Want to sell more books?

Let's get right down to business. You wrote a book now what? The question I receive more than others: How do I sell more books? Pretty straight forward. Listen to the experts.

Bedside Reading talking to experts on how to sell your book. 

WEEK 1  - YOUR WEBSITE  & EMAIL MARKETING 

Day 1 | Complete a Website Audit

Your website is one of the most important marketing pieces you have. Whether you  have a dedicated book site or just a page on your business site, it’s important to take a  fresh look now and then to make sure everything is up to date. 

• Is there a clean photo of the final version of your book cover prominently  displayed?
• Is that image linked to someplace people can buy the book? 
• Is there a separate buy button for them to click and make a purchase?  • Is there a compelling description of the book?
• Are there multiple ways people can buy the book?
• Are there reviews posted from Amazon or other sources?
• Are all the links working properly? (Test them!)
• Does the website display properly on mobile? 
• Is there a current author bio included? 

If by some chance you don’t have a website for your book, and you’d like to learn how  to create one quickly without hiring an expensive designer, you can check out this step by-step course from Successful Author Workshops:

How to Build An Author Website FAST!
(Even if you hate technology)  

Day 2 | Create an “As Seen In” Logo Bar  On Your Homepage 

Part of your Bedside Reading package includes your book image in at least 5 of the  different major magazines. (If you haven’t received them, please contact  Jane Ubell Meyer).
You can always go to the media pages on our website. Find the month where your  book is featured and simply grab the additional media that is posted. We do try and  email these media links directly to you as they come in, however, it’s a great place to  visit. 
Example: https://www.bedsidereading.com/media-2022.html Media 2022

This is wonderful credibility for your books. Add the logos or front covers of your  month’s issue to your website with the words “As Seen In” to take advantage of the  name recognition and get people talking. Remember, links and hashtags!
#mmbedside
#bedsidereading 

​Day 3 | Write an Article or Blog Post  About Your Featured Hotel 
​
Take advantage of the months you’re in the Bedside Reading program by talking about  it! Write a quick blog post about the hotel(s) your book is featured in and use our done for-you images to spice up the post. 
Example:  

Here are some topic ideas—try one or write them all. 

•  Talk about the hotel itself. 
•  Talk about your favorite thing to do in that city (or what you’d like to do, if you  ever get the chance to visit there).
•  Here’s an example of what the Mandarin Oriental New York did with the bestseller.

The Wife Between US 

​Talk about your favorite regional cuisine or restaurants in that city. Connect your topic to something in the hotel city. For example, if you’re featured at  Shutters on the Beach, talk about your favorite beach memory or your favorite summer beach reads. Imagine your main character is taking a trip to  that hotel—what might happen on that excursion?

• Don’t forget to push your blog posts out on social media and tag the hotel, as well  as the city. You never know who will see it and share the post with their  friends and followers. 

You can check these links:

• Ideas for a Popular Hotel Blog
• How to write a blog post
  

Day 4 | Create a Freebie or Lead Magnet  to Capture Email Addresses

If you’re not capturing email addresses and building a mailing list, now is the time to  start! You can use MailChimp.com as a free starting point. You’ll need to copy/paste a  special piece of code to your website or Facebook page to start collecting emails. 

You can also try creating a free giveaway and use Mailchimp or a form I use: www.wufoo.com (a form creator) and place that link on Facebook or your site. 

Example:  

​Then write a newsletter to communicate regularly with your email list to keep them up  to date on what’s happening in your life or generate buzz about your next book.
​
Giving away a freebie is a good way to entice people to sign up for your newsletter.  Fiction authors can include a free chapter, a pre-quel, or even a whole book. Nonfiction  authors can give away tip and strategies in PDF form.

• How to Create an Email Lead Magnet?
• How do you write a lead magnet?
• What is an email lead magnet?

If you already have a lead-magnet freebie, create another one! 
Offers can get stale, even free ones. And it’s good to change things up now and then. 

Day 5 | Write an E-blast To Your Email List About Your Book Being In Your Featured Hotel

Have you told your followers about the awesome news? Let them know where  your book will be appearing and be sure to include one of the photos we’ve created  for you.

Just write a quick email, add your photo, and link to where they can buy the book.  Then send it! Today’s task should take less than 20 minutes.

Example: March is “Awards Season” in Hollywood, we’re proud to be where it’s  happening! #waldorfastoriabeverlyhills 
Warning: The words “Oscar®”, “Emmy®” and other awards show are trademarked.  YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THESE TERMS ANYWHERE! Do not violate  anyone else’s trademark. The lawyers in Hollywood have a google alert and will send  you a “cease and desist” letter. - Not fun. 
​
You can check these links:

• How To Create a Successful Email Blast
• What is an email blast?

