Dating (in Publishing, that is)

Clients often wonder why we want to wait to release their book. It's sitting there all ready to go, and yet we insist on waiting.  "UGH!" they say -- "But people are already in line outside the bookstores waiting for it to go on sale!" 

Self publishers and independent authors are often caught in the trap of their own false impressions of how a book is published. Take the time to publicize your book properly.  You'll need a minimum of four months to get a review from a professional reviewer, or a possible feature in a magazine or any other type of publicity. 

There are several dates you need to know

• Advance Review Deadline:  4 months ahead of your Publication Date
• Street Date:  When you have actual books in hand and you can sell them privately
• Pub Date/Publication Date/Release Date: The date when the industry can start selling you book

Another important date
Copyright Date:  The date when you officially send your book to the Library of Congress.  Make sure you are not sending it ahead of having your book published.  Libraries and other buyers look at that date to determine the book's age.  So if you finished writing your book in December of 2011, finished your editing and layout in June, and set your publication date for November 2012 -- you would set your copyright year as 2013 and NOT 2011.  Why?  Buyers look at the book's copyright year when deciding one title over another.  In January of 2013 with a copyright year of 2011, your book would appear two years old if you set your copyright as the date you finished writing.

QR Codes Are Here...Easy, free, and powerful

QR Codes are popping up everywhere, ads, name badges, trucks, brochures, billboards and business cards.  As diverse as the uses are, the opinions of using them are just as diverse. Initially, groups like realtors thought they would change the face of putting a house up on the market. Some say that it has not made a difference in the way prospective buyers research houses; some say it hasn't been enough time to make that judgement and consumers are just barely adopting these codes as useful tools. I think that the technology is here, it is powerful and easy to administer. Sure, only those with devices that can read these codes benefit now, but those numbers are growing in herds. So why not use this tool if you have an executable and viable application for it? 

QR Code is a "Quick Response" Code. You can embed text, an image, your website, a telephone number, a promotion, etc. You can get them at many websites. Here's one: QR Code Generator

Add a QR Code to your book wherever there is data to share, an image to see or a website you want the reader to visit. Add these codes to your business cards, your marketing materials, trade show materials (including your booth), or virtually anything on which you think you can reduce risk of user error when they enter your info later, or to increase the user experience by adding expanded content that you normally wouldn't have room for. The code I have added above contains a paragraph of text.

When you are publishing a book in today's technology-driven world, there are lots of tools that can not only make your book more interactive for your reader, but can actually make your book exponentially more useful. This is one of those tools. It's not hard to do and it adds value to your product.

Small Press Month, Tip # 10

March 10 - Professionalism. Have a professional editor proof your book, your promotional materials, your letters and even your emails before you send them out en masse. What? You don't think this is part of promoting your book? Think again. Marketing materials and books sent out riddled with errors have the opposite effect of whatever you are trying to achieve.

I recommend against employing editors who were/are your former high school English teacher, spouse, or people with whom you share DNA. They are likely not qualified--nor are they trained--in marketing, publishing, or your specific subject matter. And even though you are saying to yourself (I heard you all the way over here) "She/he would be brutally honest with me," they won't, and can't, give you the best advice you need for your book. Hire a book professional to edit your book. Hire an editor, marketing professional, or production manager to proof your marketing materials. Read emails out loud to yourself (I mean it! It works!).

Books as Marketing Tools? You Bet!

Many professionals are finding that by writing a book, they are looked upon with more respect as an expert, and they are able to use their book as a tool to market themselves to their target audiences. Ever get a look of awe from a prospect when you hand them a brochure? Probably not. Ever try to sell a brochure in the back of the room after presenting? I think not. It's a different story with a book for these and many other reasons. Below are two stories from authors using their books as marketing tools:

Use your book to establish your credibility...

Many professionals consider writing books as a calling card, and I do believe that is quite effective. However, that was not my motivation. I’m writing books, because I’m serious about a long-term career as an author. That said, being an author has been beneficial for my other professional pursuits because of the attention it brings.

Jeff Beals,
Author of Self Marketing Power: Branding Yourself as a Business of One
http://www.selfmarketingpower.com/

Use them as introductions...

I've been amazed at how many books we have given away as a way of promoting our nonprofit organization. Not only has the book given added credibility to what we are doing, it gives people a chance to get an in-depth picture of how our organization fits into the larger social structure within the community.

Donna Miesbach
Co-author of Coaching for a Bigger Win: A Playbook for Coaches
http://www.theplaymakers.org/

Handing a potential customer or client your own book solidifies your place in that person's mind as a recognized, knowledgeable expert... and a generous one at that.