Mind Body Spirit:
Transformation:
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History:
Books For Writers:
Children & Young Adult:
Paganism:
Culture & Politics:
In this section:
We set all our authors a goal of selling at least 1,000 copies in the first year after publication.
To support this, we offer a comprehensive list of marketing activities—ranging from basic strategies to creative approaches—to help authors promote their books. We share these here in the hope they inspire all authors, whether published by Collective Ink or not.
Our best-selling authors all prioritize marketing.
If your book is an upcoming release, following this guide will ensure a strong campaign. If it’s an older release, the guide will help attract a fresh audience—even if your book launched ten years ago!
Ready to level-up your marketing? Read on!
Set a Goal: Aim for at least 500 pre-orders before your publication date.
How to Encourage Pre-Orders
A few months before your release, ask your readers, contacts, friends, and family to pre-order from Amazon or their favorite booksellers. Every pre-order contributes to your book’s success!
A website serves as a static hub for marketing information about you and your book. Ideally, it should appear on the first page of Google results when potential readers search for your name. At a minimum, your website should include:
Your author brand is the foundation of how you connect with your audience. It encompasses:
Consistency ensures your audience knows what to expect from everything you produce, including:
By maintaining a clear and cohesive author brand, you build trust and recognition among your readers.
(With thanks to Clare Mackintosh — sign up to her awesome email list Book Club here.)
If you are going to choose one marketing tool - build an email list. Why?
People who sign up to your email list are your most loyal readers. Your mailing list isn't subject to the vagaries of algorithms. You own your mailing list data. And, despite appearances, people don't sit in front of social media all day, but they do sit in front of their inbox.
Blogging is the practice of creating and sharing content on a personal or professional website, known as a blog. A blog can cover any topic, from personal experiences and hobbies to industry news and educational content. To start blogging, choose a platform like WordPress, Blogger, or Medium, and set up your blog with a unique design and unique nname.
Write regularly and authentically, focusing on quality. If you are a non-fiction writer, you will likely have something to say in an area of expertise - blogging about this area of expertise is often a good idea and can help build your brand. You could blog about frequently asked questions in your field, news items, or things in the media related to your subject, opinions on current events, or you may have a cause or message you wish to promote. Use multimedia elements like images and videos to enhance your posts, and engage with your readers through comments and social media. Blogging can be a powerful tool for self-expression, building an online presence, and connecting with like-minded individuals.
If your expertise of such value you could charge for it, start a Substack which is an email list allws to make it very easy to charge a monthly fee for your writing, or consider a platform like Medium which rewards posts which are read by a large number of people.
Blogging for fiction writers is tougher — it needs some creative thinking to find a blogging subject that will complement your creative writing - but if you can pull it off, it can be lucrative.
Some ideas to base your blog on:
Incidentally, by linking to other authors in your genre, you can potentially cross market and share your fans/audiences, thus being mutually beneficial.
Obviously, make sure that you share your blogs, newsletters, mailouts on your social media networks.
All of these mediums are ways for you to communicate with your readers. It all comes down what you want to say, how you want to say it and what you are prepared to do.
Deciding on a social media strategy is like deciding on an email/blogging strategy. Choose the network(s) you want to use, and how you will use them, and commit to doing that for a significant period of time.
Post regularly, daily if you can. Experiment and adapt with what works. Be yourself, don't try to make each perfect, engage and be social with others, and try to have fun!
Book PR is about promoting a book and its author to the public through media, events, and marketing. This includes writing engaging press releases, pitching stories, securing reviews, extracts and interviews, and using social media and influencers to generate excitement. The goal is to increase visibility, connect with the audience, and drive sales by building strong ties with media channels.
Brainstorm ideas: Do you want to send out a general-purpose press release, or would you like to pitch niche stories to targeted publications? Do you have something to say that relates to the theme of your book that a journalist would be interested in? Is it reviews you want?
Create a hit-list of media to approach — newspapers, TV, radio, magazines, Substacks, podcasts, influencers. Make use of personal contacts. Research the best person to send your email to, or contact the media platforms' respective help desks for assistance.
