Book promotion is an essential part of making your book successful. Whether a traditional publisher has published your book, you have your own publishing company or you have produced your book in another way, you, the author, must promote it in order for people to hear about it and buy it.

Today, when you submit a book to most publishers for publication, they will want not only to read your book and find it marketable, but also, to know what your marketing plan is. Do you intend to go on a book tour? Do you plan to schedule radio or television interviews? Will you contact book stores to do book signings and readings? If you are a children’s writer, will you be available for school visits? Have you thought of arranging readings at libraries? Are you planning a virtual book tour? Do you intend to explore other forums for sales besides bookstores? Will you have a Web site for your book? If you are published by a traditional publisher, will you promote your publisher as well as your book?

There are many forms of book promotion: bookstore autographings; library readings and school visits for children's books (always bring a flyer or gift, such as a bookmark, for children to take home); participation in online forums, online networks and e-mail groups; sending review copies to periodicals; e-mailing news releases and posting them online;, writing articles on the subject of your book and sending them to magazines whose readers would be interested in the topic (always include a link to where your book can be purchased); sending book announcements to your colleagues, associates and friends; joining other authors to show and sell your book at book expos, locally and nationally; radio interviews; television appearances; asking nonbookstore shops to carry your book (such as pet stores for books about animals); etc.I am sure you can think of other ways.

These are a few ideas that you can make use of to promote and market your book. Marketing and promotion require energy, time and dedication. If someone isn’t out there promoting, no one will know about your book. If people don’t know about it, they won’t even be able to consider buying it. And the best promoter is usually the author.

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