10 Ways to promote your book without spending a cent

You probay are not getting the responces to you book sales without diligent marketing as a self publisher. What generally happens is a big percentage of mostly new authors spend the first few weeks promoting their novel before abruptly giving up. Once the true reality of book promoting sets in many become disappointed and disillusioned with the process. The biggest hurdles for indie authors are usually time and money. For those who can afford it the solution is simple. Using a paid service like Book Town Gold will get your novel exposed to various social networks, websites, blogs etc. Many authors with little or no budget for promotion do not know which free websites and programs are available. Below are tips, sites, and programs to assist new and seasoned authors in promoting their books.

1. Branding *Personal Branding is often overlooked by authors attempting to promote their novel. There are two primary keys to personal branding, repetition and imaging. The more times people see your name and the title of your book the more likely they are to want to know more about your writing. Donald Trump has mastered the art of personal branding. Below is a sample of his marketing images. I am totally baffled by authors who simply refuse to post their profile picture then complain about not getting book sales. Potential buyers may think that if you didn't put enough effort into introducing yourself via your photo then you probably didn't put much effort into your book either. Getting your profile picture on multiple sites and blogs is another way repetition helps get you noticed.

2. Book Signings Arrange for a book signing at your local bookstore. Book signings are not only a good way to promote your book it can also be good business for the store. Don’t just show up the day of the signing; be sure to post your appearance on line. Call or email friends, family, neighbors and co-workers as well. Book signings are a great way to connect to potential customers. Even if they don’t purchase your book at the signing they may look you up on line later and buy a copy. 

3. Blogs Hosting a blog may seem like a lot of work but it is something that should come natural to a writer. It is not necessary to post several times a week, once a week should be sufficient. Blogs give you the opportunity to implement the personal branding strategy. Each time people visit your blog they will see your profile picture or avatar and photos of your books that link to Amazon, Barnes and Noble etc. Blogs are also a way to build a loyal fan base.

4. Social Media Selling books is a very competitive and sometimes cut throat business. Remember book promotion is a marathon not a sprint. If you are not willing to invest time to promote your novel then you have probably wasted you time writing it. It is not necessary to spend the entire weekend on promotion, an hour or two a week can make a difference in book sales. Every indie author hoping to increase sales should belong to at least 5 social networking sites.

5. E-Book giveaways Online bookstores like Amazon and Smashwords has features that allows you to change your e-book setting to free. At lease once a year Book Town hosts The Great eBook Giveaway. This is a great opportunity for members to generate more traffic to their novel's page. Don’t have time to promote your novel? Book Town Gold will promote your book on all major social networks as well as our blog and email blast to over 1,400 people. This is a fee based service. Next week 5 more ways to promote your book without spending a dime including free book trailers, press releases and search engines. *Personal Branding is essentially; the ongoing process of establishing a prescribed image or impression in the mind of others about an individual, group or organization.[3] Personal branding can often involves the application of one's name to various products. For example, the celebrity real-estate mogul Donald Trump uses his last name extensively on his buildings and on the products he endorses (e.g. Trump Steaks).

6. Build a Website
This may seem like an ambitious undertaking but there are a few internet companies that have simplified and streamlined the process. Beginners should start small. Forget about all the bells and whistles. Here is a link to one popular free hosting site.
http://www.wix.com

7. Keywords
Are you frustrated because your book isn’t selling? Solving the problem may be as simple as adding the right keywords. 

8. Press Release
Yes you can create your own press release and the best part is that you can do it for free. Creating a press release for your novel or personal appearance is not technology changeling however is can be a tedious project. 

9. Create a Book Trailer
If you can afford to I recommend that you pay a professional company like *Epic3 Productions LLC to produce your book trailer. If you are on a limited budget you can create a thirty second book trailer free. If you think 30 seconds is not enough time try holding your breath for that long, you might change your mind. We’re not talking about a major Hollywood production here. Once again it’s about your books footprint. This will give your book a presence on You Tube, Metacafe and many other video sites.

Book trailer basics

1. Book title and authors name
2. Book Cover photo
3. Tag or logline
4. Where your novel can be purchased
http://animoto.com/pricing

10. Book Your Own Virtual Book Tour
After following the steps listed above you will have the foundation to construct your very own Virtual Book Tour. At this point you are simply adding virtual stops to your tour. 
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