by Judith Briles (@AuthorU)
I just recently heard about the “book marketing extravaganza” Judith Briles is holding in Colorado this year as part of her Author U training program for authors who want to publish. Judith is an experienced and very successful author, book marketer and book shepherd, so she really knows what she’s talking about.
When I looked at the program I thought it would be well worthwhile letting you know about this opportunity. Just the four-and-a-half hour session with John Kremer would likely be worth the fee and the flight to Colorado. John is an amazing source of information on book marketing, and there will be a full lineup of other experts, too.
Judith has also graciously offered a special discount to the event for readers of The Book Designer. See the end of the article for the coupon code.
I think this event is an outstanding value so I invited Judith to give us her take on what authors should be thinking about in terms of the one thing everyone wants to know about—book marketing. Here’s her response.
Most authors are pooped by the time they have book in hand. I get that—it’s quite a journey getting there. When the book is finally a book-book and available to the public, most authors tend to believe, “It’s build, they should come.”
Ahhh, contraire … if anything this is when the author’s support/energy/creativity/WORK really must go into high gear.
- How are you feeling about the sales of your books?
- Have you realized that writing your book is only the beginning of an amazing journey?
- How would you describe your book marketing efforts?
- Have you created a marketing game plan to not only launch your book … but to keep it going?
The support for the book, your book—whether it’s an eBook, pBook, aBook, vBook … whatever type of Book it is—is HUGE at this point. What you do, and don’t do, will either soar your sales or fail to create even a hiccup.
Here’s one of the secrets of a successful author: Five percent of the author’s time goes into the creation of the masterpiece—the remaining 95 percent will go into marketing and support of it over a period of time. Ninety-five percent!
Your book journey is similar to an iceberg—your completed and published book is just the tip of it … it’s all the marketing effort under the surface that needs to be created, implemented and supported that leads to success. It’s what successful authors know … and what naïve and newbie authors need to know. The 95 percent factor.
It’s Marketing, Marketing, Marketing
Your book, and the support of it, is a long-term investment. It will take your time, your energy, your creativity, your commitment … and yes, some money. Sometimes lots of money, depending on your marketing game plan; sometimes minimal moneys, yet lots of time. Hello Internet! Your plan and platform will be the driver.
What kind of marketing will your plan drive?
- There is the traditional, “let’s sell it via the bookstores” marketing;
- selling books at the back of the room marketing;
- publicity generated marketing;
- social media marketing including Twitter and Facebook;
- LinkedIn Groups marketing;
- virtual book tour marketing;
- Blog marketing;
- Amazon best-selling campaign marketing;
- partner marketing;
- pre-publication marketing;
- mobile phone marketing;
- insider Kindle secrets marketing;
- Google+ Hangouts marketing;
- get-a-gig marketing;
- business card marketing;
- BB gun marketing;
- it’s time to start a prayer marketing;
- do nothing marketing, etc., etc., etc.
When your book births, marketing immediately goes into play—including the “Do Nothing” marketing campaign. You’ve made a choice—to sit on your tush—you are too pooped to market, you are in the middle of a business or personal crisis, you have no moneys for it or just don’t care.
Your Book Success Is Up to You … and ONLY You!
I have several hats I wear. One as an author of 30 books; one as The Book Shepherd; one as a president and executive director of Author U, a member association for authors; and one as a publisher.
Last week, I contacted three separate authors that I had shepherded and agreed to co-publish their books about their lack of sales. Both my book shepherd and publisher hats were on. Publishers don’t love the term, “lack of sales.” None of these authors should have got the “Wake up and smell the book roses … possible death toll bell” from me.
I hated writing them … I hated sending them.
And, I had to do it. As the publisher, because it’s business. As The Book Shepherd, because they chose to ignore the hours of brainstorming about strategies to market, position and sell their books. As the publisher, I got the books into national distribution at all major channels—even Barnes and Noble ordered them.
And they failed. Miserably. Two of them have done zip in marketing support for their books. ZIP. The third did an announcement on her Facebook page and has created a few speaking engagements. Granted, those sold books at the event, which is a great strategy and was part of the game plan. But, that’s it.
