If you're faced with the task of promoting a book, you may find yourself limited in what you can do. When looking for something beyond the traditional press release and advertising, a tried and true method for advertising a book is the book poster. An effective book poster can pull in readers by attracting them to the storyline or subject matter and persuade them to spend time with your words or your characters.
Instructions
1. Decide on the selling point of your book. Is it a nonfiction book aimed at helping people make money? Is it a thriller intent on keeping the reader awake at night to find out what happens next? Whatever the central purpose is of your book, that's going to be what you base your poster upon.
2. Collect blurbs and reviews from those who write in your genre or are experts in your field. Seeing a recognizable name on your poster may entice people to find out more about your book.
3. Write the copy that will grace the poster using the theme on which you have settled. Ensure your copy is not stilted or boring. Try to invoke an emotional response from those who will see your poster.
4. Choose a style for your poster that will complement the book's cover and your promotional copy. Take into account your book's target audience and what will likely draw their attention to your poster. Don't overdo it, however. A cluttered poster will look amateurish and cause your target to ignore your offering.
5. Combine the copy and design elements into an aesthetically pleasing way using the style you decided upon earlier. You may choose to use the assistance of a professional designer or graphic editing program.
6. Have prints made at a nearby print shop. Before arriving, decide on a size you are comfortable with and will suit most bookstores and other locales where the poster will hang. A poster that is too large will be difficult for most places to display. However, a poster that is too small will likely be missed by its targets. If possible, have the poster printed in varying sizes.
7. Construct a list of possible places to contact about displaying your poster. Don't limit yourself to just bookstores and libraries. Other potential places could be independent hair salons, boutiques and other small businesses who might be willing to help.
8. Contact the bookstores and businesses on your list. Ask them if it will be acceptable for you to send them a poster or if it will be okay for you to drop by and display the poster yourself. Independent bookstores are especially willing to work with unestablished authors; contacting them could be the first step in making other arrangements with the store such as holding a book signing.
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