Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 30, 2019

"Persistence prevails. Whenever a client didn't want to buy a new product, I would put samples and a personal note in his regular delivery asking him to try it. If you aren't persistent and consistent your competition will take over." Andrew Ly, CEO and co-founder, Sugar Bowl Bakery

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 29, 2019

"That's how I've come to see rejection: As a push forward, not back. It is a motivator… At USC they like to tell a story about Steven Spielberg. He was denied admission three times. But he didn't give up. He just kept getting better. No matter how many rejections you receive, you only need one yes." Masada Siegel (Wall Street Journal)

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 28, 2019

Do you think that people don't read advertising? I can guarantee that you will read every word of a full-page ad in any newspaper or magazine if the headline says, "Everything you wanted to know about (your name). Lead with what is important to your target readers and they will read every word of what you have to say.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 27, 2019

When architects look at an opening between two rooms and think "door," that is what they design. But what if they think "passageway?" Then they may design something much different, like a hallway, atrium or tunnel. Different words bring in different assumptions and lead your thinking in different directions. The Association of Publishers for Special Sales (www.bookapss.org) is your passageway for greater sales to non-bookstore buyers, in large, non-returnable quantities. It takes work, but those who are willing to do it can be profitable.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 26, 2019

"It's not creative unless it's sells," goes the advertising line. You can have the greatest idea in the world but if you can't sell it you won't get very far. What are three reasons that someone else would want to buy your content? What benefits does it provide? What does it promise? What problem(s) does it solve? How can you make your idea more attractive to other people? Use your answers to sell more books.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 24, 2019

Be critical about your book and think how it might be enhanced. You don't want to put a poorly produced product out in the world with your name on it. Ask yourself how it could be improved. What is it lacking? What doesn't feel right about it? Once you believe that it is the best you can do, go with it.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 23, 2019

When you are making a sales presentation, does it often appear as if your prospect is not listening? Many sales people blame the "receiver" if that person is not listening. However, it may be the salesperson's fault. An article in the Wall Street Journal says that the talker should take some responsibility for miscommunication. According to the article, "Often talkers engage in a monologue rather than a dialogue. They drone off and ignore the listener's cues that he or she is disengaged."

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 22, 2019

Publishers place great attention on the figure at which to price their books, but too often they ignore the customers' perspective. Corporate buyers seeking a promotional product compare the available options (books, coffee mugs, golf shirts), so they evaluate your price differently. They weigh the perceived value of your content (for reaching their goals of increasing sales or employees' productivity) against the asking price. They evaluate the cost of the purchase relative to the return on it. 

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 21, 2019

Does watching a baseball game remind you of selling books to corporate buyers? In book-selling situations you make your pitch to the buyers. Think of them as the catcher of your pitch. In a real baseball game, the catcher directs the pitcher. Similarly, in selling situations, buyers are giving you signals – the problems they need to solve, or their acceptance or objection to what you are saying.

 

To make things more interesting the batter is analogous to your competition, trying to keep your pitch from getting to the catcher. From now on, when you make your pitch read the catcher's signals and keep it away for your competition.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 20, 2019

According to Ben Franklin, "You may delay, but time will not." Make that call today before your prospect chooses a different product, goes on vacation or decides to delay the marketing campaign for which your content would be perfect.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 19, 2019

Laura Linney on failure: "As the late great Jack Lemmon once said, 'Failure seldom stops you. What stops you is the fear of failure.' You will never achieve a deeper understanding of your work, or learn the tough lessons, if you are liked or comfortable all the time." Try selling your books to non-bookstore buyers and you could turn your lemons into lemonade.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 18, 2019

"Luck occurs at the intersection of random chance, talent and hard work. There may not be much you can do about the first part of that equation, but there's a lot you can do about the other two. People who have a talent for making luck for themselves grab the unexpected opportunities that come along." (Wall Street Journal)

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 17, 2019

"Frozen thinking" is hanging on to a deeply held idea that we no longer question but should, such as selling only through bookstores and ignoring larger sales to non-bookstore buyers. According to Reader's Digest, "Dissent can thaw frozen thinking. As difficult as it can sometimes be, talking to people who disagree with you is good for your brain." Join an APSS Mastermind group for a variety of opinions www.bookapss.org/APSSMastermindGroups.doc

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 16, 2019

Have a clear divide between important work and busy work. Do your writing in the morning and other busy work such as responding to emails in the afternoon. Or, vice versa. Allocate several hours for revenue-generating work, and other time (evenings or weekends) for the repetitive work that is less productive but needs to be done.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 15, 2019

Reverse your viewpoint. Reversing how you look at a situation can dislodge assumptions and open new possibilities. For example, spend a minute describing a problem you are working on. If you are a male, describe it from the viewpoint of a female. If you're a female, describe it from the male viewpoint. How can you reverse the way you look at your idea?

