First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you for following along on this journey. I’m thrilled to share that the LinkedIn newsletter Using AI to Illustrate a Book has grown to over 300 subscribers—a milestone I’m truly grateful for. If you know someone who might benefit from this series, please feel free to share it with them 😊 and let them know about this book!
After just four (4) short weeks, we’ve officially published our book—an incredible achievement! But as exciting as that is, the journey doesn’t stop there. This week, I’ve focused on marketing and promotional strategies to ensure Sh*t, I Need a Job! gets into the hands of readers who will appreciate its humor and relatability. From leveraging social media to reaching out to podcasts and exploring additional publishing platforms, here’s what I’ve been working on.
To start, I decided to promote the book on my personal social media channels, targeting an audience that may not have been following the journey on LinkedIn, my website, or Medium. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allowed me to increase awareness and reach a broader audience, sharing visuals and behind-the-scenes updates to engage potential readers. From this point on, I will continue to utilize my social media channels to update friends and family with what I have been working on to hopefully inspire those who have always wanted to publish a book.
One thing I want to point out is that many people on social media tend to lurk without actively participating by liking or commenting on posts. The private messages I’ve received about Sh*t, I Need a Job! prove this. Some of the most supportive messages have come from people who never interacted with my posts publicly. I share this to encourage anyone considering a similar journey—not every post needs to go viral to make an impact or resonate with your audience. Sometimes, the quiet supporters are just as important as the visible ones.
Podcasts are a fantastic way to share your story and reach a niche audience. I began by searching for podcasts that align with my book’s theme and journey.
- Using Pandora, I found four (4) podcasts in the publishing and writing industry and reached out via the contact information on their websites.
- A LinkedIn connection also recommended MatchMaker.fm, a platform that matches podcasters with potential guests. After setting up my profile, I contacted five (5) additional hosts.
While brainstorming during a long drive across the Arizona desert, I realized I’d overlooked a major angle: Artificial Intelligence. I was missing the gorilla walking in front of the camera (great video for those who have not watched). AI played a big role in creating this book, so I began targeting podcasts in the AI genre. Within thirty (30) minutes, I found three (3) promising podcasts and reached out to them as well. In total, I’ve contacted nine (9) podcasts, and I’ll keep you updated on any responses!
Reviews are critical for building credibility, boosting visibility, and driving sales, especially in the early stages of your book’s launch. Positive reviews not only help potential readers decide to purchase but also improve your book’s ranking in Amazon’s algorithms, making it more discoverable to a wider audience.
To kickstart this process, I ordered 25 author copies of Sh*t, I Need a Job! to share with readers who are willing to leave an honest review. On social media, I announced a giveaway of 20 free copies in exchange for feedback on Amazon.com. This is a great way to generate initial reviews and create buzz about your book. The remaining five (5) copies are set aside for future promotional opportunities, such as giveaways on other platforms or to share with bloggers, influencers, or journalists who might help promote the book.
If you’re reading this in December and would like to receive one of these 20 FREE copies of Sh*t, I Need a Job! in exchange for an honest review on Amazon, please sign up here.
Why Reviews Matter
Reviews go beyond star ratings—they are your book’s social proof. They:
- Build Trust: Honest reviews from real readers provide credibility to your book.
- Boost Visibility: Amazon’s search algorithms favor books with more reviews, helping your book appear in related searches.
- Encourage Purchases: Potential readers often decide based on reviews, especially if they’re on the fence about a new title.
Tips for Authors Seeking Reviews
- Be transparent: Let your readers know you’re looking for genuine feedback, not just positive reviews.
- Engage personally: Thank readers for their time and effort—it goes a long way.
- Create a follow-up system: After distributing copies, send gentle reminders to reviewers with a direct link to your book’s Amazon page.
Getting those initial reviews can take time, but each one helps build momentum for your book’s success. I’ll keep you updated on how this initiative progresses and share any lessons learned along the way!
IngramSpark
Publishing on IngramSpark expands distribution to bookstores and libraries. After creating an account, I:
- Set a 55% wholesale discount for U.S. sales (and 35% internationally).
- I needed to adjust the book’s price by increasing it from $8.95 to $11.95 to ensure a positive royalty of $0.51 per U.S. sale.
IngramSpark also required me to increase the page count from 35 to 36 to meet their specifications. Once files were uploaded, I received a prompt that a digital proof would be ready for review in 3–5 days. Since I uploaded earlier this week, as of this posting, it is now live on IngramSpark.
IngramSpark also has some book marketing tips posted on their website. This upcoming week, I’ll review this and see if there’s anything that we can pull from that download. To view the tips yourself, feel free to click here: https://www.ingramspark.com/lp/book-marketing-self-published-author-download
Blurb
After exploring Blurb, I discovered that their pricing for illustrated books was higher than I wanted to charge. Additionally, they didn’t offer a square book size, which made them incompatible with Sh*t, I Need a Job!. For this project, I’ve decided to pass on using Blurb.
This week has been about building momentum for Sh*t, I Need a Job! through strategic marketing and expanding distribution. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll dive deeper into:
- Taking a look into leveraging Amazon Ads to target potential readers.
- Exploring paid promotions on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- Engaging with niche communities to drive interest and sales.
Stay tuned as I continue to share tips, lessons learned, and progress updates. Remember, publishing is only the first step—the real work lies in connecting with readers and getting your story out into the world!
