book marketing tips

So… how did November marketing go?

Well, let’s just say it was an adventure—and not entirely by choice. Remember how I had to discontinue my Amazon ads because of that delightful bank card fiasco? Yeah. So November was a full-on freeballing-it month. No ads. No fancy targeting. Just me, my social media posts, a couple of emails, and some strategic free book promos thrown into the universe like confetti.

With limited tools, I leaned hard into my strongest performers: Abuelita ¿Qué Vamos A Hacer Hoy?, Let’s Make Rosca de Reyes, and the Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico series. I decided to make the ebooks free over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend. Counterintuitive? Maybe. But hear me out.

Kids’ books? People love a physical copy.

Pick up your copy today!

Herbal books? Herbalists want pages they can touch, smell like paper, and flip through with a cup of tea in hand.

The perfect gift for the herbalist in your life

So the strategy was simple: let readers try them for free digitally, fall in love, and (fingers crossed) come back for the print versions either for themselves or as gifts. Will that work? It’s too early in December to know, but we’ll see.

As for downloads… I didn’t get as many as I would’ve liked. But I’m hopeful that the ones I did get were from the right people like the families, teachers, herbalists, and curious readers who actually want and need these books.

Marketing without ads is definitely a challenge, but it’s also oddly empowering to see what happens when you rely on creativity instead of algorithms. On to December and whatever magic (or mischief) it brings!

Refresh Your Content Strategy: Make It Relevant, Real, and Rooted

When was the last time you took a step back and asked: Is my content still connecting? If it feels like you’re posting just to keep up, without sparking engagement or joy, it might be time to refresh your content strategy.

Refreshing doesn’t mean starting over. It means getting clear on what matters, aligning your message with your mission, and delivering content that’s both helpful and authentic. For those of us who work with traditional wisdom, like herbalism, it’s especially important that our content reflects the depth and richness of what we carry.

Audiences today crave depth over polish. They want connection, not perfection. And that means your content should teach, inspire, or transform. Whether it’s a story about your abuela’s remedy for a sore throat or a step-by-step guide to building your own herbal apothecary, each post is an opportunity to build trust and share something meaningful.

Here’s the key: don’t just create content for content’s sake. Create experiences. Give your audience something they can use, something they’ll remember, and something they’ll come back for.

How I’m Refreshing My Content Strategy This Month

This month, I’m anchoring my content around something practical, beautiful, and deeply rooted in Mexican tradition: Cold & Flu Herbal Medicine. Each week, I’ll explore one theme: immune boosters, cough & congestion soothers, herbal steams, etc., using native plants and traditional knowledge.

I’ll be sharing herbal profiles, recipes, and personal reflections across Threads, Bluesky, and Pinterest. By grounding this content in culture and care, I hope to offer not just information, but connection.

How are you going to freshen up your content this month?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!