I recently attended a workshop with Ariel Hudnall from Zg Stories, an award-winning communications agency. Ariel said that while each book requires a unique marketing strategy, there are five cornerstones to every marketing plan:
- Advertising
- Social media
- Email newsletter or similar (Listserv, Substack, LinkedIn newsletter)
- Community/influencer outreach
- Earned media/publicity
Ariel answered my question before I had a chance to ask it: what about events? Doesn’t every author, myself included, have to do a book tour? Isn’t it important to show up in person at bookstores, libraries and community centres to meet people, read an excerpt, and sign a few books?
Not necessarily. Events are a “massive undertaking,” she said. All the scheduling, promotion, and time to travel and host such events doesn’t match the revenue it produces. And that’s AFTER you’ve convinced a bookseller to host you, or found another venue that isn’t too expensive.
The best reason to do an event is not for promotion. It’s to celebrate.
Well, folks, that’s exactly what I had in mind when I organized the events I’m doing in Toronto, Victoria, and Vancouver.
Celebration.
It’s my word for 2025, too! I decided I didn’t want to set any new resolutions this year. Instead, I want to celebrate what I have already accomplished. I want to pause and reflect on these milestones and take the time to enjoy them, instead of constantly moving the goal posts and setting my sights on the next target.
How about you? Have you planned any events to promote a book? What were your reasons for doing so, and how did you measure success?