The second point in this book promotion series I wanted to share after my successful book launch is to focus the right marketing tactics on the right audience.
My clients, and anyone who has followed me as a writing coach for any amount of time, know that I constantly ask, “who is the audience?” I even have that question plastered on a sweater! During the writing process, it is so important to use language and examples that your audience can identify with so they feel that your book is meant for them. They will be invested in reading your book and trust that you know how to help them.
Keep your audience in mind during promotion
There are so many options when it comes to promoting your book, and some of them can get expensive, especially if they are not focused on the person who needs your book. ‘Spray and Pray’ marketing is never a good idea, but even purposeful tactics can be a waste of time.
Keep in mind that my book is a very niche topic. It’s not meant for everyone with a pulse it is meant for parents and caregivers of transgender children. One of my promotion tactics was to do author appearances in bookstores while I was in Toronto. The foot traffic was high on the day I was set up to sign some books in a very large store in a very large mall. Perfect! I initially thought to myself. However, almost all that traffic was teens. While I’m overjoyed to see this generation reading so much, they are not yet buying parenting books. Even the adults who were browsing the isles and tables for their next beach read weren’t all the right audience. That was a great lesson for me to remember my audience.
My audience is searching for my book online in the privacy of their own room because they are overwhelmed with a need for information and reassurance. My book is a purposeful purchase, not an impulse buy.
Where is your audience searching?
Before you go spend a bunch of money on TikTok ads, is your ideal reader even on TikTok? I ask this question because way too many people focus exclusively on social media as their marketing plan. Social media is only one small part of your promotional strategy because to use social media effectively, you need to stay engaged with your community which can take up a lot of time and attention. Yes, you can run ads on almost all the social media platforms now. Just make sure you are targeting the right audience with the right ad goals. Also, remember that it is difficult to stand out on social media when everyone else is also using it to promote their books, services, and trinkets.
Knowing your audience when you write is paramount, and don’t forget them and their psychographics and demographics when you’re selling your book too!
If you are starting your book writing journey, we have a resource for outlining your book, and if you are near the end and looking for information on how to publish your book, we’ve got you covered here.