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Marketing & Publicity

Good marketing is an art. Knowing your audience is critical. Get the word out about your book in a compelling and interesting way.

Steps in Marketing & Publicity

  • How to craft your message
  • Social media
  • Search engine optimization
  • Go local
 

A New Way to Sell More Books

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Sep 7, 2016

There are hundreds of thousands of new titles published every year, and the competition for bookstore shelf space is intense. Now there is an enormous opportunity for independent publishers to increase their sales, revenue and profits by selling their books to special-sales buyers. 

The question that usually comes to mind is, “What are special sales?” This term is commonly used to describe sales opportunities outside of bookstores. Also referred to as non-bookstore (or non-traditional) marketing, it can build a profitable revenue stream. 

The best way to exploit this opportunity is to divide it into two segments and sell to buyers in each according to their traditional ways of purchasing. One is the retail segment where you reach buyers using a network of middlemen just as you do through bookstores. Included are airport stores, discount stores, supermarkets and specialty retailers. 

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Marketing & Publicity
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How to Sell Books through Gift Shops in Parks

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Aug 24, 2016

The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016. It seems appropriate to talk about how publishers can sell books through gift shops in parks and historic sites.

There are two major ways to sell to buyers at gift shops. One is to work through independent sales representatives found at http://www.greatrep.com. This site provides several entry points. Contact salespeople directly under “Lines Wanted,” or list your book in the “Reps Wanted” section. There is also a list of upcoming wholesale trade gift shows at which you can exhibit and/or network. 

Second are third-party operators that buy for gift shops in parks and historical centers. They work in partnership with the retail outlets to ensure that their guests have a meaningful experience and can extend their experience by discovering relevant products in their stores.

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Marketing & Publicity
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Author Etiquette: Eight Rules Indie Authors Need to Know to Stay Safe Online

Anne R. Allen's picture
by Anne R. Allen
Bowker | Wed Aug 17, 2016

Everybody tells indie authors to participate in social media, but they usually fail to mention the dangers that lurk out there in Cyberia. Behind a keyboard, normal people can devolve into bullies, trolls, and raging vigilantes. Yes, even in highbrow literary neighborhoods. The weapons of choice are death threats, obscenities, and one-star "reviews." 

A handful of authors have spammed and gamed the system with such abandon that some people are suspicious of us all. There's no way to protect yourself completely from meanies—I've had death threats simply because I witnessed the bullying of a naïve author who broke an unwritten Goodreads rule.However, ferreting out those rules can be daunting, so here are some I've learned by trial and error. Lots of error. 

#1: Don't Spam

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Marketing & Publicity
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Negotiating Book Sales with Deceitful Buyers

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Jul 13, 2016

“Buyers are liars,” is a term some salespeople use to describe their customers. They believe prospective buyers distort the truth to put themselves in a better bargaining position. Regrettably, in some cases they are correct, so be on guard when negotiating the sale of your books to some corporate purchasers. 

According to studies among business buyers (Harvard Business Review, July-August, 2016) about half of people involved in corporate negotiations lie when they have the opportunity to improve their potential outcome. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prepare for – or even prevent – this intangible trickery.  

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When Not to Pitch Your Book

by Rochelle D. Carter
Bowker | Wed Jun 29, 2016

As authors we worry frequently about when the right time to pitch a book might be. While it's never a good idea to be brash, as an author it's very likely that your writing reflects your reality. Therefore, almost every situation you encounter will likely tie itself to you and your book. Thus, the general rule is: if the situation fits -- talk about it! Unless of course you're in one of the following circumstances:

1.    At a funeral. It is our responsibility as citizens to be there for our neighbors first and foremost. Funerals are always emotional situations that need support, kindness, and displays of love more than they need book marketing. So, be there for your loved one in person and in spirit. Chances are, if you’re at a funeral, many of the people there will know of you and your book, and they’ll likely perceive you as a more tender and relatable person if you don’t try to upsell your book at that time.

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Ten Tips for Sales Presentations

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Jun 22, 2016

When making a presentation to sell a large quantity of books, many publishers create PowerPoint slides with many colorful charts and graphs. But data itself does not convince people to buy. It’s the interpretation of data and its application to the needs of each buyer that make the sale. When preparing your presentation, first think about what you are presenting – ideas or data. Then consider your purpose: Do you want to inform, persuade or explore? The answers will suggest what tools and resources you need for each presentation. Here are Ten Tips for Preparing a Visual Sales Presentation .

1.    Do not automatically convert a spreadsheet into a chart. That only visualizes data. It doesn’t communicate your idea. 

2.    During the preparation stage, design skills are less important than idea generation. Remember that form follows function.

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The Most Overlooked Step in Book Selling

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Jun 8, 2016

Negotiating a large-quantity sale can be a rewarding process. If you do a good job describing how your content can help prospects solve business problems, they sign on the dotted line and become customers. However, the euphoria of knowing you will soon receive tens of thousands of dollars could blind you to the job that still needs to be done.

Your objective is not to simply get the order, but to make sure that the sale is implemented flawlessly through the timely delivery of your books. Competent post-sale service makes for a satisfying experience, leading to future orders and recurring revenue. Yet this step is often given cursory attention as the publisher moves on to the next prospect.

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Promoting Your Book with Pinterest

by Rochelle D. Carter
Bowker | Tue May 31, 2016

When someone mentions Pinterest in conversation, a common image that comes to mind is an online bulletin board, paired with the now almost iconic logo. However, since its inception in 2010, Pinterest has become so much more than a simple online application for people to browse, save, and share content. 

Inside Publishing
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Newsletters: The Hidden Secret to Marketing?

by Rochelle D. Carter
Bowker | Tue May 24, 2016

Recently, members of the American Christian Fiction Writers group held an email discussion focusing on the benefits of email newsletters. The main question posed was this: Are email newsletters as important of a promotional tool as some authors claim? In short, the answer was an overwhelming “YES!”  Christian authors, Deb Brammer, Misty Beller, Valerie Comer, Randy Ingermanson and Catherine Castle weighed in to share their success stories, voice their concerns, and provide insight into just how helpful newsletters can be.

As an author, are you concerned about setting up a mailing list for your readers? Do you share a concern over any of the following perceived problems with mailing lists: 

Inside Publishing
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Left-Brainstorming: Creative Problem Solving for Analytical People

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Apr 26, 2016

A core axiom of non-bookstore marketing is that you are not selling your book, but the use of your content to solve a prospective customer’s problem. Showing your potential buyers how to do that may take a little creativity. 

Brainstorming – group thinking to find innovative answers to a particular dilemma – is generally used to stimulate ideas. Apply this technique to finding new ways to solve your prospective customers’ problems and you can develop a new source of significant special-sales revenue.

Inside Publishing
Marketing & Publicity
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Getting Started

Create a Culture of Quality in Your Publishing Company

Thu, November 13

FAQs about ISBNs

Fri, October 24

How to Write a Business Plan as Narrative (Part 2 of 2)

Wed, September 10

A Novel Planning Technique for Book Publishers (Part 1 of 2)

Fri, September 05

Do You Have the Write Stuff?

Wed, September 03

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