That’s a question I get asked all the time. The answer is: No, it is never too soon to start marketing your book. But that is also a little too broad an answer.
The real question is how should you market your book at different stages of pre-publication? Here’s a schedule to help you get started on your marketing. And if you have already passed some of these dates, don’t worry. Better late than never.
One Year Before: It takes approximately a year, often more, to take a book from idea to publication, so as soon as you decide to write your book spend some time developing your marketing plan.
- Choose a title and purchase the URL for the website
- Begin to tell people about your book by talking about the writing process on social media and in person. Mention it at networking events. Tell your friends and neighbors. It takes time to create a buzz.
Six Months Before: By now you should have large portions of your book edited and in good shape to show to the public.
- Use excerpts from your book as blog entries.
- Look for like-minded bloggers and ask to guest blog on their site. Be sure to reciprocate.
- If you aren’t tweeting already, set up your Twitter account and learn how to tweet.
- Work with a graphic artist to develop your cover and display it on your website and social networking sites.
Three Months Before: You are almost ready to go to print, now is the time to start thinking about next steps.
- Set your price and set up a pre-order form on your website.
- Plan your book launch
- Send your book to experts for some early reviews. Place the reviews on your website as soon as you receive them.
- Develop your media kit.
- Develop your press release and make a list of where and to whom you will send it.
Of course, there are a lot of other things that you can do to market your book before it is published. These are just a few of the basics to get you started.
If you would like to learn more about book marketing, plan to attend the 2015 Winter Writers’ Weekend, Feb. 27, 28 and March 1 in Lambertville, NJ. There will be over a dozen publishing experts there to give you excellent information and help.