You probably want to sell more books, right? And you probably know that you need more exposure to make that happen – even if you aren’t sure how to get it.
In order to sell more books you need to start doing some smart networking. This is especially true if you’re just starting out as an author or you haven’t had your big break yet.
And this networking needs to happen on key websites, blogs, social media accounts, or a combination of all three, because that’s where the majority of your buyer market spends their time collecting information and even shopping.
And even more importantly, many of these websites, blogs and social accounts already have dedicated followings and exposure to the people you want to reach as well.
So I’ve compiled a short list of tips for how to be more successful with your online networking so you can start capitalizing on shared exposure to sell more books.
Don’t be selfish and share the love
You know how hard self-promotion can be, so don’t be selfish, don’t make it all about you.
Start following and supporting key websites, blogs and social accounts that make sense for your target market.
Share their content, comment on their posts, make it personal, be someone that adds value to their process as well and you will get recognized for it.
Put in some effort and take yourself seriously
It’s one thing to go through the motions of liking and sharing and popping a generic “I really like this post!” comment on their site to seem active, but real networking involves real effort.
Almost all media, be it a freelancer, blogger, or social media powerhouse, will tell you that it’s important you actually read their content and understand their voice and what’s important to them.
And yes, I realize there are so many hours in the day to sell more books, so that leads me to my next point.
Choose wisely and thoughtfully
There are hundreds of websites, blogs and social accounts for books and specific topics, so be smart about how you spend your time.
If you only have time to follow a handful of book bloggers, follow those who tend to review your subgenre exclusively, or lean that way.
Romance is a great example, if you write historical, it may not be worth your time to network with someone who reads historical and paranormal and contemporary.
Their content may be fantastic, but if you can find people to network with that have the same level of passion for your subgenre or topic that you do, their followers are more likely a part of your target buyer market.
Be someone special and useful
If you want to sell more books, your book marketing needs to highlight what you have to offer that’s special.
So when you’re reaching out to websites and blogs and social accounts that you’ve been networking with, be prepared to offer them something extra.
Maybe you do a lot of fun bonus content, or you can offer them swag for a giveaway, or you’ve created a great quiz they can run.
Remember, they have their followers’ best interest in mind and they don’t want to waste their time, so be someone they can get excited about sharing exposure with.
Follow the rules and play the game
No, you aren’t going to sell more books by just sharing someone else’s content so you will have to do some pitching as part of your networking.
In fact this is a big part of it, but I want you to think of pitching as part of your networking, they’re not mutually exclusive.
And the important thing is to follow the rules.
Don’t blast off 20 emails to 20 contacts you found during a simple online search.
Most websites, bloggers and social accounts have rules and tips for pitching them, so pay attention. By giving this just a little extra time, you’ll see your networking results really pay off!
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