Hug A Book Blogger
I’ve been thinking about publicity
lately, mostly because I hate tooting my own horn, yet it seems that’s what
many authors are told to do nowadays. There is one marketing tip, however, that
doesn’t make me cringe. If others want to talk about my books, I’m okay with
that. So, how to go about getting that word of mouth?
Get Reviewed by
High-Profile Bloggers
Sounds easy enough, but just like
becoming a concert pianist, it takes some serious work ahead of time.
BECOME KNOWN TO THE BOOK BLOGGING WORLD
Visit their websites. Leave comments. Check out their Twitter
and Facebook pages. Leave comments. Did I mention leaving comments? Dropping
your name into their sphere makes you familiar. That way when you do eventually
knock them up for a review request, you’re not some stranger begging for cash on
the corner. But don’t overdo it. Simply make them aware of you, not drool all
over them and tattoo their name on your arm.
TARGET BIG BLOGGERS
How do you know? Well, you can simply look at how many members
they have on their site, or you can visit Alexa.com. Type in their blog address
into the ‘site info’ box and nose around for their statistics.
BE A BOYSCOUT
Plan ahead. Be prepared. Start early. Pick your favorite
get-off-your-butt-and-get-moving idiom. The point is that you can’t wait until
your book is already out there. Send out ARC’s (advance reader copies) BEFORE
your book launches.
And here's a bonus for you...these ideas don't simply apply to self pubbers. Traditional authors can and should go for it as well.