Hello Creatives!

Today I’m breaking down some key branding and marketing strategies for the publishing industry. These strategies help create a successful book launch.

But first things first:

Who needs to understand branding & marketing strategy in publishing?

In general, there are three categories of people in the publishing industry who need to understand branding and marketing strategy.

1) Boutique publishing houses need to understand branding and marketing strategyso they can serve their authors' debut novels & back list catalog.

2) Literary agencies need to understand branding and marketing strategy so they can assist their authors in the process building their author brands.

3) Both traditional and indie authors need to understand branding and marketing strategy so they can bridge the gap in their publishing house's branding and marketing services –if they have any, which many do not.

What are the biggest branding and marketing strategies in filmmaking right now?

The publishing industry has been slow to adopt innovation, but there are exceptions in the last few years. Here are a few options available to you as an aspiring author or publishing professional:

1. Create digital advertising campaigns on niche websites such as BookBub & Goodreads. Digital marketing is way more than just Facebook and Instagram. There are lots of niche book websites out there you can leverage with some ad dollars.

2. Build an email newsletter with author-specific tools such as BookFunnel & StoryOrigin. Again, publishing is such a niche that new tools are being developed to cater to it.

3. Build your own online book store with tools like Shopify, Aer.io and Bookshop.org. Having your own landing page to redirect traffic to is critical to building a brand and marketing your book.

4. Secure influencer reviews with services like Reedsy, BookSprout & LibraryThing. No matter your budget, you too can get reviewers to spread the word about your book!

5. Enter your book into genre-specific awards o boost visibility & notoriety. You can start your search to find awards for indie authors here.
   

Another tip I have for staying up to date on the latest happening in the publishing industry is to listen to podcasts and find bloggers who are also publishing professionals. I have binged more than my fair share of the IngramSpark’s Go Publish Yourself Podcast. I highly encourage anyone interested in the field to listen to a few.

I hope this post was helpful. If you are an aspiring or seasoned author or publishing professional, let me know in the comments below what strategies you have used! I would love to hear from you.

Until Next Time,

Rochele

P.S. If you are hoping to build a brand out of publishing, I might be able to help! I offer a self-paced brand strategy course to get you started on your journey. Need someone to be your marketing strategist? I also offer a consulting service. Ready to get started? Let’s work together!