(Part 2) What a Platform Is and Why You Need One

If you’re just starting out, you might not have a platform at all, or your platform might be small. This is not a death knell for your book, and you don’t necessarily have to wait two to five years to publish your book while you build one. Keep in mind that a platform doesn’t have to include every single one of these elements and you can build your platform with some focus and work.?

Also, keep in mind that you can publish through indie publishers, small presses, and hybrid publishers, and you can self-publish. You still need to think about platform as it relates to how you’ll sell your book, but you’ll think about it differently.?

Instead of using your platform to sell your book, use your book to build your platform.?

To do this, you have to let go of the idea of working with a Big Five publisher, and you need to be willing to think creatively.?

Let's say you only have a couple hundred people on your email list, and you have a small but healthy following on social media. What if you used your book to build your list? What if you sent copies of your book to members of your ideal audience as a gift? What if you gave away your book for free? What if you used your book as a lead magnet to sell a course or a workshop? There are dozens of ways to use your book in a way that helps build the platform that you don't already have.?

You might be wondering how to do this if you're going to go through the trouble of printing and publishing a physical book. If you spend thousands of dollars on creating a physical copy of your book, how can you give it away for free??

First, let go of the traditional way of getting a book out into the world, which includes the printing of thousands of books at a time. With the advent of digital and audiobooks, you can take a lot of creative license in how you publish. For example, I will publish my book on writing this year. My platform is very small, so I won't be going with a traditional publisher. My budget is somewhat limited as well, so I'll be doing what I can to stay within the range I set. Moreover, I have a full life already and have committed to not letting my book launch turn into an incredible energy sap.?

To do that, I'm thinking about publishing in steps: I'll have the digital version available, along with print on demand, later this year. Then I'll do a very small print run of well-designed, high-quality copies of the book to give out to friends, clients, and former clients. I'll record an audio version, but instead of putting it behind a paywall, I'll probably release it as a podcast.?

Notice none of these pathways lead to major money in sales. This comes back to the goals I set. My goal isn't money—it's spreading my work so I can be introduced to new clients and potential collaborators. That means I'm looking at this endeavor as a marketing expense, not a source of income. Any money I do gain from sales will be a bonus.?

How you publish your book is entirely up to you. Get creative with how you reach people and build your platform. You might plan to publish a small number of books and distribute them to your die-hard fans. You might choose to only publish in one medium; for example, podcast hosts know their listeners like audio, so they may choose to publish an audiobook first. The way you sell and distribute the book will be different than if you were going for number of sales. You might sell the book at a steep discount, or create a lot of freebies associated with the book to drive readers back to your website, or you might give it away for free just to get it in the hands of more people.?

Whatever your situation, it’s important to think about your platform and build the right strategy for your goals. The right time to start thinking about your book marketing strategy is at the same time that you’re planning the outline of your book. You need plenty of time to marshal whatever forces you need to make your book successful.