Archive for the ‘Marketplace’ Category
“Marketing” Basics & Fundamentals for Christian Authors & Publishers
December 21st, 2009 by J A Heinlein
With all of the changes, emerging technologies, and new things to learn in our publishing world and in communications media as a whole, it is important to always have the “basics” in mind.
Vince Lombardi – Basics of Football
There is a legendary “fundamentals” story that is often retold about Coach Lombardi’s approach to football and leading his players.
Vince Lombardi, one of the most successful coaches in the history of football, started every new season with a standard speech to veterans and the rookies alike. He would hold up a football and say, “This is a football!” He would roll it around in his hands and talk about the size and shape of the football, and the many ways that it could be handled on the football field including carrying, passing, kicking. He would then take the team out onto the football field and say, “This is a football field!” He would describe the measurements of the field, and the rules of the game. He did it every year – even after the Green Bay Packers a previously losing team became the NFL Champions and Super Bowl Winners. He is said to have even repeated the speech at half-time during a particularly tough game…
The “secret” to Vince Lombardi’s success was clearly that he always helped his players to focus on what was fundamental and basic to the game of football -and, to do those elementary things very, very well.
Marketing Basics
Most everyone has heard of the “Basics P’s- Practices of Marketing” – usually summarized by 3-5 “P’s” including:
Product, Price, Place(ment), Promotion, People
I encourage you to make these “P’s” a part of your regular “fundamentals of marketing” study and as part of every strategic plan.
Outlined below are what I believe to be the “4 Foundational P’s”- Practices for Christian Authors & Publishers.
As Coach Lombardi did with his players, these practices should be continually revisited and reviewed throughout the publishing process and for each new project.
Prayer
We need to start every project with a commitment of that project into God’s hands. And, then we must spend time in prayer thoughtfully pondering the “why’s and how’s” and asking for God’s direction.
“I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.” —John Wesley
Purpose
Prayer and thoughtful pondering also helps us to focus our objectives and goals. What are our own intentions. Are those intentions aligned with God’s purposes and His particular purposes for us personally? A clearly defined purpose creates great courage and resolve.
“What’s in your heart? … What disturbs you?” -Rick Warren, author Purpose Driven Life
“Success demands singleness of purpose.” –Vince Lombardi
Plan
A book project must always be approached as a business enterprise. A well developed strategic plan is critical to success. The plan is the purposed “vision” of the project.
“Good plans shape good decision. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.” -unknown
“Our goals can be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” -Stephen A. Brennan
Perform
Performance is where all the work gets done. It is about Implementation – Execution – Accomplishing intended objectives.
This part is where many unfortunately fall short. To take the words of James a bit out of context (Jas 2:20), “Faith without works is dead.” The author will always be the best “marketer” for their book, just as parents are the greatest champions for their children. The author must likewise be the champion for their work and a tireless marketer working in partnership with associates and in vigorously developing and expanding their author platform.
John Wesley famously said, “Pray like it depends on God, work like it depends on you.” It certainly applies to our work and callings in practical application.
“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle-victorious.” – Vince Lombardi
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Where Do I Sell My Books? How do I tell the world my message?
December 8th, 2009 by J A Heinlein
Is your Marketing Strategy: New & Improved…Tried & True… or Old & Tired…?
Recently, Christian Retailing featured an article on “Self-publishing”. It outlined new developments and statistics and included highlighting some “big brand name” publishers who have become involved in self-publishing. And, predictably, it quoted some quite overused and outdated arguments against. But, one quote that stood out to me was a quote from a respected industry agent (and friend) regarding sales and distribution,
“I think the chances of those books actually having a very effective distribution channel [into retail bookstores] are very slim.”– RG, Christian Retailing Dec 7, ‘09
First of all, I have to respond by saying, that I highly respect the very essential role of agents in the publishing process. But, that said, it must also be understood that good agents are good at selling books to publishers. But, even good agents don’t generally participate in the actual selling process into the “real marketplace”.
And, that statement also caused to me to reflect on an industry “trend shift” that is not readily perceived and often overlooked.
