Book Marketing Tips From Beyoncé - Alesha Brown Serves It Up for Us in This BookLife by Publishers Weekly Article

With so much book marketing advice out there, it's always fun to see a fresh take on something we all have to do as part of our journeys as children's and teen book creators.

Beyoncé on the red carpet, Dreamgirls premiere, 2007, 
Beyonce_Dreamgirls.jpg: S Pakhrin from DC, USAderivative work: Truu, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In this great BookLife/Publishers Weekly article, Market Like a Superstar, Alesha isn't saying we need a red-carpet-surrounded-by-photographers moment, but she is taking the business genius of Beyoncé and translating it to the world of book marketing. 

There are seven steps to this Beyoncé marketing dance, each accompanied by a book-world case study:

1) build a community of fans

2) share your journey

3) incorporate the people in your life into your work

4) encourage audience participation

5) thank your supporters

6) create magic

7) have your next offering ready

To give you a taste, here's the "create magic" step:

Step six: create magic. We all enjoy a great experience, so don’t forget to sprinkle yours with a little magic. Ensure that your service or product is worth the investment. If you create a magical experience that makes people feel good, they will come back time and time again, often alongside new followers. Focus on creating immersive book covers, compelling blurbs, and engaging first chapters to captivate readers from the start. Organize virtual or in-person book launch events on Zoom and Crowdcast. Incorporate interactive elements, unique themes, activities, and guest appearances to make your book launches unforgettable.

Case study: Marissa Meyer. Meyer’s book launch events for the Lunar Chronicles series included cosplay contests, themed decorations, and interactive activities, immersing readers in her fictional universe. Readers attended events not just for the books but for the experience, creating a memorable connection with the author and her stories.

Go check out the full article – it's well-worth reading.

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On!
Lee