Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – July 31, 2019

According to the Wall Street Journal (July 19, pB1) Amazon is beginning a push "to obtain a stable of exclusive brands for the platform." How are they doing that? "Amazon is offering independent merchants on its platform marketing support, product reviews and prominent display." What is the catch? "Amazon gains the right to purchase a merchant's brand at any time for a fixed price, often $10,000."

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

Ask yourself: What if there were no bookstores? How and where would you sell your books? Your answer will lead you to special-sales opportunities among non-bookstore buyers.

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

Some people write a book that once you pick it up you can't put it down. Others write a book that once you put it down you can't pick it up. Strive for the former.

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

When pitching your book to a corporate buyer, don't pretend you've never had to struggle. Potential buyers don't want to hear about your solution or your success until they know that you understand their struggles. Effective storytellers relate to buyers when they share their tales of failures, hardships and successes.

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

   "The intangibles that keep great people working for you are: the quality of the people they are working with, the interestingness level of their projects, and whether they are learning and growing." The Wall Street Journal, Notable & Quotable

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

"You have to be going to a pretty awful place if getting there is half the fun." Miss Piggy

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – July 25, 2019

When considering the ways in which you will distribute your books, first think about the people who will be buying them. Where do they shop? Work? Associate? Go to school? That is where your books should be.

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

Many people find it necessary to kill new ideas. "We've always only sold through bookstores," or "We don't have the staff for that," or "Yes, but …" are their buzz words. When you have an idea that is different from the status quo, do what is necessary to make it a reality. Sometimes this means pushing hard against the majority and the past. As Yoda, the Jedi Warrior put it, "Try? There is no try. There is only do or not do." What are you willing to do today to sell to special-sales buyers? What three corporate buyers could you call? What commission-reps could do the job for you instead of hiring more staff? Join the Association of Publishers for Special Sales? If you want to do something, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse. Find the way.

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

     If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got. If you are satisfied with what you have, do more of what you have been doing. If not, try something else, like selling to non-bookstore buyers.  

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – July 22, 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 – July 21, 2019

Stop selling your books. Start selling the benefits that people receive from buying your books. Retail-store managers want increased traffic and profits. Demonstrate how your promotional efforts will drive people into their store. Librarians are not profit driven, but they want to help their patrons. What do your customers need and how can you help them meet their needs?

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

Book marketing is as simple as PIE: Plan what you will do, Implement that plan and then periodically Evaluate your progress and make any changes that are necessary.  

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day

"Our American story, for generations, is of a people who seek to move forward. A people who look at a mountain and worry not about the tough climb ahead, but dream about the view from the summit," said Bill Owens. That applies to authors, too.  

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

If you are selling a book about improving someone's tennis serve, a review or article in Tennis magazine would more efficiently reach prospective buyers than it would in The New York Times. Pinpoint promotion to carefully selected target market segments could reduce waste in your marketing expenditures.

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

You have an almost entirely new skeleton every ten years. (Reader's Digest, June 2019, p 61) The article said, "Old bone cells are constantly being replaced by new ones, a process called 'remodeling'. This helps repair damage to the skeleton and prevents accumulation of too much old bone, which can become brittle and break more easily." We should apply this process to our businesses and 'remodel our business model' to prevent the accumulation of rigid thinking. Your business bones may become too brittle and break if you think only in terms of selling books through bookstores. The prescription may be to remodel and sell to (corporations, associations, schools) and through (supermarkets, airport stores, gift shops) non-bookstore buyers.

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

Turn up the temperature when negotiating -- literally. "Research participants in a warm room (versus a cool but not uncomfortable one) were more likely to say they would buy the TV remote preferred by most of the other participants." (Harvard Business Review)

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

When selling books through bookstores, your book sits among competitive books on a shelf, waiting for prospective buyers to come to them. Many would-be readers peruse the shelves, and when they finally decide, they purchase one copy and leave. Selling books to non-retail buyers is more proactive. You find the names of potential buyers, contact them to negotiate a large-quantity, non-returnable sale. You have no competition with other books.

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

Get rid of excuses. When Spanish explorer Cortez landed at Veracruz, the first thing he did was burn his ships. Then he told his men, "You can either fight or you can die." Burning his ships removed a third alternative: giving up and returning to Spain. Sometimes it takes more creativity to get rid of excuses than does to come up with the idea. What three factors will make it difficult to reach your objective? How can you get rid of them?

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

"Our American story, for generations, is of a people who seek to move forward. A people who look at a mountain and worry not about the tough climb ahead, but dream about the view from the summit," said Bill Owens. I think it applies to authors, too.  

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

.

An old proverb says, "measure twice and cut once." In other words, make sure your measurements are correct, so you don't waste time, material and money. An updated proverb for authors could be, plan twice and act once so you don't waste time, material and money.

Book-Marketing Tip of the Day – July 10, 2019

Are you measuring the right things? Profits are like a thermometer in that they only serve as a measuring device, not a controlling apparatus. Profits (or losses) tell you that you are doing something right (or wrong) but they offer no insight into what caused them. For greater impact on your net income, review the actions that cause profits to increase or decrease and place your attention on adjusting them for maximum effectiveness. 

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

It's difficult to change the ways in which we've always done things, and selling to non-bookstore buyers is different from the ways in which most authors and publishers sell books. But that is where opportunity lies. Think about what Stephen King said, "What are we afraid of, as humans? Chaos. The outsider. We're terrified of disruption." Selling to non-bookstore buyers may appear chaotic initially, but it can be very profitable in the long run.

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

Can you state your strategy simply? At Nasty Gal, founder Sophia Amoruso's game plan is selling vintage clothes to young women. Snapchat's strategy is delivering disappearing photos. Ikea's is selling nicely designed flat-pack furniture. If you can't articulate your strategic approach as clearly as they can, do not expect the market to get it. (Fortune) Road-test yours here for some valuable feedback.

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

Need a sales-tax permit? Here are instructions to get one in any state: Blog.taxjar.com/how-to-register-for-sales-tax-permits

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

The first book by Stephen King, the iconic thriller Carrie, received 30 rejections, finally causing King to give up and throw it in the trash. His wife fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it, and the rest is history with King now having hundreds of titles published and having the distinction of being one of the best-selling authors of all time.

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

Balance work and personal life. "When I started Camp Bow Wow, I continued to work pharmaceutical sales part-time for the first year and a half. In the afternoons, I'd take my 4-year-old daughter to parks where we handed out free Milk Bones with coupons to people walking their dogs. It was hard being a single mom starting a business, but I found ways to do both." Heidi Ganahl, Founder and CEO of Camp Bow Wow

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

Have a great day, and may the 4^th be with you :)

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

Interesting comment in the 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 – July 2, 2019

Expect the unexpected. Columbus was looking for India. Bell was trying to invent a hearing aid. Colonel Sanders set out to sell his chicken recipe to restaurants. Bell was trying to invent a hearing aid. Often what we're looking for leads us to something much different. What are two unexpected things that might happen to your current project?

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

Get your Word's Worth during your media appearances. Brian Jud's article for IngramSpark tells you how to answer any questions while you are on the air. See it at bit.ly/2X0Ue2D #