YOU the brand

Remember I said you had to think of yourself as a brand and not be a one book wonder - unless that's your intention. Depending on your marketing budget and time constraints, there are many ways to promote yourself and it's all about finding what works for you and then running with it. For example, something I've picked up on: I don't think having my blog as part of my website is as effective as it could be, so I'm also running this blog alongside it to see how my audience differs and whether anything obvious jumps out to prove one is better over the other.

Over the past few weeks, we've covered the key ingredients to an author platform - having a Twitter and Facebook presence plus any other profiles which work for you, and having your own website and the all important blog. We've also looked at following blogs across the publishing spectrum from Agents and Editors to marketing gurus and your fellow writers. Commenting on these and guest posting. Running a blog tour with competitions and securing reviews for your book. Attending events and networking with the industry professionals and other writers, and talking to local libraries and local book stores to run book signings and Meet The Author Q&A sessions.

So what else can you do?

Here are a few more ideas:

• Design a set of business cards
• Use Vistaprint or similar companies to create promotional items for giveaways
• Run a contest giving away free copies of your book (in exchange for a review!)
• Approach podcasters who are looking for authors in your genre to interview
• Add author videos to your website
• Create a book trailer
• Open up a YouTube channel and post all videos and podcasts here as well

Next up, we'll take a look at the book launch.