Books are sold in bookstores right? Well, about half of them are…
“52% of books are not sold in bookstores. They are merchandised [directly] via mail order, online, in discount or warehouse stores, through book clubs, in nontraditional retail outlets, etc.” “The worldwide book market is almost $90 billion, and every year [more than] half of those sales are made in non-bookstore markets such as museums, schools, libraries, warehouse clubs, catalogs, book clubs, book fairs, and to corporations, among many other markets.” – http://BookStatistics.com, Para Publishing – http://bit.ly/14nOAF
Bookstores are now “a sales channel” and, are now not “the only channel” for book sales. And, selling books to the “traditional retail channels” is likely not the most profitable way to sell books – especially for a smaller publisher or new authors. For most, the required “sales hoops” that must be jumped through are simply insurmountable. This includes high discounts, expensive marketing and merchandising programs, and a high percentage of returns. And, all of that is done for a very short “selling window” – usually 3-6 months.
Another whole discussion involves the very definition of “what is a published book?”–it’s many forms and formats that are now available–and the related new emerging sales channels.
So where/how do I sell my books?
The most basic and fundamental objective of marketing is connecting with the right audience–that is introducing a product, solution, or service to those that are most likely to benefit.
Developing a productive author platform that engages and develops relationship with the intended audience is essential.
The good news is that there are now many ways to connect to your best audience – that is to directly access your intended niche market - and common interest affinity groups.
The Online Trend: Building an “Author Brand” with Social Media Marketing
Develop a Social Media/ “Web 2.0″ strategy for building & expanding author platform on established associations, identity, and audience.
- Develop integration process for EVERYTHING – create a sales “funnel”
- Drive target audience to a specific direction/destination – author website and ecommerce page(s).
- Use all web 2.0/social media priority “standards”: Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Youtube, LinkedIn, and bookmarking sites such as Digg.
Purpose Objective: build a following – a “Tribe”
“A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have been seeking out tribes, be they religious, ethnic, economic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). It’s our nature.” “Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time. – Seth Godin, Tribes
“If you are an author, your tribe members are your readers—or, at least, that’s potentially true. The only question is whether or not you will become the tribe’s leader and equip them to communicate with you and with one another.” – Michael Hyatt, CEO-Thomas Nelson
Recommended reading:
Beyond the Bookstore: How to Sell More Books Profitably to Non-Bookstore Markets (9781594290022): Brian Jud
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us (9781591842330): Seth Godin
Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust (9780470743089): Chris Brogan, Julien Smith
Related Links
- Are you a trust agent? Do you need to be? (myventurepad.com)
- The Power of Tribes on Blog Talk Radio (theimuniversity.com)
- Julien Smith – Social Capital and the New Tribe (andreavascellari.com)
- Reach Matters – Even In Social Media (socialmediatoday.com)
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Innovate with Integrity
November 24th, 2009 by Jenni BurkeThe internet is abuzz with chatter from publishers, writers, agents, and other self-professed “word nerds” like myself… tweeting, blogging, and commenting on the rapidly expanding role of self-publishing.
Many industry insiders say that the traditional publishing model is broken. The speed of change taking place in recent years proves that even if it’s not broken, it is definitely evolving. And while those waves of change have and will continue to upset the status quo, the companies and individuals who recognize the inevitability (and potential benefits) of change will find creative ways to adapt and stay ahead of the curve. Those who do this well will keep the needs of their customers in mind and always partner innovation with integrity.
I love the concept of innovation: to create or introduce a new idea or method. Of course, those who lead in innovation will inevitably attract criticism and resistance from those who fear change or like things “the way they are”. Thomas Nelson’s CEO Michael Hyatt is highly respected in the industry for his innovative leadership style combined with integrity; that combination has led Thomas Nelson on as one of the most successful Christian publishers in the world. Hyatt has also attracted criticism from some lately for his company’s recent bold move into self-publishing.
He posted a thoughtful yet animated response to this criticism on his blog on Friday: Why Agents May Be Opposed to Self Publishing. In the post he examines the three most common arguments leveled against self-publishing by “the guild”, or those within the industry. He also points out that over half the books published in the United States are self-published and that the reason people (especially agents) lash out against the approach may be because they feel threatened by a disruption of the status quo. Interesting, no?
