Basics of Book Marketing

Basics of Book Marketing (Expert Author's Article Week 3)

What lies behind the fantastic success of some of the most high-profile independent authors? You know, the people like J.A. Konrath and Amanda Hocking, who we read about on the blogs and news sites?

The answer is marketing. That is, communicating the message about their books to a wide audience, in many channels, and over a period of time. Sure, these authors have a lot of other things going for them, but you can't discount all the time and effort they put into spreading the word, growing their brands, and converting readers into raving fans.

If that's what you want to do, too, it's time to get up to speed on the basics of book marketing.

Generally speaking, there are two ways to approach independent publishing:

1. You write the book, perhaps spending years doing it. You hire an editor and polish the manuscript as best you can. When it's done, you produce the book and then ask the question, "How do I sell this book?"
2. You have the idea for the book. You find ways to test the idea, preferably with people who might actually buy it. You use the feedback you receive to shape the book to readers? desires, and then produce the book which they have essentially requested.

Most indie authors, because they are motivated by passion, take option #1. You can market either kind of book, but your results may be very different. With option #1, you're counting on determination (and a little luck) to make your book interesting to people, marketable, and profitable. If you're publishing and selling a book you already know your readers want, you've taken option #2. Whichever path you've chosen, book marketing is essential to helping you reach your goals.

Let's take a closer look at the basics.

Book Marketing Today

Book marketing is a big topic, so to make it more approachable, let's break it down into areas we can look at individually. Taken all together, you should have a complete look at what's involved in successfully marketing your book and allowing it to reach its full potential.

Having said that, the absolute first and most important element of all in book marketing is... the book itself.

Why Books Sell

There is no replacement for a good book. Quality products repay our marketing investment because once other people learn about and interact with the product, they are much more likely to buy it and recommend it to others.

There are lots of different kinds of books, and we can point to a few clear reasons why some books sell better than others:

• It has unique information that's in demand, but that cannot be found anywhere else
• It solves a problem that many people have
• The story is compelling and/or entertaining
• The author is a celebrity
• The book is already selling and people start telling others about the book

This last point is the ultimate goal of our marketing efforts. You cannot force people to buy your book, no matter how much you spend on advertising or how many times you appear in television shows. A friend who tells you that you just "have to read it" is far more powerful than any other influence for most people.

Keep in mind that you also need to avoid building defects into your book, because a book that's poorly edited, hard to read or awkward to handle is going to have significant obstacles finding a wide readership. For this reason, make sure your book conforms to generally accepted editing and design standards so you don't cripple your own marketing efforts.

Okay, let's say you've done your research and put together a book you know people will want. It's been edited, designed, and you're ready to go. What's next?

Marketing is Communication

First, it is important to understand the difference between marketing and selling, two aspects which are often confused by new self-published authors.

Selling is a transaction: one person pays to acquire a product from another. That's not what marketing is about, and you'll be much more successful if you realize that you don't actually have to sell your book at all.

Your duty as an author/publisher is to market the book. Marketing is communication; the process of taking the ideas you've put into your book and communicating those ideas - and your own passion for the subject - to as many people who might be interested in that subject as possible.

How do you communicate about your subject? This is the basis of your marketing efforts, so it makes sense to pay attention to the parameters of your marketing. For instance:

1. Identify who your audience is. Who will respond to the subject you communicate in your book?
2. Speak to those people in the language/terminology they're used to using on this subject.
3. Elaborate on how your approach to this subject might benefit them. Communicate how they will be informed, entertained, or educated by your treatment of the subject.
4. Finally, demonstrate the results by showing how these ideas have changed your own approach to the subject or how they have affected others.

Creating a Marketing Plan

To some authors, this part sounds like going in for dental surgery, and to others it's the reason they wrote their book. Even if you're not particularly looking forward to working on your marketing plan, spend some time thinking about these important points. You'll be glad you did.

First, understand niche marketing. Most indie books that sell well are in niche markets. That is, they may be of interest to only a small segment of the book-buying public, but within that niche they are authoritative, influential, or groundbreaking in some way.

Understanding the niche into which you are publishing is critical for creating your marketing plan. For instance, you will know where the people interested in this subject tend to congregate, online or off, what kinds of books they buy, and what motivates them to want to learn more about your subject. These elements will form the basis of your marketing plan, a step-by-step set of activities that you'll complete to reach the greatest number of people with your message.

Remember that your message is not, "Hey, I just published a new book, buy it." Your message is the same reason you wrote the book, more like, "Hey, did you know that you can bake pizza at home? If you're interested in that kind of stuff, there are recipes and instructions in my new book."

