Book Marketing Inventory – Part 4 of 4

By Janet Fogg

Whew!

Today is the fourth and final installment of developing your book marketing inventory (let’s say it together – “Thank goodness!”) We’ve looked at the basics, such as social networking, your bio, website, and a one-page book summary, and then we started to review questions you could answer to develop your text and document inventory, which, along with all of the research we’ve discussed, will translate directly into a solid start for your marketing plan. But first we need to review a few more questions and then consider some odds and ends.

1. Do you know of any facts or unique selling points for your book which could be used to demonstrate its importance and relevance to the present time, i.e. anniversaries, celebrations, topical news related stories?

What’s in the news and does it happen to be a part of your book? A Presidential campaign? Fracking? Earthquakes? What’s relevant? If you do have something timely, use that information when you query newspapers or magazines about writing an article. Think about whether you would you be willing to discuss your research on the radio.

2. Prepare a list of organizations for potential speaking events, signings, etc., including book clubs.

Again, think outside that dratted square box. For example, our neighbor invited us to speak at the local Experimental Aircraft Association meeting, but we were skeptical - our book is about WWII. Yet pilots love to hear about and discuss flying, and we had a rapt crowd who enjoyed our presentation. (Thank you again, Paul.)

By the way, if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of actually speaking in front of an audience, now would also be the time to sign up for a public-speaking course! Don’t shudder, it will serve you well.

3. Create a list of nearby towns and then a sub-list of local papers, bookstores, radio and TV stations, libraries & Friends of the Library, and library associations.

You’ll probably be sending press releases to some or all of these folks, so get organized. As for radio and TV, can you say, “public speaking is my friend?” If not, as I mentioned above, get signed up for that class!

4. List any interviews (television, radio, print) you’ve done in the past two years and have copies of those interviews on hand. Include dates and contact details.

These are handy as you might mention a previous interview in a new query, and you could also contact the person who interviewed you to see if they might be interested in your new book and a new interview.

5. Prepare a short 300–500 word “article” about your new book. If you’ve been published before, include your other books. Local papers will often pick up these articles as might a number of ezines. Make sure to sign all your articles with your name, website and publisher contact info.

6. Odds and Ends (Other items to consider or research):

a. Do you want a book trailer? Or video interview?

b. How about a PowerPoint presentation so you’re ready for future speaking engagements?

c. Webwork: There are numerous sites where your bio and/or book or book trailer may be posted along with a link to your website or blog. (In some cases your book has to be traditionally published.) Here are just a few examples – you can find more!

Manicreaders
Goodreads
Authorsden
Shelfari
And don’t forget your author page on Amazon!

d. Should you develop a Facebook fan page for yourself? How about a page for your book?

e. Are you considering a blog tour? If so, start a list of pertinent sites and contact the blog owners so you can schedule your tour.

f. Awards: There are a number of awards for recently published books, and having your writing honored not only feels great it creates extra publicity. The awards I’m aware of are annual events and your book has to have been published within that calendar year to be eligible. A few examples include the Rita and Golden Heart Awards, HOLT Medallion, Edgar, and the Colorado Book Awards. There are many, many more for various genres, and you'll need to research submittal criteria and deadlines.

And now to summarize, over the past four weeks we’ve looked at everything from the basics, such as social networking, your bio, website, and a one-page book summary, to questions you can answer to develop your text and document inventory, which, along with all of the research, translates directly into your marketing plan.

A marketing plan!

Just think, your text will have been massaged and spiffed, you’ll know who you want to contact and how to contact them so those press releases and interview queries will simply fly off your computer. Plus, when you are interviewed, by having already drafted answers to questions similar to those you’ll be asked, your responses will have been embedded in your brain. You’ll appear cool, calm, and collected. Okay, maybe you’ll be nervous but you’ll also be prepared – and able to speak confidently about yourself and your book.

Oh, and a couple of final thoughts… Remember to plan your book signings and launch party! Celebrate!

Book Marketing Inventory – Part 3 of 4

by Janet Fogg

Two weeks ago I mentioned some of the basics, including social networking, your bio, and a one-page book summary, and last week we began to consider what information will help you market your book. By having research well underway and an inventory of text and documents on hand before your book is released, your marketing process will be streamlined and you’ll be able to enjoy book signings and celebrations instead of fretting about sales.

We’ll now continue the Q&A exercise for your book marketing inventory with these questions:

1. Why did you write this book?

2. How does your book stand out from similar books? List those books and compare.

3. What is it about your life experiences that led you to this book?

4. What are some of the highlights you enjoyed while writing it?

5. When did you first realize that you wanted to become a writer?

6. What is it about writing that appealed to you?

7. Do you have any advice for budding authors wanting to get published?

8. How much research did you do for the book? Can you give us some tips on this?

9. How long did it take you to write it?

10. What do you like most about your book? Why should we read it?

11. Where and when do you usually write?

12. Who are your favorite authors, fiction and non-fiction, and why?

13. How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies or interests?

14. Have you read anything lately that you'd like to recommend?

15. What are you working on at the moment?

By answering Questions 1 through 15, you’ll essentially have an interview ready, one that could be sent to blogs, newsletters, etc. You’ll also find yourself cutting and pasting portions of your responses to re-use in query letters and to post on FB, etc.

