Top PR and Marketing Tips for Authors Who Want Long-Term Book Sales
This post was inspired from a podcast interview on Alexa’s Publishing Chat with Aimee Ravichandran. You can listen to the episode below.
Launching a Book Is Only the Beginning
For authors who want their books to sell beyond the first few weeks, a smart mix of PR, marketing, and long-term strategy is essential. In a recent conversation on Alexa’s Publishing Chat, Aimee Ravichandran of Abundantly Social shared her best advice for self-published and indie authors who want to create staying power.
Why PR and Marketing Are Not the Same
One of the most common questions authors ask is: “What’s the difference between PR and marketing?”
Here’s how Aimee breaks it down:
Public Relations (PR): This is traditional marketing—bookstore tours, library tours, podcast interviews, media appearances, and speaking opportunities. It’s about credibility and exposure. PR builds your reputation, but it doesn’t always result in immediate sales.
Book Marketing: This is primarily digital—Amazon ads, Facebook ads, influencer outreach, and social media campaigns. Marketing focuses on finding readers and driving sales.
PR provides the content and credibility that marketing needs. Marketing ensures that content is seen by the right audience and continues to engage with those readers. Together, PR and marketing create momentum.
The Importance of Starting Early
Too many authors wait until their book is already published to think about promotion. That’s a mistake.
Aimee recommends starting 4–6 months before launch:
If you want trade or editorial reviews (Library Journal, for example), you’ll need at least six months.
Building a social media presence and testing ads takes time.
Early buzz creates excitement and credibility before the book even hits the shelves.
Marketing is most effective when it builds anticipation and FOMO (fear of missing out). By the time your book launches, you want readers and reviewers already lined up.
How Awards and Reviews Boost Credibility
Aimee stresses the power of awards and third-party validation. Just like business awards raise credibility for entrepreneurs, book awards make authors stand out.
Awards give you something to market without constantly pushing your book.
Editorial reviews provide trusted opinions outside of friends and family.
Even three-star reviews have value—they prove your book is being read by a wider audience.
These forms of credibility extend your book’s lifespan and give you more content to repurpose for ads and social media.
The Short Lifespan of a Book—and How to Beat It
The average lifespan of a book’s peak sales window is only 4–6 months. After that, momentum slows.
To extend your book’s reach:
Leverage PR wins: Use podcasts, interviews, and appearances as content for your digital marketing.
Run ongoing ads: Even small ad budgets keep your book visible in front of new readers.
Repurpose content: Share award announcements, reviews, and event recaps multiple times across your channels.
Plan long-term: Treat your book like a business asset, not a one-time event.
The key is consistency—marketing isn’t just for launch week, it’s for the life of your book. Keep a dedicated calendar of book birthdays and “National Day” observances that correspond to your book’s content. Those two content starting points provide you a strong marketing skeleton on which to build a full year.
Takeaways for Authors
If you want to sell books long after launch day, here are Aimee Ravichandran’s top tips:
Start PR and marketing months before your release date.
Use both PR and digital marketing—they feed each other.
Submit your book for awards and reviews to build credibility.
Expect that book sales slow quickly—but plan strategies to keep momentum alive.
Treat marketing as an ongoing investment in your author career.
Final Thoughts
PR builds trust. Marketing builds readers. Together, they build a career.
As Aimee Ravichandran emphasizes, the authors who succeed long-term are the ones who plan early, invest in credibility, and commit to consistent visibility. Whether you’re a debut self-published author or a seasoned pro, these strategies will help you keep selling books well beyond the launch window.
For more insights, listen to my full podcast conversation with Aimee Ravichandran of Abundantly Social.