Also, a big part of your marketing plan is likely to involve social media, and there are great reasons for that. Social media is the easiest, fastest, cheapest place to build buzz. It's constantly changing as far as features, yet it is consistently a way for people to communicate and network; and that will only increase.

You can read more detailed instructions for creating a marketing plan in Developing a Marketing Plan and Strategy, or choose a Genre-Specific Plan.

Setting Goals

As with most things in life, if you have no idea where you are going, you're unlikely to know when - or whether - you've arrived. That's why goals are important.

A key part of book marketing is establishing realistic, attainable, and exciting goals. What are your goals? They might be as diverse as:

• Sales targets for a specific number of books sold
• Readership, where sales are less important than spreading your message
• Establishing authority in your field
• Creating a revenue stream
• Persuading others to take action on a social or environmental issue

With each of these goals, you can measure the effects of your marketing efforts to track your progress, and you can read more about goals and planning in subsequent articles in this series. Read How to Set SMART Writing Goals.

Next, you need to understand how to know whether you're meeting your goals.

Measuring Results

In each of the goals I've listed above, there's a way to track your results. For instance:

• For sales, use the reports you get from retailers or distributors and keep a spreadsheet of results.
• For readership, you can send readers to a website or blog for additional information or interaction and use the analytics provided by the site to measure traffic.
• For authority, look at whether other people start to quote you and mention your ideas, how often your blog or Twitter posts are forwarded by others, and whether you start to get inquiries from people who want to partner with you to use your new authority for mutual advantage.
• For revenue goals, keep track of the profit from your book. You may have acquired expenses in getting your book to market, and by tracking this you'll know exactly when your book becomes profitable.
• For persuasive goals, you can track membership numbers or levels of engagement with your ideas as expressed by blog comments, Twitter re-tweets, and the number of subscribers who sign up to receive more information from you.

Nuances of Book Marketing

As you progress with your marketing, you can start to explore even more ways to make your marketing effective. Here are some ideas to get started:

• PR as a marketing tool: Strategically using press releases and other media communications can supercharge your other marketing efforts and can be surprisingly affordable, or even free.
• Audience segmentation: Understanding the dynamics of the audience you're trying to reach can help create offers or marketing communications aimed at one segment or another of the total audience for your book. Read more in Guide to Targeting an Audience.
• Tie-ins as marketing leverage: Many nonfiction books have potential tie-ins to companies or products. With the flexibility of CreateSpace's print-on-demand manufacturing, you are ideally placed to customize your product for a corporate customer who may buy dozens, hundreds, or thousands of copies of your book for their own promotions.

Long-term Marketing

Being a successful independent author means taking a long-term view. Many marketing efforts take months or years to come to fruition, and as you mature as an independent author, you will start to think of other books you can write and publish to further engage your current audience.

Here are some of the strategies you can put in place that could pay off down the road:

• Build a media list: It's never too soon to start building a list of media, editors, influencers, networkers, and mavens in your field.
• Create relationships: Interact with other experts in your field, identifying bloggers, book reviewers, and others interested in the same topics you're writing about.
• Build your brand: Your brand is how other people view and relate to you. Building your expertise, authority, and influence in your niche is a classic long-term strategy.
• Gather an audience: As you continue to publish and market your books, your audience will continue to grow over time, providing a larger and larger platform for all of your books to come.

Do these things, and as the release of your book approaches, you'll be miles ahead in starting to market that book. Communicating, listening to the responses you get, improving your products, and networking within your area of specialty will soon be part and parcel of your independent publishing efforts. And you will reap the success that comes with intelligent book marketing.

Joel Friedlander is the proprietor of Marin Bookworks, a publishing  services company where he's helped launch many self-published authors.  Sam. O. Salau (Africa's Leading Author On Campus Issues) www.samosalau.com Twitter: @samosalau Facebook: Sam. O. Salau Students Self Help Resources (1) Students Self Help Resources (2) (Expert Author's Article Week 3)

Really Useful Links for Writers: Self-Promotion

Really Useful Links for Writers: 

Self-Promotion

(Expert Author's Article Week 2)

The image of the successful author is the lone figure, working tirelessly on their manuscript before it gets sent away into the wilds of the publishing world. There, some unknown magic occurs which results in the book independently appearing on shelves and thrilling readers the world over. When was the last time you watched a movie or tv show, or even read a book, in which an author had to do more than sit at a typewriter or computer to make all the money they needed to maintain their spacious Manhattan apartment or rustic French villa?

