I live in a village in England. A English village is seen as an idyllic retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. Unfortunately, the picturesque English village which is a backdrop for many rural tale in novels and films aren’t quite what they used to be. We don’t always know our neighbours. Our neighbours don’t always stay long enough to get to know them either. The trouble is we all lead busy lives, too. When I worked full-time I had to travel outside the village, so there was no opportunity to get to know my neighbours or anyone else who lived in the village.
So what has this to do with promoting my work? This is where Facebook comes into its own. Our village has a Facebook page. My friend Ana and I have been posting our walking photos on it for years. These are the pictures we take while out walking the footpaths around the village. By sharing these photos the villagers have come to recognise us while out walking.
Today, I politely asked if it was okay to post details about my novella ‘The Funeral Birds’ on the village page. I explained that it was my first crime novella and if anyone ran a club or meetings and was needing a speaker, I could do a talk on ‘how to get published’. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the results of my marketing. Several people have pre-ordered the book. One lady said she would be interested in me giving a talk, so it’s a case of wait and see what happens next. It looks as though I might found a good place to do some promoting. The key to good marketing is not become annoying. So I shall always make sure that I create an interesting post to go with the news of my latest book.
Have a great weekend, Everyone. Chat again soon. ✒️
It sounds like you are off to a great start, Paula. Good going.😀👍
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Wonderful News, Paula! I’m so happy to hear that your steady progress in marketing is beginning to bear fruit, and that your book is climbing the ranks! Well deserved, my dear friend! May the good times continue! I’m happy to say I’m finding similar results from my author presentation last week, and from having my book on sale at the same time, too. Some gentle reminders ahead of time of social media, staying positive, and not being pushy, helped lead to sales at the Convention and in the week afterwards! It looks like we’re starting to get the hang of ‘self-marketing’ thing! I wish you the best of continued success!
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Very interesting. You could donate a copy to the local library. (Witham Library has all of mine). You could also donate a copy to a local secondary school. There’s always the local newspaper. Oh, and don’t forget you are required to donate a copy to the British Library. Best wishes, and every success
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I haven’t self-publishing, John. So I’m sure the publishers will sort out the copy to the British Library.
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