Are you banging your head on the wall trying to sell your book even though it’s a really freaking good book?

Fear not, you are in the club with all the other wonderfully talented authors who signed up to write, not become a marketer. The hit the wall moment is when you need to convert attention to book sales.

Because… it’s not your book that’s bad. It’s how you’re marketing it.

Here are three strategies to help you market better with content that actually converts to book sales.

1: Build Trust with Your Audience

Buying from strangers is hard to do. I’m not talking about being their new best friend, but someone will buy from you if they feel like they connect with you on some level.

Leading with “Buy my book!” on day one breaks trust before it starts. They’re turned off because you didn’t even buy them dinner first, honestly.

Instead, share behind the scenes content, short snippets, or relatable moments to create interest (and connection).

Actions to take: Post one value-based piece of content this week that doesn’t include a sales pitch.

Tips:

• Create posts like “Meet the Author” or “Day in the Life” with storytelling to bring some life into your brand.
• Use polls or questions to invite interactions with your audience.

2: Stay Consistent

Consistent does not equal constant. It means dependable.

If you only show up when you have something to sell, your audience will most likely tune out and scroll away. Pick a routine (once or twice per week, even) and stay the course.

Actions to take: Choose your frequency of content and maintain that for 30 days. Put it on your calendar!

Tips:

• Batch create 2-4 pieces of content at once and schedule them to post.
• Repurpose some older content to take the creating load off of your shoulders.

3: Lead with Emotions, Not an Ad

This is emotional connection.

Readers want to FEEL when they read (and when they scroll). Market to the experience of your story.

Angst? Cozy and comfortable? Adrenaline from suspense? Swoon-worthy?

These should lead in your content.

Actions to take: What emotion do you want readers to feel? Create content (posts and videos) that evoke these emotions.

Tips:

• Look at reviews from similar books to see what emotions readers talk about the most. Use that to create a vibe in your marketing.
• Use music, pacing, and color to mirror your books tone. (i.e. moody and dark for dark academia or light and airy for contemporary romance)

Now go be awesome

You don’t need to be a full-time marketer like me to sell your books. Just build trust, show up consistently, and connect emotionally.

Start small, stay the course, and adjust your strategy as needed.

And with that, I’ll see you in the next one.