When you are writing a book with the intention of self-publishing (either fully on your own or through a dedicated self-publishing platform), you might be content to publish solely in your country of residence. However, you may wish to also publish for international markets, whether purely for financial reasons or because you seek global fame or recognition. But if you want to pursue this latter route, there are several strategies you will need to balance—and not all of them involve merely writing.
Overcoming Language and Cultural Barriers
In the course of writing your book in English (for the sake of this discussion), you should consider writing as clearly as possible, so that English-as-a-Second-Language readers will easily understand the narrative, no matter their language proficiency. You might also consider explaining local references in greater detail than usual, or otherwise offering context to key narrative moments, so that global readers will better comprehend and appreciate the significance of such moments.
Once you have finished a draft, your next step should be to send it to beta readers who can review it for culturally insensitive, gender-insensitive, or biased material within the story, and can suggest ways to make your book more appealing to and resonant with foreign readers. In this manner, your readers can feel valued and represented by your story, rather than poorly pandered to or offended by gross stereotypes.
Finally, when you have produced a draft that satisfies you and your beta readers (and thus any potential customers), you can employ a professional translation service to adapt your book into many languages, thus making it more accessible to a global audience (not only foreign readers who can comprehend English).
Increasing Global Exposure
Once your book itself is optimized for international audiences, you can turn your attention to associated marketing materials. You should first commission cover art and other visuals that might appeal to foreign audiences and communicate universal themes that transcend language and cultural barriers (we recommend researching example artwork from foreign-language books in your chosen genre). You can then consider creating accessories such as bookmarks, business cards, and tote bags. As with your book itself, you should consider translating these accessories into multiple languages, to encourage engagement from many foreign audiences.
Once your book is ready for publication, you should turn your attention to how you want to distribute the book. If you decide to use a self-publishing platform, make sure your platform offers global distribution services that target several countries and/or regional readership markets, in order to maximize your reach. It will also be good for the platform to offer relationships with international retailers, so you can maximize the visibility and potential sales of your book. You also want to ensure that the platform’s royalty structure and fees earn you fair compensation for your work, the distribution agreement actually gets your book into the hands of your target audience, and the rights management clause protects your intellectual property. You can accomplish these tasks either through independent research or consultation with lawyers and industry experts (if your budget permits it). If the terms are not initially favorable, do not be afraid to negotiate royalties and rights that allow you to control your content while you sell it to a global audience.
Aside from communicating directly with the publishing platform, you may wish to consider consulting foreign literary agents who represent international authors and promote books in foreign markets. They are likely to be more attuned to the wants of specific foreign audiences and can tell you if your book will sell well globally.
Another great way to increase global exposure for your book is to attend an international book fair. International book fairs are valuable to self-published authors because they allow authors to network with industry professionals and display their work while broadening their reach to a global audience. Through networking, you can discover global publishing opportunities and distribution channels. Naturally, you can also reach a more diverse global audience of publishers, agents, and readers. As at any book fair, you will want to prepare promotional materials and book samples to attract attention for your book and initiate conversations with fair attendees. You will also want to design an attractive book display that spotlights the unique themes and selling points of your book, and to offer merchandise, special promotions, and signed book copies at the display. In your free time, you should attend networking events, workshops, and panel discussions to connect with like-minded authors, industry representatives, and the larger literary community. You should also post real-time photos and updates to their social media platforms, to build buzz and encourage followers to find your book after the fair. Once the fair has concluded, you should follow up with contacts made at the fair, so you can plan future business collaborations or book promotions.
Creating an Effective Global Marketing Plan
Now that you have begun distributing your book, it is time to market it to global readers. Before establishing a global marketing plan, however, you must decide why you want to promote your book globally. Is it just to increase sales, or do you also want to expand your audience and gain a foothold in specific international markets (particularly if this ends up being an excellent long-term benefit)?
Next, you will want to chart the success of your marketing plan by employing key performance indicators (KPIs) and adjust your strategies to maximize your results (based on data analysis and real-time reader feedback).
All the while, you will need to coordinate your marketing goals with greater business goals to ensure long-term growth and personal brand recognition within global markets.
Lastly, you will want to establish a multichannel marketing approach for maximum reach, utilizing e-mail marketing, blogs, online ads, and your social media platforms. As mentioned earlier, be sure to modify your messaging depending on the language preferences, cultural nuances, and interests of that specific region’s readers. And if you do not feel comfortable tackling these marketing strategies all by yourself, consider working with local culture experts and influencers who can teach you how to effectively tailor your marketing to distinct cultures.
Here are some specific strategies to incorporate into your global marketing plan:
- Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques to increase online visibility and appeal to international readers searching for content relevant to their specific needs. In using SEO, research keywords that are popular with global readers who are looking for books similar to yours. Next, add these keywords to your book descriptions and website content, so your book is more discoverable on the results pages of search engines
- Form social media campaigns geared towards global readership, and encourage sharing across multiple platforms
- Employ targeted online advertising to certain demographics in multiple regions, thus increasing audience exposure
- Contact notable reviewers and book bloggers from different countries, requesting features and/or reviews for your books. Alternatively, post a guest blog on an international website so you can introduce your book to a new audience
Whether you incorporate some of these strategies or all of them, have fun with the process, and happy writing and publishing!
By Matt Wade
Matt is an Editorial Assistant at Technica Editorial