Day 6 | Survey Your Readers 

Have you ever asked your mailing list to weigh in on something important like  helping you choose your next title or cover design? When people engage with  authors and feel part of the process, they are more likely to buy your books and  talk about them with others. It doesn’t matter whether you actually take their  advice or not. It’s just important that they know you’re thinking about them and  you respect their opinions. 
Go to a survey platform like www.surveymonkey.com and set up a fun survey. It can be  serious, like 

“Which title do you like best” or 
“What’s your biggest challenge with __________?” 
Or it can be just for fun like “Oreos or Chips Ahoy?” 

How do you survey your audience?
How to create a reader survey & know your readers.
​
Be sure to respond to people when they participate. A personal email from an  author can make someone’s day! 

Day 7 | Update Your Bio/About Page

When was the last time you looked at the “About” page on your website? It’s  probably time to update your bio with new accomplishments, book releases,  speaking engagements, etc. While you’re at it, add some fresh photos of you and  your book.

Even though you may not look at your About Page very often, it’s the second most  visited page on your website after the home page. Why? Because people want to  learn more about you. You’re interesting!

One often overlooked item on an About Page (or any bio) is a call to action. If you  don’t tell people what to do next, they will just leave your site and not come back.  So be sure to give them something to do when they finish reading. That could be a  “Buy the Book” button or a link to one of your blog posts. Or maybe an invitation  to call you for a consultation.  

How to Write an About Me Page
How do I create a call to action button?
​
Example: Bedside Reading About Page

WEEK 2  - SOCIAL MEDIA 

​Day 8 | Twitter 

We’ve given you some images pre-formatted for Twitter. Use these to tweet about  your book and your hotel. 
Be sure to use relevant hashtags including #mmbedside #books and your hotel’s  favorite hashtags. You’re more likely to get retweets from them, if they know  you’re out there talking them up. 
Here are a few tweets. Use your imagination. 

I wonder who’s sleeping with my book tonight? 
My book is in the room where it happens 
Guess who is in (Name of city). If they’re going to ________(name of hotel)during  _____(month), they’ll be getting my #book 
Hey ________(celebrity name), staying at ____(hotel) this month? Check out the  books by your bed! 

Day 9 | Facebook 

Here’s another chance to show off the fact that your book is appearing in major  print magazines. Create a photo for each magazine on a photo-editing site like  www.canva.com and highlight your book in the photo. Link the photo to your website or  wherever you sell the book. Presto! 10 days of social media content. 

How do you promote a book on social media?
Ways to use social media to market your book.

Here’s an example: 

(Book Cover + Magazine Cover + Use your own link to Amazon or wherever you  want people to link to) 
 www.canva.com has pre-formatted social media templates.

Day 10 | Header Images 
​
When was the last time you changed your social media header or cover images on  your profiles? Take a little time to swap the image for one that highlights your  book. If you already have one with your book in it, create a fresh one. 
​
Here’s an example: 
My Facebook page has a “gallery” of photos of books. 
www.facebook.com/BedsideReadingUS/

You can do additional research about:

• How do you make a social media header?
• How To Design Good Social Media Header Image
• Header Image Tips For Each Social Media Platform
• Top 6 Tips for Designing a Perfect Social Media Header Image

Day 11 | Instagram 

If you haven’t already, do some research on the most popular hashtags that are  relevant to your book. 

Post the Instagram image we created for you using the hashtags you found. You  can use up to 30 of them in one post. 

Don’t forget to use our Bedside Reading hashtags so we can share your posts as  well. #mmbedside @bedsidereading 

Hotel Hashtags:

#AcqualinaResort 
#hotelcasadelmar 
#waldorfastoriabevelryhills 
#Mandarinorientalnyc 
#Mandarinorientalwashingtondc 
#Shuttersonthebeach 
#simpsonhouseinn 
#peninsulabeverlyhills  

Day 12 | Hotel Social Media 

When you tag your hotel(s) in any social media posts, they will see it and may  decide to share it with their following. This is a great way to put your book in front  of new readers. 

Today, find and follow the hotel you’re in on all the major social platforms. Then  create a new post with the images we gave you and tag the hotel. If they engage  with the post, be sure to say thank you! 

