we rely heavily on our book covers and our graphics. Why? Because the world is visual, especially in the world of social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. So, just like a business, all our graphics and promo materials need to have a similar look…like we say in advertising, a brand, if you will.
Don’t be scared to request your book cover files. I’m not talking just a high-res version of your book cover (though definitely need that to), I’m talking about the photoshop file that the graphic designer created for the cover. This also includes font files (which you may have to purchase/download separately) and images used in the cover itself. Unless your publisher does this for you, you WILL need these to create graphics down the road. So request them as soon as possible!
Get one. No, seriously. Unless you know how to use Photoshop medium-professionally, you need someone who can help you with carrying your brand across all different promo materials, knows the ins and outs of design, and can help with printing. There are a few print vendors out there that will allow you to use DIY online apps but they never look as good. Consider investing in a professional. They are worth their weight in gold.
Now, take that content and do some research on prices and what kinds of materials you’d like to use at book festivals or signings. Think about your audience and where they’ll be. What’s useful to them? What’s commonly used and easy to print? And don’t forget online. You’ll need social media graphics for cover photos and posts.
To help your book standout, to make it more memorable, try finding an item that goes along with your book’s theme. For instance, my book is about magical kisses, so I decided to order CHAPSTICK! It’s a little cheesey and gimmicky, but still somewhat unique and memorable and easy to connect to the theme of my book. I’ve even seen one where a book was Egyptian-themed so they gave out specialized bath bombs!
That’s all for promo materials. Anyone have any suggestions that I might’ve missed? Let me know!
Next, I’ll discuss certain authorly logistics you need to be prepping for!