Sadly, this is all pure fantasy. Particularly in today’s competitive environment, authors must pitch in with promotion. Publishers simply can’t afford to invest large sums of money in marketing, especially for newer authors. Unless you’re a James Patterson, JK Rowling, or have sparked the latest popular craze in books, your book’s success will depend on your own ability to get the word out.

But before you go jumping to Facebook and Twitter, take a moment to consider that every other author out there is doing just the same thing. Social media is a wonderful tool, but like any tool, it’s only as effective as the skill of the person using it. Nothing turns potential readers off as much as an author who does nothing but post “Buy my book” comments in their Twitter feed. As Delilah S Dawson says, shut up, and think about what’s going on in the world. Social media is everywhere. Anyone can write a blog, and everyone says you need to be on Twitter and Facebook and Tumblr and Instagram in order to reach new readers. But the reason those formats work is because people like to feel a real connection with artists (whether they be writers, actors, singers, etc). They don’t go there to get a hard sell. Delilah followed that post with advice on what does work in social media.

Is it harsh? Yes. Does it seem impossible to know what rules to follow? Absolutely. But don’t worry, because while social media might not be the golden goose it once was, it’s still worth sticking with. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had in my career have come from making friends and having engaging, interesting conversations through social media.

You might be asking yourself, if all this self-promotion is so hard, and people react badly when an author gets it wrong, is it really worthwhile? You can certainly try to go it alone, without any promotion or marketing. Absolutely, you need to weigh up your available resources and determine how much marketing is worthwhile, knowing full well that even the best marketing may still fail. And there can be routes to success that do not involve the obvious formats. But I think you’d be doing yourself a disservice to rule out self-promotion entirely.

As I said above, readers love to connect with authors. Each reader who feels like they can drop you a line and say how much they enjoyed your latest book is worth ten more, because they’ll tell people about your work. Their interactions with you will show up in other peoples’ feeds. It all helps build your online platform and professional image. Everything, from a well-presented website to Amazon Author Central, adds up to help you promote yourself in non-intrusive ways.

Chuck Wendig has a list of 10 commandments of self-promotion, and if you only check out one of the links in this article, his is the one to read. It covers a range of factors and reminds us that, not only do we need to invest in ourselves to get ahead, but we also need to invest in each other.

I hope this is all helpful. It can be easy to feel intimidated by the extra work beyond writing that an author must consider. And it can be a drain, putting in the time and effort when another author seems to succeed without it. But as with everything else in this business, there is no magic formula, no sure route to the top. Try as many different methods as you can, and find the combination that works for you.

(c) Paul Anthony Shortt

Sam. O. Salau
(Africa's Leading Author On Campus Issues)

www.samosalau.com

Twitter: @samosalau
Facebook: Sam. O. Salau

Students Self Help Resources (1)
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(Expert Author's Article Week 2)

10 Ways to Market Your Book Anywhere In The World

10 Ways to Market Your Book Anywhere In The World (Expert Author's Article Week 1)

The list below briefly describes 10 effective ways to promote - and sell more of - your books. You'll find that these are not one-time activities, but instead require regular engagement and effort. Because of this, it's important to not expect immediate results, since long-term success is the result of creative and persistent promotion.

1. Social Networking

A social network facilitates regular communication between individuals who are connected by friendship or common interest. You can use these networks to enhance your writing, writing career, personal network, and sales. The key is to use all appropriate functions of a given social network for maximum benefit. For example, Facebook allows you to create a profile, join groups of people with similar interests, discuss your personal interests, and communicate with friends. Similar general-interest networks are Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube, each with different functions and advantages. These channels thrive on authentic social interactions, so be careful not to overtly sell your content to avoid alienating the connections you make. For example, rather than posting multiple messages about your book being available for sale, try to contribute meaningful dialogue in conversations about relevant topics. This will help position you as an expert, which will help build your author brand. Write fiction? Try creating a Facebook or Twitter account for your protagonist and hold conversations in the voice of that character.

There are also networks designed to connect business professionals such as LinkedIn, Plaxo, Ryze, and most recently, BranchOut (a Facebook/LinkedIn hybrid). You can target some networks based on the content of your book. For example, if you want to reach mothers, use CafeMom. To communicate with other authors and/or avid readers, try Shelfari or weRead where you can rate, review, and discuss your book, as well as books by other authors. Use Meetup to find and join in-person groups united by a common interest such as politics, books, games, movies, health, pets, careers, or hobbies. Sites like Pintrest, Delicious and Digg are social bookmarking services for storing, sharing, and discovering popular content. Find and use the best ones for your book and objectives.