You can do this more than once, by the way. You’re in the hotel for a whole month.  So, create a new post at least once a week. 
​
It’s also nice to share their posts with your followers. They will appreciate the  gesture and often return the favor. 

Example:  Bedside Reading www.instagram.com/bedsidereading/

Day 13 | Pinterest

Here’s another social media platform that’s image-friendly and has loads of readers  interested in finding new books. 

Use Canva to create your Pinterest image, but don’t stop there. If your book is nonfiction, create some tip sheets like “5 Ways to Grow More  Vegetables This Summer” (for a gardening book). 

Pins for fiction books can include character sketches, plot hooks, or just interesting  quotes or scenery. Be sure you upload the pin yourself and include a link to your  website or wherever your book is sold. Images circulate on Pinterest for months,  and people still click through to find the original site.

Day 14 | Explore a New Social Platform 

There are thousands of social media platforms out there, not just the big ones.  Niche sites can be a goldmine of readers. If you’re a knitter, for example, you  probably spend a lot of time on Ravelry.com. And if you’ve written a book about  knitting, crochet, wool, sheep, or the fiber arts, you better believe you should be  spending time on that site! If you’ve written a leadership book for the financial  sector, where are your readers hanging out online? 

There are also lots of wonderful literary social platforms you might want to  investigate including: 

• GoRead.com 
• Litsy.com 
• GoodReads.com 

Today, spend some time digging into the lesser-known niche sites where your  readers may be gathering. 


WEEK 3  - ONLINE MARKETING  

Day 15 | Update Your Amazon Author Central 

You should already have an Amazon Author Central account linked to your books  for sale on Amazon. If you don’t, go to https://author.amazon.com and  create an account. Once there, you should link your books to your name and build  your profile. 

Update the Events section of your profile with an announcement that your book  will be appearing on bedside tables at the __________ hotel during the month of  _____ . 

Add one or more social media photos.
Make sure your blog and social media feeds are linked to Author Central as well,  so your updates will show up there. 

For more information about Amazon Author Central , see:

Tips To Spice Up Your Amazon Author Profile​
Complete Guide to Making A Great Author Page With Amazon Author Central

Day 16 | Guest Blogging 

Many high profile blogs (and even the not-so-high profile ones) need a continuous  stream of content to post. That’s why they often love having guests like you write  articles for them. They benefit by getting free content that they didn’t have to  write. YOU benefit by gaining exposure for yourself and your book in the “About  the Author” bio and links attached to the article. 
​
Today research relevant blogs where your target reader might already be hanging  out. All you have to do to find these blogs is get a little creative on Google. 

For Fiction: Think about the setting and subject matter in your book. Is the story  set in New York City or Montana? Maybe there are some prominent travel blogs  that might be interested in an article. Did you write a romance novel that takes  place on a country estate? Consider looking up some equestrian blogs and talk  about the top 10 books for horse lovers. 

For Nonfiction: What’s your area of expertise? If you write about business and  marketing, google “business blogs” or “top blogs for entrepreneurs”. Do you write  about fitness? Try googling “best health blogs”. If you’ve been in the industry a  long time, you probably already have connections to associations or industry blogs  that might love to have you write a newsletter article for them. 

Not every blog accepts guest posts. So, you can shortcut the process by adding  some special phrases to your Google search. For example… 

“top blogs for entrepreneurs” + “guest post” 
“equestrian blog” + “write for us” 

Today, just make a list of 5 blogs you’d like to reach out to and their contact  information. Sometimes, you’ll just contact the owner of the blog by email. Other  times, they will have a special page telling you exactly how to become a guest on  their site. This is usually in the footer as “write for us” or something similar. Larger  commercial blogs may even have that page in the header. 

For more information, see Everything You Need to Know about Guest Blogging

Day 17 | Create a Pitch & Reach Out to Blogs 

Now that you have a list of contacts for relevant blogs, it’s time to come up with a  great article idea for them. Often the editor or blog owner will want to have some  input into the article, or they’ll want something totally different. So, don’t write the  article until you get a request for it. You’re just pitching for now. 

The article should be completely relevant to their readers and your book topic. If  there’s a way that blog owner can make some money off affiliate links inside the  article, even better! For example, if you’re writing about the Top 10 Books For  Horse Lovers, mention in your email that they can feel free to link out to those  books using their Amazon affiliate links. This shows that you’re thinking of them  and you want them to be happy. 

Here are some ideas for article topics: 
Top 10 ________ for __________. 
How to ________ without ___________. 
When to ___________ and why you should never __________.  7 Ways to _____________ without ___________. 
Want more ideas? Look up relevant magazines online and use their cover story  titles as a starting point. 

