Author's Corner

When publishing a book, all authors think about the after part – that is, marketing their book. This blog is meant to help you figure out how to market your book through a mix of paid and organic marketing techniques. You can learn more about digital, organic book marketing techniques in our blog on “How to Market Your Book Online in 5 Steps." Now that social media is taking the world by the storm, online marketing of books has become one of the most important tools. Often, authors are advised to take to social media, create an author website, go on youtube, instagram, tiktok, and more. Today, let’s take a step back and see what offline marketing can do for you. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about offline marketing is that it’s quite archaic. When authors have these many online resources at their disposal, why would they turn to essentially handing out flyers? Why is Offline Marketing Important? Well, let’s consider this: despite being old-school, offline marketing offers one big – and possibly the biggest – advantage over digital marketing tools. It allows people to see you. Contrary to popular belief, the author isn’t dead yet. In fact, people are likely to read a book based on who is writing it, even if it’s wrapped in a brown paper bag. Certain authors become the faces of their genres, allowing readers to associate them with a particular style of writing or a particular plot point. For example, if you think about murders, Agatha Christie immediately comes to mind. If you think about marketing, Phillip Kotler is the first author you think of. When marketing your book, this association becomes important. You want people to associate you with good writing, and you want them to pick your books over every other author’s. While an author website creates an attractive online persona for you, seeing your readers will make them feel connected to you. An author who pays attention to their readers always stands out from the crowd – and so does their book. While the audience that you can garner at an on-site event is smaller, it sometimes has a bigger impact. We now know that using offline marketing tools is also essential to the marketing of your book. So, let’s get into the ways that you can captivate your readers with your real-life presence. Appear in Interviews Let’s start with the basics. Interviews, as we know, can help you get you and your book known. Whether they appear in print or as a broadcast, these interviews can make readers aware of what your book is about, and why it’s different. As an author, you’re the most passionate about your book. Going on interviews will make readers aware of it – and excitement is contagious. Getting people as excited as you is a great way to create hype around your new book. Online interviews or podcasts are usually regarded as the standard mode of marketing for your book. However, offline interviews can help you gather a crowd and give you a chance to have more personal interactions. Teach a Class Ever admired a teacher or a professor? Everyone, at some point in their lives, has teachers that spark admiration and inspiration. Teaching a class – especially if it’s related to your genre – can attract a group of people who will appreciate your subject and your writing, and could lead to a lot of word-of-mouth publicity in addition to increasing your readership. One of our authors, Mark Koscinski, an assistant professor in Pennsylvania, is using his book Decision-making Essentials You Always Wanted to Know as material to teach his course. Many famous professors have also published books related to their subject, and their teaching position has helped them gain readership. Jagdish N. Sheth, Stephen R. Covey, Thomas Peters, James C. Collins, and more, are a part of this group.  Even if it’s not a permanent teaching position, conducting a small writing course, or holding a guest lecture, will help you become known within the readers’ community. Attend Events Singers’ concerts attract millions of their fans to the same place. They’re places of interaction between the singer and their fans and between the fans themselves. They make the singer's songs even more memorable to the fans. As an author, you can apply the same formula to your new book. Holding a book signing event or an author-interaction event can gather your readers, and allow them to share their thoughts about your writing with you, or discuss your writing amongst themselves. This can also help you gauge your audience’s reaction to your writing. These events are usually held at bookstores, but you can visit universities or schools as well, depending on your target audience. If you’re a new author, a giveaway event can have a similar effect. It will help people who are curious about you and your writing to really get into it. A little investment now leads to big results in the future, which is an essential thing for writers. Speak at Conferences Other than attending events to meet your readers, you can also go to author conferences, which are usually events for authors to gather and present their books. It brings like-minded people together and can help you find your place within the writing community. It is also a great place to make some new contacts. You could also look for conferences related to your field. For example, if you publish a book about Python or Data Analytics, finding conferences related to Computer Science could help you develop the reach of your book and meet people who can potentially get your books to your readers. If you’re working with a publisher to get your book published, there is an added advantage as publishers usually have the ability to send their authors to conferences and allow them opportunities to speak about their book. Vibrant Publishers, too, encourages authors to attend and speak at the Academy of Management (AOM) conference and other events. Ending Note In recent times, it seems as if a lot of the writing and reading community has moved online. But art is meant for connection, and even today, meeting people in person – meeting an author you admire – remains a memorable event that readers tend to seek out. So don’t hesitate to take the step forward to promote your book at on-site events. Also, keep an eye out for our upcoming blog on online marketing tools for your book! We at Vibrant aim to help you figure out the publishing process, right from submitting your draft to seeing your book getting published. Every new subject and area of discussion is an opportunity for us to work with talented authors. If you wish to publish with us, email us at reachus@vibrantpublishers.com. About Vibrant Publishers | Why You Should Trust Us Vibrant Publishers is a one-stop destination for authors seeking to share their expertise with the world through a professional and streamlined publishing process. We are a Colorado-based publishing house, established in 2011, with a mission to produce high-quality books tailored for entrepreneurs, IT professionals, management experts, graduate students, and competitive exam aspirants. With 200+ published titles available in more than 100 countries, Vibrant Publishers has earned its place as a global leader in niche publishing. We have worked with renowned authors like Jagdish Sheth, Dr. Michael Walsh, Mark Koscinski, and other esteemed authors who are industry experts and distinguished leaders in their respective fields. Read more about them here. We’re part of a robust community of over 100,000 professors who highly commend our books and also review and adopt them. When you onboard with us as an author, you can be assured of exceptional support through all stages of publishing from editing, and book cover designing to printing, marketing, and distribution. At Vibrant Publishers, we are committed to quality and excellence, making your publishing journey successful and rewarding. Email us at reachus@vibrantpublishers.com to discuss publishing with Vibrant Publishers.