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Books - Perfect Bound, Self-publishing Posted by Ann O'Brien on 04/16/2025

Interested in selling books everywhere? Combine marketing tips with a media campaign to create a full launch that will get you noticed everywhere. It won’t happen overnight, but with a targeted, multi-pronged approach, you can achieve your goal of selling books everywhere.

1. Selling Books — Make It Newsworthy

One way to get the word about is to use the media. There are three types, and you should approach each in a unique way.

• Owned media: This is media you create. It includes your press release, author website, marketing materials, and your Facebook page. If you write it, or pay someone to write it, and put it out there in the public eye under your name, it’s owned media. This is the type you have the most control over, and it’s key to getting the word out. On the downside, it takes a lot of work to make your personal media rise above a crowded field.
• Paid media: When you pay for an advertisement or pay to appear on a talk show, that’s known as paid media. It includes infomercials, sponsorships, paid endorsements, paid news coverage, and paying to be on a podcast or other social media outlet. If you pay for it, you control when and how you appear, and since you’re paying for it, you are in charge. On the other hand, paid media is considered less prestigious than other types.
• Earned media: This is the most prestigious type of media attention. If you get a call from a reporter or TV station, that’s because they spotted something they think the world will find interesting. If your book is on a hot new trend or a celebrity who just made the news, you may get a call asking for your take. Earned media is free, and it’s the type everybody wants.

How do you approach the media? If you want to catch the attention of editors and writers, you’ll have to make your book newsworthy.

Start with a professionally written press release announcing that you’ve just published a book. Include a description and any points that might catch the attention of the press. If possible, tie your book to current or breaking news events. That will get attention which results in media coverage.

2. Selling Books — Use the 4 P’s of Marketing

The “four Ps” of marketing refer to the four things experts say you must focus on when you develop a plan to sell anything, especially selling books. It’s a helpful way to think about everything that goes into your marketing campaign.

• Product: Every book is different in some way. It might be the subject matter, language, innovative ideas, or controversial stance. If it’s a fiction book, it might offer a fresh take on an old story or irresistible characters. What makes your book stand out? Before you can start marketing it, you must answer that question. If someone asks, be prepared with an answer that makes your book sound intriguing
• Price: After a buyer decides they might want something, their next question is how much it costs. You want to make a profit, and you deserve to after your hard work, but don’t jump to the highest price right away. You may even want to give out some free copies of your book to generate some interest.
• Place: Where does selling books make sense? If you want to sell books everywhere, start by narrowing down the best places to market your book. Be creative, and go beyond the obvious places like bookstores or online publishing platforms. Take the book directly to buyers. If your book is interesting to chefs, go to restaurant industry conventions. A book about traveling might find interested buyers in an airline publication. A romance about art thieves might find buyers among people who listen to art history podcasts. Be creative when you think about places for selling books.
• Promotion: This is the heart of your marketing campaign. Decide whether you need paid media, owned media, or a combination of both. Figure out what role your social media sites will play in selling books. Test each method, and stick with the one that works best. Your approach should include several promotional approaches, and these may change over time. Flexibility is key if you are interested in selling books everywhere.

3. Selling Books — Try Nontraditional Retailers

You’ve got your marketing plan, and you’re ready to get the word out about your book. Stop for a moment. Have you overlooked some important sources for selling books?

You automatically think of bookstores when you think of retail sales, but books are sold in many other types of stores. Think of all the places where you can find books:

• Grocery stores
• Gift shops
• Home improvement stores
• Big box stores like BJ’s and Costco
• Airport stores
• Discount retailers
• Outdoor outfitters
• Cooking supply stores
• Health and vitamin shops
• Shopping mall kiosks
• Pet stores
• And the list goes on!

How do you get these distribution deals? You get them the same way you get distribution deals for e-books. Work with an online publishing platform like Kindle Direct (KDP), Barnes & Noble, IngramSpark, BookBaby, or Reedsy. They all have distribution deals with booksellers and with major retailers. You can distribute directly to Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and Nook, and then use a company like Draft@Digital to reach other retailers. Explore the options available on all these platforms to help you make the right choice for your book.

You can also approach these companies directly. This can be difficult if you don’t have a connection with people in the retail industry. If you’re working with a professional marketing team, tell them you’re interested in pursuing these retail opportunities.

As in everything related to promotion and marketing, it pays to be creative and think outside the usual, expected ways of doing things. With a flexible approach, you can sell books everywhere.

4. Selling Books — Use Book Trailers

Movies have trailers, so why not books? Book trailers are a new way to promote books. They’re an excellent choice for new writers because they’re still relatively rare. If you jump on the trend now, you stand a good chance of getting ahead of others using this technique.

Book trailers now appear on YouTube, TikTok, and other sites. They’re a fun way to attract new readers in a fresh way, and that will help you sell books everywhere.

What is a book trailer? It’s a video that presents the main characters and main conflict of your story in a short film. It uses actors, a setting, and music to create interest in the story. And you don’t need a full studio and camera crew to produce one. You can make a simple video using a local setting, volunteer actors, and a basic video camera. Your production quality won’t be outstanding, but you can still create a video that entices readers to learn how the story ends.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made video production easier, but it’s still a fair chunk of work. If you don’t want to take on more work, you can hire someone to do it for you.

5. Selling Books — Create a Strong Marketing Package

Your goal to sell books everywhere starts with the right marketing package. Make sure you have the following items before you begin your marketing push:

• Press release: The press release is an announcement to the press that you’ve published a book. It should be brief and informative.
• Book blurb: A book blurb is a succinct description of the book’s characters, story, and genre that entices readers to learn more.
• Author bio: Include your author photo.
• Book cover: Add a high-quality color image of your book cover.

Once your marketing package is ready, you’ll need both print and digital versions. Use the print version to approach reviewers, media representatives, and book retailers. The digital version should be ready to go if someone requests it.

Selling Books Everywhere

With a creative, flexible approach to book marketing, you can find the right retailers, reach new readers, and sell more books. We hope you found these tips helpful. If we can help with any aspect of printing your book, contact Dazzle Printing.