WWW President Vicki Felmlee shares her thoughts on marketing books.
“Fifty percent of all advertising works. I just don’t know which fifty percent.” – Henry Ford (or others)
If you take a marketing class or attend a seminar you’ll probably hear this quote. It’s not certain Henry Ford said it, or was the first, but somebody had to, so why not him?
What it means, however, is clear. Marketing by its own virtue is necessary; marketing itself, however, can be best described as a mixture of smoke and mirrors, skill, and maybe just luck.
There is also another truism: It is very difficult to market yourself. We don’t like to brag about ourselves (how gauche!); it’s our money and time we’re spending (ouch); and it is easy to get discouraged and even give up (sob).
As a marketing professional for more than two decades, it was my job to help businesses, individuals, and non-profits plan marketing campaigns, budgets, messaging, targets, strategies, and designs from logos to websites to radio and television ads. All while spending their money.
Now, as an author who is knee-deep in doing it myself for myself, I am living proof that, yes, it is very difficult to market yourself. I am susceptible to the same societal restrictions about bragging, hate having to spend my own money, and cringe when something doesn’t work.
However, it has helped to go back to some of those basics I learned years ago and apply it to this new phase of my life.
Think about your own book, maybe an historical fiction. Your friend writes romances. An associate writes biographies. Common thread is books (no duh).
Now, change your life (close your eyes). You have a bicycle shop, a friend has an ATV/4 Wheeler shop, an associate has a motorcycle shop. Common thread is they’re all forms of transportation.
But would you market your bike shop the same way your friend markets her ATV shop, and again, your associate her motorcycle shop?
Of course not, but so often I see advice here, there, and everywhere, to market books of all genre the same way. Yes, there are stated differences in target markets (age, women/men readers), but should that be the alpha and omega?
You might be over-looking some aspects of your book, making assumptions. For example, I have a friend (a WWW member!) who wrote a history set on the Great Lakes. Very locale specific. We were at a book signing and he commented: “Nobody here (in Western Colorado) is probably interested in it.” Shocking to him, he sold a few copies in the first hour or so.
We’re used to asking, “Who are our readers.” Now, let’s ask, “Where are my readers?”
I have grown skeptical with the “must haves” being pushed on authors, especially new ones. Like you, I cannot open my email without enduring dozen or more of these come-ons every day. Have a website! Get a social media account! Upload a video trailer! Create your own blog! Hire a consultant! How about more consultants? Buy that book for only $19.99 guaranteed (IF you follow all the steps, you’ll land on the New York Times Best Seller List)! Learn the ins and outs of Facebook and Amazon advertising!
Wait. Aren’t we supposed to be spending our time writing?
The “needs” can be dizzying, and if you cannot do some of these things yourself, or learn how, the expenditure in money can be severe, and you might never see a return.
In business parlance, that’s called Return on Investment (ROI). Having a firm understanding of how much your books (author’s copies) cost you, including taxes and shipping, is a must. I’ll throw another acronym at you: Level of Effort (LOE). Your time is worth money, it has value, don’t ignore or negate that.
At this point, you’re wondering if I have any gems of knowledge to pass on. Not sure about the gems, but I can tell you what has worked for me with some success, and sometimes a lot of success: In-person book sales, and advertising that is ratcheted down to not just a target market, but a tailored market. Both cost money, and take effort. Interestingly enough, when I parse the numbers, including my time, they come out about the same.
When considering the following, I am assuming you do not have the resources or expertise to design or produce printed materials, ads, etc. I am also putting a cost per book (those author’s copies) at $7 each, arbitrary on my part.
Here are two worksheets, costs might be less, they might be a lot more.
In Person Events, one day, (not a book signing hosted privately)
Travel expenses are not included, this assumes the event is nearby:
Venue/Organization : $100
Printed materials, banners, etc. (if new required) $150
Your time to set up, tear down, one day 10 hours@$50/hour $500
Miss. $50
Total $800
You will need to sell 100+ books to break even. I know what you’re thinking, take the $500 out for “your time” and that ROI figure looks a LOT better. But remember, that $500 is your LOE – Level of Effort. Loading books in car, taking books out of car, setting up table or booth, signing books for 6-8 hours, tearing down booth.
Larger publishers (mainstream, etc.) might pay for some or all of the expenses, including travel, but two authors I know who are published mainstream tell me that hasn’t been the case in the last few years. Some travel might be comp’d, perhaps the event fee, but the author is expected to pay for the remainder. As always, check your contract.
Tailored market advertising
There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of online and print publications. What is your book about? Hone the keywords. These are mine: strong feminine characters; Wyoming; Evil government agents; Wild horses; Petroglyphs; Science; Animal abuse Think about your own, then use the Google machine.
Using my keywords, and thinking about that question Where are my readers, I found three or four publications. After getting their media kits, looking at their numbers (and cost), I chose one. My novels are issue-oriented to a very specific, yes, tailored, audience and I hoped this publication’s reader might fill the bill, so to speak.
Negotiating a favorable contract is a must for this kind of advertising. Don’t be afraid to ask, ask, ask, push, push, push, if you don’t get what you need, walk away. Most advertising reps will work with you, they want your business, more importantly, they want your repeat business. Phone contact is best, you’re building a relationship.
I negotiated three ads to run in one newsletter that, according to their stats, has 200,000 readers. My ads dominated that newsletter, they were the only ads on it.
My Time spent on contract: .5 hour @$50/hour $25
My Time spent on designs 2 hours @80/hour $160*
Cost of ad $750
Total $935
*This figure will be about the same you spend doing it yourself, if you can, or working with/paying a designer on drafts, approvals, etc.
LOE – almost nothing!
ROI – book sales still coming in, and it’s looking very good
Will I do it again, be a “repeat” customer? Yes! Next book this summer.
And the real beauty of it compared to in-person events? See above. No loading books in car, out of car, setting up booth. Yeah, you get the point.
I’m looking for more opportunities this coming year. I’ll still be doing in-person, I love the camaraderie with other authors and I especially love talking to people who have read, or want to read my books. That one-on-one is so valuable, but I will be more judicious about the events, not only cost but venue and organization. As a new book author three years ago, I knew I had to look at “any and all.” Now, I’m a little more seasoned and experienced, and that means tailored advertising is easier and, perhaps, as effective.
Marketing is a wide, road with several lanes, one lane might be great, another lane maybe not so much. I’ve always pushed a multi-prong approach (website, print, electronic), but selling books is different, a narrow market where you literally have to drive down that wide road and find your readers.
What has worked, or not worked, for you? I would love to hear your experiences either in the comments below or if you prefer to be anonymous, you can reach out to me at: vicki@tcsmg.com.
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