Marketing Practices for Authors

25
Marketing Practices For Authors

description

Master the essentials to better share, engage and market your book to your audience. Download this free guide to know more.

Transcript of Marketing Practices for Authors

Page 1: Marketing Practices for Authors

Marketing PracticesFor Authors

Page 2: Marketing Practices for Authors

The Overview

4 Steps to Marketing PlanStep-1 Target SettingStep-2 Execution essentials (Traditional)Media ReviewsPress ReleaseBook EventsCoverage of Books on Other Media (TV, Radio)Step-2 Execution essentials (Digital)Social MediaVideo TrailerAuthor WebsiteEmailSocial Book Cataloguing & MobileStep-3- MeasurementStep-4- Periodic Review Contact Us

2389101112131415161718192024

1

Page 3: Marketing Practices for Authors

4 Steps towards an effective Marketing Plan

     

2

Page 4: Marketing Practices for Authors

Step 1

Target Setting

Objective 1:Book Sales = X no of copies to be sold in the next 180 days

Objective 2:Author Brand will be built from X to Y in the next 180 days

3

DEFINE OBJECTIVESSET MILESTONES

Page 5: Marketing Practices for Authors

DEFINE OBJECTIVESSET MILESTONES

A standard industry figure says, general sales conversion ratio for a book from a first time author is 1000:1 i.e. out of every 1000 people in the target group who are aware of the book, 1 person buys a book.

This ratio does not apply to the people in the author’s circle of family and friends. Also, this conversion ratio of 1000:1 keeps reducing, as more people read the book and recommend it to others. For well known authors the ratio is much lower, maybe 100:1 or 10:1.

Let’s assume you need to sell 1000 copies in the next 180 days. You will need 1 Million people to be aware of the book.Out of the 1000 copies, how many can be sold to people in our network? Your network will help the book find it’s initial readership and if people like it they may recommend it to others

Setting Milestones – Obj 1 (Sales)

Step 1

4

Page 6: Marketing Practices for Authors

You need to tabulate how much exposure you are likely to receive from which media. The following is an example; you need to create a detailed sheet using a similar format.

Step 1

Setting Milestones – Obj 1 (Sales)

Media   Media  Vehicle   Overall  Reach   Achieved  Reach  

Email   Your  email  id   3000   300  Email   Spouse’s  email  id  Facebook   Your  fan  page   1000  fans  Facebook   Your  profile   1500  friends  News  Paper   Times  of  India  Youtube   Your  Channel   500  subscribers   300  views  Poster  at  bookstore  

Landmark  Bookstore  

2000  people/  day  

5

DEFINE OBJECTIVESSET MILESTONES

Page 7: Marketing Practices for Authors

This is not as easy to tabulate as sales, yet you need to define a measurement scale to track growth in your popularity.

Few commonly used indicators which can be measured:

Twitter Followers Fans on your Facebook PageSubscribers to your BlogFan mail received from readers per weekWebsite visitorsConsumer Reviews on Amazon.com / Flipkart.com / Google PlayBlogger Reviews Media Reviews

Setting Milestones – Obj 2 (Brand BuildingSetting Milestones – Obj 2 (Brand Building)

Step 1

6

DEFINE OBJECTIVESSET MILESTONES

Page 8: Marketing Practices for Authors

Setting Milestones – Obj 2 (Brand Building)

You need to tabulate the key performance indicators of growth in your popularity and track them

Element   Current   Target  Twi$er  followers  Facebook  Likes  Website  Visitors  Blog  Subscribers  Book  reviews    Awards  Bestseller  posi=on  on  AC  Nielsen    

Step 1

7

DEFINE OBJECTIVESSET MILESTONES

Page 9: Marketing Practices for Authors

Step 2

EXECUTE PLAN

Execution Essentials

Traditional

Media ReviewsBook EventsPress ReleaseCoverage of Books on Other Media (TV, Radio)

8

Page 10: Marketing Practices for Authors

Media Reviews

Newspapers. Magazines.

Book Review Snippet of

“India in Shambles” by Millennium Post

Print MediaBook Reviews from the Media dailies adds credibility to your book. Having your book review distributed widely can get it seen by hundreds of thousands of people. When people read a review that interests them, they tend to pass the word to friends, family and associates.

The possible coverage opportunities you can get for your book are as follows:Review of the bookBeing a part of a story covered by the newspaper, e.g. Authors of alternate mythology, young authors under 25 years, etc.Event pictures in the print mediaIf you contribute as a columnist or if freelance articles by you are published in the newspaper, you can use the tag line of ‘ABC is the author of XYZ’.

Proven EfficientJust like sports fans head to the last pages of the newspaper every day, book buyers check out the book review columns of newspapers and magazines to get a list of the recommended books.

9

Page 11: Marketing Practices for Authors

Press Release

Global. Local.

Online Press ReleaseYour book’s announcement via a press release is “content” that generates links to your site and other e-commerce sites due to it’s widespread distribution. This kind of an exposure can introduce you to journalists who wouldn’t reach you on their own.

