These days, authors are forced to do more and more of their own marketing – an incredibly daunting prospect. Marketing is an entirely different industry, and most authors are going in completely blind!

Before you get into trial and error, testing different social platforms, ads, or other strategies, it’s vitally important to start with the right perspective, which will act as a cornerstone to solidify the foundation of your author business, if you will.

So I’ll help you get started by sharing the top 3 things you need to keep in mind at all times when marketing your book:

1. What want or need does your book meet?
2. Will your story make readers feel what they want to feel?
3. It’s not about you and your book – it’s about your reader

What want or need does your book meet?

Our books are our babies. When sharing about them, authors often strive above all else to accurately convey the world and characters that they so dearly love.

But you can’t think of your book from your own perspective – you must view it from the eyes of a buyer.

Who, when showing off their first baby, describes their child to suit what the other person is likely thinking and feeling? No one.

It’s hard, but you need to think of your book as a product that can solve a want or need.

Imagine what a reader feels when they’re deciding whether or not to pick up a book. What goes through your own mind?

For example, “I’m feeling down and lonely, I want a pick me up. Maybe I’ll read a feel-good romance.” Or, “I’m bored and wish I could travel. I miss the beach.” Your job is to make their next thought be: “A pirate fantasy is just the excitement I need!”

When you create your book blurb, or marketing copy, or Instagram reel, it doesn’t matter as much that you convey how amazing your worldbuilding is, how unique your writing style is, or how cool your character will be.

Will your story make readers feel what they want to feel?

What’s most important is to ensure that readers understand what they will get out of reading your story – specifically what your book will make them feel and think.

If your book is a cerebral sci-fi think-piece, but the cover makes it look like a thrilling space opera, you’ll have disgruntled readers dropping it after a few chapters, and your ideal readers will skip past it without realizing that it’s just what they want.

The best marketing is VERY simple. What does your reader want? How does your book meet that want?

EVERY piece of marketing material should answer that unconscious question.

If a reader scrolls through your Instagram and Amazon listing and doesn’t remember your main character’s name, or the plot, but takes away an accurate impression like, “this book will be a dark, emotion wrecker,” then you have succeeded!

Because even if they don’t buy your book immediately, they’ll remember their impression the next time they want a killer, gritty story.

It’s not about you and your book – it’s about your reader

Approach all your marketing efforts from a would-be buyer’s perspective, and you’ll see a transformation in how readers interact with your book. Put yourself in their shoes.

Everything about marketing might sound overwhelming, but THIS one element is where you are at an advantage. You’re a storyteller – imagining the feelings and internal journey of other people is one of your greatest strengths! Leverage it!

Just remember, that when pitching your book, it’s NOT actually about you or your book. It’s about your reader.

You are the wise old mentor stepping alongside a lost young hero who needs a word of wisdom, an eye-opening experience, or a comforting touch. Your book is the tool you use to help a reader reach THEIR goal.

If you can make a would-be reader feel seen and heard, whether you’re chatting with them at a book fair, or sharing a meme on your socials, they will start to trust that your book will also be able to impact them in the way that they want and need.

When selling your book, tell the reader’s story, and how your book will make it better.

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