Promoting Your Book…Whose Responsibility Is It?

Won't the publisher promote your book?

Yes, your publisher will promote your book if you're big name author or a celebrity with an eager and established audience and you have the media taking numbers to see who gets to interview you first. And yes, if you are an established author with a solid and growing reader base. And maybe they will, if your book is a mid-list title with a good-sized reader base.

These days marketing departments have tighter and tighter budgets, meaning authors have to play an active role in the promotion of their books. This doesn't mean just showing up for your close-up, this means creating a marketing plan as complete as the book you want to publish.

A well-conceived marketing plan will show the editor/agent that you are a professional and you're committed to the success of your book and ultimately your career. For a first-book author, the marketing plan in your proposal packet could be the deciding factor for an agent/editor. And if you go the route of self-publishing, print-on-demand or other non-traditional publishing, the promotion of your book rest entirely on you. You have to have a carefully developed and practical plan if you want to your book to succeed.

What goes into a marketing plan?

There is little difference between a book marketing plan and the marketing plan for any other product so if you know an MBA, you might want to take him out for coffee to pick his brain. Generally, a marketing plan identifies the product, establishes the goal for the promotion of the product, outlines a plan of action to achieve that goal and budgets the funds needed to complete the plan of action and obtain the goal.

"Say what?"


1) Identify the product - readers remember the author of books they like and they will seek out other books by this person. So while you think you're selling your book, in reality you're selling the package of you and your book, especially if it is your first book. Make an honest list of what features to highlight and which ones to ignore for both you and your book.

2) Establish a goal - this could mean something as simple as how many books do you want to sell? Or maybe you want to get a movie deal or maybe you want to be the top seller on this publisher's list so you can get the attention of a bigger publisher with your next book. Decide what you want, then write it down in the clearest, most concise language. Put it in your plan and tape it to your wall so you can see it every day.

3) Outline a plan of action - simply put: what are you going to do to achieve your goal. Here you need to figure out your book's demographics (who are your readers). Next list out all the ways you think you can reach these readers: bookstore appearances, newspaper, radio, TV outlets, web appearances, groups, conventions or other events. List any contacts you might have with any of these outlets. In addition to what you can set up by yourself, have a list of outlets that would most likely book you if the publisher would make the contact.

4) Set you budget - specifically, the publisher will want to know how much you will pay for and how much do you want them to pay for. For instance, if a publisher gives you an advance, are you willing to spend part of it to promote your book? Are you willing to go out of pocket if it means higher sales in the end? However, you need a realistic budget outline so you both know what it is going to cost promote this book to the extent needed to achieve your goal.

Take as much time writing your marketing plan as you do writing your synopsis or any other part of the proposal packet. It needs to be well conceived, thorough and feasible to make an agent/editor think you are a professional driven to succeed.

You still don't understand how to write a marketing plan?

Here are a few websites that might be helpful. Some of them are self-publishing houses; some are publicity/promotions consultants; one's an author. They may offer fee-based services, but click the site names to go to free articles on writing marketing plans. In addition, WebEx.com is hosting "How to Create a Powerful Web/Media Platform" web-seminar on July 30. The presenter is Annie Jennings, president of Annie Jennings PR, which promotes authors and others in the media. I don't know if there is a cost. One spot on the main page says "free."

WebsiteMarketingPlan.com - interview with book marketing consultant Brian Jud, president of Book Marketing Works. There are lots of links to other articles on the left bar. The website seems to focus on nonfiction books, but some of the advice can be adapted to novels.
Dog Ear Publishing - article entitled "How to Write a Book Marketing Plan," this is a self-publishing firm and there other links in the left bar as well.
Ink Tree Ltd. - article entitled "Your Book Marketing Plan: Strategies and Tips," this is a book marketing firm in Calgary, Canada, founded by four women who once worked in the publishing industry.
Epstein LaRue - "Market Your Book the Right Way by Executing This Simple Marketing Plan!" this is a week-by-week strategy by a part-time author and nurse. She has five published books and three e-published books.


ED. NOTE: I am not endorsing the web-seminar or the websites listed here. I am simply presenting information I found in researching this article. Thank you to writer Jenny Stanger for inspiring this topic.