How to issue a release:The release will include the cover image of the book along with up to three links to e-commerce sites for the reader to purchase if interested.

A press release announcing the launch of the book is distributed to hundreds of news agencies, media houses and journalists.

A powerful press release can take the author communication to new channels, reach new readers and immensely increase the author presence online.

Opens New Doors.Press release should be issued on the most optimum day and time, using presses MIS from Partners to get maximum attention for the release and as a result it can open doors to author interviews and book reviews.

Press Release Format Sample

10

Page 12: Marketing Practices for Authors

Book Events

Readings. Launches.

Book Launch and Reading EventsOne of the best ways to announce the release of your title is by having a book launch or book reading event at a popular bookstore (that’s where your readers will be).

How to plan and execute an event:The ideal way to go about it would be to plan the event well in advance, get in touch with a celebrity to attend the event to get more media coverage and attract your readers and get your publisher’s help to help in organizing the event.

You could make use of digital media to promote/ advertise your event, send invites via email and social media.

A successful event will also result in the sale of your books.

Word of MouthThis event will be more about your fans and readers. This is the most effective method to get the word out about your book because it wills stay in your readers’ mind for long and they will talk about the event to their friends and family hence leading them to buy your book.

Book Event Invite Sample

11

Page 13: Marketing Practices for Authors

TV & Radio

Readings. Launches.

Coverage on TV & RadioYou should develop a relationship with the local media, including radio and television connections. Find a story that will get reporters and journalists interested and benefit reader.The possible coverage opportunities for the book and author are as follows:RADIOBeing a part of a program in an interview formatGiving away free copies for contests on RadioRadio channels charge a high amount for such support, which may or may not always be feasible to all authors.

TVBook Events which feature media friendly celebrities do get TV coverageBeing a part of an author story on news channels.Being a part of news-led discussions. This is something which happens mostly if the book is controversial or the author is a leading one.

Reaches the mass.Media attention creates awareness, enthusiasm and support towards your work and getting coverage on the TV/Radio is an achievement in itself.

Chetan Bhagat at Jaipur Litfest

12

Page 14: Marketing Practices for Authors

EXECUTE PLAN

Digital

Social MediaVideo TrailerAuthor WebsiteEmailSocial Book Cataloguing and Mobile

Step 2

Execution Essentials

13

Page 15: Marketing Practices for Authors

Social Media

Facebook. Twitter. More

Salman Rushdie’s Twitter Handle : 723K followers

The Social NetworkIt is very important to decide beforehand what posts you would like to share on Social Media Platforms with regards to your book. Sharing valuable, engaging posts that have the potential to go viral by way of likes and shares is the only way to get maximum viewership. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Social Media is so much more than Facebook! According to Jonah Peretti, founder and CEO of BuzzFeed, creating content people love to share is the key to success on digital media.Social MediaSocial media can help you boost website traffic, sell more books, build brand recognition, and get you a ready fan base for your next book. For first time authors, to established authors, Facebook represents one of the best mediums to find new readers from all across the worldTwitter is a platform, where you can connect with (by following) editors, publishers, bloggers & readers and other authors.

Build Your Fan BaseThis is where all your fans are. Start interacting with your readers on Social Media to get feedback on your work, keep them engaged and entertained by sharing your views with them constantly.

*(To know more about managing your social media, download our next E-book coming up on Social Media exclusively for Authors)

14

Page 16: Marketing Practices for Authors

Video Trailer

Images. Graphics. Music.

A very innovative Book Trailer on Youtube with over 250K views

Audio-VisualIf you have invested the time and effort into creating a great book trailer, you want it to get noticed. Make the trailer worth it’s while by posting it on your website, add it to all your social media pages and ask friends to share, include it in your press release, send it to your email contacts, upload it on video sharing platforms with appropriate keywords, show it at your book events. But before you do all that – make sure it is a riveting one and lasts not for more than 60 – 90 seconds!A few quick tips:A book trailer is all about making the readers relate to the story and suggesting various emotions that will allow the reader to better understand what the book is all about. Book trailers are a new concept of marketing the author’s book, but they work well, especially when they are designed in a professional way.The book trailer’s ability to bring out the essence of the book in a short and entertaining manner can

help boost the author sales.

Reach the Non - ReadersA fairly new trend with a vast reach over book blogs and social media reaching readers and non readers.

15

Page 17: Marketing Practices for Authors

Author Website

Blog. Pictures. Videos.

Easy ReachCreating a website will increase exposure to more people inside andoutside of your current target readers. Take a look at other websites ofauthors, bloggers, photographers, musicians, designers. After registering some of these ideas, start looking for themes, contentand the structure for your website. Refine, tighten and simplify whattruly represents you and your writing in the best way. Having an author website benefits you:It provides links to the author’s Social Media Pages for people to connect with the Author Apart from your books, you can showcase your other work on the website through a blogIt helps online search results and makes you accessible to your readersA website can be created (easily and economically) with the help of any web vendor or your own self

with options from yahoo / Google / GoDaddy.

Connect to your readersApart from selling your books through the website, show some love to your readers ; encourage feedback, address concerns and be appreciative.

