by Cami Walters-Nihipali
The book is written. You’ve committed to the indie author publishing journey so you’ve set the foundation and developed your marketing plan. The book, at this point, is probably out of your hands with an editor. So your work shifts from the book, to the marketing.
First decision: How much time are you going to allot to marketing before the book releases?
Many independent authors follow a short-lead model of 2-3 months. Why? Because the book can’t start making money until it’s out in the world, and for series authors (I.e., the romance category) the consistent release of news books to a voracious reader base is profitable. When deciding how much time to allot to marketing, it’s critical to consider your author business goals as well as your space in the industry. For example, a brand new author who is releasing their debut novel would benefit from more time to expand exposure given they are working to get their name, brand, and first book to market, while an established indie author might not need as much time.
Additionally, you need to consider your process and what works for you. Some people write books very quickly. Some take time. Set realistic creative expectations for yourself first rather than committing to a routine that won’t work which might create unrealistic expectations for your readers thereby creating disappointment. For example, I know it takes me around a year from drafting to publication to create a new book. If I put myself on a six month timeline, I’m setting myself up for burnout, missed deadlines, and fanbase disappointment when I struggle to meet it.
Research shows that consumers need at minimum 10 interactions (some sources say 15) with a product before they will buy it. Keeping that in mind, how do you facilitate those 10 interactions? That alone indicates that time is your ally in marketing. The more time you have to establish visibility and a relationship between your, your book and readers, the better. This is why traditional publishing which is notoriously slow follows a long lead model (6-9 months and in some cases 12 months).
I have worked with a 5-6 month model, stage three hitting around 9-12 weeks (months 3-4 though even by this point when the cover is revealed, I have already been sharing the work). I have found this has worked for me, and seems to be a good fit for my own goals and abilities. Is it the only way? Nope. A lot of this is trial, error, modification and experience, but the one fact I’ve learned: TIME IS YOUR FRIEND.
Implement your Marketing Plan
And so now that you have your timeline… its time to get started.
Reveal the Book Cover
I’s time for the great cover reveal Once this has occurred, that cover becomes everything. It’s on everything, included in everything, and part of everything. VISIBILITY, my friends, is the goal.
Create Marketing Materials
With the cover revealed, you can create new marketing materials. What? Flyers, your media kit, and an update of your online spaces.
Hopefully there’s some tools in here to help you. As always, send me an email if you have a specific question. You can subscribe to my newsletter for more tools and tips.