Hyatt concluded his post with this reality-check on the inevitability of change, challenging everyone in publishing to examine how they might be dragging their feet instead of taking steps forward:
“As a form of user-generated content, self-publishing is a disruptive force that isn’t going away. It is arguably the fastest growing segment of publishing. It will ultimately impact everyone in traditional publishing. As a result, publishers are having to change and so are authors. Maybe it’s time agents took a hard look at their own business model and asked how they can add value in the new publishing economy.”
We at D.C. Jacobson & Associates agree with Mike that the “traditional” business models need to be re-examined. Our company was, after all, founded on principles of innovation and integrity. When Don Jacobson sold his successful Multnomah Publishers to Random House in 2006 and asked himself how he could continue adding value to the industry he loved, he saw the need for a new kind of literary agency.
While our primary focus is placing excellent books with royalty publishers, our growing team of specialists is passionate about contributing to the production and promotion of life-changing messages on multiple levels. Together we offer our clients the highest quality of service in three distinct but complementary branches: Author Representation, market-informed Literary Consultation , and Publicity Campaigns & Consulting. The community at BelieversPress is a great example of vision and values, which is why we love working with them.
Some who prefer things “the way they were” have taken shots at us; maybe they’re the ones Mike Hyatt’s blog post is speaking about. We don’t listen to them; we listen to the success stories of our authors and publishers. We will continue to look ahead and innovate with integrity. As the saying goes, “keep your heart pure and drive on.”
QUESTION: What do you think about the changes you see taking place across the publishing industry?
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A well-designed book cover is important
November 4th, 2009 by Tina JacobsonA well-designed book cover will not only help define your book, but help sell your book.
Are you wondering just how important it is to have a great design on the cover of your book? Now more than ever the front cover of a book needs to be striking and enticing to look at. And it needs to draw the reader in enough to at least pick it up. With the fast-paced lifestyle most consumers lead, the cover of a book needs to grab someone immediately.
You basically have one shot. When someone walks into a Barnes & Noble, for example, they are hit with an endless supply of books. While browsing the shelves of thousands of books, the reader’s eyes are going to stop every now and then on a book because it’s well-designed – because something made them want to stop and look more closely at it. This might be due to color, type, overall design, imagery and/or the arrangement of all these things. it should make the reader want to stop and take notice….that’s part of the intent of design.
The human eye scans color and shapes before it reads words. Chances are your eyes are going to go to something other than type (the title of the book) first. They’re going to notice the juxtaposition of elements, a catchy photograph, an arresting image, or even an unusual color. Then after that, they’ll read the title. You get one shot to do that. Remember, you’re competing with all of the other books in your section. You have to ask yourself, “How can I set my book cover apart from all of the others?” If the potential reader skips right past your book, you’ve lost your opportunity.
Good design has always been important but it is especially important now. A good design should marry all of the components involved in a book to peak the interest of the reader. The design should appeal to the market the book is written for and should not only be visually appealing but also have reasons for making you want to pick it up, even if subtle. Color, typeface, type treatment, images, white space, etc., should work together to create and convey a feeling of what the book is about. We’re talking problems and solutions here. The problem is to entice the reader enough to notice and pick up the book. The solution? A good design. it should take all of the information and put it together to be more than just aesthetically pleasing. The cover should convey a feeling or an emotion of what the book is about.
The design needs to work. Having an attractive cover does nothing unless it also invites the reader to open the book, look inside, and ultimately decide to buy it. Everything about the design has a purpose. Color evokes certain feelings and emotions, as do images. All of these elements need to work together to appeal to the target market. If may seem simple but you wouldn’t use the color red and a photo of a man on a book written to appeal to women and the importance of rest, for example. Good design should not be offensive, it should compel the reader to dig deeper, to look further and to see what the book has to offer.
Your book needs to cut through the clutter. Your book cover needs to look different from the rest. Especially in the spiritual and religious section of books. Think of your book not just as a stand alone book, but as a book that’s in a sea of thousands and thousands. You can’t have tunnel vision and only concentrate on your book because it’s competing with so many others. That’s why the front cover is extremely important.
