Every now and then, I meet authors who are determined not to use social media to promote their books. They are determined not to post, tweet, and instagram their way to book sales. I admit that sometimes social media can be a major pain in the you-know-what. But it can be a huge help in spreading the word about a client’s book or one of my webinars or services.
Why do some authors refuse to use social media to promote their books?
1. They’re not comfortable with the technology. If you’re a boomer like me, you weren’t born with a mouse in your hand. However, it’s not that hard to learn and once you get over the fear you’ll break something, it’s actually fun. Check out YouTube for free tutorials or find a computer class at the local library. Then, practice a little every day. You’ll be surprised how easy it becomes.
2. They think it takes too much time away from their writing.
Social media can be a time suck if you don’t plan and schedule your posts. This is one of those times where technology can be your friend. Get a free Hootsuite account and schedule your posts and tweets a week at a time. Then schedule 15 minutes a day to log in and reply to comments and post a timely update. Take off weekends if you want to.
3. They’re not sold on the idea that social media helps to sell books.
It’s true that social media does not sell books. Social media is about creating relationships with people who are interested in your topic and might want to buy your book and recommend it to their friends. To create relationships, you need to have conversations. You have to post interesting content. People respond – or not. All of this takes time.
PS: You still need a website if you don’t do social media. Where else will find out about you and your book?
Here are 3 ways to sell books without social media.
You just have to replace social media with other ways to get exposure for your book. This could mean activities like:
1. Speaking about your topic and selling books at the back of the room. You could also teach classes on your topic and include your book as part of the course.
2. Writing articles about your topic for online publications and blogs. Guest posting is an excellent way to drive traffic to your own blog and website. However, without access to social media you might have to work a little harder to find bloggers and online publications. Most of them are on social media! (And you thought social media was just about getting likes and followers!)
3. Selling your book directly to sponsors, associations, and even people you meet in line at the post office. Many authors I know have sold bulk quantities of their books to sponsors and associations. The trick is to find the right prospects that fit your book’s audience and would benefit from selling or giving away your book to their customers.
There’s also nothing stopping you from selling your book to people wherever your go. James Redfield, author of The Celestine Prophecy self published and sold 100,000 copies of his book out of the trunk of his car. Warner Brothers later bought the publishing rights.
No matter how you decide to sell your book, create a plan that gets you out and circulating! Need a little help in getting started? Contact me for a free, 30 minute consultation on the best ways to market your book.
