How to sell your book in the 21st century

With the entire clamour coming from all media frontiers, modern-day publishers turn to new ways to tap readers, help them discover new books, and generate buzz about titles. Traditional marketing activities like book launches, book displays, author junkets and book signing events are no longer enough.

The Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), the biggest and longest running book fair in the Philippines slated on Sept. 16-20 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, enumerates the different ways publishers today use technology to promote their books and reach out to the reading public.

E-book samples. To make readers try out a book before buying, most ebookstores offer free samples of titles available for download. Usually one to two chapters, e-book samples allow for reading a part of the book while readers make up their mind. It usually provides the option to buy the full book at the end of the sample.

Book trailers. Trailers aren’t just for the latest movie releases anymore– book trailers are also gaining ground as popular promotion material. Book trailers usually circulate online on popular video sharing sites and other social networks, and show flash videos, animation, or photos set to music, with captions to convey the story. Other variations involve the author or a famous personality reading an excerpt from the book.

Book reviews and blog tours. Book bloggers are now a popular method of getting the word out about a book. Book bloggers can help create the buzz you need with an advance review, a guest post, an author interview, a giveaway, cover reveal, chapter reveal, and more.

Author chat. Aside from regular activity on their social media accounts, authors can reach out to their readers online by holding scheduled live chat sessions. The live chat is announced in advance, and is usually held over a designated social media site (e.g. Twitter, Facebook page, a public forum site). Readers get to ask questions and interact with the author during the session.

The MIBF runs from Sept. 16-20, 10 am to 8pm at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc., and the Overseas Publishers Representatives Organization of the Philippines. For details, call 896-0661 or 896-0682, or e-mail bookfair@primetradeasia.com.