PR does not sell books. There I said it. If you are doing PR because you think you’ll sell enough copies to get a return on that investment, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Most PR firms will require a financial commitment of thousands of dollars a month, plus require a 3-6 month minimum engagement. You’d have to sell a lot of books to get that investment back. Yet, here I am telling you it’s a worthy investment.

One of the best ways publishers can sell more books is to help their authors become better marketers. Some publishers have already figured out that their best marketing assets are actually their authors. Of course, publishers need to do all the things that work on scale—distribution, general marketing, publicity to mainstream publications, radio and TV. However, authors have a unique advantage. They bring their deep subject matter knowledge, professional networks, and local community connections to the table. All of these are more important than ever as we see disruption in the traditional sales and marketing channels due to coronavirus.

One of the absolute best parts of my job is that I get to spend time talking with and meeting authors: amazing people who are truly passionate about their work. And while I work with writers across almost every subject area, one question remains the same, whether they are writing crime fiction or business self-help: What makes for a successful book campaign?

It’s a tough question, but one I’m going to try to answer here.

Back in 2016, publishing industry expert Mike Shatzkin opened Digital Book World by saying that publishers need to help authors in their marketing efforts. “At the very least, every house should do a ‘digital audit’ for every author they sign that includes concrete suggestions for filling in gaps and improving discoverability and engagement. To my knowledge, not one does.” Today, some publishers do this but the majority do not.

The team at FSB Associates loves trying new tools, especially those that help us streamline our work and save us time. It seems there are new digital tools being released every week, but the list below showcases my new favorites. I use all of these tools on an almost-daily basis. They’re easy to use and will make your days run a little smoother. And for a digital nerd like me, they’re absolute fun.

I’ve always been a fan of social media, particularly for authors. Platforms like Facebook or Twitter allow you to connect with a group of fans, share events and photos, and keep followers updated on the latest news in your publishing journey. It can be a great way to easily keep in touch with a large group.

But in recent years, my personal feeds have become overwhelmed with inflammatory political messages and content from people I haven’t seen (or frankly, thought about) in years. It’s all become too much of a distraction. So, preparing for an election that promises to be insane, I’ve decided 2020 is the year to clear out my social media feeds. If you’re the type of person who is always adding friends, accepting requests from acquaintances, and adding news sites and brands to your feeds, but never removing anyone, it might be time for you to do the same.

The days when authors could expect publishers to do all their marketing are long gone, but unlike others, I think that’s a good thing. The change has forced all of us to become more independent, and have the ability to build a long term relationship with our readers. Many authors still feel that they can farm their online marketing, as a PR and marketing firm I certainly advocate for authors to find expertise when they need it. However new digital tools and technologies, can help you save money for the day-to-day housekeeping. Learning these tools will help save you time and money and allow you more control over your brand.