Does Junk Sell Better Than Gold?

Would it surprise you to find out that the quality of an author’s writing doesn’t necessarily parallel book sales? Did you know that the greatest story ever written may be sitting in some publisher’s slush pile? And did you know that the latest reality star may be batting away literary agents with a stick? It’s all incredibly true.

As much as we’d like to think that the quality of your writing directly relates to the salability of your book, it does not. A poorly written book can (and often does) sell much better than a book that is crafted with literary expertise. The reason is almost always because of marketing.

B-list celebrities come out with books regularly, and these books are frequently published by fairly well-known houses. Why? Because these “authors” have a developed personal brand. And so it is much easier to market and sell the book.

Compare this to the gifted unknown. An entire brand must be built for this writer from the ground up. That takes a considerable amount of time and money. And then after a brand is established, you have to then start actively marketing the book, which is yet another laborious feat.

Many publishers would much rather take the easy route and publish  the junk that sells rather then the hidden gems that don’t. And this is because publishing is a business. And the point of the business is to make money. It sounds cynical. It sounds demeaning. But it’s true, and it’s a point that is necessary to keep in mind while trying to establish yourself as a professional.

Does this mean you should start applying to be on the next Real World? Certainly not! But it does mean that you should think about how you are going to brand yourself, and you should think about that NOW! If a publisher sees you already have a name in the marketplace (even a small one or one that caters to a niche) they will see that you are potentially saving them on an investment of time and money. And if on top of this your writing is good, then you got a leg up on the competition.

So the moral is brand yourself and keep writing well. And if you need help branding yourself, contact us. We’ll be glad to consult you.

 

No One Cares About Your Book

I have been listening to Chrstine Rose’s podcast on the publishing industry. I highly recommend you listen to it. She does a great job breaking down the publishing industry and dishing out the cold hard truth, that truth being that this is a hard industry to break into. And one point that Christine says, though not quite this bluntly, is that no one cares about your book. Let me explain.

As I’ve said in past posts, marketing starts now. If you are self-publishing (or God forbid going with a vanity publisher), and you are just starting to think about marketing before your book goes up for sale, consider delaying the publishing of your book. It will be worth it to you. If you have not already set up a blog, a Facebook page and a Twitter account, then you have no business publishing a book. This is the easiest and least expensive way to brand yourself. AND AUTHOR BRANDING IS EVERYTHING! I cannot stress that enough. Readers don’t love books nearly as much as they love authors. And authors make money selling multiple books to the same readers. If a reader doesn’t have a sense of you, they are much less likely to buy your book.

Hungry Eyes Marketing’s core services offerings are centered around author branding. We can help you set up your social media accounts. We can create a custom blog for you. We can manage your Facebook page, Twitter feed and blog on your behalf. We also provide social media and SEO training. Even if you have not published a book, (in fact, especially if you have not published a book) you should consider these services.

If you are interested in finding out more about Hungry Eyes service offerings, contact principal Keith Ecker at keithecker@gmail.com.

What’s Your Marketing Budget?

What’s your marketing budget? If you’re asking yourself, “What budget?” you are not alone. Most writers don’t even consider the marketing component of writing until the book is going to the printer (or e-printer?). But as I’ve said in the past, marketing starts now. This means while you are writing your book (or beforehand), you should be setting money aside to pay for the marketing of your book. After all, as much as we all would like to think it, a book isn’t going to sell itself. People need to know about it and need to be enticed to buy it. And that’s what marketing is all about.

Many writers experience sticker shock when they find out just how much marketing services actually cost. I’ve certainly run into that with quite a few of my prospective clients. And it’s totally understandable. If you’ve never contracted a marketer before, then you have no clue what such services cost.

Can you find a marketer that will give you a really good deal? Absolutely. You can find someone to write a $100 press release. But you get what you pay for. Only an amateur marketer/writer would charge $100 for a press release, which requires much more than writing acumen. It requires savviness, strategy and an understanding of the marketplace/media landscape. A professional marketer will frequently charge several hundred dollars for a press release. Those that work in the corporate space usually charge several thousand. That’s because a press release is more than an email. It’s the core of a well-planned campaign.

I would suggest writers set aside at least $1,000 for a basic marketing campaign. This will help pay for such things as a website and a press release. If you plan on outsourcing your social media maintenance (including blogs), expect to pay several hundred dollars a month. Social media maintenance is key to author branding and can be the deciding factor in a writer’s success.

So don’t skimp on marketing costs. Save today so that you can spend tomorrow. You don’t want to be forced to hire an inadequate amateur just because your budget won’t allow you to contract an experienced professional.

 

Building an Audience Through Readings

One of the best ways to gain a following is to do public readings of your works. I’m a bit of a pro in this area. I run Essay Fiesta, one of the most successful reading series in Chicago. I’m also a co-founder of the Chicago Story Collective, a theatrical literary troupe. And I’m a co-chair of the Chicago Literary Alliance’s subcommittee on performance/readings. I have a good amount of people that are familiar with my work, and this is largely due to readings.

