| |
| |
|
Book Marketing Information |
|
|
|
Self Publishing Success Starts With Marketing
Self-publishing is not for the faint of heart. The publication process is lengthy, involves a considerable number of detailed, administrative tasks and can be expensive. This is the easy part; the real challenge involves "S & M" - sales and marketing. For an author to become a successful self-publisher, he or she must make a paradigm shift in consciousness from author to entrepreneur, and view their book in the same way that Madison Avenue gurus view the newest shampoo. An author has to be able to do a dispassionate analysis of the market the book was meant to reach. Is its greatest appeal to young people? Senior citizens? Men? Women? Members of a minority group? The definition of a market - or markets - will help to determine and focus the ensuing marketing campaign. Next, the author must develop a marketing plan. How can I reach my market most effectively? Freelance authors are already aware of the plethora of niche publications on the market. Now, instead of contacting these publications for submission guidelines, the self-publisher needs to contact the advertising department for rate and data information. Information such as 1) per-issue circulation, 2) average response rates for classified and / or display advertisements, 3) advertising rates and specs for display advertising will allow a self-publisher to determine the cost per contact. If a book involves specialized information, the self-publisher can afford to advertise in low-circulation, niche periodicals, as the audience of those periodicals may well be the exact type of individual most likely to benefit from the book. Books which were written to appeal to a wide, general audience will have to be marketed with a larger media blanket. Diet, self-help and money management books do better with radio or television publicity. These media have higher costs, but over the long run, the per-contact cost is smaller, due to the greater number of people reached. The question of cost brings us to the next challenge: a marketing and advertising budget. How much are you willing to spend, and for how many years? Launching any new business venture generally requires five years to begin turning a profit, and the first two years concentrate on developing an identity and "brand awareness." In other words, it may take an author two years for anyone to become aware of his / her existence, let alone want to purchase their book! Too many self-publishers give up on marketing after the first year, and wind up selling their book at garage sales. Finally, marketing efforts need to begin before the book is published. If an author builds interest and excitement while their book is still in the "proofing" stage, the outcome could easily be immediate demand upon release of the book. One of my clients did this, and sold 100 copies of his book before he received his first shipment. Along with publications written to help authors improve their writing skills, the self-publisher should reference books or audiotapes relevant to promoting and marketing small or home-based businesses, such as Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerilla Marketing. Promoting your work doesn't have to be torture or outrageously expensive. Well-planned, consistently executed promotion will get your book on bookshelves, as long as you are willing to invest patience and persistence in your marketing efforts. About The Author Jean Fritz is the owner and chief editor for JMT Publications (http://jmtpubs.tripod.com), a company which specializes in helping self-publishing authors get into print. This article is not copyrighted
MORE RESOURCES:
Book-Marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Top Ten Ways of Why and How to Write your Books Sales Letter - Part 1 Authors/publishers are great at getting their books written. But after the initial one-year honeymoon, sales slow down. Do You Long To See Your Books Published And Selling From The Major Chains? To have your work accepted for hard copy publication is a thrilling achievement but to have it bomb at the bookstores is to see your reputation go down the tubes simultaneously.And so to avoid this unpleasant scenario, I have developed over the years a series of 160 vital steps; steps that not only get my books published and into the major chains but selling online and offline as bestsellers in their genre. Raise Your Hand If Youd Consider Giving Up The Rights To Your Book Forever If Random House pulls up to your house with a U-haul filled with millions and wants to buy your book, maybe you'd consider giving up the rights forever. But, let's come back to the real world. Five Tips To Consider When Choosing A Publisher Choosing a publisher probably seems like a complicated task, however, you may find the process somewhat less challenging if you consider the following five suggestions.Research the legitimacy of your prospective publishers. Book Signing: Fun and Profit for Writers and Readers Have you ever walked into a bookstore when an author is scheduled to do a book signing and found no one in the audience? Do you shy away from autograph tables, perhaps fearing that someone may ask you to buy a book? Consider the other side of the equation. A book signing is an opportunity to learn about the author and what makes a person undertake the challenge of writing a book. The Book Signing Tomorrow night is my first Local Writers Fair. I've been looking forward to this one for a long time. Successful Book Marketing The Natural Way - Part 1 Is your mind muddy on book marketing? Do you wake up each day and say, "I'm not a social person and I hate to beat the drum for my book" or "I just wish someone else could market my book for me"?If you could market your book a pleasurable way, you may not think it a chore. Natural marketing refers to the action you take to get the word out about your service and product that rings true to your heart. Navigating the Amazon Sales Ranking First, the disclaimers: Since the algorithm Amazon uses to generate its sales ranking is proprietary, the details contained herein are extrapolated from research and field tests. The resulting consensus finds Amazon's system to provide marginal sales data at best. The Lecture Experience: Part I During the past year or so, I have done nearly a hundred talks about my book, "LADIES: A Conjecture of Personalities." It's about the First Ladies - the OLD First Ladies, Martha through Mamie. Book Titles that Make Big Bucks Do you know how readers decide to buy a book? 1) They get a referral from a friend. 2) They see an interesting book title on the best-seller list. How To Market A Suspense Novel In An Online Multimedia Format If you haven't heard of the author C.F. Sell Your Book with Pennies Imagine you share a huge penny jar with each of your potential readers. Every interaction with a reader either adds or subtracts pennies from the jar. Book Marketing 101 Francine Silverman. Book Marketing from A-Z (InfinityPublishing. Book Promotion Myth -- The Best Place to Sell Books is a Bookstore When authors think of their audience buying books they think of bookstores. This myth sends authors taking the long, arduous road to seeking out an agent, a publisher, hoping their book will become a best seller. A First Time Authors Publicity Kit Materials If you're a new author that has been requested to send publicist materials, you may feel left in the dark on what to send. Here's a list of the usual items. What's Wrong with the Internet? It Must be Broken! After months of scouring the internet, I could not put my hands on the 2 million links various search engines said were available to do my book promotions. First, let me say I perceive myself as an intermediate user of the internet, but maybe my perception was misguided as I searched and realized I couldn't put my pointer on the links I wanted. Sell Your Book At Book Fairs, Festivals & Trade Shows Play a bigger game with your book sales by expanding your audiences at local or nonlocal book fairs, festivals or trade shows. Can't afford a booth or table, rent a space on someone else's table and volunteer to be back for their book. Marketing Virus - Every Writer Needs to Catch It For you writers aspiring to greatness, you might need a virus, before you can be great! You need a Marketing Virus. Every unknown writer needs a virus that will spread like the deadliest bug known to man. Distribute Your Self-Published Book Online 8 Ways - Part 2 If you are discouraged because traditional methods of book or product distribution haven't brought you the profits you wanted, think Internet distribution. This Online promotion method is good for the long haul and costs you little time or money. Attract More Buyers to Your Book: Use Metaphors Surprise your potential buyers. Give them chocolate frosting!After we entered school we had a lot to learn.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
