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Self Publishing Success Starts With MarketingJean Fritz Self-publishing is not for the faint of heart. The publication process is lengthy, involves a considerable number of detailed, administrative tasks and can be expensive. This is the easy part; the real challenge involves “S & M” – sales and marketing. For an author to become a successful self-publisher, he or she must make a paradigm shift in consciousness from author to entrepreneur, and view their book in the same way that Madison Avenue gurus view the newest shampoo. An author has to be able to do a dispassionate analysis of the market the book was meant to reach. Is its greatest appeal to young people Senior citizens Men Women Members of a minority group The definition of a market – or markets – will help to determine and focus the ensuing marketing campaign. Next, the author must develop a marketing plan. How can I reach my market most effectively Freelance authors are already aware of the plethora of niche publications on the market. Now, instead of contacting these publications for submission guidelines, the self-publisher needs to contact the advertising department for rate and data information. Information such as 1 per-issue circulation, 2 average response rates for classified and / or display advertisements, 3 advertising rates and specs for display advertising will allow a self-publisher to determine the cost per contact. If a book involves specialized information, the self-publisher can afford to advertise in low-circulation, niche periodicals, as the audience of those periodicals may well be the exact type of individual most likely to benefit from the book. Books which were written to appeal to a wide, general audience will have to be marketed with a larger media blanket. Diet, self-help and money management books do better with radio or television publicity. These media have higher costs, but over the long run, the per-contact cost is smaller, due to the greater number of people reached. The question of cost brings us to the next challenge: a marketing and advertising budget. How much are you willing to spend, and for how many years Launching any new business venture generally requires five years to begin turning a profit, and the first two years concentrate on developing an identity and “brand awareness.” In other words, it may take an author two years for anyone to become aware of his / her existence, let alone want to purchase their book! Too many self-publishers give up on marketing after the first year, and wind up selling their book at garage sales. Finally, marketing efforts need to begin before the book is published. If an author builds interest and excitement while their book is still in the “proofing” stage, the outcome could easily be immediate demand upon release of the book. One of my clients did this, and sold 100 copies of his book before he received his first shipment. Along with publications written to help authors improve their writing skills, the self-publisher should reference books or audiotapes relevant to promoting and marketing small or home-based businesses, such as Jay Conrad Levinson’s Guerilla Marketing. Promoting your work doesn’t have to be torture or outrageously expensive. Well-planned, consistently executed promotion will get your book on bookshelves, as long as you are willing to invest patience and persistence in your marketing efforts.
| RELATED ARTICLES Timer Magic for Writers If your writing muscle isnt in shape, writing a novel may seem like a sheer, unscalable cliff. "Gee, I dont think I can write today. I left my climbing shoes in my other backpack..." Self Publishing Success Starts With Marketing Self-publishing is not for the faint of heart.The publication process is lengthy, involves a considerable number of detailed, administrative tasks and can be expensive.This is the easy part; the real challenge involves “S & M” – sales and marketing. Beat the Block with a Journal It’s nearing the end of summer, and I have no credentials to my benefit these holidays. As the end of the holidays approach, I keep wondering what I have to show for the summer other than the noticeable tan, and the load of incomplete articles adorning my computer. To Outline Or Not To Outline Ah, the age-old writers debate--to outline or not to outline Defy the Myths, Get Your Book Written--Fast! - Part 1 Why dont you write a book Write For Yourself First It would be very selfless or noble of me to tell you that I have created my web site only to help you and the rest of humanity. The reason for me spending so much time and energy into my writing and this site is selfish. And I must remind myself of that from time to time, especially when I move into a down period and I am asking myself "why." How to Get Your Book Reviewed Imagine your book at the top of the Best Sellers List of the New York Times. Most authors do. The question is, "How do I get it there and sell millions of copies" The Writing Club Typically when falling asleep in bed at night great thoughts enter