Book Marketing

Once upon a time, people went to bookstores when they wanted to buy a book. Or at least, that was the theory. Actually, non-bookstore channels have been a big part of book sales for decades-at least since people like Joe Karbo The Lazy Mans Way to Riches back in the 1960s. For my own books, whether they were s elf-published, done with a small commercial house, or by a New York conglomerate,

Found that se lling direct is more secure, more financially rewar ding, and far less hassle than sweating out the returns game with the b ookstore channel. All along, I've sold through speeches (I love getting paid to do my own marketing over the Web the f irst of my four websites went live in, to clients at my office, wh o stare at a rack of my work throughout their entire appointment, and thr ough

Play a bigger game with your book sales by expanding your audiences at local or nonlocal book fairs, festivals or trade shows. Can't afford a booth or table, rent a space on someone else's table and volunteer to be back for their book. In fact, rent a corner at various different tables in the same fair or show and triple your exposure.

Dede Hall, author of The Starving Student's Cookbook had very poor sales for her books. Then one day an outrageously light bulb moment appeared. She added an inexpensive skillet with the book and shrink-wrapped them. Then she took of them to two stores that she thought wouldn't sell them. Yes, to her surprise, all sold in two days. Dede stumbled on an outrageous idea and it worked out big time. She sold over copies in a few months. Where did she sell them Thought you would never ask. Price Clubs and K-marts.

People want to see what your book looks like. Color is great, but not always necessary. Make sure your colored book cover copies well in black and white. If you do use color, make your book cover background white with colored lettering, so you don't go through a $35 ink cartridge too fast.