16. Make a list of key blogs, websites, twitterers, Facebook profiles, forums, and any other online communities you or your publisher should be contacting.

This could be a very long list, so get started! And then make a plan for contacting them. (Yes, this is part of your marketing plan!) If you’re doing it all yourself, decide how many you’ll contact each week. Pace yourself!

17. Do you have a personal mailing list of friends, relatives and work colleagues, etc. who would be interested in purchasing a copy of the book?

Your publisher might offer to do a mailing, but if they don’t, shouldn’t you? So get to work on that list, including mailing addresses and email addresses. Then you should prepare a postcard and email version of that card so you can begin a mailing campaign. You can post announcements on FB and in other venues, but having at least a few physical postcards will be handy, as you can use them at book signings and as leave-behinds at speaking events.

Now would be a good time to think about what other leave-behinds you might want or need. Bookmarks? Business cards? Press-release kits? Posters for signings?

That's enough for today! Next week I'll conclude the Q&A inventory exercise and run through some odds and ends for you to consider as you begin to implement your marketing plan.

See you bright and early, Monday morning!

Book Marketing Inventory – Part 2 of 4

by Janet Fogg

Last week I mentioned some of the basics you need in your book marketing inventory, including social networking, your bio, photo, and a one-page book summary. Now we’re going to think about your book and what information will help you market it. The answers to the following questions could become part of a marketing plan that you’ll refer back to, so you might want to copy and paste these questions to start your own document(s). A few of these questions apply more to traditionally published non-fiction, but if you pause and reflect, you can also apply them to marketing your novel.

1. Where do you think the main market for your book lies? Remember to identify market(s) beyond the obvious.

Here’s an example. For Fogg in the Cockpit, the main market would be readers interested in World War II, since the book is about my late father-in-law’s life as a fighter pilot during the war. A secondary market would be railroad fans. Railroad fans? Yep. Post-war, Howard Fogg pursued his dream of becoming an artist, painting railroad and locomotive scenes, ultimately becoming famous in that specialty, so fans of his art might be interested in the book. How about historical societies and railroad historical societies? What about WWII museums or railroad museums? And so on.

Now list the various possibilities for your novel or book - and be creative! Don’t build any artificial roadblocks!

2. What journals, magazines, or blogs do book reviews on your genre or topic(s)?

Spend time researching this. Read their reviews so you can see what they like and don’t like.

For example, the editor of Flying Models Magazine was interested in Fogg in the Cockpit. What does Flying Models have to do with our WWII book? Quite simply - flying. The editor was excited about our query and requested a copy of the book. Here was an audience we hadn’t anticipated. Of course we sent requests to WWII magazines and railroad magazines, but we found an unexpected opportunity. So can you! Remember to turn ninety degrees to see who is looking over your shoulder.

3. Prepare a list of colleagues, associates, or experts you know who can offer a review of your book on Amazon, as well as those who might provide an endorsement.

I suggest you make a list of a dozen or more names and addresses, including email addresses. If you’re seeking an endorsement or quote for your book jacket, obviously you’ll need to plan ahead, as the colleague or expert will need time to read the manuscript draft. Many may graciously decline this opportunity. Don’t take it personally! They may be under deadline and simply don’t have the time to read your book.

As far as book reviewers, ask your publisher whether they’re willing to send ARCs or the final book to potential reviewers. Casemate was terrific about this – if we had a nibble for a review they’d immediately send a copy of the book. You can do this as well, and should, but remember to communicate your efforts to your publisher.

4. List names and addresses and contact names of any associations, societies and institutions, local, national and international, having members to whom your book should be of interest.

For example, if you’re writing a lumberjack murder mystery series, include lumberjack associations as well as arborists, orchardists, and perhaps even gardeners. What other societies leap to mind?

With this list, you’ll be poised for action, ready to send the association a query and press release about whether they might publish an announcement in their newsletter. Or, if they’re looking for articles, offer to write one! Again, think big and take ninety degree turns. Websites and newsletters are hungry for interesting, well-written content.

5. List any colleges/universities that may be interested in using your book as a text for continuing education.

While this is most applicable to non-fiction, there may be exceptions, so think about it!

6. Names and addresses of public personalities (other writers, bloggers, and experts) whose opinions about your book might help it find a larger audience, or who might specifically like to review your book on publication.

