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How to Be a Book Marketing Strategist: The Ultimate Book Marketing Guide


Guest post by Jill Bennett

Why should you be a book marketer when you can be a book marketing strategist? A marketing strategist:

  • Analyzes data, trends and projections
  • Researches the targeted group of consumers
  • Works with people or teams
  • Figures out the best way to generate sales

A degree in marketing isn’t necessary to be a strategist, but it can help you develop and practice skills, learn essential marketing principles, and understand how to apply these principles to drive sales. But you can also acquire these skills from self-teaching. This guide will help you become an autodidact marketing expert.

1. Sales funnels

Sales Funnell

Read a lot of marketing books and you will encounter this word a lot. A sales funnel refers to the purchasing process customers go through, from awareness to interest to purchase. Imagine a funnel—that conical utensil you use to pour liquids into small-mouthed containers. Now, imagine that liquid is your target customers. How do you nudge people to be aware and interested in your book and then turn them into customers?

To answer this question, you need a solid plan.

2. Goals

Create a list of your objectives and goals. Maybe it’s selling at least 10 books a month or making writing your main source of income. Include the time frame you plan for achieving those goals.

3. Marketing plan: Identify your audience

  • Who are your target audiences? You may already have a good idea of your book’s intended audience, but you’ll never know who else is reading your book until you conduct research. If your book is already out, check your sales channels and social media platforms, such as Amazon and Facebook respectively. Study the profiles of buyers and interested prospects. Who are they? What’s their age? What do they do? Are they women? What other books do they read? If your book isn’t up for sale yet, study the readers of similar books.
  • What needs do your target audience have that your book can satisfy? This is the next question. Once you have this answer, you can find out what can influence their buying decisions. Make your marketing message appeal to their needs and wants.
  • How can you reach them? Through which platforms, media and places can you communicate and influence your audience? These places are your ticket to book sales.
  • Where do they buy their books? Sell your book where customers are searching, and don’t make them jump through hoops to buy your work.

4. Marketing plan: Market analysis

This is the part where you perform market analysis. Consumer behavior, market trends and technological advances can all affect your book’s performance in the market. For instance, since e-book readers are the device du jour, so making your book available in digital format will help bolster sales. There are also trends in genre—there was a time when fictional vampires and werewolves were hot!

Studying the competition is part of the market analysis. This part will determine how you can stand out from the thousands of other books that get published every month. There’s nothing wrong in doing what works for them, and there’s definitely nothing wrong on focusing on what they’re struggling with. Spy on your competitors, legally of course.

5. Action plan

Lastly, create your plan of action. Come up with action-oriented steps that will accomplish your goals and objectives. Use the data you’ve analyzed to create these steps.

Book marketing is a science, and it’s through research, study, measuring data that can turn you into an expert in this field. Identify the following:

  • Promotional items to use (print materials, merchandise, etc.)
  • Events to facilitate (book launch parties, book signings, speaking engagements, etc.)
  • What social networks to use
  • What content to post on your blog and social networks
  • Other offline and online tactics that can give results

Don’t forget to consider budget in all of this. If you’re on a tight budget, run your marketing campaign for as long as your budget will allow.

 

Additional Reference:

About the Author:

 

Jill Bennett a markJILL BENNETTs Profile Piceting specialist for LitFire Publishing, a company based in Atlanta, Georgia. She has several years of publishing and book marketing experience under her belt. Also under her belt is the mastery in taking care of three cats named Ginger, Pepper, and Marty.

It’s been a pleasure hosting you on 4writersandreaders, Jill. You’ve left us with excellent strategies on how to get our books into the hands and hearts of our target readers.

WRITERS & READERS:

Jill and I would love to hear from you.

Happy Reading, Writing & Planning your marketing strategies! ~ Bette A. Stevens

Written

on 04/15/2015

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Top Writing Tools of Famous Authors


For me it’s my laptop + assorted gel pens and highlighters. HOW ABOUT YOU? ~ Bette A. Stevens

Nicholas C. Rossis's avatarNicholas C. Rossis

My secret weapon is using a two screen layout for my PC. This allows me to work on the story on one monitor, while researching on the other. If you’re curious as to what writing tools great authors prefer, you may refer to the excellent infographic below, which was prepared by Robert Morris and the lovely people over at NinjaEssays.com. So, what is your favorite tool?

From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's books

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Written

on 03/26/2015

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Stephen King’s Top 20 Rules for Writers


Awesome advice from one of the greats! ~ Bette A. Stevens

jenowenby's avatarJens Thoughts

CA: Premiere Of Paramounts' Remake Of "The Manchurian Candidate" - ArrivalsWant to know what Stephen King says about writing?

