Advertising

I wouldn't do it. I'm not sure advertising is the best way to market a book, but if you insist on advertising, you need to identify your target market and advertise in places that target the same audience you want to reach, not just throw up an ad anywhere. Waste of money.

Those books that keep getting mentioned - they talk a lot about marketing, too.

Advertising is expensive and it won't help your book unless you are a known name like Grisham or Rowling or Brown, or when the word of mouth of your book is already strong...

Don't pay for book advertising

Opportunites for free advertising are plentiful. For example:

1. Do readings for a senior citizens' group. Take a picture of you reading to the group, write a press release covering what you did, and send it to the local paper.

2. Read to a school class and talk about writing. Take pictures, etc. In fact, invite a reporter to cover your visit. Pictures of kids sell papers.School like to have guests. Call the principal and line up some visits.

3. Donate a copy of your book as a prize to a local winner of something. I have donated a copy of one of my books (which has to do with horses) to the winner of a large class at a couple of horse shows. In one, I was listed in the program along with my book title. Several people called me and wanted to know where they could get their own copies.

4. Let a local charity sell copies of your book. Let them have a couple of dollars for each book sold. I've gotten a nice mention in one group's newsletter for letting them do this. you won't make a huge profit from this, but you'll make something and you will get your name out in a positive way.

5. Get together with other local writers and have a group reading. Send out press releases both before and after the event. You could offer your groups' services "free" to a local restaurant, library, bookstore, etc. Each writer will have a couple of friends or family members present. Four writers can bring a pretty good crowd with them.

6. Strength in numbers! If you're not in a local writers group, join one. If one doesn't exist in your area, form one. Support each other and publicize all your group members' activities. Radio stations and TV stations are more likely to cover an organization's activities than they are to cover the activities of an individual.

Not free, but reasonable: Have your organization set up a web site, preferably with links to individual members' sites. Here are two examples of sites by writers' groups in Virginia:
http://www.valleywriters.org
http://www.ChesapeakeBayWritersClub.com

There's an old saying in publishing that a good book can sell advertising, but good advertising can't sell a book. There are probably exceptions, but I suspect this is true far more often than not.