Marketing Strategies That Work: Planning Your Book’s Success

A successful book launch doesn’t start on release day — it begins months earlier. Here’s a simple timeline to follow:

3 Months Before:

If these sound daunting, breathe. I hate writing book blurbs, too. Fortunately, there are people you can pay, or you can read books on writing them. I’ve read a couple, and their links are below.

And if push comes to shove (and let’s face it, you’re just starting out, so you don’t have deep pockets), you can use AI.

Before you pop a vessel, just hear me out. In the artistic community, there’s a growing fear when it comes to AI. But there’s nothing wrong with getting help from it — as an assistant. (In fact, I wrote a series of posts on this very subject. Links below.)

As an assistant, you say? Yes. And why not? After all, all the big wigs have them. (Do you really think they do their own research?) And I’m positive most named authors suck at writing blurbs, but they have marketing departments to craft theirs, don’t they?

Well, the playing field was leveled with AI. Now, I’m not talking about having AI write your novel (what’s the fun in that?), but condensing your 300-plus-page book into a couple paragraphs? Why pull out your hair trying to do it when AI can do it quicker?

And here’s the thing: You’ll still need to tweak it. AI does a good job, but it still needs your professional touch.

Don’t just go straight to AI. Try your hand at writing your own blurb. Read the books linked below and see if they help. But if you’re still struggling and your bank account’s anemic (thanks to the book cover, editing, illustrations, ISBNs, and whatever else you’ve just had to bankroll), why not give AI a go?

2 Months Before:

1 Month Before:

Launch Week:

Remember: Your launch is just the beginning. While an effective launch creates initial momentum, sustainable marketing is what builds long-term success.

(And just in case you want that timeline in a more convenient checklist, the link below will take you to it. But don’t just download and go. Check out the other valuable resources on the Writers Resource page that are geared to help you get started.)

Now that we’ve planned your launch, let’s tackle one of the most challenging aspects of book marketing: getting reviews. You can have the perfect launch timeline, but without those crucial early reviews, your book may struggle to gain traction.

Getting reviews is perhaps the most challenging aspect of book marketing, but also one of the most important.

When I published my first book, I was surprised by how difficult it was to get even enthusiastic readers to leave reviews. You’d think I was asking for a kidney!

As a writer, I failed to understand how daunting writing even a single sentence can be.

But don’t let people’s “no’s” stop you because you do need reviews.

Reviews build social proof, improve visibility in algorithms, and help potential readers decide to give your book a chance.

Here are strategies that actually work:

My friend recently introduced me to a review campaign service where authors pay an annual membership fee to connect with readers who agree to read and review books in their preferred genres. Services like Hidden Gems, BookSirens, and NetGalley operate on this model. But Booksprout* (the one I’m going to try) has a multi-tiered system that starts with a free membership.

My friend assures me that this has been the most effective method he’s found for gathering initial reviews. While organic reviews are ideal, these services can help you build that crucial early momentum.

When asking readers for reviews:

Building a dedicated launch team of 15-30 readers who agree to read and review your book can make a tremendous difference. Nurture these relationships — they’re gold!

There are numerous platforms where you can promote your books, from retailer-specific advertising to social media campaigns. While we’ll dive deeper into advertising platforms in our next post, here’s a quick overview of what’s available:

Each platform has its own learning curve, cost structure, and potential return on investment. Again, we’ll explore these in detail next week when we focus specifically on advertising strategies.

Beyond paid advertising, your organic social media presence plays a crucial role in your marketing strategy.

Each platform has its strengths:

The key is consistency and engagement rather than just promotion. Create a content mix that includes:

Your email list isn’t just for announcing new releases. In fact, Newsletter Ninja authoress Tammi Labrecque suggests that selling books shouldn’t be the focus of your email list. Your focusshould be building relationships.

And I agree with her. Does that mean you never sell your books? No. Just don’t inundate your readers with “I want your money.”

She suggests not selling in your everyday newsletter but sending out special sales emails. So, if your list gets emailed every Wednesday, then send out anything pertaining to sales in special emails on, say, Saturday or Tuesday. Keep your scheduled newsletter for relationship building.

So how can you talk about your books without selling them while building relationships?

Well, effective newsletter marketing keeps readers engaged between books through:

But my daily-email guru, Chris Milham, has a great strategy, which he calls the pivot. He starts out his emails talking about something that happened in his day (this would be the relationship-building part) and then pivots into something he’s selling.

Now, I know I just said not to sell in your everyday newsletters, and I hold to that. When you pivot, simply relate whatever happened in your day (or week or month — however long between newsletters) to, say, writing a progress update or maybe a character spotlight.

Is it easy? Nope. It takes practice. But I imagine if you have an active life, you can find plenty of fodder and great pivot points.

Oh, and those exclusive short stories make great “cookies” — that’s what Tammi calls the freebies you give to your list for no special reason or maybe to celebrate a milestone. Cookies can really make your list feel important. After all, they’ve just received free special content from you that can’t be found anywhere else (and if you do decide to sell it at a later date, at least your list got it for free!).

And there’s one more type of newsletter promotion that may work for you.

Partnering with authors in similar genres to mention each other’s books can help you reach new readers. I’ve heard this can be one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies available.

With so many marketing options available, one of the biggest questions indie authors face is: Where should I spend my limited time and money?

Marketing doesn’t have to break the bank, but knowing where to invest resources can make the difference between scattered efforts and strategic growth.

Let’s explore both free and paid options to help you make informed decisions about where to focus your energy and budget.

Reaching out to others can be daunting — especially other authors. I’m an introvert (I think a lot of writers are, actually), so “selling myself” isn’t easy.

That’s why I believe in community over competition. If you happen to write in my genre(s) and would like to explore cross-promotion opportunities, feel free to reach out here. I’m always open to connecting with fellow authors, reading their work, and exploring how we might support each other’s journeys.

A mix of both approaches works best. Free marketing builds genuine connections, while strategic paid promotion extends your reach.

Canva has been a game-changer for me. This user-friendly design platform offers:

Even with the free version, you can create professional-looking graphics. The paid version adds brand kit functionality and more templates.

As a member of AuthorLab, I’ve access to:

AuthorLab really has come in handy. A lot of my marketing material has come from them.

For royalty-free images, I regularly use:

These sites offer high-quality images you can use without attribution, though I always recommend crediting creators when possible.

Marketing burnout is real. (Believe me. I know.)The key to sustainable marketing is:

Not every author thrives on every platform. I find Instagram intuitive but struggle with Twitter. I focus my energy where I see results and enjoy the process.

Set aside dedicated time to create multiple posts or graphics at once. This allows you to maintain a consistent presence without daily stress.

Turn blog posts into social media content, newsletter articles into blog posts, and social posts into graphics. Make your content work multiple ways.

Track which efforts lead to actual sales. This helps you focus on effective strategies and let go of those that drain your energy without results.

At the end of the day, marketing is about connecting your stories with readers who will value them. Keep this purpose at the center of your efforts.

Every author’s marketing approach is unique to their books, audience, and personality. The strategies that work best for you will likely evolve over time as you learn more about your readers and your own marketing strengths.

Start with a few approaches that resonate with you, measure their effectiveness, and gradually build a personalized marketing plan. Remember that connecting authentically with readers who love your brand of storytelling is always more effective than generic promotion.

I’m not compensated by any person, platform, or service mentioned in this post. If you’d like to check out any site listed above, here you go: