Blogger: Rachel Kent
As I mentioned last Friday, publishing houses set up marketing plans for each book they publish. The books are assigned a budget and all of this financial planning goes back to the publishing committee meeting that the publisher had before offering a contract.
The marketing team puts together the plan and often will send a copy to the author to look over. If you don’t see a plan, it’s fine to ask your agent to check for you. It’s important to know what the publisher plans to do so that you can spend your marketing money in a way that complements their spending and efforts aren’t duplicated.
Also, be sure to inform the publishing house of what you are planning to do to market your book. An email is typically sufficient, but occasionally it’s a good idea to have a phone call with the marketing representative assigned to your book to discuss timing and specifics.
Publishing houses like to focus their marketing money on national campaigns. They are trying to reach the most people nationwide so advertisements will be done on a broad scale. I’ve heard a marketing department representative say that it’s the author’s job to let his or her own following know about new releases and promotions and it’s the publisher’s job to help grow that following by finding new readers.
Occasionally, you might find a marketing idea that you believe could really pay off but it’s either too large or too expensive for you to take on yourself. It’s sometimes okay to ask the publishing house to consider helping with or funding a marketing idea, but you need to keep in mind that the funding for that idea is being taken away from the other marketing the publisher had planned. A certain amount of money has been set aside to market your book, and very rarely will the publisher add to the budget that has been assigned. Be sure to carefully consider these requests and talk with your agent first.
What publisher marketing do you think is the most effective? Magazine ads? Online ads with Facebook or Twitter? Newsletters? Postcards?
I like the Family Fiction e-newsletter that comes to my inbox. I learn about a lot of great new releases that way.
Just for fun: If you could have your book displayed anywhere in the world where would you pick?
TWEETABLES:
More on marketing–what pub houses aim to do for your book. Via @RachelLKent from Books & Such Lit. Agency. Click to Tweet.
Tips on working with a pub house to set up marketing for your book. Via lit agent @RachelLKent Click to Tweet.
Word of mouth is definitely the number one way I pick up books. If a friend recommends it I will check it out. I also discover at least a dozen books each year through the Middle School Teachers Book Club that I attend. Lastly, I would say Goodreads but I look forward to checking out Family Fiction.
I’m with you on that, Kate. Word of mouth has been effective for me and it’s often how I find books.
There was a discussion about whether or not giving away books is helpful to an author. I’d say that is a good way to start the word-of-mouth buzz. I have some friends whose sales took off after a free-book promotion on Amazon.
“If you could have your book displayed anywhere in the world, where would you pick?”
Right next to Daniel Silva’s.
My book isn’t done yet, but word of mouth is what gets me to pick up a book, too. As for where I’d like my future book displayed, our local bookstore. Sounds pretty corny, but it would give my husband and girls such a thrill to see it there 🙂
Great article, Rachel. Considering all the ads on FB, you would think I might have found a book from there. I usually only pick up freebies that way. I tend not to notice ads as much.
I’m a fan of online newsletters, too. When they arrive, I open them up right away–even if I’m just adding books to my wish list.
Besides word of mouth, virtual book tours and tweeting has helped to sell books for me.
If I could have my book displayed anywhere it would be at a Third Day concert since their music is woven through the story and it has a strong music ministry theme.
Ooo! I’ve never thought about book advertising at a concert. Great idea!
Thank you, Rachel, on this great information.
I know many authors advertise on Twitter and FB, but I honestly don’t think those sites are effective. Many of my friends have left Twitter because they feel it has become “Spam Central.” I used to respond to authors who announced their book releases on Twitter, but it would be a full time job now and, in all honesty, unless I know the person, I’m to the point where I just skip over the announcements without even reading them. There are just too many. Facebook seems too limited to me in regards to advertising, but I haven’t had good experiences on FB (especially after having been hacked several times), so I am biased against it.
In terms of online media, I think Goodreads would be a great place to advertise a new book.
