Here’s a tip for the indie-published (self-published) author. Think Virtual Book Tour. You just put you labor of love and sweat into your book, spent time and money editing, and have a great cover. With luck you found a quality print source. There are several good choices for print-on-demand services. The best part of choosing print-on-demand means you don’t need to lay out huge sums of money until there is a need for copies.
The next step is often a daunting one for an author, the marketing challenge. What do you do after you have sold copies of your book to family, moved on to friends, and “encouraged” co-workers to buy a copy?
Making cold calls on bookstore owners can be excruciatingly painful when first starting. It gets better with practice. And, there is always the fear that local bookstores and bookstore owners are becoming a vanishing breed.
You may have tried setting up a table at a book fair and book signings. It’s true when asked how to sell a book. The answer is “one book at a time.” That said, book fairs and book signings are labor intensive and far too often result in disappointing sales. That is if you have a name like mine, unknown to the reading world. It really blows when the temperature is too hot or too cold, it’s raining or snowing, and the crowds are not in the book-buying mood.
It comes down to being an unknown, an indie-published author with scarce financial resources for marketing. The very thought of a book tour is laughable at best. Who cares whether an unknown author is signing books at the local bookstore? Not many, it turns out unless you put time and money in promoting each one.
Getting newspapers to review indie-published authors is hit or miss and mostly miss. The bad reputation of self-publishing is a reputation we all have to face down. Until then most newspapers turn up their nose at anyone other than traditional publishers.
How to get exposure and reviews then, especially with a limited budget? Without the money to cover the expense of a book tour I was intrigued when I heard about Virtual Book Tours. Was it a way to take virtual advantage and save the cost of air fare, hotels and meals, not to mention the emotional cost?
If you want to find out what virtual book tours are and were they are all about you will quickly recognize their merit. There are articles and instructions on how to organize a virtual book tour (VBT) but for many we soon realize the technology required may be beyond the reach of patience and time. Why should one do it alone when there are companies to set you up for a Virtual Boot Tour and do the leg work. The cost is within reach for those of us on a limited budget. There are some, but Pump up Your Book.com is a good place to start your investigation
It takes stamina and organization to tour when you are bombarded with requests for interviews and asked to do guest posting for bloggers who review your book.
The exposure I realized is invaluable. To have your book each reviewed by some blog stops on your tour, to see Q & A interviews displayed, you will enjoy the exposure when you see guest blogs posted. When you start to feel overwhelmed you can sit back, knowing your are in the good hands of your tour operator at Pump up your Book.com, or what ever VBT service you select.
I urge other indie-published authors to give serious consideration for this great way of letting the world hear about your new book.
Whatever the form of your VBT, self-organized or in the hands of a professional, the best of luck and enjoy the ride.
As an independent author and publisher, I have learned some valuable lessons through trial and error. If you are considering self-publishing I hope you find the encouragement you need to take control of your publishing destiny. Welcome to the Indie Book Rebellion.
In addition to my own writing I am proud to be a partner at a new service in the support of independent authors, a place where you can expect editorial, cover design, and support in developing your marketing strategy. Visit http://www.canamauthorservices.com
You are invited to visit my website at http://www.writebyme.ca
Chuck Waldron,
Kitchener, Ontario
Author: Chuck Waldron
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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