1. First write for yourself, and then worry about the audience. “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story.”

2. Don’t use passive voice. “Timid writers like passive verbs for the same reason that timid lovers like passive partners. The passive voice is safe.”

3. Avoid adverbs. “The adverb is not your friend.”

4. Avoid adverbs, especially after “he said” and “she said.”

5. But don’t obsess over perfect grammar. “The object of fiction isn’t grammatical correctness but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story.”

6. The magic is in you. “I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing.”

7. Read, read, read. ”If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time…

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Written

on 02/25/2015

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Better Parenting, Better Kids with author Nonnie Jules


Nonnie Jules BookHello, and welcome to the 4th day of my BETTER PARENTING, BETTER KIDS Blog Tour!  I’m so happy to be here today with Bette Stevens as she is a favorite of mine from Rave Reviews Book Club, where she serves as one of our most supportive members!  Thanks for having me, Bette!  I’m excited to be here!

My tour this week has been designed to bring more, desperately needed attention to the plight of today’s children.  We have children killing children.  We have children raping, joining gangs and blowing up buildings, at an alarming rate.  This is our wake-up call!  This is the moment that we must all stand and band together and say, “OK, enough’s enough!”  If we want to make a positive change in society, which will make a huge impact on our children, we, as adults need to be willing to engage in a discussion for this change.  We, as adults, must not be afraid to speak on that, which is destroying our society as we have known it.  We must make this growing epidemic of “poorly parented” children our top priority as we work to make it a thing of the past.  WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE IN THIS WORLD.

Today I’m going to do something a little differently from my other stops.  I am going to answer the TWO questions I get asked the most as a Parenting Expert and it is my wish that it gives you a bit more insight as to why this mission is my top mission.  Here goes:

1. What made you want to write a book about guiding parents who are raising kids?

My daughters are both so very well-behaved, kind and manner-able, the epitome of (almost) perfect daughters, and I pray that a world left behind by me would be filled with more people just like them. The only way that this will ever happen, is for each of us, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, adults in general, to band together and work from the same blueprint. Only then can we build a world free of hatred, jealousy, greed, selfishness and just plain ugly. So, although my reasons initially were very selfish for writing this guide, I look around and the majority of the poor behavior that we see adults exhibiting today, is probably because there was a lack of proper parenting when they were kids. So for that reason, I’m glad this book is out there now. And I have to say, it’s doing very well on its own merit.  Hopefully, we can get even more attention to it if we all just care enough to spread the word about it. There are so many parenting guides on the market, but we needed one that was easy to understand and one that has been actually PROVEN to be extremely effective.  THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS,” 100 Tips On Raising Daughters Everyone Can’t Help But Love! is that guide.

2. Do you have parents contacting you for advice?

Parents contact me for advice ALL the time. I am so honored when they do and I am very humbled when parents expect that their kids behave in a certain manner around me. That to me says that they respect my opinions, but I think it’s more of the fact that they see my children and the way they are and behave, and on some level, as I have been told by many parents, they wish their kids could be more like mine. This is a top of the line compliment for me and I thank GOD that he has put me in the position to where my influence and opinion matters to parents who want the best for their kids, and who want THE BEST kids. I can say from my deepest place, that I love all children and it warms my heart immensely when I see or hear of some child excelling and doing well. We all have a purpose for being here, and GOD made children my purpose.

* Side note: Parents have asked for a forum where they can ask questions directly and so I’d like to invite you all to my blog called “ASK THE MOMMY” where parents are able to direct questions and have them answered. Do take a look around there once you land!

Enjoy this EXCERPT from the book:

“So many times, when our daughters take the wrong path, we wonder…”What is wrong with HER?  What is SHE doing wrong?” We fail to look inside at our own parenting skills where sometimes, the majority of the blame just might lie.  Have you ever stopped to think, “What did I do wrong?” “What could I have done better?” and going a step further, “Where did I fail her?” So many Moms are busy focusing on themselves these days, when what they should really be focused on, are their kids…especially their daughters.  I was blessed enough to be a stay/work-at-home Mom for both of my Angel Daughters.  They never had to attend daycare, they were never latch-key kids, and I was always, always there for them.  But, even if I had not been there, even if I had no choice but to go out and become a part of the workforce again, I would have still made them my top priority.  It is my deepest belief that if we spend more time nurturing, focusing and guiding our children, and less time trying to amass material things which will never be a direct reflection of us as parents, we would have more daughters and sons who are (“Almost”) perfect.”

