| Marketing plans are great guides for business | | | | is the most fun to plan! This is where I get |
| owners. And a book marketing plan is the specific | | | | creative and try to incorporate what I love most |
| tool you will use to find and create places to sell | | | | about the different books that I buy. Make your |
| your book(s). | | | | packaging passionate! |
| Consider these six areas when developing your | | | | 5. The Promotion and Publicity: What promotional |
| marketing plan. | | | | methods will I use to sell my book? This is |
| | | | another fun and creative area to plan. A few |
| 1. The Audience: Who did I write this book for? | | | | words of advice: Be unusual and different because |
| Make sure you narrow your focus and target | | | | this creates buzz and free publicity. Make sure to |
| specific groups. Try to network with networks | | | | combine your unusual promotional techniques with |
| instead of one-on-one. | | | | steadfast long-term tactics too. I love to do |
| 2. The Product: What kind of book is this? Check | | | | seasonal off-the-wall stuff, yet I always have ads |
| out your competition; see what the latest trends | | | | running consistently where I know my customers |
| are with books similar to yours. One current trend | | | | will see me. |
| is to sell your how-to book at the end of free | | | | 6. The Distribution: How will my customer |
| how-to teleseminars. | | | | purchase my book? You must have a website |
| 3. The Price: How will I price my book? Make sure | | | | that features you and your book(s). Writers try |
| you don't price your book too high. Again | | | | to tell me all the time that they just don't need a |
| research your competition (and/or your friends!) | | | | website. That maintaining it takes time away from |
| to find out what books like yours sell for. I've | | | | their creativity. If you aren't networking with |
| seen lots of POD (print on demand) books | | | | networks (in this case the entire world) then you |
| outrageously priced because of the high cost per | | | | are working much harder than you have to. Of |
| book to the author. I can't imagine they are selling | | | | course you can distribute via traditional markets |
| many books when their competitors are selling | | | | such as bookstores and gift stores, but what |
| similar books at half the price. Remember that | | | | sounds more efficient to you? Don't think of |
| printing larger quantities on your own allows you | | | | having a website as an option. Consider it a great |
| to achieve higher profits per book. | | | | way to connect with your customers and really |
| 4. The Packaging: How will I design and package | | | | have control over your marketing plan. |
| my book? Packaging makes all the difference and | | | | |