When it comes to books, promotion, and book production I know that it can sometimes feel like a minefield of choices. And, while I can’t address each of these in detail, there are a number of areas that are keenly tied to a book’s success (or lack thereof). Here are 10 for you to consider:
1) Not Understanding the Importance of a Book Cover
I always find it interesting that authors will sometimes spend years writing their books and then leave the cover design to someone who either isn't a designer, or who doesn't have a working knowledge of book design or the publishing industry. Or, worse, they create a design without having done the proper market research.
Consider these facts for a minute: shoppers in a bookstore spend an average of 8 seconds looking at the front cover of a book and 15 seconds looking at the back before deciding whether to buy it. Further, a survey of booksellers showed that 75 percent of them found the book cover to be the most important element of the book. Also, sales teams at book distribution often
only take the book cover with them when they shop titles into stores. And, finally, please don’t attempt to design your own book cover. Much like cutting your own hair, this is never a good idea.
2) Sometimes You Get What You Pay For
There’s an old saying that goes, “You can find a cheap lawyer and a good lawyer, but you can’t find a good lawyer who is cheap.” Though this is a very different market, it’s kind of the same thing.
Yes, there are deals out there. I’m not saying that you have to pay a good publicity person tens of thousands of dollars, but if you find someone who’s willing to market you for $200, or something like that, I’d be asking questions about what you get for your money. While $200 isn't much, it’s $200 here and $99 there and, eventually, it all adds up. So if a deal seems too good to be true, make sure that you’re getting all the facts. Just because they aren't charging you a lot doesn't mean they shouldn't put it in writing. And by “in writing” I mean you should get a detailed list of deliverables. Finding a deal isn't a bad thing, but if you’re not careful it might just be a waste of money; ask good questions before you buy.
3) Listening to People Who Aren't Experts
When you ask someone’s opinion about your book, direction, or topic, make sure they are either working in your industry or know your consumer. If, for example, you have written a young adult (YA) book, don’t give it to your coworkers to read and get feedback. (Yes, I know some YA books have adult market crossover appeal, but this is different.) If you've written a book for teens, then give it to teens to read. The same is true for self-help, diet, or romance. Align yourself with your market. You want the book to be right for the reader; in the end, that’s all that matters.
4) Hope Is Not a Marketing Plan
I love hope. Hope is a wonderful thing, but one thing it isn't is a marketing plan. Hoping that something will happen is one thing, but leaving your marketing to “fate” is quite another. Even though you’ve written the book, even though you’ve toiled hours making it perfect, and even though you’ve felt that you have enough people you know who will buy it and/or recommend it to friends, you still have to market it.
More often than not authors tell me that they can’t seem to get family or friends to buy their book. I know that sounds odd but it’s true. And, even if they do, that’s 100 copies at the most? While family and friends do want to help, you shouldn't bank on them for success. So when it comes time to get your book out there, you need to have a solid plan in place or, at the very least, a set of actions on which you feel comfortable working. Waiting on a miracle, a sale, or a sign from above will cost you a lot in terms of book aging. Once your book is past a certain “age,” it gets harder and harder to get it reviewed. Don’t sit idly by and hope for something to happen. Make it happen. A book is not the “field of dreams”: just because you wrote it doesn't mean readers will beat a path to your door.
5) Work It or Not
There’s a real fallacy that exists in publishing and it’s this: the “instant bestseller.” Anyone who has spent any amount of time in the industry knows there is no such thing as “instant” and certainly the words “overnight success” are generally not reserved for books. There is also the belief that a “miracle” will just happen to you when you publish. Personally, I love miracles but they tend to not happen with books, sadly. Book promotion should be viewed as a long runway. By that I mean you should plan for the long term. Don’t spend all your marketing dollars in the first few months of a campaign; make sure you have enough money or personal momentum to keep it going.
Whether or not you hire a firm you must “work it”: working your marketing plan, working your goals, whatever. Publishing is a business. You’d never open up a store and then just sit around hoping people will show up to buy your stuff. You advertise, you run specials, you pitch yourself to local media. You work it. But what does “working it” mean? Well, it means that if you have a full-time job you find time each week to push the book in some form or fashion. You find time, you make time. You should be engaged in your own success; even if you hire someone to do this for you, you should still be involved. Sometimes it doesn't take much, but it does take a consistent effort, whatever that is. I have a friend who is losing weight. She’s lost 19 pounds over three months. Maybe that seems like pretty slow weight loss. I mean who wants to wait three months for a measly 19 pounds? Still, she’s ahead; she’s doing little things that make a big difference. Time will pass anyway. How will you use it?
6) Not Understanding Timing
While timing in publishing has essentially become obsolete, things like advanced reviews, advanced pitching, and early sales into bookstores aren't the be-all and end-all they once were. Still, timing is important. While it’s true that older books can sometimes see a surge of success, it’s not the rule. You’ll want to be prepared with your marketing early. In fact, you should have a plan in place months before the book is out. That doesn't mean that you’re sending 200 review copies out. It just means you have your ducks in a row, so to speak, and you know what your plan will be.
Also, timing can affect things like book events (especially if you’re trying to get into bookstores). Understand when you should pitch your book for review, and start to get to know your market and the bloggers you plan to pitch. Create a list and keep close track of whom to contact and when you need to get your review pitch out there. Though many things have changed regarding timing, it doesn't mean you shouldn't plan. I recommend that you sit down with someone who can help you strategize timing so you can plan appropriately for your book launch. A missed date is akin to a missed opportunity.
7) Hiring People Who Aren't in the Book Industry
Let’s face it: even to those of us who have been in this industry for a while it still doesn't always make sense. Hiring someone who has no book or publishing experience isn't just a mistake, it could be a costly error. With some vendors like web designers you can get away with that. But someone who has only designed business cards can’t, for example, design a book cover. Make sure you hire the right specialist for the right project. Also, since you've likely spent years putting together this project, make choices based on what’s right and not what’s cheapest. If you shop right, you can often find vendors who are perfect for your project and who fit your budget.
8) Designing Your Own Website
You should never cut your own hair or design your own site. Period. End of story. Let me elaborate. Let’s say you designed your own site that saved you a few thousand dollars you would have paid to a web designer. Now you’re off promoting your book and suddenly you’re getting a gazillion hits to your site. The problem is the site is not converting these visitors into a sale. How much money did you lose by punting the web designer and doing it yourself? Hard to know. Scary, isn't it?
9) Becoming a Media Diva
You need the media more than they need you. I know. Ouch. But it’s the unfortunate truth. So here’s the thing: be grateful. Thank the interviewer, send a follow-up thank-you note after the interview. Don’t expect the interviewer to read your book and don’t get upset if they get some facts wrong. Just gently, but professionally, correct them in such a way that they don’t look bad or stupid. Never ask for an interview to be redone. Most media people don’t have the time. I mention this because it actually happened to a producer friend of mine who did an interview with a guy; he decided he didn't like it and wanted a second shot. Not gonna happen. The thing is, until you get a dressing room with specially designed purple M&M’s, don’t even
think about becoming a diva. The best thing you can do is to create relationships. Show up on time, show up prepared, and always, always, always be grateful.
10) Take Advantage
In this instance, I mean “take advantage” in the best possible way. There are a ton of resources out there for you. Seriously. Compared to when I was first in business almost 13 years ago, the resources and free promotional tools that are out there now are almost mind-numbing, and the fact that so many authors don’t take advantage of them is even crazier.
I’m talking about things like social media; I know it’s a time suck but you would be amazed at how many authors rock out their campaign by just being on Facebook or Wattpad or even Goodreads. When I wrote a Goodreads article a while back I got some interesting feedback from people who said that there was a lot of negativity on there. Well, that may be so but I've never seen it. If I do, I will ignore it. Point being, the stuff is out there. Find out for yourself what works and what doesn't. Yes, it’s fine to take advice from other authors, but you should still experience this for yourself before you decide if it’s right for you.
When it comes to marketing, the mistakes can cost you more than anything both in time and money. Knowing what to do to market your book is important, but knowing what to avoid may be equally as significant.
Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free e-zine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com.