If I were to have my book advertised anywhere I wanted, I would really like a display and maybe a banner in libraries. I would like to give away some copies to the local library and have an event at which I gave away signed copies of the new books to library patrons. I think that would encourage serious readers to look check out the book–and maybe decide they want their own copy. Also, it would start the word of mouth that works so well.
Have a great weekend!
I once found my book displayed next to Francine Rivers’! I was so thrilled, and thought I’d arrived, only to realize they had them set up in alphabetical order! =)
If I could have my book displayed anywhere, it would be at the Passion conference in Atlanta. Since my novels address human trafficking, it’s a big dream of mine to get into that conference. Maybe someday!
Lol! You have a good last name for that! 🙂
My sentiments, too!
I would have it displayed in every Petco & Petsmart in the United States.
I have quite a following in the animal world though – I’m not sure why?
A good place for a book for dog lovers!
Thanks, Rachel. Lots to think about.
I don’t know the best way to advertise, since my first novel doesn’t release till October 25. However, by connecting personally with people on Twitter, Facebook, and especially the ACFW loop, I’ve had some I-wanna-read-your-book responses.
Where would I like it displayed? Next to Brandilyn Collins’s new novel. The cover colors are similar, so maybe someone will pick up mine! Also, Times Square wouldn’t be so bad.
I’m sure it would look beautiful in Times Square!
If I may, I’d like to suggest authors check with their local newspapers about having their book reviewed, or in the case of the news service I write for, about being interviewed. There is a plethora of news services with 500 or less affiliated dailies and periodicals that are very interested in reviewing/interviewing authors.
I interview authors (seasoned and debut) for GateHouse News Service whose affiliates have roughly half a million home subscribers (home delivered newspapers and magazines). Surprisingly, it’s not difficult to interview “name” authors because they understand marketing. It’s the newer authors who generally turn down requests for interviews with the smaller news agencies. I suspect it’s because the authors become overwhelmed with trying to get the word out about their book(s) and lose sight of the opportunities available to them. We hear so much about Twitter, blogs, blog tours, and so forth, that resources capable of placing the author and their work in front of half a million potential readers get lost in the shuffle. Believe it or not, not everyone reads the New York Times or USA Today. However, lots of folks read their local newspaper.
I know it sounds strange, but I only average about a fifty-fifty chance of newer authors agreeing to an interview. Much of the time they don’t even respond to my request. When they do respond to reject my request, they generally explain they are too busy marketing their book to be interviewed. And, while I frequently hear from publicists promoting their clients’ books, I rarely hear from authors trying to market their work by themselves.
Don’t be shy about approaching local media and/or their parent company. It’s free publicity if they say yes. If the answer is no, you haven’t lost anything but a few minutes of effort. If they forward your request to the actual person who conducts the reviews or interviews, by all means reach out and say hello. They’ll appreciate the gesture.
Oh my goodness, David! I can’t even imagine a new author turning down a request for an interview. I’m afraid that if THE BUFFER ZONE is ever published, I will be so excited that I will talk about it ad nauseam. Thanks for the helpful advice. All the best, Diane
Thanks for the needed insights here. Hopefully, I’ll remember when I get my first published book!
As always, great advice. Definitely logging away all this info for when I need it! Thanks, Rachel 🙂
Thank you for this up-close look at book marketing. I found it an informative and captivating read.
Thanks for the helpful advice Rachel. As a new hope-to-be-published author, blogger, tweeter, etc., I am finding facebook and twitter to be quite something to wade through. Not one to post something every hour as recommended by some marketing experts, I’ll have to hope more “traditional” marketing works for me. Hopefully, you will see THE BUFFER ZONE displayed right next to the cash register. 🙂
All the best, Diane
Thank you, Rachel. Lots of good info in the blog and comments. To tell the truth, I find most of my books by looking at Amazon. I type in whatever genre I want and scan through what comes up. I love the “read inside” component and almost won’t buy a book now without doing that. Word of mouth is second, but even then I go to Amazon so I can read a few pages or a chapter.