Do the world a favor and pick up your copy of  “THE GOOD MOMMIE’S GUIDE TO RAISING ALMOST (PERFECT) DAUGHTERS.” If your kids are grown and gone, gift it to them for their kids.  If you don’t have kids, gift it to the young mom next door or down the hall who could use the wisdom between the covers of this life-changing little book.  And, if you’re just in the mood for a really good read, I can guarantee, this one is a joy!  It has been said over and over again, that the tips inside the covers of this guide work just as well for sons.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  LET’S CHANGE THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT AND MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE!

 

Nonnie JulesAUTHOR BIO:

Nonnie Jules is the mother of two beautifully kind daughters, who along with the help of her husband, have turned out to be two of the greatest assets to this world.  THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS is her first published piece of work and two weeks after publication, it hit Amazon’s Top 100 list, where it reached the #7 mark.  With all the violence which is being exhibited by some children today, it is her vision and goal to get THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…into the hands of everyone who breathes around a child.  She feels the only way we can make this happen, is if we are all working from a common blueprint.  Ms. Jules strongly believes that every opportunity we are given with a child, should be a teaching one for us and a learning one for them.

So far, Nonnie has authored two other books:  a novel which she released in November of 2013, entitled “DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE’S FRIEND” and “SUGARCOATIN’ IS FOR CANDY & PACIFYIN’ IS FOR KIDS!” where she shares her no-holds-barred style of teaching us all about support and social media.  Her second parenting guide {THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO BULLY-PROOF KIDS} is due for release the beginning of January, 2015 and the sequel to her debut novel, DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, shortly after.  (Both have been delayed due to her extensive workload with RRBC).

She is a fan of the well-written word, and so along with 3 partners, she started 4WillsPublishing Co. in November, 2013 to assist other writers in putting out their best work ever.  By December, 2013, she had founded the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB where in less than a year, the membership has rapidly grown to well over 500.  If you’re not a member yet, this is your personal invitation to JOIN US!

NJ Cover Design-1

As you can see, she is an Author on the move and if you’re interested in keeping up with her, here is her contact info (and a good pair of running shoes would help as well):

Twitter:  @nonniejules

Facebook:  Nonnie Jules, Author

Blogs/Websites:

4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com

BooksByNonnie.wordpress.com

NonnieWrites.wordpress.com

AskTheGoodMommy.wordpress.com

Written

on 09/24/2014

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How to Get your Kids to Read


Happy reading with kids ~ It’s FUN-damental!  ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator http://www.4writersandreaders.com

Nicholas C. Rossis's avatarNicholas C. Rossis

GatewaySuccessStory-JeffGunhusFoil._V350981886_I found a lovely post on Amazon by Jeff Gunhus, and just had to share! Jeff details how he started his Jack Templar book series as a way to get his two young boys to read. This is what he has to say:

“My son Jack was smart and outgoing. He got great grades. But he liked reading books about as much as he liked walking behind our two yellow labs on clean-up duty. He was way more interested in movies, TV, video games. At first, I wasn’t too worried. But his vocabulary and writing skills began to slip. I decided to do something.

I created the Early Morning Book Club. That was my name anyway. To Jack, I’m sure it was the Early Morning Torture Club. The plan was that we’d get up early and Jack would read out loud to me for an hour. Luckily for him…

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Written

on 07/09/2014

The Socio-Economic Importance of the Bard


Great history lesson, whether fact or fiction.

Flint F. Johnson's avatarCei

As someone who has studied the “Arthurian period” at length I have noticed some things that irritate and frighten me. First Knight comes to mind, being wrong in its interpretation and understanding of the story, in error about the love triangle, the philosophies involved, and the armaments. But I have learned to live with it and media like it. After all if a person wants the romantic delusions of the Arthurian period they are either going to enjoy it blissfully or enjoy it despite me.

But for those who want to understand, the socio-economic situation was a fascinating one. Today I would like to start with the bard. Bards have been explained as the storytellers, the entertainers, the keepers of culture. And they were. There is no accurate source that tells us how long they studied their craft, or exactly what they had to learn before they were allowed to…

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Category:

Articles of Interest, Literature, The Classics

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I beg your pardon: I think I’m promising a WEED GARDEN!


IMG_3176When April showers may come your way
They bring the flowers that bloom in May
So when it’s raining have no regrets
Because it isn’t raining rain you know
It’s raining violets
[It’s May here in Central Maine and lots of dandelions (the first native weed variety to spring forth and blossom/more varieties to come) are taking over the gardens at the Stevens’s Farmstead this year.]

