How to Find the Audience for your Book

I'm not much on sticking to any one formula when it comes to promotion, marketing or even finding your audience. I believe you should stick to a strategy and try tools for that strategy. Some tools may include paid marketing. Some may include social marketing. But now matter which one you choose, you must dedicate time AND money. Oh here we go--the money issue. I don't have a thousand dollars for marketing. Stop Freaking Out. 

If it's a case of having Netflix or maintaining a blog then go for the blog. 

When you launch a book, make your money stretch by doing the things you know will work. But what if I'm new? Then, my dear, it's the k-boards for you. (Click the link if you want Indies Unlimited to explain the whole k-boards thing.) But you can spend $30 on marketing. Really there are things you can do. So let's look at what you can do. These things will take some money, but not a lot.

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HOW TO FIND THE AUDIENCE FOR YOUR BOOK

There is no “something for everyone”. The more specific the more success. Make that a mantra. It’s a simple formula that every writer needs to focus upon. Trickle down your idea to one particular point. Once you have the main point, find another two.

It would be disaster for a writer to say book is for everyone. The best of the books written are not read by everyone. For example, the Bible is considered to be one of the best books ever compiled, but still it is not read by everyone.

The thing that I want to point out here is that it is essential and crucially important for a writer to be specific about their target audience, content and genre. Once a writer knows his target audience, it would be very easy to convince most publishers to publish the book. But how do you find your target audience?

LAUNCH YOUR WEBSITE
It is an essential part for anyone who wants to publish a book to have a home base, a web home to attract an audience. What you need for a website is very simple:

• About the Author/credentials
  
• Contact me
  
• Email opt in form
• Blurb on your books/what you write about
  

You don't need more than that and even if you don't have a book, you should still have a website. Think of it this way...if you don't have a theater for people to go to and watch your play, how are they going to find you? You need a home where people can come and watch you work.

MAINTAIN A BLOG
Blogs are a powerful promotion tool used by the best professionals. A creative and unique blog can drive huge audiences for a writer and updating it frequently with different content/themes/posts is definitely bound to increase the traffic onto your site.

Many have difficulty finding things to write about. In which case look at our Resources for Authors page on blogging. You'll find guides to help you start a blog and give you ideas on what to blog.
 
UPDATE ONLINE PROFILES
Although it appears very simple yet it makes a huge impact if you don’t update your online profiles. Today almost every website has an option that allows you to post a bio with your public profile. Profile is like a mirror which depicts you in a glance, so it is equally important to showcase your expertise, experience in your subject matter, to mention your book(s)/articles and include a link to your site/blog.

E-MAIL MARKETING
Keeping in touch through e-mails always shows your close relationship with your audience and you can maintain a lifelong loyal audience by publishing an interesting newsletter with content related to your book(s) or by sharing announcements. It’s important to make audience feel that you care for them by sharing good events of your life.

This also means building a list. Mailchimp, constant contact Aweber, emma, etc. can help you with that!
 
KEEP BUILDING ONLINE PARTNERSHIPS
People who work with each other always find a way to reach the top, so it’s fruitful and healthy to find people who have same targets and ambitions to reach similar target audience by teaming up with each other. You can publish samples of your books, articles, links on each other’s websites/blogs or newsletters, promote each other’s work in events or cross promote with social media.

PROMOTE WITH ARTICLES
To increase your credentials, you can write articles for industry publications and related websites. Writing incredibly good articles can boost up your worth and publishers will weight your opinion. You may put your articles available for reprint in different websites like www.ezinearticles.com, www.goarticles.com and join different groups where people float their articles easily and which are also available for the masses to read.
 
CONTACT BOOK BLOGGERS
Following and maintaining good relationship with follower bloggers is always a great bonus for a book writer. It can help you a lot by maintaining close contact while checking new updates, hot topics, book reviews, guest posts, interviews, audience response and their genuine opinions.
 
USE SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTIVELY
Social media campaigning can get you close to your goals if utilized effectively. Today every organization, top business, NGOs and so many others use social media campaigning to reach out their audience.
 
Sites like Face-book, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Google + are best social media tools to find and build audience. Create interesting, eye catchy and simple profiles and get connected to communities, groups and events. Look at the followings of authors that similar to yourself and you will be surprised to see how much information you can gather by looking at who is following these authors. You just need to invest a little time every day, be engaging, share interesting and great content and watch how your fan following grows.
 
BE ACTIVE BY APPEARING ON ELECTRONIC MEDIA
Engage and appear on live transmissions such as radio shows, podcasts, events, book seminars, and interviews. Always be precise and to the point and highlight your work with all your heart so that audience can feel the quality and passion.
 
Now, you can try to be everywhere, and do everything on this list but I don't recommend that. It's exhausting. There's only so much time in a day. Try doing 2 or 3 of these things and see how it goes. But give these options a chance. Remember, stick to a strategy. These are all tools for your strategy. Use them wisely.