The Dynamics Of Self Publishing - Part Three

If you have read Parts One and Two you will know that we examined an overview of the dynamics of self publishing and split it up into three steps…

* Authoring the manuscript's content

* Preparing the completed publication for printing and distribution including preparing the design and all contents, e.g. illustrations, Table of Contents, end matter, covers.

* Building a promotion and marketing plan and putting it into action.

We then checked out the principal features of the initial two steps.

This time we will take a look at step three, distribution, sales and promotion - the exciting steps. After all, there's not much point in putting all this effort into preparing a book unless you are able to get it in front of readers - and that's even if you are not concerned about making any money from the exercise.

If you are anything like me then you will have been thinking about your marketing since before you word processed your first word. Your readers must be in your thoughts all the time you are writing if you are to write what they will want to read.

When it comes to your marketing plan it is time to bring those thoughts to the front. By choosing online publishing you have solved all your production and distribution problems at a stroke; now it is time to turn on your sales side.

To start with your online publisher will have their own website and you will create some text, such as a description, to help them. They will probably have feeds to other book publicizing services as well, so the advertising copy you provide is very important. It is not necessary for it to be long - but it must be on message.

Now we are underway, but you can do so much more. Here are some suggestions.

How about a book promotional website?. You will need a domain name relating to your book's theme and a web site hosting service, both of which can be achieved for a small number of dollars, - you will need to set up the various pages of the site. If you have not written or set up websites before you can find a web site host with inbuilt templates to get you a non technical start and then you can start to populate it with your advertising text.

Initially traffic does not come for free and immediately to a new website, you have to promote it in ways that will convince the main search engines that your website is worth ranking higher than others. This can involve much research to see how and why others are getting ranked and then acting on that information. In fact, the sooner in the whole process that you do this the better your chances of success.

You can start a blog to discuss your book. This is a great way if your subject area is a hot topic for comments. To get traffic start with one of the principal free services such as Blogger or WordPress as these are frequently swept by the main search engines. Because of that you are more likely to get ranked sooner rather than later. Watch out for 'comment spammers', people who post worthless comments only to get a link back to their own website. Make sure you keep an eye on it and post weekly yourself too to keep it active.

Here are many other things you can do for example:

* setting up a Facebook Page to advertise your blog and publication.

* Comment on other blogs on the same topic

* Start Tweeting

* Ask your friends and family to help

Plenty to keep you occupied.

Here's to your success!

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