• Position yourself as an industry leader
• Build a community
• Pursue publicity
• Explore public speaking
• Start a podcast
• Develop an email list

Many business authors don’t invest much time thinking about marketing their book before it is written. In fact, most first-time authors assume their publisher will handle all of the marketing and promotion activities. Or if they do begin to think about what they can do to promote it, it’s not usually until the manuscript is in their publisher’s hands for production.

That’s too late.

Marketing your nonfiction book needs to start today or, ideally, before you even start writing it.

Also, I hate to tell you but you’ll be responsible for marketing it no matter which publisher you choose to print and distribute it. Although publishers do invest heavily in the promotion of well-known
bestsellers with a track record of success, the most marketing support many authors receive is an announcement press release. That’s okay though, because being in control of marketing can be a good thing long-term.

Since marketing is up to you, where do you begin?

Here are some ideas, but a terrific resource is Stephanie Chandler’s book, The Nonfiction Book Marketing and Launch Plan.

Position yourself as an industry leader

Being able to claim the title of author can be a major boost to your career and personal brand, but the credibility and authority that come with being an author are closely associated with being seen as a leader in your space.

Before your book is done, it’s important to begin to associate your name with your field. That is best done by producing content that demonstrates all you know about your specialty.

Although you have a wide range of platforms on which you can share your content, choose one at the start and go all in.

That one platform might include setting up your own blog on your company’s website if you’re a business owner or creating a totally new one devoted to your topic. Or if you prefer video to writing, you could set up a YouTube channel or an Instagram account to share what you know. LinkedIn is another option, though it’s harder to get noticed without your own named place where you disseminate your content.

Creating and sharing original content in your topic area is step one.

Build a community

Another way to build a tribe of followers is by creating a community where like-minded people can gather to discuss popular topics in your area of specialization.

One of the easiest platforms on which you can create a new group is Facebook. LinkedIn also has groups, but they seem to be providing less support for that feature. And there are paid platforms like Mighty Networks, where you can bring together people.

Setting up the group is the easy part, however. Consistently giving members a reason to return and encouraging their friends and colleagues to join is the challenge. To do that, you’ll want to regularly share relevant content – some you’ve created and some that others have but that you appreciate – and encourage discussions. Ask questions, sponsor contests, and hold live events like webinars.

This all helps your community to see you as a leader and visionary.

Pursue publicity

Another way to enhance your reputation and prestige is to be quoted in the media. The good news is it’s not hard if you know where to find opportunities.

Granted, not every opportunity to be quoted will be totally related to your niche or specialty, but every media mention is valuable. For example, I was once featured in a New York Times article about a home our family considered but didn’t end up buying. Did it mention my ghostwriting business? No. But did it use my name? Yes. That mention adds to my credibility because I can say I have been quoted in the New York Times.

Likewise, you’ll want to broaden the scope of topics you’re willing to talk about with reporters. If you limit your area of expertise to your field, you may rarely come across opportunities. But if you expand the list of subjects you’re qualified to speak about, it’s likely you’ll regularly come across requests to weigh in on TV and article interviews.

For example, look for articles that have to do with where you live, your hobbies, the sports you play, how you’re saving for retirement, and where you shop. As long as what you have to say is useful and positive, it’s likely a good way to add to your list of outlets that have quoted you.

Now, you’ll find a list of articles, blog posts, books, TV, radio, and podcast topics in need of sources through websites that offer to match reporters and writers with people who have information (a.k.a. “sources”). You’re a potential source.

Those services are:

• Help a B2B Writer
• Qwoted
• Source of Sources

You’ll want to register at each of those websites – they’re free to use – and then scour the daily emails you receive to try to spot topics for which you can be a source.

The only time when it might not be in your best interest to respond is if the topic is negative or could paint you in a bad light.

Explore public speaking

Anyone standing at the front of the room is seen as the expert, so the more places you can find to speak to audiences, the faster your reputation will grow.

Develop a 15- and 30-minute talk you can give related to your area of specialization and then reach out to potential organizations that might be interested in having you present to their members or workers.

You could speak locally to service organizations like Rotary, Kiwanis, and Knights of Columbus, or to Junior Achievement or the Boys and Girls Clubs. You could speak to classes at area colleges and universities, as well as elementary and high schools, depending on your subject. Public libraries are regularly in need of speakers, as are trade shows and conventions.

The potential opportunities are virtually unlimited, and we haven’t even explored remote speaking gigs or summits.

If you’re comfortable speaking to groups, this could be a way to quickly elevate your personal brand.

Start a podcast

Podcasts and audiobooks are currently some of the most popular ways that people consume information. For that reason, you may want to consider creating your own podcast where you talk about your topic in a way that serves your target audience. That may require that you brainstorm how to discuss your topic in a way that is interesting and helpful.

For example, if you’re a graphic designer, you could explore trends in design, share examples of great design that you’ve seen out in the wild, interview other graphic designers, and even debate what good design looks like. The common theme across each episode should be that you are the expert and you’re trying to help anyone interested in learning more about it.

On the other hand, if you’re, say, a recruiter, you’ll want to think about what your audience wants to know. Mainly, they want to know how to land a new or better job. If your podcast can give them that kind of guidance, you will attract attention. But if you decide to talk instead about what not to mention on your LinkedIn profile or what webcam to buy for Zoom interviews, you may quickly run out of ideas for content and you may have difficulty gaining any traction with your audience.

If you don’t have the time or interest to create your own podcast, you can still pitch yourself as a podcast guest. The advantage of podcast interviews is that you don’t typically have to prepare a presentation – it’s more off-the-cuff and conversational.

Develop an email list

Building your own email list is another valuable marketing tool. And since it takes time to amass large numbers of followers and fans, start now.

One of the most effective ways to quickly grow an email list is to create a lead magnet and offer it in exchange for people’s names and email addresses. The lead magnet (a.k.a. freebie) needs to be of great interest to your people. If it is, they will gladly identify themselves and allow you to stay in touch.

You want this so that you can reach out once you begin to accept pre-orders of your finished book.

So, think about what information you can give your target audience that they really want right now. Don’t focus as much on what you want to tell them but, rather, what they’re looking for. In the small business world, entrepreneurs frequently want to know how to land more customers or scale their business. Ambitious career professionals often want to know how to land their next, more lucrative job. Parents frequently want tips to overcome common challenges, such as encouraging their child to eat healthy or develop a normal sleep routine.

If you’re not sure what your target market wants, do some Google research. What are some of the most searched words and phrases? What are members of your community after information-wise? You could also run a poll in your Facebook group to gather some of this information.

This is only a partial list of the many approaches you can take to get people talking about you and your book’s topic long before it is published. Ideally, you’ll spend the next few months educating your market and sharing your perspective so that when your book is released, people will be clamoring for it.

The risk if you don’t do any marketing in advance is that it will be released and no one will notice.

Strategizing what you can do to market yourself and your book while it’s being written is part of the service I provide to my clients. If you’d like to chat about having me ghostwrite your business book, please get in touch at marcia at marcialaytonturner.com.

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