Reach out to your list of 5 blogs by email. 

Keep it short and sweet, like this: 

Dear _____, 
I recently came across your article _____________, and it really resonated with  me. You’re doing a great job serving the ____________ community. 

I would love to write a guest post for your readers called _____________.  You would benefit by having free, relevant content to post and you could link out  using any appropriate affiliate links. All I request in return is a bio with links to my  website. 

I am a professional writer, and you can see my work here [INSERT LINK].  Would this be of interest to you and your audience? 

[INSERT SIGNATURE] 

Day 18 | Create a Pitch & Reach Out to Podcasters 

Okay, now it’s time to reach out to the podcasters exactly the same way you did for  bloggers. Remember, these people are working for a living. Your pitch should be  short and to the point. Offer them something of value to their listeners like tips,  strategies, or just entertaining stories. 

It’s a good idea to listen to an episode or two to make sure you understand their  broadcast style. Some podcasts are irreverent and funny, others are serious. You  can tailor your pitch to meet the needs of any style, while still talking about the  same topics. 

For more information, see:

How do you pitch to podcasters?
How do I reach out to a podcast?

Example: Bedside Reading Podcast

Day 19 | Do Yourself a Favor 
​
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all this marketing, do yourself a favor and  consider getting some help. 
We’ve given you a digital marketing strategy for your book, but it’s not always  easy to keep up with everything. It’s much cheaper than you think to hire help. You  can use online tools like Upwork.com to find virtual assistants for as little as $3 an  hour. 

You can also take advantage of internship programs. College students need intern  credit hours, and you need help. Internships.com matches you with people who  will take care of the work for you. 

Day 20 | Find Cross Promotion Partners Online 

Where do your target readers hang out online? What do they buy? What websites  do they visit besides social media sites? When people think of “online marketing”,  they typically think social media. But there are billions of other websites out there!  And some of them might want to display your book to their readers. 

Let’s say you’ve written a romance that features horses. Maybe an equestrian  supply store would be interested in featuring your book. If you’ve written a  leadership/business book, perhaps there’s an industry association that might like to  help you out. Think outside the box and you’ll be amazed at the world of  opportunity that can open up for you. 

Remember that promotion is a two-way street! Don’t just go begging for  promotion with your hat in hand. Offer something of value to the other company  first. Write a blog post about them. Or just put a link to their site on your  homepage. Then send them an email letting them know what you did and why  (because you admire their company, of course). When you offer before you ask,  you’re much more likely to get them interested in showcasing your book in return.  

For more information about:

• What is cross-promotion?
• Benefits of cross-promotion

Here is the link for further research: ​Effective Cross-Promotion Ideas (Plus Benefits)

WEEK 4  -  OFFLINE MARKETING 

Day 21 | Create Your Own Giveaway With Local  Businesses 

People love to win stuff! You can model the Bedside Reading giveaway and  partner with local businesses for the prizes. 

First, figure out the demographic you want to reach. Who are your readers? And  where would you find them in your local community? If you write romance novels,  maybe you could partner with a beauty salon, wine & cheese shop, clothing  boutique, and a florist. Collect three or four items to giveaway in a gift bag. Then  have each business promote it by encouraging customers to sign up to win. 

Take a well-staged photograph of each item like the Bedside Reading photo with  your book in it, and use that image to create flyers to post in relevant places around  town.  

Here’s an example:

Day 22 | Write a Press Release 

Contact your local TV, radio, and newspaper outlets with a press release  showcasing your book or your upcoming event (book signing). 

Need a press release? There are plenty of templates online. 

Example of how to format one: 
​www.mediacollege.com/journalism/press-release/format.html

For more information, see:

What is press release with example?
How do you write a press release?

Day 23 | Contact Your Local Libraries

Libraries love local authors. Go visit your favorite library and talk to the  acquisitions librarian about whether they’d be interested in carrying your book.  They may also be interested in having you do a reading for their patrons, especially  if you’re a children’s author.

Does your book coincide with a major holiday or theme? Perhaps they could use it  in their holiday displays.  

Here is the link for more information: Tips for Authors for Connecting With Their Local Libraries

Day 24 | Make Friends With Local Business Owners 

Friends like to help friends. So, start making friends with the business owners in your area. Do you have a favorite boutique or gift shop you love? Promote them!  Talk them up on social media. Bring your friends in. Offer to share their latest  promotion with your mailing list. When you help others, they want to help you. 