2. Personal Networking

Networking is an organized method of creating links from the people you know to the people they know, allowing you to gain and use an ever-expanding base of contacts. It is the personal process of connecting with others to exchange information, advice, contacts, and support. Network at bookstore events, trade shows, conferences, writing groups, publishing association meetings, and anywhere you connect with people personally.

Your author biography may give you ideas of people to contact based on your networks, achievements, and interests. If you are not familiar with networking, start with people you know: friends, family, co-workers, alumni, and neighbors. Then move on to less-familiar people. Again, avoid overtly selling to people in your network; instead, ask them for referrals and to spread the word about your book. When personally networking, begin by introducing yourself and mentioning who referred you. Give your 30-second summary to provide an adequate frame of reference for the individual to give his or her recommendations. Ask pertinent questions, listen responsively and take notes. Once you have all the data you need, summarize the main points and find out how you may reciprocate. Be sure to ask whether or not you may use your contact person as a reference.

3. Create a Website that is Functional, Easy to Navigate and Active

Doing business in today's internet society requires a website. It is your online brochure describing you and your book in your terms, building your credibility as the author. Websites can and should be updated frequently, so it's a good idea to link your blog (see #8 below) to your site. Your website can also be your storefront through which you can sell your book 24/7. You can even link to your CreateSpace eStore so you don't have to fulfill orders on your own. A well-designed website instills confidence in your business as an independent author.

First, reserve a domain name that includes your name and/or the title of your book (sites like GoDaddy.com will host and design your site for you). Design your site to build your credibility and sell your books; show your book's cover and describe how it will benefit readers. If you write fiction, be sure to describe your plot in compelling terms (Read How to Write an Effective Book Description). Your website should make it easy to buy your book by providing links to retail outlets. You may also choose to sell your book directly on your site and offer incentives such as free shipping, a limited-time offer or a special price for an autographed book. A website is also a great place to showcase your bio, reviews, endorsements, and testimonials.

4. Basic Publicity

Publicity - also known as public relations (PR) - entails informing people about you and your book and encouraging word-of-mouth promotions. When planning your outreach, think about your target readers. What media do they watch, listen to, or read? You can reach a large number of people in a short period of time through broadcast appearances on TV and radio shows, print, and online media. Publicity is typically free and targeted to journalists, editors, and producers at media outlets. Media personnel are always looking for a story, so you and your book could potentially provide them with story ideas, interviews, background information, and other material. Read How to Give a Great Interview.

The basic element of publicity is the press release, a brief description that presents the most newsworthy aspect of your book - or the "hook" - in an interesting way. A good press release uses an attention-grabbing headline and lead paragraph. It is also free of overt commercialism. Subsequent paragraphs include background information, spokesperson quotations, and other information that helps put the newsworthiness of the story in perspective. Other forms of publicity include giving testimonials and endorsements; writing articles for print and online media and submitting letters to editors; sending a newsletter; and submitting your book for reviews.

5. Advanced Media Relations

After becoming comfortable with basic publicity, you can begin more concerted and targeted efforts to reach media. Create an informative press kit that has information about your book and why it is important to the outlet's audience. Include testimonials and a list of the topics you can discuss. When targeting press, it's often beneficial to start locally and then expand. For broadcast interviews, use the vocabulary of the audience. Avoid "ums" and telling the audience how they can benefit from your content by overtly selling your book. Second, project your voice at a steady volume and at a good pace, and enunciate properly. Finally, look the part of a successful author by dressing professionally and using body language and posture effectively.

Print and online media exposure is equally important, particularly if you do not like on-air performances. This includes newspapers, magazine, ezines, newsletters, and trade journals, most of which have well-trafficked websites. Approach journalists the same as you would approach producers with a press kit written to the needs of their readers. Contact them to review your book, suggest a story or interview on you and your book, or offer to contribute content to them. Use a targeted approach, starting with the media most likely to reach your key buyers. Follow up consistently and professionally.

6. Direct Marketing

Direct marketing is a form of communication that reaches a targeted audience directly through one or more channels. Examples include email, direct mail, catalogs, and promotional letters. Postcards and bookmarks can also be effective since the message is seen immediately without opening an envelope or email. In all cases, direct marketing materials can be sent to a targeted list of potential buyers, and responses can be measured.

In both email and postal-direct marketing, target audiences are a key factor. You can purchase a targeted list for postal mail and an opt-in (meaning the recipient has agreed to have the email sent) list for email marketing. Or build your own list by asking people on your site to sign-up to receive a newsletter or special promotions from you. It's important to make sure your direct marketing pieces stand out and grab the recipient's attention. In email, the subject line is critical. Similarly, you can write a teaser on an envelope to entice the recipient to open the envelope. In postal mail, send a cover letter, sales piece, and some means for the recipient to respond such as a business reply card (BRC). Make some offer that will get the recipient to act quickly, such as directing them to your website to see a sample chapter or offering a free gift or autographed copy with a response by a certain date. The options are unlimited, so you can test lots of different ideas to see which ones receive the best response.

