Write a Letter to Your Readers in the Back of Your Book

Once a reader has finished your book, how do they connect with you? Write a letter that you include at the end of the book. Here’s a sample.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading [Book Title]. I hope you learned [the main point you wanted the reader to learn]. If you have any questions or comments, I invite you to contact me at [your email or website contact page].

Please consider leaving a review wherever you purchased this book. Reviews help other readers decide which books to read next, and I would greatly appreciate yours.

Let’s connect on social media too. You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn here: [add your social media handles].

I look forward to connecting with you. [Your Name]

Readers Do Judge a Book By Its Cover

What’s the first thing a potential reader is going to see about your book? The book cover. Yes, readers do judge a book by its cover. Your book cover needs to catch a reader’s eye and convey its value to a potential reader.

In addition to being visually appealing on the front cover and spine, there is certain information you want to include on the back cover: a blurb about the book, a barcode and ISBN number, and possibly a brief author bio.

Hire a book cover designer who understands your genre. The book cover also needs to look good as a tiny thumbnail on a web search. Your book cover designer will either design a cover that looks good at all sizes or, more likely, design a separate cover for smaller sizes.

Communication and Book Marketing

Thousands of new books are published every day. That’s right, thousands! So how does your book get noticed?

Communication is key. I’ve always believed that communication is the most important skill to have in business–and in everything we do to market our businesses–and our books.

Since you don’t have time to effectively communicate with your audience on every social media platform there is, it’s important to communicate regularly on one or two. Share posts that encourage communication–asking and answering questions.

When you build a relationship with your audience, they will be much more likely to notice and buy your book, and to tell others about it. Books sell by word of mouth and this happens when you build relationships and communicate with your readers.

Continue building your reader base with a newsletter list. Communicate regularly with your list, sharing insights into your writing and what you’re doing, making them feel special and important.

Your goal is not to find the next buyer.

Your goal is to create the next reader who will come back for your next book, and will tell others.

Do One Thing

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Water wears away stone by constancy, not power, not volume.

Marketing with a long vision will serve you better than looking for short-term sales.

Every day, do one thing to market yourself as an author, or to learn more about successful marketing. Here are 20 ideas to get you started:

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9 Ways Authors Can Reach More Fans and Readers

9 Ways Authors Can Reach More ReadersAuthors, both fiction and nonfiction, want to connect with fans and readers. Here are nine ways authors can expand their reader base and create more engagement.
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