Marketing for Introverts

I like to joke that there’s a reason I’m an author and not a speaker. Writing fills me with joy and comes easily. Speaking—whether to one person or (gulp) a crowd—has me struggling to breathe. I can mangle a spoken sentence with the best of them, think phones are pretty much the most terrifying invention ever created, and second-guess every word I say to people for hours (sometimes days) after. 

To be honest, the idea that I had to market my own books was almost enough to stop me wanting to be published at all. 

Thankfully, I’ve learnt some tricks along the way. 

1. Social media is your friend

Seriously. I know, it gets a bad rap sometimes, but when it comes to marketing as an anxiety-battling introvert, social media is amazing because:

• It’s controllable
• You only have to say/show what you want to
• You only have to deal with it when you want to 
• It’s a great way to meet people and get your name out there without too much effort. Easiest way? Comment on posts you like. Not only do you connect with that person/organization, but your name starts to sound familiar to them. You might even make some new friends. 

2. Say yes now, freak out later

This one, similar to the idea of ‘five seconds of courage’, is pretty much the only reason I’ve done any kind of marketing at all as an author. Maybe it goes with being an introvert, or battling anxiety, but I tend to panic first. Which leads to being too fearful or overwhelmed to say yes to what could be (and have always ended up being) amazing opportunities. My default now is to say yes straight off and figure out the details of how to make it work later. Which leads to my next point…

3. Be prepared

• For interviews of any kind, ask for a list of the questions and work out your answers in advance. Sometimes, if I’m particularly nervous, I’ll also write down the name of my book, the date it was/will be published, character names, important facts, etc. Funny how every detail flies out of your mind—including your own name—the second someone asks about it  
• Have a notebook and pen with you—not only do you have your notes available to glance at if need be, but this can be a lifesaver if you need a couple of seconds to compose yourself (after all, looking at your notes or scribbling something down is very author-like!)
• Guest post or podcast? Read or listen to some previous posts. This will give you an idea of what to expect in yours and also who the normal audience is.
• Ask as many questions as you need to—even if they sound dumb. 

4. Change your point of view

When it comes to marketing your books, you’re not selling, you’re helping your readers find what they might not have found otherwise. This change in POV has helped me immensely. Talking about myself is awkward but I LOVE helping people. Thinking ‘what might interest my readers and how can I help them find it?’ is so much nicer than ‘how can I sell more copies of my book?’ 

5. Talk about what you love

It’s always easier to talk about something you’re passionate about. Love novels? Share your favorites or book recommendations (which, bonus, supports other authors and encourages them too!). Write historical books? Share interesting stories or things you’ve learnt along the way. It’s personal, without being too personal. 

6. Proficiency and comfort come with practice

I know, I hate to say it, but it’s true. The more you do these things, the easier they get and the more natural they feel. I don’t panic anywhere near as much doing interviews now as I used to when my first book came out. I’m actually starting to really love all the different ways I get to connect with readers. The more you’re out there, the more you’re learning what does and doesn’t work, and figuring out how marketing works for you. And finally… 

7. Be yourself

Basically, stop comparing yourself to other authors. Marketing is hard enough without the added pressure of trying to be someone else. Find your way of doing things and your way of connecting with readers. If it looks different to what every other author is doing, so what? Readers relate far more to authenticity. Share your heart, tell your story, however that looks for you. 

Happy marketing!

This post was first published on LearnHowToWriteANovel.com