Homepage of an Author’s Website

16

Page 18: Marketing Practices for Authors

Email

Conversations. Networking.

Sample Chapter

Author’s Brand ImageMost authors are so wound up in writing their which is of course understandable, and so busy in trying to finish their book- that they spend little time thinking about how to market them and reach them to their readers. Why spend all that effort for nothing? But luckily for authors, email marketing is a quick, effective and mainly an inexpensive way to market their books!Get tech savvy:Emails can be effectively used to build your brand as an author and improve sales. As the author’s brand develops, the author needs to keep in touch via Email with her/ his fans, fol-lowers, critiques, bloggers and media. Developing such a base is a necessity. Segregate your groups as ‘Lists’. Example: friends, co-workers, ex-colleagues, my book club, media contacts, my fans, etc.Try not to hard sell to your friends, family, etc. You may end up without any sales and irritating a lot of people.

Sample ChapterYou may not sell but you could send a couple of chapters of the book in a PDF/word file with links on the last page of the chapters leading to e-commerce sites, where they can buy the book if they like the read.

17

Page 19: Marketing Practices for Authors

Social Book Cataloguing and Mobile

GoodReads. Whatsapp. BBM

Goodreads.com (Now A Mobile App)

Book RecommendationsEvery author today needs a platform. By signing up with Goodreads you become part of the Goodreads community, which allows readers to easily check out the latest information about you, see a photo of you, and browse which books you have written. Free Smartphone mobile messaging applications like Whatsapp and BBM can be used to send announcements about your book.Get reviews:Use your free membership to promote yourself and your books. Reviews are essential and reviews on Goodreads site help your book to really stand out to millions of visitors. Author can organize a Goodreads giveaway to promote his/her novel. On the other hand SMS, Whatsapp and other applications like BBM are the latest communication tools that can be used for promotion about the book amongst friends and other circles.You could promote your book pictures, quotes & book event updates and also hold contests on Whatsapp/BBM groups etc.

Share your bookGoodreads features top rated books, top talent spotters. Author can join the forums, upload their books and read reviews they have got. Using mobile apps you can join groups of readers or your own

groups or personal chats and share and promote your book and try to divert them to buy the book.18

Page 20: Marketing Practices for Authors

Step 3

Measurement

MEASURE DELIVERY

Measurable goals is the key to a well executed strategy

Data needs to be generated and tabulated to determine reasons for gaps in the marketing plan and ensure best practices are repeated and poor practices removed from the execution.

All parts of the plan need to be measured diligently against the set milestones.

19

Page 21: Marketing Practices for Authors

Step 4

Periodic Review

A weekly or monthly review of the marketing activities needs to be conducted systematically

Deviations need to be course corrected to ensure achievement of the objectives.

 

PERIODIC REVIEW OF PLAN AND MILESTONES

20

Page 22: Marketing Practices for Authors

Marketing Solutions For Authors

Author WebsiteAn author website is a unique platform to showcase books, to blog, to interact with readers/fans and to be accessible to the media and other publishers. We will help you create a professional looking website. The content for this website will need to be provided by the author.

Social Media PackageLet us manage your Social Media pages to ensure a growing audience, higher engagement with your readers with interesting content your audience and engage them with interesting content.

Consumer ReviewsGet your books to 20 relevant Book Bloggers for their review. Reach genuine readers via GoodReads. Enhance Consumer feedback on your book on the web.

Press Release:Use our professionally scripted press releases announcing the launch of your book, its key milestones and get it mentioned on websites of newspapers and magazines and prominent blogs.

Video trailerLet the video trailer of your book catch the reader’s attention. Specialist AV professionals create Book Trailers at most competitive costs.

Media ReviewsWith our Media Review pack, get access to Mainstream media. We enable the process of reaching leading newspapers and magazines, for book reviews, do the required follow ups, track the published book reviews and report the media mentions back to you.

21

Page 23: Marketing Practices for Authors

Research: We keep up on the latest marketing trends and excel at putting them to work for books so as to achieve perfection in the art of book promotion.

Brand Building:An efficient marketing strategy is executed to build the Author’s Brand Image and reach the target group of readers.

Reach:We also work with the best in class digital agencies to make the best use of the digital medium to promote our books.

Projects:Each service follows a specially crafted process and adheres to strict timelines .With each activation you get a dedicated project window to see the work of team that is managing your projects.

Tracking:We diligently follow and track over 200 successful authors worldwide and monitor their best practices to market their books

Benefits

22

Page 24: Marketing Practices for Authors

Get in touch with our Marketing Consultant

DetailsSend your full name, address, contact information along with details about your book to [email protected]

DocumentationWe will send you an agreement (including non-disclosure clauses).

PaymentMake the payment & we will send you a project activation email.

23

Page 25: Marketing Practices for Authors

Contact

AddressWordit Content Design & Editing Services Pvt Ltd,Newbridge Business Centre,C – 38 & 39, Parinee Crescenzo,G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex,Bandra East,

Mumbai–400 051

Write [email protected]

Contact No:

+91 80 80 22 66 99

24