Spring has finally sprung in Central Maine. Our beloved perennials are booming!  That dreaded indigenous variety (a.k.a. dandelions) are in full bloom up too. I’m usually out in the gardening digging and pulling those hearty adversaries out of the garden at this time of year, but that was way back when. I ruptured a disc in my lower back in February and am still suffering from a pinched sciatic nerve. The pain runs from my lower back, shoots to my right groin, hip and knee. I took my trusty stool (garden buddy) and garden tools out to weed a few days ago. That didn’t go too well…can’t bend, reach and dig even with my buddy. Went back to the barn to get clippers and managed to trim all of my rose bushes and bask in the fresh air and sunshine!

My friend Marilyn Armstrong had complicated surgery recently and she’s in a similar predicament as far as gardening goes. If you haven’t visited her blog SERENDIPITY yet, here’s your chance. Marilyn is a great writer and her posts run the gamut—there’s always something to interest everyone!

I’ll attempt to entertain readers this year with what Marilyn calls posts from our INDEPENDENT GARDENS! Marilyn thinks we may start a new fad. Maybe win an award or two for independent gardens—a place where weeds rule. We’ll keep you posted. ~ Bette A. Stevens

Related Link & Video


April_Showers_coverhttp://en.wikisource.org/wiki/April_Showers

Written

on 05/20/2014

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RRBC Spotlight Author Bette A. Stevens


Thank you, Janice Ross, for hosting me on your blog! ~ Bette A. Stevens

Written

on 03/24/2014

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NAFTA leaders put saving monarch butterfly on trade pact’s agenda – McClatchy DC News – The Sacramento Bee


“Our governments will establish a working group to ensure the conservation of the monarch butterfly, a species that symbolizes our association…”

Two monarch butterflies mating

via NAFTA leaders put saving monarch butterfly on trade pact’s agenda – McClatchy DC News – The Sacramento Bee.

Written

on 02/21/2014

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Intellectuals Urge Leaders from ‘The Americas’ to Protect the Monarch Butterfly


Maine Author/Illustrator Bette A. Stevens advocates for children, childhood literacy and Monarch butterflies.

Maine Author/Illustrator Bette A. Stevens advocates for children, childhood literacy and Monarch butterflies.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter referred to Monarch butterflies as ambassadors to The Americas.

What will today’s leaders do?

On Wednesday, February 19th, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, U.S. President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper are meeting in Toluca, Mexico to discuss such matters as economic competitiveness, trade investment, entrepreneurship and security. A letter to these three leaders has been signed by more than 150 intellectuals, including Nobel literature laureate Orham Pamus, U.S. environmentalist Robert Kennedy Jr. and Canadian author Margaret Atwood, noting that the Monarch population has dropped to the lowest levels since 1993 when recording monarch data began. They are urging the three leaders to devote part of their meeting to discussing ways to protect the Monarch butterfly. (Modesto Bee 02-13-2014)

In my own efforts to advocate for these amazing and near threatened creatures, I penned the poem, A Monarch’s Dream, based on my children’s picture book: AMAZING MATILDA: A Monarch’s Tale.

Find out how you can help protect our Monarch Butterflies at http://makewayformonarchs.org/i/#

Wikipedia:

The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. Since the 19th century, it has been found in New Zealand, and in Australia since 1871, where it is called the wanderer.[3][4][5] It is resident in the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira, and is found as an occasional migrant in Western Europe and a rare migrant in the United Kingdom.[6] Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3½–4 in).[7] (The viceroy butterfly is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller, and has an extra black stripe across the hind wing.) Female monarchs have darker veins on their wings, and the males have a spot called the androconium in the center of each hind wing.[8] Males are also slightly larger than female monarchs. The Queen is a close relative.

The monarch is famous for its southward late summer/autumn migration from the United States and southern Canada to Mexico and coastal California, and northward return in spring, which occurs over the lifespans of three to four generations of the butterfly. The migration route was fully determined by Canadian entomologists Fred and Norah Urquhart after a 38-year search, aided by naturalists Kenneth C. Brugger and Catalina Trail who solved the final piece of the puzzle by identifying the butterflies’ overwintering sites in Mexico. The discovery has been called the “entomological discovery of the 20th century”.[9] An IMAX film, Flight of the Butterflies, tells the story of the long search by the Urquharts, Brugger and Trail to unlock the secret of the butterflies’ migration.[10] There is evidence that eastern North American populations of the monarch butterfly migrate to south Florida and Cuba.[11]

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Written

on 02/18/2014

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