Marketing your book is essential to its - and your - success but it needn't be a costly process. Here are some ideas that won't cost you anything and can even be fun.

1. Offer to appear at local bookstores to promote the book. Give a short talk about the subject matter, meet "fans" and do book signings.

2. You can always advertise on appropriate news groups!

3. Chat rooms -- get people to go to appropriate chat rooms and start talking about this wonderful book they just read. Stir it up, generate interest!

4. Check with local radio and TV stations to secure air time on talk and news shows. Talk about the book, answer questions, make sure you give out the URL of the website. This brings us to #5...

5. There is a website to promote the book, isn't there? If not, there should be. In these tech-driven times, the Internet is essential to any marketing campaign. You must have an innovative, "sticky" web presence if you expect to succeed.

6. Call the local newspaper. There's an author in their midst who needs to be interviewed and have a feature written about him/her! (To this end, you can even do press releases and send them to targeted

7. Find out if there are local book clubs. Call and see if they would be interested in having you come talk to the group.

8. See if you can put flyers out at small book shops. Even some larger book chains have areas where they let people put flyers – you just have to check and see who's amenable to this.

You can even create a small marketing campaign with a strategic combination of ideas. For example, 1 + 8 + 2. First, offer to give a talk and booksigning at a local bookstore. (BONUS TIP: Bookstore chains can be your best bet, especially if they cross-promote between local stores.) Then see if they can supply and post flyers to promote both the event and your book. If they can't, will they let you provide fliers to be posted? Now, advertise your appearance to local e-mail lists, newsgroups and forums targeted to your demographic.

These are just a handful of ideas... be creative and see what you can think of by spinning off the ideas I've listed!

Melinda Robinson is controlling partner in Rodeo City Technology Group, a Texas-based company that offers TMS -- Total Marketing Solutions -- that fit your business and bring maximum ROI. http://www.rodeocitytech.com

• High Prices: A Great Way to Keep Readers from Buying Your Book


• Can You Afford to Publish Your Book?


• Publicity from Thirty-Thousand Feet


• Seven Secrets of Writing a Book that Sells


• Instead of Writing Your Book, Try Talking It!


• The One Big Secret Of Marketing Your Writing


• Literary Agent – Find One At Your Bookstore


• Is Finishing Your Book Your New Years Resolution?


• Six Weeks to Sustained Self-Promotion


• Writers and Predators


• Fail Fast: Succeed Quickly


• Use the Power of the Internet to Sell Your Book


• Self-Publishing 101


• Your Literary Agent—How To Get One Fast!


• Promoting A Book Is Hard!