Crisis in Book Promotion?
Crisis in Book Promotion?
In addition to your other responsibilities, you must devote time each day to marketing, promoting, and networking in order to complete the book.
For many first-time writers, having their work sold in bookstores and attending book signings is the holy grail of literary success. Myth busted. Most smaller venues can only anticipate less than 10 sales, whereas larger locations with adequate promotion may see book signings or readings result in several hundred one-time purchases. Do you think it will be worthwhile to spend at least two hours here? Not include the time away from work, the cost of any displays you may have planned and paid for in advance, the amount of preparation involved, or the cost of advertising the event. Since authors are not compensated for hosting these events, any proceeds may not even cover the authors' expenses for transportation, lodging, food, parking, and supplies, not to mention the time and effort they put into it. And they seldom lead to sustained business; in fact, sales are often somewhat short-lived, occurring only in the days leading up to the event.
There are three million books in print, but no bookstore could possibly carry even one percent of them. The publisher/distributor offers them a substantial discount. Once a publisher has made a profit, only then do authors receive royalties. So, is it worthwhile to put in so much work to get books sold at bookstores?
Authors should not limit themselves to the aforementioned markets; rather, they should be creative. Find out where you can make the most impact. Neither the media nor your audience will embrace you instantly and in droves. Investing time and energy into marketing, networking, and promotion pays off in the long run.
Similar to us, many authors reside in small towns, have day jobs, or are physically unable to accept promotions outside of their hometown. This is manageable. Keep trying new things, leverage your connections and the Internet, and don't give up. Public spaces like libraries, bookstores, and newspapers are prime examples of highly competitive marketplaces where a strong brand image is essential for success. If you want your book to stand out from the hundred thousand or more that are published every year, you need to work on your image and acquire excellent promotional materials.
Thus, prepare your marketing strategy with the long haul in mind, and see it through until the end of your publisher contract. Adaptations and additions to the market plan are in the works. And make sure you record everything so you can figure out how to promote your future book.
The enormous amount of work that goes into marketing a book might be overwhelming for some authors, and I simply wanted to bring that up here. It won't seem so daunting if we tackle it day by day, step by step. Prior to setting a goal for today, I find it helpful to determine what I will focus on this week. Almost daily, I do this. It aids me in maintaining a constant rate of work without letting myself get overwhelmed.
Plus, keep in mind that today's efforts might not pay off right now. In order to get a market to accept your proposal, you might need to visit them multiple times. For example, they are currently reaping the benefits of certain connections they made about a year ago, such as promotions in their publications. Maintain a level head and be patient at all times. It bears repeating: documentation is key to follow-up.
Newsletters are a great way to promote your work in a small but effective way. Their typical size is anywhere from a thousand to seventeen thousand readers, or perhaps more. An audience larger than 5,000 is usually reached by e-zines. When you get even a few in a month, you're reaching a massive audience! As long as you're committed and can put in the work every day, fame, fortune, or a publicist won't matter. (Remember to give yourself a break, though!)
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