She had pitched an essay about her book’s topic to a major (MAJOR!) daily newspaper hoping that the essay would be published when her book was released. The publication held on to the essay, finally publishing it — gulp — 15 months after the book’s publication date.

Woe is she, the author lamented. “It won’t help the book,” she wrote.

I beg to differ.

In my response, I told her, “It will help it now just as much as it would have if the article appeared the week your book was published. As long as the book is available for purchase, you should be promoting it and publicity like this should be a big piece of that effort.”

Book marketing doesn’t end with the book launch

The author’s reaction to this significant book publicity success — responding sadly with “If only!” instead of clapping her hands together with glee — points out a common misconception among authors and many professional book marketers.

Most think that book marketing ends with the launch.

They’re wrong.

And if you’re smart enough to realize that and keep promoting your book as long as it’s available for purchase, you’ll be rewarded with ongoing sales.

Readers don’t look at publication dates

Here’s why: Readers don’t care when your book was published. All they care about is that the book is good.

With fiction, they want a good story. That story is just as entertaining today as it will be five years from now. There’s no expiration date on quality fiction — just ask Beverly Cleary who, at 101, is seeing six of her Henry Huggins books being reissued with special new features next month. The first in the series, Henry Huggins, was published in 1950.

With nonfiction, readers want information. If the content is useful and relevant, it doesn’t have to be new. Case in point: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989, is on Amazon Charts as one of the 20 most sold and read books last week.

And while a nonfiction book’s content has the potential to become outdated more quickly, you can easily update it and release a new edition.

Stayin’ alive

Stumped about what you can possibly do after the book launch to keep your book visible? You can repeat nearly all of the tactics you used before and during the launch. Just a few of the many options you can continue with include:

• Pursuing reader reviews
• Using your expert status to get book publicity
• Turning gem’s from your book into image quotes you share on social media
• Blogging
• Posting relevant content on your Facebook Page
• Starting or contributing to online discussions about your book’s topic
• Guest blogging occasionally or through a structured virtual book tour
• And so much more

What have you been doing already? Do it again!

And keep doing it. Don’t stop promoting your book because the launch is over.

Your book deserves your attention as long as people can buy it. Support it so people discover, buy, read, and recommend it.

What have you done since your book launch to promote you latest book? Please tell us in a comment.