What do Duran Duran and Taylor Swift have in common?
Marketing consultant and music journalist Annie Zaleski has written books about both — and did nearly all the marketing herself.
| Friday Feature
There was one marketing observation that was especially helpful when I released my first book in spring 2021, a 33 ⅓ volume on Duran Duran’s Rio: Creating content and promoting content are two sides of the same coin.
At that moment, many brick-and-mortar stores were still closed (or operating on reduced hours) so I relied on social media, virtual events, and online platforms to sell and promote books.
I’ve since released several additional music-related books. Although I’m now able to do in-person events, what I learned from promoting the Duran Duran book remains core to my overall book marketing strategy.
This approach seems to be working: My 2024 book, Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs, spent two weeks on the New York Times best-seller list.
"One and Done" Isn't a Social Media Strategy
I’m still not 100 percent comfortable going all-in on self-promotion, as I’m convinced that people will get tired of seeing my face or being sold something.
However, I always remind myself that my social media content isn’t appearing on feeds in a linear way. Instead, the algorithm is tossing readers my posts at many different times. Some people may never see what I’ve posted at all.
Time and time again, your long-released book — or other product you're marketing — will always be new to someone. To account for this, that means not posting about something once and moving on.
Cast a Wide Net — Then Narrow Your Focus
Over time, you’ll start to see that certain channels produce more engagement and are the ones to focus on. For me, that’s Instagram.
The visual bent of the channel aligns well with colorful book covers, videos, and more personal content, like a photo of your book on a bookstore shelf or posts about your personal life or other work.
instagram.com/anniezaleskiauthor
Instagram is quite a social channel, as followers can comment about and reshare your content in many ways. And you should be reusing your own content — like making a post on the grid and then later sharing it in stories, or pinning important content more permanently.
Find Your Fan Base
Even the best marketers, with an amazing PR team, can’t reach every reader.
That’s where advocates come in: When someone is excited about a book, they’ll post about it online, share it in their newsletter, or even tell a friend offline.
I saw this first-hand with my Duran Duran and Taylor Swift books, since both have dedicated fans who are vocal about anything related to the artists.
Many big artists also have social media accounts or groups where fans gather to share news and content about their faves. A book I released on Beyoncé also landed on the radar of a big Facebook group dedicated to her.
You can actively seek out some of these groups and let them know about a book by joining and posting. You can also reach out privately via email (or direct message, if they’re open to it) to alert them about your book.
Engagement Isn't Just For Your Customers
On social posts about my book, I always respond, whether it’s favoriting/hearting a post or leaving a positive comment thanking someone for reading and sharing.
Above all, be genuine. Marketing doesn’t have to be stiff and formal. Put your own spin and voice into your promotion and engagement — and express gratitude when your book, product, or service does have an impact.
This week's email was brought to you by Annie Zaleski. Editing by Laura M. Browning.
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