7. Personal Marketing

When you have a highly targeted audience, you can reach them through personal communication. The major benefit of personal marketing is that you get immediate feedback as to how well your message is getting through. It will also give you an opportunity to answer questions and close sales. When you're selling your books, you're also selling yourself as an author, so personal marketing is a great way to build your authentic author brand with face-to-face communications. Examples of personal marketing initiatives are bookstore events, launch parties, direct selling, book tours, speaking events, and personal presentations at libraries.

Many of the same techniques for live publicity events apply to speaking events. Practice projecting your words and using your body language. While you'd use professional selling techniques when direct selling, be sure not to come off too "commercial" during other speaking events, book tours, or bookstore appearances. At these, you should discuss how your content can help and/or entertain the people in the audience.

8. Blogging

A blog (short for web log) is an online form of regular commentary maintained by an individual on a particular topic or cause. Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments. A typical blog is usually a text post, but they often contain images, embedded video, podcast installments, and links to other blogs or websites. There are several different forms of blogging, including microblogging, which consists of very short posts (ex. Twitter's 140-character posts), podcasts (audio blogs), and vlogs (video blogs).

You can use your blog to build your platform, exposure, and credibility as an expert on your topic. Keep it authentic, post to it regularly and respond to visitor comments quickly and professionally. If you cannot commit to writing a regular blog, consider creating occasional content for other blogs which pertain to the topic of your book. Reach out to similar bloggers for guest blog opportunities, and invite them to be a guest on your blog, as well. To get started blogging, consider using a template provided by services like Wordpress or Blogger, and feature your blog on your website.

9. Awards

There are many award competitions for most kinds of books. Awards can focus on your book's design, content, marketing, production quality, and even editing. There are awards for a variety of genres, including business, inspirational, fiction, and children's books. Winning (or being nominated for) an award has many benefits, such as increased exposure, greater credibility, and potential for testimonials and sales. An element of personal satisfaction comes with getting awards, too.

When you win an award, make the most out of it! Feature the awards in your literature, email signature, business cards, postcards, website, and letterhead. Describe your awards in your press kits and include them in press releases or any display materials for in-person events. Even if you don't win, you can always highlight that you were nominated or achieved another level of acknowledgment from the organization distributing the award.

10. Trade Shows/Fairs/Events

A trade show or fair is an event where sellers display their products to a group of corresponding buyers over a period of several days. They can be local, regional, national, or international events. One of the biggest in the U.S. publishing industry is Book Expo America (BEA), usually held mid-year in New York City, but you might consider attending a show targeted at your book's specific subject (for example, if your book is about automotive repair, consider attending a car show). Your town also probably has local events that would be appropriate for certain types of books. For a book on careers, you could attend a job fair, or a book on crafts or cooking might be appropriate to display at a local country fair or farmer's market. Trade shows and fairs give you the chance to network with people in the industry or potential readers, generate sales leads, close sales, research trends, build relationships, examine direct sales opportunities, generate publicity, and/or launch a new title.

When you find the best shows or fairs in which to participate, attend them first as a visitor before you commit the time and money to exhibit. For trade shows, if you decide to purchase floor space and display, get the exhibitor's manual and follow its guidelines carefully. Create an exhibit that will make attendees stop and look, with professionally produced graphics in a single, consistent theme. Try a raffle or a game to draw participation and attention to your display. After the event, follow up with the contacts you made and send all the samples and literature that you promised to send. Whether you're attending or exhibiting, you'll need some help getting the word out and managing your presence, so consider enlisting the assistance of a friend or family member.

Brian Jud is an author, book-marketing consultant, seminar leader, television host and president of Book Marketing Works, LLC. Brian is the author of How to Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns), Beyond the Bookstore (a Publishers Weekly® book) and eight titles on book-marketing topics. Brian is the host of the television series The Book Authority and was an adjunct lecturer of marketing courses for graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Hartford and the University of Connecticut. Brian has a BS degree in marketing from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA in marketing from Xavier University. Sam. O. Salau (Africa's Leading Author On Campus Issues) www.samosalau.com Twitter: @samosalau Facebook: Sam. O. Salau Students Self Help Resources (1) Students Self Help Resources (2) If you missed Basics of Book Marketing, read it up here