Marketing Your Book on a Budget: Kelly Starling Lyons

I don't know about you but every time I leave the house, it's like $150+tax. Kelly Starling Lyons drops gems on marketing your book on a budget. 

Kelly Starling Lyons is helping us give our books a better chance. Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, teaching artist, and award-winning children’s book author. She has written more than 20 books for young readers that span from easy readers to picture books and chapter books. She reminds authors to keep up the marketing effort, even after the book launches. 

Jada Jones - Book Marketing Plan

Lyons shares the importance of being a partner in helping our books succeed. The biggest investment we can make isn't financial, it's investing in yourself and others. Sweat equity will help put your book on people's radars.

 

 

In 2020, Lyons set out to launch Tiara's Hat Parade, but changed directions due Covid-19. Lyons pivoted to an online "parade" for the book launch of Tiara's Hat Parade. The launch included a Live Illustration Demonstration, a virtual author reading, and an author & illustrator Q&A.

 

Virtual Hat Parade

Her efforts led to Tiara's Hat Parade being selected as the March Book of the Month for Read Across America and was chosen as Read Across America Day! Lyons has a way of extracting the relevant content of her book and creating an experience. 

For example, Lyons dreamed of her book being on stage. Next week, Book-It-Repertory Theater is hosting auditions to transform Tiara's Hat Parade into a stage production through Washington State. 

Always have a call to action when promoting online. Posting a picture? Include a pre-order link. Sharing about an event? Include a link to your website.

 

Example of a virtual book launch by Traci Sorell

Here are six ways to market your book on a budget!

1. Plan a Strong Debut
1. Collaborate with a community partner and develop a win-win relationship
2. Collaborate with Author Friends - Lyons joined forces with a few author friends called the Sewing Circle
1. This circle created joint blog posts, connected with indie bookstores, and offered a package for a bundle of books #teamworkmakesthedreamwork
   
3. Tour the Web
1. Research blogs and bookstores to connect with
2. Plan Zoom Visits to schools, libraries, and organizations
   
4. Offer a Giveaway!
1. Host a giveaway on Instagram/Twitter
5. Build a Web Presence - what's the story behind who you are and your story
1. Amazon, Goodreads, SCBWI, Website, FaceBook
6. Present at conferences

Pro-Tip: Recommend a cold call to the youth media specialist at the library and follow up with an email.

Lyon's grandmother often shared 'Nothing beats a can't but a try.' Make your pitch personal and specific. Lyons has proven time and time again, you CAN market your book, especially on a budget. 

Missed this workshop? Check out the video archives here. https://www.scbwi.org/event-summer-conference-2022/video-archive/

Enjoyed this recap? RT the post on Twitter so others can check it out.

Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, teaching artist, and award-winning children’s book author. She has written more than 20 books for young readers that span from easy readers to picture books and chapter books. Among her acclaimed titles are My Hands Tell a Story, Caldecott Honor winner, Going Down Home with Daddy, Christopher Award winner, Tiara’s Hat Parade, and Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations. She’s also the author of popular series including Jada Jones, Miles Lewis and Ty’s Travels which won a Geisel Honor Award for Zip, Zoom. Kelly lives in Raleigh and was named to Good Morning America’s 2021 Inspiration List: Who’s Making Black History. Learn more about her at www.kellystarlinglyons.com.