While articles do not necessarily translate directly to sales, they can: help establish your name; build your reputation as an expert in your field; and lead to further openings, even regular columns.
You can approach:
When it comes to write the pitch:
Some publications may be interested in an extract of your book. Extracts, generally, are harder to pitch, but if you do your homework and match your writing to the publication, you can find some success.
We encourage all our authors to write their own press release. Make sure you include:
Whatever the size of the audience, an interview is a fantastic way to connect to to a potential reader. The adage "People buy from people" is true. Therefore, it’s vital that you make the most of an interview when it happens.
Don't give everything away! People won't want to read your book if you give away too much detail. Your task is to whet your audience's appetite and leave them wanting more.
Encourage people to buy. People respond to prompts and commands. The more you encourage people to buy, the more likely they will.
Talk about your product not other products! Some of our authors have spent entire interviews discussing other authors’ books! This didn't benefit them at all! Interviews are about YOU encouraging a platform of listeners to buy YOUR book, follow YOUR work, visit YOUR website, and join YOUR social media platforms. This is YOUR time to shine!
Here are sample phrases you can drop into your interview to encourage people to buy.
Test your equipment and software. Do not leave it to the last minute. Once you have confirmed a date and time with the host/producer of the show, at least 72 hours before make sure that you have a fully working mic and headphones, and that your video call software is working with them. Some of our authors had disappointing interviews because they could not be heard, their mic was cutting out, or they had not updated their Skype accounts and so they were uncontactable.
Ensure that you are in a quiet, distraction-free zone. Make sure that there is no noise in the background, and that the show is not broadcasting from your PC, Laptop, or phone because that will cause an echo. Make sure that your mic is not rubbing against your clothes or face and that you are not breathing heavily into it. Familiarise yourself with the mute button, in case you need to cough or sneeze; anything like that will distract the listener, and they will tune out. Make sure that your phone is off and ask that no one in your vicinity disturbs you.
Get the start time correct. You may be offered an interview in a different time zone to yours, so confirm with the host/producer what your start time is in relation to theirs! There is nothing more disappointing than waiting for your interview only to find out that it's actually at a different hour, a different day, or that you have missed it altogether.
Be enthusiastic! An average interview will last around 45 minutes. A listening audience will always connect to someone upbeat as opposed to someone who sounds bored, uninterested, or tired. Radio-show hosts have cut interviews short for authors who relied on one-word answers or had little to say. You have one shot to make an impression, and regardless of whether there are a few dozen or a million listeners, if you come across as dull, they will be less likely to want to buy your book. Some interviews will spawn other opportunities from other shows and producers! So always be mindful about who might be listening.
Be prepared. Make sure that you have material to talk about and are comfortable and confident with it. It might be experiences, theories, talking points, etc. Podcasting, TV, web and radio-show hosts and producers are less interested in the writing process and more about YOU! Some radio shows and podcasts will ask for talking points up front, but if they don't, make sure you've written eight to ten of them down and sent them to the interviewer anyway.
Refer to your book by its title at all times! Try not to refer to your book as The Book. Try, when possible, to refer to your book by its full title because this will help listeners remember the name, especially if they are tuning in halfway or near the end, because they wont have heard the title. Instead of saying “I wrote this book after an event that took place in…”, say “I wrote Book Title after an event that took place in…" Instead of saying, “It is available on Amazon, Kindle, through Barnes and Noble, and wherever else books are sold.”, say, “Book Title is available on Amazon, Kindle, through Barnes and Noble and wherever else books are sold.”
Make a checklist of points you need to ensure you cover during the interview. Here’s a good starter list:
Always thank your host for the opportunity! Drop an email to the host/producer after the show, thanking them for their time, and suggest that if they ever need a guest, to reach out directly to you because you would be happy to be a guest again. Some of our authors are regulars on some of the top radio shows and podcasts in the world due to how engaging and were in their initial interview.
Share the link. Share the link to your interview with your publicist and on your social media platforms; email the link to friends and family; embed the link on your website; support the show and yourself as much as possible by getting that interview out there.
If what you put out in terms of marketing and social media is too inconsitent, you’ll have trouble building an audience. If you brand yourself well, people will know what they are getting before you open your mouth.
Ensuring you fit into a recognizable niche is not about selling out to be a faceless interchangeable drone — it's so that the reader can find you easily.
When your Publication Date arrives, announce it to your networks! This is an exciting event!
When your cover is finished, announce it with a cover reveal on your social media networks, email list, everywhere you can. This is an event in itself, something to get excited about!
Once you see that your book is listed on Amazon, you can join Amazon Author Central. This is a fantastic resource for helping build your profile and promote your book.
The GoodReads Author Programme is mostly free and allows authors to take control of their book(s) profile on the site. It offers the possibility of paid promotions, including the opportunity to give away a free copy of one's book (or multiple copies) to a genre-specific audience. Goodreads is a community of book lovers, so it's a great place to connect with potential readers and other authors in your genre. You can participate in discussions, answer questions, and share updates about your work.
Post a favourable review of your book on you social media.This can be from a media contact, an endorser, or an Amazon or Goodreads review. If the perception is that your book is good, people will likely wish to find out more.
Talk directly to your following, by holding a weekly live broadcast on your social media channels. hold a Q&A, update people on any book news, and offer a giveaway competition — offer the chance to win signed copies of your book. People buy from people — so get to know your following.
Make a book trailer to post on your social media and share to your Facebook groups and YouTube channel, and include it on your website. Always look for varied ways to attract people’s attention.
Use platforms like Fiverr.com to source paid-for book promotion services from as little as $5. These services (gigs) will offer different ways to promote your book. Please research and check reviews before purchasing any services. You can contact most sellers directly and create a bespoke gig that suits you and your budget
Using your social media, friends, family, followers, and other authors at your publishing house, ask readers to leave reviews on Amazon, GoodReads, or whichever platform they have used to read your book. Reviews influence the perception of your book and can trigger algorithms such as Amazon’s to promote it.
Offer media companies a signed copy of your book as a giveaway promotion.
If someone has endorsed your book, contact them and ask if they will share their endorsement with their own following, whether through their social media, newsletter, website, or all the above. This could have a considerable impact on the sales of your book.
Use anniversaries and dates of interest to promote your book on social media, your newsletter, your blogs, etc. For example, you might use the 1st anniversary since launch, the 5th anniversary, World Book Day, Women Writers Day, World Book Day, Mental Health Awareness Week, Halloween, etc. Remember to use the relevant hashtags on social media, as well!
If you're short of ideas, there are many websites with a list of special dates and awareness weeks:
Create a podcast and/or YouTube platform to discuss your book and to interview relevant guests.
Source awards that are relevant to you and your book, and let the Creative Ink awards team know on the Award Submissions Forum.
Hold a monthly live book reading on your social media channels. Give your followers a small taste of your work, discuss the fundamentals and motivations. Encourage viewers to buy by reading some of your top reviews at the end.
Hold a monthly online event and invite your following, media contacts, influencers, endorsers, other authors, and key people relevant to your book(s). It could be a mixture of a book reading, Q&A, discussing topics relevant to your book, and a giveaway as a thank-you to one lucky attendee.
Email your local bookshops and ask them to stock your book. If your book has a specialist topic and there are specific bookshops or retailers to match, contact them also.
If you have guested on podcasts, radio shows, or any platforms to talk about your book, then contact them every six months with a new set of talking/interview points and ask to go back on the show. Our bestselling authors are regular personalities on the shows they guest on, which is a superb way to build a following and sell copies.
Design promotional materials such as leaflets, posters, postcards, and bookmarks. Ask to display them in your local bookshops, libraries, and cafés. A local bookshop giving out your bookmark with every book sale could be very beneficial. Vistaprint offers a good printing service.
Ask if you can conduct a talk and Q&A to the students about the process of writing a book as well as tips and advice for getting published. Ask for local media support to cover the engagement/event. This is a great way to motivate, inspire, and educate a younger, local generation while speaking about your book.
Contact local bookshops, libraries, book groups, and institutions and ask to hold a >book reading event.
Research and contact any conferences or events where you could offer value as a speaker and simulataneously promote your book.
Organize an event with other authors (live or online) to promote your books and work together to raise each other's profiles, followings, and book sales.
