Marketing is, in my opinion, a nightmare. My least favorite part about being an author. I thought, like many other unpublished authors, that the publishing company will handle this. They do, in some aspects depending on the company, but in the end, it's up to you to market your book. Get it into the hands of your readers.
So the first thing I did was I purchased some books on marketing. Trust me, there are so many out there! In my research, I found a gem I would like to share with you.
Catch the Unicorn: Demystifying Book Marketing for Fiction Authors by Denis Caron, is the book you should consider downloading to your tablet, borrow from the library, or purchasing online.
Before I begin, I want to let you know this review hasn't been influenced or requested by the author or publisher. It's my sincere advice and recommendation based on my own ups-and-downs with marketing and what helped me develop a successful plan.
Catch the Unicorn: Demystifying Book Marketing for Fiction Authors was published in September 2020 by Denis Caron through his publishing company Weekend Publisher. Denis Caron is an author and has extensive experience in marketing.
This is all great, but what I liked about his book is that it targeted - for both self-published and traditionally published fiction authors - an actual plan. All the other books just didn't come close to the support and direction as Denis's book.
I got the sense of this from his explanation of "What's with the unicorn?"
Just like dragons, werewolves, and mermaids, a unicorn is a beautiful, highly sought-after yet elusive animal, a creature you hear about through whispers but can never reach. This is how challenging many authors feel book marketing can be and why the unicorn was chosen as the symbol for the secrets I'll unveil in this book.
Denis does unveil this mystery by introducing chapters on setting up a good mindset, that you and your book are good enough, elements of conversion, reviews, pricing, exposure, marketing budget, and sells.
As the description of the book says, it will:
Shows you how to target thousands of readers.
How to use budget-friendly tactics to save money while still building an effective business.
Identify what might be bottle-necking your sales.
Avoid the pitfalls that plague new and experienced authors alike.
Build your list of invested fans ready to buy your next novel.
Bonus: Market if you only have one book published.
On top of the book he also has a website caththeunicornbook.com with free resources that you can unlock by filling out a survey and providing your email address.
These resources are:
Video Tutorials
Cover copy examples and recommendations
Book promotion strategies and services
Guide to Amazon Ads
Book launch checklist
Author website examples
1-0n-1 coaching services (this is not free)
Denis Carson also provides a Facebook group, Weekend Publisher, you may join to ask questions or promote your book.
While I would love to divulge in all of Denis' secrets, as a fellow author, I will keep that a secret and highly recommend you purchase the book. It's the same courtesy I hope other author's will give my book. After all, we must support each other!
What other marketing books would your recommend?