The answer is NO—and YES. Let  me first say that no one, absolutely NO ONE, can promote your book better than YOU. I’ve been in the publishing game for several years now, and though it does happen, I have to tell you that it is RARE for an author to put in $0.00 towards promotion. So believe Hunter Hayes when I say that I’ve put in my fair share of dollar bills.

By that I mean the larger publishing companies. They used to do it all of the time; huge multi-city book tours, ads in magazines, the full spectrum. But marketing and promo budgets aren’t what they used to be. Nowadays, only big name celebrities get access to that type of top notch treatment. Do you know why the Celebrities get those perks? It’s Because those big name Celebs have already established a platform (audience and fans). 

So what does that mean for Authors like us seeking a bigger platform? That we have to work a little harder (okay, who am I fooling? A LOT harder) to be seen. The good news is that there are several options out there for us that won’t break the bank, but YOU HAVE TO UTILIZE them. Making social media  work for you is a great way to start.  You can design the HELL out of your pages with the help of FREE online sites like Canva. You can set up FREE online accounts with sites like Crowdfire (search for people using #’s even). And If you’re lacking on time, you can automate your posts for FREE with sites like Hootsuite.

More on Promoting yourself on these types of sites will be in a separate blog post, so stay tuned. 

Now onto the big question: But if you’re going to pay somebody, who should you pay to promote your book?

I’d say stick to online sites with a track record. For me, AALBC.com added a big boost in getting my name out there when I was newbie. Troy Johnson runs the website, and he’s really good at addressing the concerns of new authors. What’s BOMB is that there are different payment plans and different offers to suite your budget. Take advantage of all that the site has to offer; put your author profile up, visit the forums(don’t spam though), and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

What SHOULDN’T you pay for? PREACH. Companies offering to tweet the news of your book with low followers or ones that have low engagement (re-tweets and such). Ask yourself what it really is that their service can offer you for your hard earned money. Nope. She, Me, Her won’t be doing that again.

I could go on, but I won’t. I have to give you a reason to keep coming back to this publishing blog, but as you can see, I do know what I’m talking about. Keep in mind that I just came back on the publishing scene but please believe that my numbers will rise. When you give to others unselfishly, the returns are limitless. I’m encouraging you to follow me on EVERYTHANG because I’m promising to make this publishing trip worth your while.

In true HARLEM GIRL MODE, I will begin a habit of ending these posts most accordingly.

I’m out.

Hunter Hayes