There are two main opportunities for readings. The first are reading series. These are weekly or monthly nights where local writers/authors read selected works in front of an audience. Some may be open mics. Others may be curated. Search around on the Internet or in your local entertainment guide to find listings of these series. Most have corresponding websites or Facebook pages. Go and check out the series before approaching the producers for a slot. This is so important. It will help inform you about what you are getting into, and it tells the producer you actually care enough about the show to attend as an audience member and not just a performer. Next, contact the producer and inquire about how you can get considered. You may have to submit some samples.

The other type of reading is an author reading. You usually organize these yourselves, and you usually conduct it as part of a book-launch campaign. To set this up, contact a local book store or other venue and inquire about how to set up an author reading. Better yet, ask a couple author friends to join you so that you can showcase multiple writers.

When you actually do the reading, be prepared. If the reading goes well, great! You have positive word of mouth, which is one of the strongest forms of marketing. If it goes poorly, uh oh! You have negative word of mouth, which is one of the quickest ways to sink a book. Practice your piece before presenting it. Add some flare when you’re reading. If you are going to stare at a page and recite in monotone, forget it. You have to become a performer. For the audience, a reading is not an opportunity to buy your book. It is an opportunity to be entertained. So entertain them.

Marketing Starts Now!

When it comes to the craft, most writers see themselves strictly as writers. That makes complete sense. After all, you got into this art form because you enjoy conveying thoughts, stories and ideas through words. But if you’re expecting to become a professional (and that means collecting a check for all your hard work), you also need to start looking at yourself as a business.

As a writer, you are a company, and your books are your products. And so, when writing (or even before writing) you should think about how you are going to sell yourself and your works. This is where your marketing plan comes in. And just as any other entrepreneur sits down and charts out a business plan, which includes a marketing plan, so should you when you embark on writing a sellable work.

This means that if you are starting the marketing process once the book is published, you are starting late. This doesn’t mean you can’t still successfully market your book. It just means you will have to work harder and faster to generate the same buzz that you would have if you had started marketing earlier.

If you haven’t given marketing much thought, start simple. Create a blog, and start updating it regularly. Get a Facebook and Twitter account as well. If you plan on using professional marketing services (such as those offered by Hungry Eyes Marketing), start saving money now.

Remember: It’s never too early to start selling yourself.

Quality First, Marketing Second

Marketing is a nebulous sort of trade. It’s the creation of materials that raise awareness, promote a product and incentivize a market to act. Marketing does not, however, equate to definite sales. And it is here where many agencies and clients butt heads.

If a client does not understand that marketing will not automatically make his or her book a best seller, that is the fault of the agency. It is the agency’s responsibility to clearly set client expectations at the point of engagement.

The fact is the agency does not have any involvement in the quality of the end product. Marketers are not agents, editors or publishers, and therefore they cannot make recommendations on the content of your book. So if the book just is not something that people want to buy, then no amount of marketing will incentive enough people to pick it up. The bad word-of-mouth reviews will be enough to kill any potential marketing gains.

You see this phenomenon occur in Hollywood all the time. A studio gears up to release an expensive movie it knows is going to bomb. But it pays to plaster ads on t.v., in papers, on sides of busses, on billboards, in bathrooms and anywhere else it can think of in order to maybe, just maybe, generate a positive buzz. And oftentimes, these marketing dollars are wasted as the movie itself fails to live up to the marketing hype.

So all this said, some clients may be wary of investing in marketing services given the upfront price tag. In fact, many authors and publishers would be more inclined to create an engagement that is based on a percentage of sales. Unfortunately, for many marketers, this is just not financially viable.

The key is to have an amazing product. Your book should be as good as it is ever going to get by the time you are ready to hit the market. Make sure you pay for professional editing services to ensure that more than your eyes have seen the finalized manuscript. In addition, investigate your marketing agencies. Ask if they offer a free consultation (like Hungry Eyes does). If they do, set up a time to talk and ask as many questions as you need. This is your due diligence. Finally, look at marketing as an investment, and like all investments, a return is not necessarily guaranteed.

Finally, in the world of books, marketing is not just used to peddle your novel. It can be used as a key author-branding tool. And branding is something that can be done even if you haven’t finished your book. By promoting yourself and gaining a following, you are indirectly promoting any materials you publish (books, articles, etc.). If you are in search of a publisher, this kind of branding can actually help you clinch a traditional publishing deal. So marketing isn’t just about immediate sales; it’s about raising an author’s profile. And the success of such a campaign is hard to calculate in hard numbers (though you can track media mentions, Facebook friends, Twitter followers and blog visitors).

If you’re an author or publisher and you’re reading this blog, let me know what you think.

Innovative Marketing Idea of the Day

Sometimes the traditional marketing methods just won’t cut it. That’s when you have to pull out the big guns. That’s when you pull out Robosaurus.

According to the site:

“ROBOSAURUS can be your marketing platform to mount a promotional campaign that incents your retailers, and ultimately boosts sales for your company at the events and in the markets of your choice. Robosaurus, can bring a level of excitement and pride to your business that would be difficult to achieve in any conventional advertising format.”

Or you could just contact me and inquire about a free consultation. The choice is yours.