Laying the Foundation—The Core of Marketing Your Books

When I published my first book, I did one thing right—I wrote it for one specific reader.

I started by posting a simple question on LinkedIn, listing four book topics and asking my followers which one they’d be willing to pay to read.

Most people chose the first option.

I hesitated. I thought the topic had already been covered extensively online. But then one follower, Anar Rafiq, responded: “I love your style. You make things clear and simple.”

That changed everything.

I wrote the book with her in mind, keeping it clear and straightforward. I imagined Anar sitting across from me, and I explained each concept as if we were having a conversation.

That personal touch made all the difference.

It became my bestselling book.

Yet, so many new authors make the mistake of writing the book first and thinking about the readers later. They assume their book will appeal to everyone—but in trying to reach everyone, they end up reaching no one.

Don’t make that mistake.

Before you think about sales, ads, or promotions, you need to build a solid foundation for your book marketing.

And that starts with three essential steps: