Chapter Five | Promotion

This section has got a health warning: Don’t read this if you’re expecting to learn the best way to promote yourself.

It’s not something I’ve been particularly good at, but I have some limited experience which I would like to share, if only as indications of things not to try! Some of you might identify with my attempts.

When I finished my first book, it was a big thing for me. Actually, it was quite a big thing for a lot of my family and friends. I didn’t personally know anyone who had written a book, and neither did my social group and work colleagues, it seemed. It was an achievement that I was very proud of and there was a part of me that wanted to sing that from the rooftops. Except I was never going to; it wasn’t in my nature, and it still isn’t.

But I soon realised that in order to sell books, you have to put yourself out there. Step out of your comfort zone – something we always encourage our children at school to do. 

I started small. The pest control man visited and I tried to sell him my book. It was never going to work, I found out later. My book has a reincarnation theme, a belief that does not sit comfortably with the religious teachings he, and the small group he was with, tried to convey when they knocked on my door a few weeks later. But it was a start. I had more luck at my dentist a few days after, and, of course, people that knew me were very kind and bought copies with very little persuasion.

Emboldened, I went on the offensive. With no market research whatsoever (and no clue) I printed off some slips of paper and handed them out at the railway station, thinking that for 99p, commuters would want to download a sci-fi e-book from someone they had never heard of. They didn’t, and I hated doing it. I was slightly more comfortable delivering the slips to people’s homes, but even then I lived in fear that someone might open their door as I was about to shove it through their letterbox. Next, I put up a sign on our front fence with a picture of the book cover and a link. Still no one bit. I pointed out the sign to a tradesman who was parked outside our house having a cigarette, joking to him that he must have chosen that spot to look at my advert. He laughed (ironically).

A friend from the writing group I had been to suggested a publicity stunt, of sorts. His idea was that I should visit every mainline station in London and leave a copy of my book on outward bound trains, with a note attached asking whoever picked it up to contact me to tell me how far away my books had travelled. We would generate a story around the activity.  It was a great idea. My son, Joe, and I had a wonderful day in London, bravely hopping on and off of trains leaving the books. We managed to get the local press (Colchester, not London) interested and there was a story printed, but this – indeed none of these things I’ve mentioned – generated any book sales of note.

At least I had tried, I told myself.

I realised – with some dread – that what I was lacking was a decent social media presence. 

In my ignorance, I posted on Facebook in those early days, expecting everyone I knew to bite my hand off, and then share my brilliant book with all their friends. This was going to be easy, I thought. Funnily enough, 200 friends is not a large enough base from which to quickly hit the million sales mark. I quickly learnt that not everyone a) sees your posts and b) even if they do, wants to buy or share your book. This foray into the technological wonders of the internet needed more thought. And more pluck, I realised, because I was going to need to plunge into the world of Twitter and Instagram. (Where, incidentally, I found out that I was not the only person who had written a book!)

I quickly built up a 2000+ following on Twitter by clicking on hashtags (#writingcommunity was a productive one). Surely, that was plenty? All I needed to do now was post about how good my book was and sales would soar! 

Wrong. 

I got very few responses (likes, comments, shares). I know now that you have to be much more subtle across all the platforms. People don’t always like to be told to buy products, unless they have voluntarily clicked on a link or post which is obviously trying to sell them something. You should sell yourself (and hence your books) through what you post about:  interesting things you do, have seen or heard; fun things other people have done; what you like and don’t like; what you read; funny things; sad things; attractive things (pictures on Instagram). Share, like and comment on other posts. It’s a slow build to get engagement, but you will get a following and your profile will increase. These were things I was not used to doing, were not things I necessarily wanted to do, but I learnt by watching what other authors posted. I’ve found that writers, particularly on Instagram, are very supportive.

Actually, now I quite enjoy using social media – it requires creativity and authors should have that, right? – but I still have a long way to go to building up a really good profile. 

I’ve also learnt a little about advertising on Facebook and Amazon which, actually, is much more directly about selling your book rather than the person. I’m more comfortable with that. (I won’t go into it here – I’ll leave that to people who are much more expert than I am. There are free courses available – Bryan Cohen’s was great – but they will want, understandably to sell you more of their services).

The other aspect about selling yourself –  making real-life public appearances – is even more terrifying than it on social media, as far as I’m concerned anyway.

I’m a teacher – put me in front of a class of primary school kids and I’ll sing, dance, tell jokes (they don’t get), even teach. I’ve been into local schools and delivered ‘Inspiration for Writing’ talks. These have gone down well and I’ve sold quite a few paperbacks through this method. Big tick – yes, this works (if you’re lucky enough, like I am, to have contacts that can get you past the front office).

Adult talks, for me, are a different matter because I’m terrified of public speaking.  But I’ve forced myself to have a go and, given the opportunity, I will do more. My contacts are not as strong here. If yours are, go for it. Offer to talk (for free, unless you think they will pay) about your experiences of being an author. Most people are not authors and they will be interested. Take your books along and mention that, if anyone would like signed copies, you happen to have a pen with you. Apart from being another step along the way to getting yourself known, signing books is a lovely boost to the ego.

I do have a small regret. I think, on occasions, I have been a little too pushy, particularly on WhatApp groups which, on reflection, were not the right place to sell books. I don’t think I’ve fallen out with anyone – at least, I hope not – but I soon learnt that the lack of responses to what I was putting on there was a hint that, maybe, I should have been more circumspect.

Self-publishing is not easy, but nor is running any business. And selling your own books is a business. With no business skills, you can feel alone, unsure, lost. As I said earlier – clueless. I have actually paid for some professional advice about book marketing. £75 for a call over Zoom is a small investment to be guided in, what I hope, is the right direction. There are plenty of people out there who I can pay to help, but I’m going to have to cost that up against the returns.

If I keep using words like that, I might even convince myself I know what I’m doing.