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 14, 2019

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal applied baseball wisdom to everyday life. Here are two examples from baseball hall of famers. Rogers Hornsby said, "Know what you want and don't get distracted chasing anything else." When Cal Ripkin Jr. was asked how he would like to be remembered he said, "As a professional baseball player who went out every day to work and performed to the best of my ability in a fully professional manner."

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 13, 2019

Are you ready to publish your content? Don't think in terms of launching a book, but as creating a start-up company with long-term aspirations. Successful start-ups come from the vision of the founders and their insatiable drive to build something they want to see in the world. The path to get there is in delighting your customers. Focusing on just selling books results in rudderless indecision and false starts on dead-end paths.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 12, 2019

According to Angela Duckworth (Costco Connection), "I define grit as a combination of both perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Not just working hard, but also loving what you do. It's not the same thing as talent, which also helps you achieve great things in life, but has hogged a disproportionate share of the spotlight in American culture." Use her Grit Scale http://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/ to see if you have the grit to succeed.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 11, 2019

Even the greatest idea released at the wrong time could be a loser. Publishing success can depend on timing. Is the timing right for your new idea? Are you rushing your book's publication to meet an artificial deadline (distributor's catalog or 4Q holiday sales)? What if you waited for 3 months? What opportunities will you miss if you don't do it now? What opportunities will you create if you wait? How is your timing?

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 9, 2019

When you first published your book, you may have had dreams of fame and/or wealth. But no matter how hard you tried, perhaps your dream did not come true. Nor did it die. Instead, the dream remains, taunting some and motivating others. Get your dreams to motivate you. 

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 8, 2019

Barnes & Noble was purchased by hedge fund Elliott Management Corp for $437 million. Elliott also owns Waterstones in the UK. According to today's Wall Street Journal, "Elliott expects to invest in improving the appearance of B&N's 627 stores."  

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 7, 2019

Interesting comment in today's (June 7) Wall Street Journal: "Independent business owners take calculated risks in pursuit of innovation, growth and job creation. That's why their half of the economy is more dynamic than the half in which risk-averse CEOs and boards prioritize share price and market share."

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 6, 2019

Do not think that your book is the only one on its topic. That could lead you to believe that people will read it regardless of the marketing that you do (or don't do). If it is the only book on your topic ("How to Start Your Own Country") maybe there is not a large market for it. And if it does not sell, do you think that bad reviews are incorrect? Do you think distributors and retailers are wrong for not taking on your book? How can you use rejection to eliminate ego and improve your product, pricing, promotion and distribution?

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 5, 2019

Instead of selling your book, sell the product of the product – the benefit the reader receives from reading it. The CEO of a cosmetics-manufacturing company once said, "In the factory we make cosmetics, but in the store we sell hope." Sell what your content does, not what your book is.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 4, 2019

See yourself as creative. "What concerns me," remarked the philosopher, "is not the way things are, but rather the way people think they are." If you think you are creative, you act that way -- and vice versa. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. As you think, so you are. The same idea is trying to call a corporate buyer. If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't. Just go ahead and make the first call.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 3, 2019

Plant the seeds for word-of-mouth advertising buy finding untapped needs in foreign markets and among other non-retail buyers such as associations, schools, government agencies and the armed services.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 2, 2019

When networking, understand that "people are more likely to remember encounters that are emotionally charged." Instead of starting with "I just got back from vacation," use an opening line that sparks pleasure such as, "Do you have any exciting plans for this summer?" Another example is, "What was the highlight of your day?"  (Wall Street Journal) These questions also put the focus on the other person – usually their favorite subject.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – June 1, 2019

"Three lessons from a pencil: 1) Pain always sharpens you, 2) Everything you do leaves a mark, and 3) What's inside you is useful, not what's outside." Shelley Hitz