Once the local business community knows how much you support them, they will  naturally want to help you in return. Let them know you’re an author. Show them  your book. They may post flyers about it, or invite you to do a book signing. If  their customers are the right match, they may offer to sell your book right in the  store.  

For more information, see: Promote Your Book with Local Collaborations

Day 25 | Seek Out Speaking Engagements

Think about your book’s topic, your readers, and where you might be able to set up  speaking engagements to reach them. If you’ve got a book about online dating, for  example, maybe you could speak at colleges or even divorce support groups. If  you’ve written a fiction book that takes place in the wilderness, perhaps you could  speak to camping enthusiasts.

Check out Meetup.com to easily locate groups that might be interested in having  you speak to them. Make your presentation entertaining and fun. And don’t forget  to bring books to sell! 

Day 26 | Partner With a Charitable Organization

Think about how your book could tie in with a charity or nonprofit. It could be  anything from a pet shelter to a hospital to a food bank or literacy campaign. Go  visit their website and learn about their mission, then contact them about donating  some books they can use to give away. 

In return, request that they use the book description and author bio to promote the  giveaway to their mailing list. They may even want to put your book into their  physical locations. Some nonprofits even buy books in bulk to give away as  premiums to donors. 

If the organization is local and a cause you care about, consider volunteering some  of your time to help them out. When you give of yourself first, they will naturally  want to help you in return.  

For more information, see: ​ How to partner with a nonprofit

Day 27 | Create or Update Your Media Kit 

When the mainstream media comes calling, will you be ready? Radio, TV, and  print magazines and newspapers need content. They need interesting things to talk  about all the time. But they only pay attention to people who understand the game.  One piece of that is having a professional looking media kit ready for them. 

A media kit is just a page on your website with downloadable information that  journalists and reporters might need. It can contain a lot of different items, but at a  minimum it should include: 
 
• High-resolution photos of yourself and your book 
• Long, medium, and short bios 
• Suggested interview questions for reporters
• Tip sheets that reporters can copy/paste as filler material
• Links to past interviews and media appearances
• Links to where your book is sold 

The whole point is to make a busy journalist’s day easier. They may not have time  to email you back and forth to get photos and a bio. So, they will look for a media  kit where the work is already done for them. 

Having a professional media kit also saves you a lot of time answering queries  from reporters and PR agents. You can just send them the link to your kit where  they can download what they need. 

If you don’t have a media kit already, make one today. If you already have one, it’s  probably been a while since you updated it. So, go back and see what you might  want to add or delete. 

For more information, see: Free Media Kit Maker - Create Media Kits Online - Canva​

• How to make a media kit?
• What should a media kit include?
• What makes an effective media kit?

Day 28 | Get Involved! 

Being known in your local community is an important marketing tool for your  book. And one of the best ways to get known as an author is to roll up your sleeves  and volunteer for a cause you (and your potential readers) love. 

If you’re a fiction author, volunteer at your local library or sponsor an event. If you  write children’s books, offer to come in and read to local school children. Teachers  love it when an author will spend time reading their book to the kids. If you’re a  business or leadership author, how about doing some work with your local  Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club? 

Become a fixture in your local area and people will talk. Make sure you casually  mention that you’re an author. It’s as easy as asking someone next to you what they do for a living. Then when they ask you the same question, you have an opening to  talk about your book. Just have natural conversations with people, and your  message will get out. 

Day 29 | Create a Book Event 

Book signings aren’t just for bookstores anymore. You can create an event for your  book just about anywhere—libraries, gift shops, museums, zoos, even your  favorite bar. Launching your book is a great reason to throw a party, but you can  hold an event any time you like. 

Here are some ideas for you: 

• Host a talk or roundtable discussion. 
• Have a reading from your book. 
• Teach something related to your book. Host a workshop.
• Encourage people to come “meet the author” and get their books signed. 
• Partner with a nonprofit and create a volunteer event for a relevant cause.

Creating an event doesn’t have to be stressful, start small if you like. But get out  from behind your computer and meet some people. 

Stuck for ideas? For more information, see: How to set up a successful book signing​

Day 30 | Start Over!

Just because the month is over doesn’t mean you should stop marketing your  book. If you lose momentum, so will your sales. The good news is you can  always generate more momentum any time you want.

There are thousands of different ways to market a book; we’ve only given  you 30. But if you get stuck for ideas, read back through this little book and  try implementing some or all of the suggestions again. 

We wish you the best of luck with your book and  your career.
Jane & Julie Anne