I’m
changing my name to J.D. Robb. The legal
work is finished, the papers signed and even though my attorney thinks I’m nuts, I’m
paying her enough to shut down her arguments.
If FB, Amazon and all the other social media won’t let me ‘in,’ by God,
I’ll find my own way to put my books on bookstore and library shelves!
April Fools!
Sorry,
couldn’t help myself. Facebook and Amazon have failed us (in too many ways to count) and Twitter has been taken over by
politicians and other strident folk. We put time and effort into book signings,
but sales are few. Yes, we must build e-mail lists, but we must also broaden
our readership beyond those who ‘know’ us.
Clearly
we’re going to have to think out of the box.
What more fitting day than April Fool’s to start?
So I’ll
get us started with out-of-the-box thinking.
After all there’s nothing more dangerous than an idea when it’s the only
one we have. We are right to be
dissatisfied with the status quo. Somehow we need to realize that we should be
thinking something different about what we’re seeing. We should be coming at the problem from a
brand new direction, and slay a sacred cow or two in the process.
So here,
on April FOOL’s Day, let’s consult a fool about our no-sales conundrum. In the days of pharoahs, the kings would seek
a fool for advice. The fool was expected
to offer jokes and odd observations to elicit fresh approaches to the
problem. Reversing assumptions, being
irreverent, denying the problem, applying rules from another arena, providing
metaphors…the fool helped people gain insight on the issue. Roger von Oech, author of A WHACK ON THE SIDE
OF THE HEAD, maintains foolish thinking is what we need right now.
For
fun, you get to play the fool, with lots to say about the problem of selling
books.
Example:
The fool in me says: If a novel were a food, how would you entice a stranger to
eat it? Give them a delicious sample that would hook them for life.
Your
turn to whack book marketing on the side of the head…
Web and
Blog:
Facebook page:
Twitter:
Goodreads:
Amazon
14 comments:
Authors already did the "free sample" thing. It worked for a while until the market got flooded with freebies. The key is to be at the beginning of a new trend before sheer momentum drags it under. Blogging to sell books seems to be a thing of the past. My publisher has given up on blog tours. Social media promotion is on the decline since few new people (if any) see our posts. Everyone said a newsletter is the key to repeat sales, but I couldn't get more than a handful of people to sign up. Those who have a large list fear most recipients simply chuck them in the trash. Honestly, that's what I generally do. At this point, I feel like endorsement by someone who has already made it might be the key. Finding an author willing to tell their legion of followers, "Hey, read my friend's books. They're awesome, and you'll love them!" Then we take our newfound success and pay it forward. So, there's my idea. Now we just have to convince the big names out there to "sponsor" an author! Anyone want to give Nora a call?
I'm glad you said something about newsletters and the problem with getting people to sign up for them. I considered Mail Chimp once...even signed up...but never pursued it. My WIX platform (website) has a mail program I could use, because I pay for their hosting my website. That avenue might be my smartest move.
Thanks for giving a suggestion about tagging along with a well-known writer. I do have an endorsement from Brenda Novak. I should use it more!
Who do we ask about the new trend? That's my next foolish thought...pay a consultant. I'm paying a landscape architect to give me ideas...why not a marketing guru? Know anyone we could group up and pay?
I'm chiming in because I'm a fool, even though I don't have any new ideas on this troublesome subject. I love Jannine's idea--now all she has to do is become famous so she can tell her readers to try my books! As for marketing gurus--I follow a few book marketing blogs and even bought a book on social media marketing from one of the authors. I've found most of the advice I read to be pretty basic and intuitive. No "new" ideas there. I'm still relying on my tried and true solution, Amazon advertising. I haven't figured out how to make (or entice) them to run my ads consistently (they seem to allow me out of my box every other month), but when they do, the results are satisfying. For authors with small presses, the promo picture is pretty ugly.
