It’s great that you produced an audiobook, but if it falls in the forest, does it make a sound?

Your audiobook needs to be shouted out to your fans and the listener/reader world that you have already identified. It all involves engagement, especially in the social media world.

12 Ways to Go Into “Promo Mode”

1. Create a post on your blog (you have one, right?)  Include a book cover image and an audio sample. The “retail sample” required by Amazon’s ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) is ideal for this post. Don’t forget to include a “live” link for the reader to go to.
2. Post a status update on Facebook, and any other social media that you post on. Link to your book page at Amazon or directly to your Audible or iTunes audiobook page.
3. Email and Tweet about your audiobook going on sale. Respond to or Retweet any commentary you receive.
4. Ask key peers and colleagues if they would help share the news by emailing and posting about your book. Better yet, create the posts and Tweets so all they have to do is copy, paste and post. You will get more success and support if you do.
5. Request listener reviews from all your contacts. Buy the book for them, if necessary.
6. Link your Audible reviews back to your Author Page on Amazon and post on your website with the appropriate links.
7. Add a link or “Buy Now” graphic to your website and blog so that people can buy your audiobook with one click.
8. Participate in webinars, use Google+ Hangouts, Periscope, Blabs and Twitter chats to reach the online audience—promote the audio version as if it’s a completely new book.
9. Interview your narrator.  Have a Google+ Hangout with the person who recorded your book—this is great publicity for both of you. Then create a blog around the interview—double linking it: to YouTube for the interview and to Amazon to buy the audiobook.
10. Create a promotional video (YouTube sample for my book here). A book trailer is an essential tool in the overall book marketing plan. According to ComScore, a video trailer can increase the chance of a potential reader buying your book by 64 percent. You can engage a Trailer expert or use a resource like Animoto for less than $100.
11. Send colleagues and reviewers a synopsis or a code for a free copy of your audiobook. (More about gift codes next time).
12. With future books, try to time your audiobook release with the print and e-book versions, so all of your efforts can simultaneously share your promotion efforts. Make sure you mention all formats in all you do.

Next Time: Using Bounties and Gift Codes to increase sales and reviews.

*This is an excerpt from The Author’s Guide to AudioBook Creation which hit the Top 10 on Audible in three categories last week. Part of The Book Shepherd Judith Briles’ Author You Mini-Guide series.