I’ve had people who are on a tight budget say they are having trouble self-promoting their books. So I thought I would pass on some of the stuff I’ve been doing and I hope it helps you.

First, I want to say I can’t track my results. Since I have a publisher I can’t get to the tracking page on Amazon to see if anything I do is helping. But, I DO know it’s better than not doing anything at all. If you don’t get the word out there about your book(s) then how will people know about them.

1. Give copies to your local libraries. They love to support local authors, and get free books. I gave a copy each to my local town and Dallas. I still have three or four others within 20 miles I can give a copy to. Keep copies in your car as you travel, even on vacation. You might spot a library in a new city to leave one at.

2. Don’t be afraid to talk about your book to people. You may never know who might be interested in purchasing a copy. (Another good reason to have copies in your car.)

I mentioned to the manager at our local Outback Restaurant that my book was out and he bought a copy. A few weeks later at our next visit he mentioned my book to my server and she bought a copy (again, I have a half dozen copies in the car waiting). Easy ten bucks earned.

3. I haven’t tried this yet but I have seen authors signing and selling copies of their books at Walmart. I’ve heard Kroger even allow you to set up a table to sign and sell.

4. Also, check with your local bookstores. Several have book signings monthly. My local bookstore is selling copies of my book for me, just to support me. Half-Price Books also allowed me to set up a table to sell copies. (Funny thing, my local Barnes & Noble told me they weren’t big enough to hold book signings. Not big enough? Come on, have you ever seen a small Barnes & Noble?)

5. Keep business cards on hand to hand out. You never know who might be interested in your book. And don’t be afraid to leave them around. I’ve place some on top of gas pumps before. As well as in bathrooms at office buildings, high-rises, and restaurants. Bookstores and other stores often allow you to leave cards on their counters. Also, keep an eye out for bulletin boards.

6. There are a lot of Facebook groups for promoting your books. Sometimes on a daily basis. I have a list of over 100 groups I usually post to weekly. I don’t do daily because people will get tired and maybe block you. (Don’t you get tired seeing the same commercial during every commercial break?) I usually post between Tuesdays because it stands the chance of being read on those days. Also, on Mondays people usually spend time deleting the emails they received over the weekend without reading them, and on Fridays they are usually busy with the weekend on their minds.

7. Think about adding a link to your author’s page or the book’s page at the end of your posts with a tagline. Something like this…

Take a wild ride in a flying saucer!
www.amazon.com/dp/B07G7DZD7X