A good cover can make even a bad book look enticing. But a great cover can make a good book even better. It would be shame for you, as an author, to spend months and years of researching and writing a book, only to have the cover fall short and not sell any books. Don’t find yourself at the end of your project trying to get things done quickly and cheaply, just trying to get your book on the shelves. Take the time, spend the money, and get a great cover design because ultimately, it will help sell your book.
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A Self-publishing Success Story
August 31st, 2009 by Barb Lilland“What I really want is to walk down the street and have someone come up to me and say, ‘I read your book in one sitting. I could not put it down.’ ‘” –Lynn Ruth Miller, How I became self-published
As writers, isn’t that what we really want? Sure, a Pulitzer would be lovely, and we’d throw a party if our name appeared on the New York Times Bestseller lists, but ultimately, isn’t it really about impacting another life through our words? In her blog, Miss Miller talks about how she couldn’t win the bookstore war (in competition with the big publishers), but she could win the readership war.
A great story, a compelling cover, strong marketing and publicity, and a savvy approach to online markets allows writers to get their message to their audience in a way that seemed an uphill battle a decade ago. Her self-publishing success story is both informative and uplifting for any writer hoping to touch lives through the pages of a book.
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Author Profile – Tom Shetler
May 21st, 2009 by Sara RosenbergName: Tom Shetler
Title: Can We Know?
Why I wrote my book: I wrote my book out of a deep concern for the growing secularism in our society and its impact, particularly on young people. With the loss of Christian influence in our society we are experiencing a number of serious personal and social problems. Can We Know? was written to convince an open minded reader that God exists and that the Christian gospel is true.
Much of the unbelief in the modern world is based on the view that agnosticism is the only option to a rational person. Agnosticism says that no one knows or can know the answers to the biggest questions of life such as the existence of God, life after death, or even what is ultimately right and wrong. This moral and spiritual uncertainty has done a great deal of damage and must be confronted. Can We Know? shows the reader how they can truly know the God who loves them so deeply that He gave His Son so that they could be restored to a real relationship with Him.
About me and my book: My sophomore year in college I attended a Campus Crusade retreat and the speaker presented the historical evidence for the resurrection. It was the message I needed to convince me that the gospel was true, and I immediately gave my life to Jesus. After college and a number of years working as an engineer, God led me to prepare for full-time ministry.
I came to what is now Bethany College of Missions in 1979, met my wife Susan, and we set off on the adventure of serving Jesus. Almost from the time I became a Christian in college, I have wanted to write a book on apologetics. Primarily because I believe there are a lot of young men and women just like me, who would like to believe, but who need to be shown that Christianity is really true. I joined the Bethany faculty in 1991 and have had the privilege of teaching apologetics to several generations of Bethany students. Teaching the subject only increased my desire to write a book, particularly because I didn’t see anyone dealing with the agnostic problem and the subsequent growth of postmodernism.
Favorite part of working with BelieversPress/Bethany Press: I have been around Bethany Press for many years. The emphasis on excellence and quality has never wavered, and there was no one else that I would want to print and bind my book. What I appreciated the most about working with BelieversPress was the way they helped me navigate through the process. I had a pretty good cover design for the book, but they suggested we do the cover in MatteKote. That suggestion alone made a big difference in the look of my cover. It went from being a nice cover to an outstanding cover. In addition, Sara and the staff of BelieversPress helped in paper selection, font choice and typesetting. I felt that BelieversPress really cared about me and my book.
Tip to share with others: For anyone considering self-publishing, I would encourage you to, right at the beginning of the process, develop a plan for how you will market your book. You will save yourself many days, weeks, or months of no or few sales. There are several good books available to help you plan a marketing strategy, so create a plan as soon as you can.
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Herein lies the essential difference between fiction and nonfiction: Nonfiction tells us what is wrong and how to fix it; fiction holds a mirror up to our lives and allows us to apply the truth in an infinite number of individual ways.
— , Writing & Selling the Christian Novel
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