Many Indie authors, including me, are looking for the best place to market books. Sadly, there is no ‘one-place’ solution. There is, though, many months of trial and error to find out what works for you best.

You need to take into account:

• Your audience
• Your budget
• Your time
• The genre
• Price

After launching my second book, I went on a marketing frenzy. Although I became a bit burnt out with interviews, pictures, blogs, negotiating, promotions, profiles etc, it was worth it. But I couldn’t maintain that level energy on one thing – after all, I am an author, I need to write!

Now I continue to chip away, here and there, with blogs and promotions to keep the marketing simmering. So I am always pleased to find a new, different and interesting place to promote books and hopefully make some sales.

Opportunity One
Noel and I are in France. We live on a Dutch barge, which we are currently renovating. Noel needed a visa. It was all rather fraught (see details here), however, he needed health insurance from the UK. We found a great company that provides very reasonable quotes and even translated the documentation into French! When I thanked the health insurance company, I told them I was writing a blog about our experience, and mentioning them.

New Promotion/Possible Sales – One
A few days ago, I emailed the blog link to the health insurance company. They shared my website with the entire office, friends and family and told everyone that, for a last minute Christmas present, my book is ideal!

I am often up at all hours, thinking, writing, marketing…

Opportunity Two
A fellow author (ex-army) asked me to contribute a short piece to their Service Military on-line magazine in Cyprus. I could write about ‘anything’ I wanted, (which was harder than I imagined!). I wrote about how I don’t like New Year Resolution lists, but I like looking back at achievements. I talked about how I do like goals and that I remember this phrase to help me out, “If you want something you’ve never had, you’ve got to do something you’ve never done!” This little yarn, led nicely into me talking about my next writing project and my current book that has recently been released.

New Promotion/Possible Sales – Two
The equivalent to a full page advertisement in a magazine, going out to thousands of (UK) people in another country, in other words, a whole new market to promote my book to!

Results?
I did notice a few sales just after I received the insurance email! The ‘short-article’ results will be early next year. Every sale counts.
But it’s the long term results that I am after too. The ‘word’ slowly rolling-out as far and as wide as possible…. someone….somewhere…saying…  “Have you read Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl To Sea-Gypsy Woman? – it’s a great story.”

And you…?
What neat and unusual ways have you promoted your book?