I have three great endorsement, Rolynn. But using them myself only gets the word out to the people I can reach (which is limited). What we need to do is convince the endorser to spread the word about us through their much broader reach. Maybe I'll ask my editor if Kensington has thought of starting a program like this (they asked for endorsements for me from 3 of their biggies). Asking their top sellers to do some promo for their weaker links (me) in the hopes of boosting sales so I can do the same for someone else. Heck, it's worth throwing it out there. For sell-pubbed authors, they'd have to be way more forward and contact someone directly. I like the whole pay it forward theme of this, though. Maybe well known authors would be on-board.
No new ideas here, either. In fact, with the recent disturbing news about the breach of FB's user data, I'm almost ready to chuck FB altogether. I agree with Jannine about newsletters, blogs and giveaways. (One time a reader thanked me for an Amazon gift card I'd given her by admitting that she'd be using it to buy a book from a famous author. Gee...thanks.) Word of mouth has always been the best promo for books and movies. While I don't personally put any stock into celebrity endorsements (of anything), I do pay attention to recommendations of close friends and family, especially those whose tastes run similar to mine. Right now I'm putting all promo on hold and focusing on writing. I've just re-enrolled all my books in Kindle Direct Select (meaning available exclusively on Kindle) and being grateful for whatever revenue is generated from Kindle Unlimited reads. I'll be reading what others have to say with great interest, though!
As far a marketing goes, right now I seem to be more a follower than leader. At Jannine’s suggestion, a la Alison, I entered the Amazon ad realm with two of my self pubs. So far I’m seeing a bit of movement on my traditional titles, only. Go figure. I’m a firm believer that first of all, the product must be good, even excellent, and second of all, word of mouth is the best advertising there is. How to get said mouths wording, is another issue in itself. I do agree that blogs, newsletters, and various social media platforms have come and gone as far helping authors sell books. Let’s make a pact here, ladies. First one of us to become super successful brings the rest of us along for the ride. April Fool! Or is it?
Janinne, thanks for weighing in again on this topic. I like the pay it forward idea. One tactic is to place a teaser or the first chapter of another author's book at the end of my/your novel. I wonder if this tactic works. Another whack on the side of the head foolish idea: I already tried comparing a book to a DELICIOUS food; how about regarding it as a piece of furniture, ready for sale?
Alison, I agree. My go-to mode is to wait for the latest fabulous idea to wither on the vine and jump in when the new approach comes along. I haven't 'jumped' for such a long time. The fool would say something like 'why dive when the beach has walk-in access. The foolish question: How do we let AP (associated press) about our books? Or Oprah?
So, Leah, the fool would ask you how you make friends and relatives out of acquaintances. I'd like the answer to that question. Keep writing, though...the fool would certainly recommend that!
I think the fool would say we need to find a way to distinguish our work from others...and maybe group up around that concept. Based on what you know and the books you've read from our R of P group, which fools write alike? Could that group find a way to market their niche?
Good discussion. I've tried a few things that I got from marketing newsletters or fellow authors and none have worked for me. I pushed hard one year for book signings at all kinds of places from gift shops to coffee shops to craft shows to bath shops, etc. Now, I don't do an in person signing unless I'm pretty sure there will be a ton of foot traffic and the table costs me next to nothing. I can't afford to hire a marketing guru. My newsletter has a super low open rate. Mailchimp gives me stats to cry over. No answers here.
If you're changing your name to J.D. Robb, I'm changing mine to Janet Evanovich. Figure it can't hurt. I blog because I enjoy it. My newsletter only comes out when I have a new release, so it isn't a big time consumer. I mentioned last year how I did several booksignings and didn't make much money. I'll do only one or two this year and a couple of library events--no cost and they feed us! I think it's hit or miss. Certain promo works for some people; others don't.
Brenda, you've worked hard at this. Any fool would tell you an extra whack on the side of your head would not be a good thing. We have so much to learn about this crazy business!
Mentioning Edison and the lightbulb, here...he tried so many approaches that didn't work. Let's keep workin' it, buds. Collectively we're so damned smart! Mush on!
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