Out of the Box Book Marketing
Five Unconventional Strategies
Hello, marketeers!
I’m currently helping to promote a new middle grade title about *not* fitting in to a world that just feels like the wrong shape. Aptly, it’s called ‘Square Me, Round World; Stories of growing up in a world not built for you’*, and it’s just a beautiful, neuro-affirming book about celebrating, embracing and welcoming differences.
And we also know the classic Suessian quote:
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
When it comes to book marketing, you have the perfect opportunity to share your differences, to stand out, and to be your unique self (like we talked about last time).
Today, we’re going to explore some ‘unconventional’ marketing strategies that might just draw some wanted attention! Let’s take a look!
Collaborations
Join up with other authors, influencers, and even other artists and different experts to share the promotion. You could hold a live or virtual exhibition with the art from your book or based on your book as done by a painter or photographer. Or if your book contains food, then ask a chef to run a cooking class. Or perhaps a musician can make a soundtrack for your story (I hear Taylor Swift is available).
A Twist on a Book Trailer
Try to create a trailer that’s a little different to the usual animated or page turning videos. Create a mini movie related to the themes and essence of your book. This could include stop motion or other props, or real life people or animals doing a comedy skit or acting out the story. (Props to you if you can get wild animals to act - and that’s just the humans!)
Actually Engage them on Social Media
The usual social media sharing is great, but how about trying interactive posts such as games and quizzes, or asking your audience to write other creative endings, titles or plot twists for your story, or hosting a live book or themed discussion. Now, that would be social!
Book Drop
What better way to make books more accessible to our favourite readers - children - than to engage in a book drop? Like fantastic initiatives such as International Book Giving Day #internationalbookgivingday and The Book Bench Project #thebookbenchproject, you could add your own book (with a special note and web link) to the stack you are giving away or strategically placing in a public area. And you can do this anywhere and any time of the year!
Book Swap
Organise an event to boost community morale and find new readers with a book exchange. You can arrange this as an in-person event or coordinate an online list to match a reader to a book (you could keep it a surprise, kind of like a Kris Kringle!), then each participant sends out their book to the receiver. Who doesn’t love book mail?!
We all have our individual unique qualities, and our book marketing strategy doesn’t have to be any different… well, actually, it does! Try some ‘out of the box’ ideas and you might just stand out from the crowd!
Leave a comment if you have any other ‘unconventional’ marketing tips!
#thanksfortouringwithus
Romi x
*Square Me, Round World, written by Chelsea Luker, illustrated by Eliza Fricker. Published by Connect Us Psychology.
With regard to Point #2: I am a children's author, and also a puppeteer/puppet builder. I bring characters to life for myself and others. As a creative marketing strategy, a video can be made using the puppet to promote the book, by acting out or reading some of a particular chapter, especially the opening chapter. You could even have them doing a send-up type advertisement. This engages the prospective buyers/readers with a great hook, as we are visually inclined. Have fun with it!