In today's publishing marketplace, the success of a book depends greatly on a strong marketing plan. This article will provide you with easy, free, and cheap book marketing, promotion and publicity tips to get you headed in the right direction. You can have the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it; publicity, promotion, marketing and a focus on selling more books should now be a big part of your focus every day.

Make sure you have at least one good AP style press release, which you can send out for the lifetime of your book. Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media. When picked up by the wire services, a press release can easily end up generating hundreds of mentions for your book.

Invest in press release submitting software, or at least set aside time every week to send out a press release online to the press directories. Your book press release should not be written as you would a sales letter or flier, it should be written for the editor and tell about your book in a factual way, no opinion or glowing remarks. Mail a press release to at least 1000 print and broadcast contacts just prior to publishing your title and again and again after you publish; you can never send too many.

Don't underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales. Using press releases for marketing or promoting your book or book's website has become increasingly popular as publishers discover the powerful benefits of using press releases.
Submit articles to online article directories that focus on your book's topic to drive customers to your website. Make sure to promote and market your book each and every day, both online and offline. Contact any companies, corporations or organizations that might use your book for promotions; offer significant discounts for volume orders or for thousands of copies offer a specified amount just above book production costs.

Arrange to speak at local, regional and national events that relate to your book topic; bring books along and have an associate sell them at the back of the room for you. Be your own publicist and send a press release along with a review copy of your book to publications in your book's genre and to book review magazines.

I've seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don't advise it in the beginning or sometimes at all -- get your feet wet first so you know what you're doing.

Local radio shows and television appearances are good but are often forgotten within hours of the broadcast; make sure to make or get a video or DVD copy of any television broadcast for future promotions. It's important to publish a website that focuses on your title; you'll be able to refer editors and customers and all interested parties to your book information with the click of a mouse. Create an online contest and list it in online contest directories to drive traffic to your website.

Make sure your sales letter or flier is first rate; this is the formal presentation of your title to the prospective buyer. You can give away a copy of your book in a raffle at a local function to get more book recognition. Make sure not to overlook the Internet; get yourself interviewed or profiled for sites both about writing, publishing and about the topics covered in your book.

Remember to make sure your book is listed in Books-in-Print; don't assume it's already there. Make at least five telephone calls a day that relate to marketing your book.

If your book solves a problem, focus on this in your marketing. Every day it's important to focus on a wide variety of marketing approaches.

If you apply yourself every day and you promote your book like crazy, you can achieve that ultimate goal of selling thousands of copies of your book; many self publishers have done it. Make sure to do some serious marketing and promotion every single day. Use your book promotion and book marketing dollars wisely; go after all the free and cheap resources daily too.