Create and maintain an author's website. Karen Klein, in "Selling Your Book Online," from Bloomberg.com's Businessweek online publication, tells us this is a critical step. Provide links to retailers who sell your book online. Don't clutter an author's page with any distractions; keep it simple. Everything on the website must relate to the book. Don't add advertisements for anything but your book, as these can distract visitors from buying your book.
Provide an excerpt of the book on the website. Allow people to read a portion of the book to intrigue them.
Develop a publicity kit that includes a "sell sheet" of the information about the book, a brief bio and book synopsis. Make it interesting. Add bookmarks imprinted with your book's website, images and title, print post and business cards related to your book as giveaways and marketing material.
Market locally. Check with local bookstores and retailers and ask them if they would welcome carrying your book in their store. Launch this with a book signing in their store to generate more interest. Local retailers have more flexibility as they are usually independent owners. Don't discount a large retailer -- some managers have local autonomy. Be prepared to give the retailer the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) so they can order the book.
Sign up for multiple social media sites. Develop a profile related to your book and create daily content.
Send out a press release online. Create a printed one to send out offline as well.
Check with the local library to see if they are open to a book reading. Distribute bookmarks with your book's website.
Implement a book blog tour. Contact multiple blogs about doing a guest article -- not necessarily related to your book -- but to obtain additional exposure; be sure to include your website link.
Develop a book trailer video. This is easily accomplished using software available on your personal computer. It works the same way as a slide show with verbiage and music. Upload it to multiple free video sites.
Engage family and friends to help promote your book by buying your book online and creating reviews for online retailer sites where the book is sold. Have them help to spread the word to their friends and families via email or word-of-mouth.
Contact online radio programs and offer to do an interview with a mention of your book's title and website.
Conduct a book launch online. Connect with like-minded blogs, authors and online retailers and ask them to participate in your book launch by offering a free digital giveaway or discount on a high-end product they offer. The day of the launch, affiliates mail the launch email to their list, essentially driving traffic to your website to purchase the book in conjunction with obtaining all the free online giveaways.
Sign up for multiple free websites that allow authors to contribute content. Write articles and stick to a theme to develop a following.
Link with other high-rated website pages with page ranks of five or more to generate additional traffic by providing comments on articles or blogs.