Marketing - Day 7 - Best advice of the day

Not everything is right for your book.

Don't do everything, only do what will make a difference.

Don't market to everybody, it's too expensive.

Don't try to make your book available everywhere books are found. You want to be everywhere your buyers are instead. 

Don't spend every dime on printing (save some for marketing). 

Marketing - Day 3 - Think Commitment

In our publishing classes each quarter, I discuss the commitments a buyer makes versus the commitments a reader makes to you (the author). It's an important distinction because so many of you are choosing to publish your own work, and the behavior of book consumers is the same as it has always been no matter what formats you choose to offer: People buy books for themselves to read. People buy books to give to other people.

While I hear many authors ask virtually anyone in their path to "buy my book;" what most don't recognize, is that there is a much bigger commitment at work. Take a few moments to consider what you are really asking of your consumers; and remember that your buyer and your reader may or may not be the same person.

The commitment from the buyer is simple: You sell me a book, I'll commit $20 for it, and you deliver it to me in any form I want.  Done and done.

The commitment from the reader is complicated:  I'll commit the time to read it and think about what you say. I may also commit a portion of my self to actually making a change you recommend, or furthering an idea you suggest. In some cases, I may even change my life. You tell me I'll be either entertained, informed or educated and I'll commit the time to see if you deliver.  

Make certain that your book does deliver what you promise in your marketing, and be thankful for the valuable commitment your customer has made to you.

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.