The Ego Factor
Authors have got to deal with their egos—they are always part of the formula. Do they want their books available in book stores, or at least available, so that a book store can easily order it? So buyers can buy the book? So that they can tell their friends that it’s at the book store? So that they can actively tell people to buy the book at a book store, or at least go to Amazon to buy the book?
Or, is it a stroke to their ego—a badge of honor to have their book in the store that they can brag about?
If authors are not going to drive book buyers to book stores … they don’t need a distributor. Distributors make money when books are sold through book stores and libraries. If authors aren’t going to encourage buyers to go to stores, to Amazon, to B&N, to libraries (yes, if libraries get demand, they buy books for inventory), there is no need for representation via a distributor.
If so, authors MUST understand the game … and the game is this: drive buyers to book stores if the publisher arranges for that option. Why should a book store carry a book or make it available if people aren’t encouraged to buy the book through them? If the book doesn’t sell, any future books may carry “baggage” with them … as in, “Why should we carry this author … her titles don’t sell? All of the author’s previous books were returned.”
Were the books good? Did they solve pain or provide a solution to something that a viable audience was in search of? Did they contain stories and humor to support their themes and key concepts? Yes, Yes and Yes. Oh yes. I loved them all … and so did the authors. I believed in every one of them—they were well-written; beautifully designed on the interior; and each had an excellent cover.
Can those three authors change the limp direction of their book—even when it’s been out for a while? Absolutely! It will take some time. It will need a marketing re-direct. It will take a commitment. Will they do it? Only time will tell.
How to Goose Up Your Book Sales
Would you like to create an amazing marketing game plan? You can by coming to the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado. An amazing line-up of publishing marketing pros will be there at the Author U Extravaganza May 3-5 … for less than $400, you get over $50,000 in talent brought to your book doorstep. Plus, get fed.
The Early Bird discount ends this Sunday, March 31st.
Author U’s theme this year is It Takes a Village to Create and Market Your Book. All the top marketing and publishing gurus will be presenting hands-on workshops over the three days. For an investment of a few hundred dollars, the Village will deliver a variety of strategies and techniques for all types of books—the emphasis is marketing, marketing, and marketing.
If you want to be seriously successful, you will be there.
You will be working with amazing book marketing strategists, publicity mavericks, Internet gurus, mobile marketing geniuses, audio and video pioneers … all done in an intense workshop environment …
Dive down, drill deep, you will learn strategies and techniques to market your books, expand spin-off products, present all with style panache. You cannot afford to miss John Kremer, Brian Jud, Steve Harrison, Judith Briles, Georgia McCabe, Marty Dickinson, Janita Cooper, Dan Pacheco, Daniel Hall, Mary Barnett, Nick Zelinger and Florrie Binford Kichler. Block the dates on your calendar for 2 ½ days that will turn you and your book into a success.
There is a bonus John Kremer dinner workshop (author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books) on Thursday, the 3rd. Warning: only a few spots remain. Rates increase on Sunday morning, April 1st. As a subscriber to this newsletter, you save an extra $50 when you use the promo coupon: AUEJoel.
The success of your book is up to you. If you want it, commit to it. Implement it. Rejoice in it. Market it.
Information You Can Use
Dates: May 3 – 5, 2012
Time: May 3 starts at 4:30pm. May 5 ends at 5:00pm.
Location: Doubletree Hotel-Denver Tech Center, Greenwood Village, Colorado
(special rates at $85 until April 12th, call 800-327-2242 and ask for Author U group rate)
Cost: Now—Author U members: $317 plus $60 for Kremer event.
Non-members: $380 plus $75 for Kremer event.
After April 1st— Author U members: $347 plus $77 for Kremer event.
Non-members: $477 plus $97 for Kremer event.
For more information or to register for the extravaganza: Author U
Promo Coupon for $50 Discount: AUEJoel
Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd, a book publishing coach and the Founder of Author U (niversity) a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. She’s the author of 30 books including Show Me About Book Publishing, co-written with John Kremer and Rick Frishman and a speaker at publishing conferences. Her next audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform will be available in the Spring of 2012. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Your Guide to Book Publishing on the www.RockStarRadioNetwork.com. Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her at [email protected].
Photo by rghrous. This is an affiliate offer.
