Seeding Content, Priming Your Audience, and Strategically Marketing Your Book Ahead of Publication

Congratulations! You’re just starting to get out of the weeds of the editing and design process, and you’re beginning to think about book promotion. At this point, the realization that your ideas and thoughts are actually going to be bound in a book and in the hands of readers in just a few months may terrify you, excite you, or maybe a bit of both. It’s important to start using that energy to catapult you into the book promotion mindset. But how early is too early when it comes to book promotion? And how do you actually promote an unpublished book? The Greenleaf marketing team has put together a comprehensive timeline to help guide you through the months leading up to your book launch.

Your book tells your story. Whether it's a fantasy novel that speaks to real world issues, a self-help title to improve readers’ lives, or a guide to building and growing a business, you’ve put it all down on paper for the world to see. But reviewers, guest bookers, and journalists don’t have time to look over a 300 page manuscript.

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Congratulations! You’ve poured your heart and soul into creating your book. Now the question becomes, how do you tell the world about it? Earned media coverage can significantly impact sales, establish your authority as an author and thought leader, and amplify the message you set out to share by writing your book in the first place. Crafting a personal, professional, and precise pitch is the first step in securing coverage.

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Print on Demand publishing (POD) provides authors with great speed to market and reduced overhead costs without sacrificing quality. If your book is being published as print on demand, the following guide provides a useful overview of the timeline to publication, execution of distribution and marketing initiatives, and the best ways that you can support your book launch.

Getting your book into the hands of readers for reviews, discussion, and word-of-mouth is an essential part of a book marketing campaign. It’s also the dream of most authors to see their book spark lively discussion and community building. One way to do that is by connecting with book clubs, which can be challenging and time-consuming as there’s no one central place where book clubs congregate. Below are some ways that you might connect with book clubs both locally and virtually.

You’ve likely heard a publicist talk about a press kit, but what about a speaker press kit? Both are effective and professional ways to market yourself to specific audiences, and knowing the differences between the two can help you tailor your outreach and could result in more media coverage and speaking engagements.

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As an expert, you’ve spent years building your network. From newsletter subscribers and social media followers to clients and professional connections, you’ve engaged, offered value, and built relationships. When it comes time to publish your book, your network is the single most valuable promotional tool at your disposal. If you can effectively harness their influence and support, you can achieve a stellar launch and sustain your book sales for the long-term.

Your local independent bookstore is likely struggling, and as a publisher, we feel it’s our obligation to support them in any way that we can, including encouraging our authors (and all authors!) to do their part in helping support local bookstores.