You didn’t know that becoming an Author meant becoming a marketer, did you? That’s okay; neither did I. The fact is, you’ll need to become actively involved in the marketing of your Book because if you don’t, no one but a few friends and family will buy it. Then again, they might not.

Really, it can be fun. Here are eight things you can get started on even before publication:

1) First, gather the items you’ll need to market your book:

a) Author photos/headshots – professionally done, please

b) Author bios of varying lengths – 100 words, 200 words

c) Book synopsis, about 100 words, written to entice readers

d) A jpg of your cover

e) Your elevator speech – a 30-second verbal summary of your book for use at cocktail and other parties when someone asks you, “What’s your book about?”

f) If you don’t have a website, get one. If you do, redesign it to promote your books as well as yourself.

2)  Create an Amazon Author Profile. This establishes you as a legitimate author. You can link your website, blog, videos, the promotional tools above and the one you will develop in the future. Go to author.central.amazon.com and it will walk you through the steps.

3) Create a Facebook Page for your book. Invite all your friends to Like (or Love). Start posting the items above and anything you can think of to create buzz. People prefer if you try to educate, enlighten, or amuse them rather than just sell.

4) Create a Goodreads Author Profile. Goodreads is where the avid readers hang out. Go to the Goodreads Author Program tutorial which will teach you how. Later you will be sponsoring book giveaways as promotions.

5) Go to Vistaprint and make some inexpensive postcards using the jpg of the cover of your book. You can use these in any number of ways: send out by snail mail, leave at coffee houses, tack up on bulletin boards, and many uses you will come up with as you go along. I always keep some in my bag – you never know who will want one.

6) Start identifying people and places to ask for book reviews. You will want to get as many as possible, and you’ll be able to use the reviews later for further marketing.

7) Identify local stores that are likely to sell your book – not just bookstores, but gift stores and specialty shops.

8) Schedule and plan your Book Release Party. Congratulations! You’re a published author.

© 2016 Catherine Auman

Catherine Auman, LMFT is the author of Shortcuts to Mindfulness: 100 Ways to Personal and Spiritual Growth. This article is one of the many ways she is marketing her book.