Know anyone famous? How’s your six degrees of separation? Well, you don’t really need to know a famous personality to query them as you can track down mailing addresses on the web, and you could be surprised by who might respond. (We certainly were!) A professional query goes a long way, and if the subject of your book is of interest, a public personality might just say they’ll review your book.

With that vision of stars dancing through our heads, it’s time to pause until next Monday, when I’ll continue to look at developing your book marketing inventory, with questions such as, “Why did you write this book?” and how your response might be utilized.

Book Marketing Inventory – Part 1 of 4

by Janet Fogg

So you’ve just sold your first book? Or decided to self-publish? Congratulations! After you recycle those champagne bottles and generally sweep up the debris, what’s next?

If you’re being traditionally published, it might be a year before your book is actually released, so what should you be doing until the day that lovely brown truck rumbles down your drive and delivers a box of books into your eager, shaking hands? Of course you’ll need to work on edits, and also keep working on the new manuscript that you’ve started, but what else should occupy your time?

Marketing!

Now don’t groan and roll your eyes. Oh all right, you can moan just a little, but if you prepare your book marketing inventory now and then slowly implement your marketing plan, maybe, just maybe, it’ll be fun instead of a burden. (How’s that for positive spin?) And if you’ve decided to self-publish, you need to jump on your inventory and action plan right away!

I’ve had two books published; a novel by a small press and a non-fiction by a large press, and I’ve learned a heck of a lot between book one and book two. I fumbled along in my marketing efforts for the first, my novel Soliloquy, and while the editors and staff at The Wild Rose Press were wonderful to work with, they rely on their authors to do the bulk of the marketing. So I became involved in loops and groups and joined Facebook, but I didn’t have a plan and it showed. I stuck my toe in the social networking pool, held my breath, and backed away slowly. For example, I did some blogging but didn’t have a theme, nor did I seek guidance on how to link to other blogs, or proactively look for blogging partners, all of which I have done since.

Seeing as you’re reading this blog you likely know quite a bit about tweeting and blogging and all such social stuff, but if you don’t, please look back at some of the blogs here on the Rock, such as “Catch that Twitter Love” by Tamela Buhrke. I’m not going to delve into the specifics of social networking in this series, other than to reiterate how important networking is, but instead will focus on preparing a book marketing inventory - an inventory of documents and text as well as suggested research for use in your marketing plan.

Let’s start with a few basics.

1. Think about your web presence, both professional and personal. Do you have a website? Do you have accounts with Facebook, Twitter, etc.? Do you contribute to any online forums, websites, communities, or blogs?

It’s my very great pleasure to inform you that from now on, it IS all about you, so don’t squirm. As I mentioned earlier, if you haven’t plunged into social networking, get started NOW. You don’t have to do everything, but you should get involved somewhere, somehow, and soon. Facebook is certainly one of the largest venues, but there are many others, such as Google+, Linkedin, and so on. If you don’t have a website (or blog that substitutes as your website), start one soon.

2. Make an appointment for a professional photo, as your “author photo” will be used repeatedly. In this digital age that picture will hang around forever, so you want a flattering photo that can be used on your book jacket, website, in press releases, and so on. If you hire a professional photographer, request full rights before the shoot. Most will be amenable to this, if they receive acknowledgment whenever possible. Get a written release from the photographer that you own those rights. If a friend or relative is a good photographer, that’s great, but get a release from them as well. Also, if you have the software, you might want to save the photo in various sized jpgs, pdfs, and tifs.

3. Next? Draft several versions of your bio. A very short (single paragraph) bio plus a medium length and longer version, though no more than one page. You’ll edit this text later on, and spin it slightly depending on where you’re using it, but it will be very handy having multiple versions saved and available to edit. In the long version also include the book’s topic and highlights and where a reader can learn more (your website).

Include most if not all of the following details – and of course, keep it interesting!
Name in full (including degrees, honors, title etc.):
Nationality and place of birth/ hometown
Possibly your date of birth
Summary of Education
Previous books (with dates and publishers)
Periodicals which you have contributed to
Any professional or civic organizations to which you currently belong and does your writing appear in any newsletters?
Anything personal which you think might be of relevance

4. Now you can start on the draft of a one-page summary about you and your book. You’ll need ISBNs, page count, pricing, and your book cover image to complete the one-pager, but text and format can and should be underway, so you’ll have this summary ready to attach to press releases.

Ultimately, your one-pager would include:

Book title and author
Book cover
Blurb/book description
Author photo
Author bio
ISBN(s)
Retail price
Publisher’s name, address, phone, website
Page count
Publication date
Your website and/or blog
Your email

Okay, that wasn’t too bad, was it? Next week we’ll begin to think about what else you need in your book marketing inventory. If you’re fortunate, your publisher will be your marketing partner, and the answers to the questions I’ll pose will be helpful to you AND to them.

See you next Monday!