New authors (and some not so new) can be under the impression that once their book has been published it will somehow find its way to it’s ‘audience,’ or that the ‘audience’ will find its way to the book, and the book will sell to ‘everyone’.

It doesn’t happen that way.

Here are three tips that will help you identify and grow your audience.

1. ‘Audience’ isn’t plural.

It sounds plural, I know, and it’s a lot easier to fantasize about an ‘audience’ of thousands than it is to get an audience of one to actually buy your book. ‘Audience’ is an aggregate of individuals. Each of whom must discover your book and resonate with its message or author to the point of parting with cash to purchase your book.

2. Each of the individuals in your ‘audience’ has a name … and a face.

People buy your books, not ‘audiences,’ ‘markets’ or ‘demographics’. Stop ‘selling’ your book to an ‘audience.’ Start sharing your message with Mary, Bob or Judy. If you’re sharing your story with a group or on a blog, or via Social Media, pretend you’re in your kitchen, sitting across the table from Mary, Bob or Judy. Share your message, like your sharing it with a friend over coffee in your kitchen. It’s a lot more likely your message will resonate and your Mary, Bob or Judy will respond by buying your book.

3. Friends share with friends.

Once your book has resonated with a reader, provide a place where your reader, your new friend can share your message with their friends. It can be as easy as a Facebook page, a blog or simply a personal request to share your book with a friend.  People have a need to share with others, you provide the message, the mechanism and ask them to share your message; your reader will do the rest.

Here’s a bonus tip:

Probably the most valuable piece of advice new authors can receive before they publish their book. Don’t wait until your book is published to build your audience! Build your audience now.

• Share your message with family and friends.
• Share your message via Facebook page.
• Share your message via Twitter.
• Share your message on a blog.
• Volunteer to speak anywhere groups will have you and … share your message!
• Anywhere, everywhere there’s an opportunity, share your message!

Don’t worry that you might be ‘giving away’ all of the valuable content from your upcoming book. That’s not a reality. The more you give, the more you share, the more people you will reach who resonate with your message, the more potential ‘real’ audience you’ll build in advance of the book.

Needs some help sharing your message with others? Want to super-charge your audience building?

Click here to learn more about our Digital Media Tour!