PM ADVISORY:

Top 10 Tips for Marketing a Book Using Social Media

By Jeff Furman, PMP

USA

Many book authors today boost the marketing of their books using Social Media (SM). And more and more publishers are starting to appreciate and even expect these efforts, and to consider a writer’s platform as part of their selection criteria when choosing an author, meaning: his or her website, number of followers, blogging history, SM choices, and overall Internet presence.  

Toward helping other authors get published and more effectively market their books, following is my own personal Top 10 SM recommendation list, based on the marketing actions which have been the most successful for me so far with my book: 

“The Project Management Answer Book,”
published by Management Concepts (Vienna, VA, 2011).

And note that you don’t have to be Bill Gates to use these tips.  They are easy to copycat from my hands-on examples below.  And they can be used for marketing other goods and services, NOT just books.

Tip #1 – Start With Building A Professional Website

Publishers, as well as potential employers and prospective customers, will judge your website as a reflection of you and your future writing.  So it’s worth putting some good effort into your site – here are a few suggestions:

• It’s probably worth it to hire a professional to build your site

• Choose a web-designer who comes recommended by someone you trust

• Take a look at some of the sites they have created, and make sure you like them

• Make sure you will be enabled to make future updates to the site yourself.  For instance, verify up-front which program they will be using to build your site, and make sure it’s one of the well-known products like WordPress or DreamWeaver        (and not some esoteric software that may be less accessible / less user-friendly). 

• Make sure you will know how to update your site, and will be granted update access, before you give your final sign-off.  

Tip #2 – Pick A Couple Of Great Mentors To Model From

There are some awesome PMs who are also great marketers, and it’s well worth it to watch and learn from them. 

More…

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About the Author Jeff Furman, PMP® Author Jeff Furman, PMP® has 15 years experience as an IT project manager for Fortune 500 companies in the NYC area, with specializations in application change management, infrastructure upgrades, and development tools support.  He also has extensive experience as a corporate trainer, and in the past four years has trained more than 550 project managers toward their PMP.  And in his Train-the-Trainer classes, he has helped more than 225 instructors sharpen their skills and attain their Certified Technical Trainer certification (CTT+) and Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT).   Jeff is the author of “The Project Management Answer Book,” published this year by Management Concepts.  He can be contacted at: Jeff@Jeff-Furman.com and by phone at (201) 310-7997.  His website is: www.Jeff-Furman.com, and info about his book can be found at: http://web7.pmds.com/mConcepts_ebiz/ProductDetail/tabid/55/ Default.aspx?ProductId=338.