Writing and publishing a children's book is a huge accomplishment and one that you should be proud of. But now comes the part that many authors find overwhelming: marketing. You may have hoped that simply publishing your book would be enough to generate sales, but the reality is that without a solid marketing plan, your book may struggle to reach the hands of eager young readers and their parents.
The good news? Marketing doesn’t have to be daunting. With consistent effort, you can create a marketing plan that actually works. Here’s how to get started:
Understand Your Audience
Your picture book may be aimed at children, but your marketing efforts should target the people who buy the books for children: parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and relatives. Understanding where they spend their time—both online and offline—and where they search for books to buy will help you decide where to stock yours.
Build a Strong Online Presence
There’s no avoiding it, sorry. In today’s digital age, an author website and social media presence are essential. If you don’t have the following presence as an author you are going to make it harder to market and sell your book.
Get Reviews and Testimonials
Reviews help build credibility as a brand and encourage potential buyers by giving them confidence in what you do. Here’s how to get them:
Reach out to book bloggers and reviewers who specialise in children’s books.
Ask readers for Amazon and Goodreads reviews, as these platforms heavily influence book sales.
Submit your book to industry review sites such as Kirkus Reviews or IndieReader.
Take Advantage of Local and Online Events
Connecting with your audience in person or virtually can be incredibly effective.
You can host storytime readings at local libraries or churches, partner with local schools to read your book to classes and host fun activity sessions around your book’s theme, or even attend book fairs and festivals to make the most of networking opportunities and sell copies directly.
Don’t forget to make the most of online exposure too, collaborating with virtual book tours and online book clubs help spread the word about your book and taking part in online events such as world book day make sure you stay relevant and in front of the right audience for you.
Invest in Professional Marketing
Marketing isn’t just about throwing your book into the world and hoping for the best. To truly succeed, you need a well-planned, strategic approach. Investing in professional marketing services can save you time, increase your book’s visibility, and ultimately boost sales. You’ll still need to work hard, but having a specialist who knows what they are doing and can help you measure the results to see the effect your work is having will help give you the motivation you need to continue.
Whether you need help with social media campaigns, press releases, or reaching the right audience, we have our own expert team with years of experience who can guide you through the process and maximize your book’s potential.
Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can support your marketing journey!
For more information about marketing your book, pop us an email and we'd be happy to arrange a free 40-minute consultation with our team