the mind, long stringed and meaningful sentences trip over each other to receive attention at the front of the brain alongside all the brilliant findings, results, meanings that speak volumes and hard hitting phrases that are just the ticket to open the door to success. The last thought in the brain before sleep overrides this brilliant future work is, “must use that tomorrow”. Untrue Father A short Story Kallu was a tenant of Santosh Kumar Nayak. Santosh Kumar was a businessman in a small town of Utter Pradesh. So far the rent is concerned he was charging the rent very much according to the prevalent rates. Santosh Kumar was not contended with the rent alone Kallu was paying. He apparently had a self-interpretation that Kallu was really paying him a meager amount and that had to be compensated altogether by using him for a regular cleaning and washing of the house. He once authentically instructed Kallu to clean and wash the large floor as well staircases, which became a wont later on. Write Possibilities We writers are a powerful lot. We control time. We dictate actions. We control destinies. The Hard Facts About Editing Whether youre interviewing for a new job, trying to woo a love interest on a first date, selling your work on the Internet, or submitting a query to an editor, you can never make a second first impression. Its true. Its just one of lifes hard facts. Whats in a Name Giving Birth to your Characters So you’ve got your plot outlined, a title lined up and the research is done. You’re ready to start writing your novel. But wait. Now comes the fun part: creating names for your characters. One of the best things about being a writer—besides the innate ability to create imaginary worlds—is giving birth to a character and then bestowing a name upon him or her. True, you didn’t carry the character in your womb for nine months especially if you’re male. But he or she could’ve been in your head for nine months…or nine years. So choosing a name for your characters seems almost as important as the one you would give your own child. Catholics Need To Take a Second Look at Morality According to CNN, Catholics voted for President Bush over Senator John Kerry by a 51 to 48 percent margin.Hence, Catholics voted for a Born Again Methodist over a Catholic candidate.Many Catholic Bishops have declared abortion a “non-negotiable issue.”In the diocese of Brooklyn, which encompasses Brooklyn and Queens, there is not a single memorial to those who have been put to death by our government.Nonetheless, I know of at least one parish in Brooklyn that has a three-thousand dollar memorial dedicated to the aborted.Meanwhile, 36 million people in the United States live in poverty.If the Bishops are not silent, they most certainly speak in a whisper when it comes to issues of social justice and the death penalty.The Catholic Bishop’s candidate, George W. Bush, executed nearly 30 individuals in 1999 alone. Gut Check: Quitting Your Full-time Job for Your Freelance Career Its 6:00 p.m. Youre dead tired, but instead of an early night, you go to your "second job" — your freelance business. Writing Short Info Reports People want information, they want it quick, frequently in short form, and straight to the point. Its no wonder that they go straight for a computer connected to the internet to find anything from how to grow tomatoes to choosing a web host. An Article about Articles Everyone that publishes a newsletter or ezine knows that the "list" is the most important thing, if you want to be successful with any online venture. To build that list we are told to submit ads to other ezines, join as many ezines as is humanly possible to read in a 24 hour day without food or sleep. And of course write articles. "Manuscripts Wanted" - Questions You Should Ask The Publisher Before You Sign There are days when I feel as if everyone I know is a writer, and that they are all looking for the same thing, to be heard. The pursuit of finding someone to accept a manuscript for publication is at best disheartening. Many begin to feel that continued rejection is about as miserable as a writer will ever feel – it is not. Signing with the wrong publisher not only brings misery in a new and clever package, but it can also quite possibly destroy the inclination to write. The Recipe for Getting Published Got talent but no clips Heres the recipe for getting published... How to Break the Cycle of Postponing Your Dreams Do you have a dream, but keep postponing it because you feel trapped by the responsibilities of life Want to be a writer, work from home, own your own business First, we will examine how your dream got deferred. Then, we will outline definitive steps to get you back on track. Basic Writing Tips – Some Controversial, All Correct As a previous article “Making Better Word Choices – 4 Examples” explained, writers can take steps to prevent simple, and common, errors from degrading their writing.Five areas of writing that cause authors problems are discussed in this article. |
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