Plan, Prepare, Promote, Prosper

     Published or soon-to-be published authors, do you have a plan for promotion?

You must  plan, prepare, and promote to prosper.

 

     Plan Goal-setting is important for any endeavor. A writing career qualifies. Without a goal, we might, as my mother always told me, “Throw a lot of dirt on the wall, and some of it will stick.” Yes, it might, but an author will sell more books and be more efficient with a goal.

 

     Your goal should be 1)specific 2)written, and 3)forgivable.

 

Specific  Not, I want to sell a lot of books in the first few months

          But, I want to sell 500 books in three months

 

Written   No, it’s not enough to keep it in your head.

          Write down: pre-order – exact goal

                      1^st 3 months -exact goal

                      1^st year

                      In 5 years, where do you want to be?

                      In 10 years, how many books do you want to have published?

 

Forgivable Shoot for the limits of outer space

           But, forgive yourself if you only hit earth’s moon

 

 

****After setting that goal, break it down into small chunks of how to do what you planned.

 

 

If I want to sell 100 books in the first three months, what do you have to do?

 

     Schedule in-person events?

     Get up a website?

     Arrange a blog tour?

     Send out press releases?

 

Decide what you’re prepared to do to make your goal. Do you need to revise the goal? Decision time.

    

Then

 

 

Prepare Get down to the nitty-gritty

 

The dreaded to-do list

 

1.     Make a list of blogging friends that would do a promo post for you.

2.     Contact the librarian in a nearby small town.

3.     Contact the Friends of the Library group in a city.

4.     Go talk with a book store manager.

5.     Set up and schedule tweets about your book launch.

6.     Fix a promo page to send to media.

7.     Make a list of radio stations or newspapers to contact.

 

Whatever your to-do list consists of, keep in mind your goal and what you are prepared to actually do.

 

Promote

Start marking things off of your to-do list. When you think of a new avenue or you’re asked to do something such as speak for a book club, add that to your to-do list, and keep on working.

 

Remember

 

Planning and preparation mean nothing unless you put action to the goal. Take a deep breath, swallow your fear, and expose you and your book to possible rejection.

 

Maybe, just maybe, you’ll

 

Prosper

 

The first e-mail you get thanking you for a good book will make it worth all you’ve done. I guarantee it.

 

 

In honor of July 4, I wish to express my appreciation to all those who have served and fought to keep our country free.

 

America, the land of the brave and the home of the free.

 

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