Market your book everwhere?

Kate Thornton · Jan 12, 2011

Okay, I've been laughing at the stories on some of the writers lists I read about where and how they market their books.

Yesterday while waiting for mu flu shot, I got the receptionist at the dr.'s to order my book as a gift for her nephew. I signed a bookmark for him then & there.

What's your story? Where have you marketed?

...

Soccer Mom · Jan 13, 2011

At Seaworld this summer, I got up from my beach chair in the waterpark and went to get icecream. When I got back, I discovered that my husband had sold a copy of my book to the woman sitting next to us. She ordered it on her Kindle right then and there.

Vomaxx · Jan 14, 2011

I sold one to my dentist.
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http://andiriel.blogspot.com

WCP · Jan 14, 2011

I always put my book in the bestseller stand

litdirt · Jan 14, 2011

Anywhere and everywhere, it sounds like.

litdirt · Jan 14, 2011

Good idea.

zpeteman · Jan 14, 2011

Every now and then I give a few copies to a pan-handler, telling him that he can surely sell them for a few bucks more than those old newspapers he's hocking. It's a signed copy after all.

I always get a kick out of driving by later in the day to see the guy standing on the corner waving my book in the air. Do they ever sell any of them? Heck if I know.

WCP · Jan 14, 2011

zpeteman said:
Every now and then I give a few copies to a pan-handler, telling him that he can surely sell them for a few bucks more than those old newspapers he's hocking. It's a signed copy after all.

I always get a kick out of driving by later in the day to see the guy standing on the corner waving my book in the air. Do they ever sell any of them? Heck if I know.

If I gave my book to a pan-handler, he would use it to start a fire to keep him warm

SandraBeckwith · Jan 17, 2011

My first book was a humor book that explained men to women, so the audience was fairly broad. When I paid my bills, I added book postcards to the envelopes. I don't know if it sold any books, but it made me smile as I spent the money!

Cheers,
Sandy

triceretops · Jan 18, 2011

This is hard to believe, but some famous Alabama ghost hunters came to our house to the "clean the bitch out", and they stayed for four hours. They brought all their gear, I mean everything. When it was over, and the sage odor began to drift off, I handed each one of the team members (six of them) a full-on press kit for Planet Janitor Custodian of the Stars.

You should have seen the looks on their faces. It read, "Gal dang it. This was a setup after all!" Now that's a captive audience.

HTG true story.

Precious. Absolutely precious.

Tri

PinkAmy · Feb 8, 2011

WCP said:
I always put my book in the bestseller stand

That's great! You can leave your book in the space where I've removed Palin's and put hers in humor or true crime

.

Jettica · Feb 9, 2011

These are some great ideas. You lot are crafty.

Tippecanoe1841 · Feb 13, 2011

I've sold 4 copies to residents of the assisted living facility where my mother in law lives.

Smaddux · Feb 22, 2011

Some of these ideas are ingenious! I would have never thought of. Some are just down right funny.

BlackDove13 · Jun 18, 2011

I love this post. It was actually really inspiring. My first novella is coming out in August, and the concept of promo is dauting.

KimJo · Jun 18, 2011

Promo is always daunting... Every time I have a book release, I get a little anxious, because I know having a new book out means having to do more promo.

On the other hand, sometimes promo can be fun. It's also fun when you're talking to someone you've just met about your books, you give your pen name, and they say, wide-eyed, "I've read some of your stuff!" (Had that happen to me at a barbecue a few weeks back. Gave me a high for the rest of the night. LOL)

scope · Jun 18, 2011

The most unforgettable was a one hour, one-on-one radio interview I had with the host of the program which also involved call-in questions from listeners. It involved my first published book (nonfiction) and I had absolutely no experience "marketing" on radio. To make matters worse, the host wouldn't give me any idea of what she would ask me. I was nervous as hell and couldn't tell you one thing I said.

triceretops · Jun 18, 2011

I got drunk as hell and sick the night before my TV appearance. I went to the station in Los Angeles for the 6 O'clock News segment. My eyes were blooshot and my breath smelled like an iguana. I have NO idea how I stumbled through it, but they almost pulled it because of a marginal performance on my part. Jebus.

Tri

jemacba · Jul 3, 2011

WCP said:
I always put my book in the bestseller stand

awesome

sameerjoad · Jul 18, 2011

Sorry to ask, i haven't yet published a book - but how can you make a living or earn anything at all if you market a book a day?

sheadakota · Jul 18, 2011

sameerjoad said:
Sorry to ask, i haven't yet published a book - but how can you make a living or earn anything at all if you market a book a day?

How are you going to earn anything if you don't?
Seriously- the majority of marketing is up to the author, particularly if you are with a small press.

To answer the OP's question- most recently I sold two copies on the plane to the woman I was sitting next to on the way there and to the other woman I was sitting to ont he way home.- I have also sold copies to my dentist and all his staff, my doctor and a hold scad of people where I work. One copy sold to the guy who put in our pool, another to the guy who did the concrete, another to the electrician, you name it I have probably pitched my book to them-

AlishaS · Jul 18, 2011

I love this thread! My book won't be out for awhile yet, but I definitely already thinking about how to help promote my book(s) and these ideas are genius!

pbook · Jul 29, 2011

I let other people sell for me.

And I pay them well.

Annmarie09 · Aug 4, 2011

I accidentally sold a copy of my book to my English teacher, by mentioning it in my personal statement (basically a CV to sell yourself to universities) and having her look over it. I really didn't want her to read it. Especially since she's now forced the rest of the English department to buy it. If word gets round to the students, I will officially be the school weirdo (not that I'm not already).

Cloud Eight · Aug 5, 2011

I sold one to my doctor when she came in the door and saw me reading my Kindle. STarted talking about Kindles. Turned out she loved thrillers.

We talked books more than health. Very cool.

Market your book everwhere?

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

Vomaxx

WCP

bow wow wow yippie yo yippie yay

litdirt

litdirt

zpeteman

Natural born...

WCP

bow wow wow yippie yo yippie yay

SandraBeckwith

Helping authors promote

triceretops

PinkAmy

New kid, be gentle!

Jettica

Superfluously multisyllabic

Tippecanoe1841

Dead poets live forever.

Smaddux

BlackDove13

KimJo

Outside the box, with the werewolves

scope

Commonsensical Maverick

triceretops

jemacba

sameerjoad

sheadakota

part of the human equation

AlishaS

Is swimming with creativity frogs

pbook

Annmarie09

Live. Love. Laugh.

Cloud Eight