BookMarketingBuzzBlog |
- What Can Authors Learn From Madison Avenue?
- Interview with Author Andrea Simon
- How Should Authors Profile Their Targeted Readers?
| What Can Authors Learn From Madison Avenue? Posted: 31 Oct 2019 01:49 PM PDT There are many lessons one can learn about book marketing by observing what works in real-word marketing of non-book products and services. Here are some strategies to follow, avoid, or question: Crate and Barrel I purchased a couch last week and for every day since that time I've received an e-mail from them to hype one thing or another. It's terribly annoying. I can't see sending someone an e-mail any more often than once a week, and even then, it would need to highlight a special sale, a new product or service, some amazing event, or dramatic news. I've gotten used to pressing delete when I see an email from them, sometimes without looking at their message or offer. Lesson: Do not contact your network via email too often or they will tune you out and fail to pay attention to you. Coca-Cola You may wonder why a consumer brand giant with over a century of successful history would continue to advertise itself. You can't market yourself once and declare yourself a winner. No matter how popular or successful you are, you need to remind people that know you – and introduce yourself to new people. Coke wisely spends a zillion dollars to fend off current and future competition. Lesson: No matter how good your book is, or how successful you were today, you must always invest in getting the word out tomorrow, whether through publicity, marketing, or advertising. Starbucks Like many companies, they encourage consumers to sign up for points that get calculated for every dollar spent. Starbucks will give free drinks and food to those who earn a certain number of points or make specific purchases during off-hours. They wisely give people incentives to spend often and stay in touch via email. Lesson: Reward your customers and give them something for free. McDonald's They, like many other huge brands, combine with charities and give money to some big ones. In fact, they formed their own – Ronald McDonald House – which funds help for sick children. Lesson: Donate a portion of your proceeds to a charity. It is good for business – and it helps others. Victoria's Secret The sexy lingerie company, though not as popular as it used to be, uses a broadcast lingerie show to get attention for itself. When advertising becomes editorial content and consumers embrace it, you have won. Lesson: Make your ads filled with information so that the distinction between product and content diminishes. Every company has strategies to beat its competition, expand its market share, further its brand, recruit top talent, and grow its stock price. Every author needs strategies to sell books, build a brand, and find bigger publishing deals. How will you market yourself today and tomorrow? DON"T MISS THIS!!! Top All-Time Posts of Award-Winning Blog: Book Marketing Strategies & Book Publicity Resources Brian Feinblum's insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA's Independent. This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource." He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.  |
| Interview with Author Andrea Simon Posted: 31 Oct 2019 10:53 AM PDT FLOATING IN THE NEVERSINK ![Floating in the Neversink by [Simon, Andrea]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51FMFzGTR2L.jpg) 1. What is your book about? A novel-in-stories, Floating in the Neversink follows a sensitive and impressionable young Jewish girl, Amanda Gerber, through the evocative summer world of New York's Catskill Mountains, interspersed with Brooklyn's Flatbush, from 1955-1961, a time of veiled innocence and impending turbulence. 2. What inspired you to pen it? I spent every summer of my childhood at my grandmother's house in the Catskill village of Woodridge during the heyday of the Borscht Belt in the 1950s to 1960s. The house was located between two bungalow colonies and within walking distance from several hotels. Contrasting with country life, Brooklyn during those years was also rife with eccentric artifacts and behavioral breakthroughs. The memories of those times have remained with me, not only as a formative time in my family's history but as a unique era in the Jewish experience. 3. Why should we read your book vs. the other million new books published each year? Floating in the Neversink is unique in many ways. Its structure as a novel-in-stories makes it very readable and accessible. Its descriptive prose and attention to detail enable the reader to be fully immersed in a fascinating time and place, and to identify with relatable and compelling characters. As a literary work, the book stimulates provocative discussion about memory, family, loyalty, and the role of fiction as a relevant counterpart to cultural norms. 4. Your book takes us back to Brooklyn, 1950s. Why? This was a significant time in the social fabric of American culture. This is when music and television captured the public's imagination, when teenagers were caught between the staid role models displayed in shows such as Father Knows Best and the growing unrest of the anti-war generation of the 1960s, and when the youth was challenged by dramatic changes in civil and gender rights. Movies and television have portrayed Brooklyn as the epicenter of teenage rebellion. Brooklyn-born baby boomers long to return to the carefree streets and uncomplicated play of their youth, and younger generations are attracted to a long-ago place that appears to be fun and simple. 5. Why is historical fiction such a vital means to tell a powerful story? Historical fiction brings authenticity and authority to storytelling. It provides a dramatic through-line from which the author can weave tangential plot devices, and a context to highlight comparative thematic growth in the characters. 6. Any advice for writers? My advice to writers has been consistent over the years. It's very basic. And I'm talking about literary writers. Despite the vagaries of the book publishing world, writers should never focus on the bottom line. They should dedicate themselves to their work and mapping out consistent time ― a regular schedule ― for writing. 7. Where do you see the future of book publishing? In the last several years, I have been very disheartened by the book publishing industry: the focus on marketing and sales, the weakening of editorial standards, the digital revolution's emphasis on small and ungrammatical bites of communication, the closing of small bookstores, the lack of mentoring and encouraging of literary writers. Lately, though, I have read that consumers are still buying print and e-books as exemplified by Michelle Obama's memoir, Becoming, breaking all records. There are countless blogs, book clubs, and online platforms that encourage reading and the exchange of opinions. The big challenge to a writer is to keep up with these changes without compromising standards.DON"T MISS THESE!!! Top All-Time Posts of Award-Winning Blog: Book Marketing Strategies & Book Publicity Resources Should You Promote Your Book By Yourself? How authors can sell more books Can You Follow The 3-Minute Book Publicity Rule? Is Some of Book Promoting Like Job Hunting? How Could Authors Maximize Attending A Conference? Brian Feinblum's insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA's Independent. This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource." He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.  |
| How Should Authors Profile Their Targeted Readers? Posted: 30 Oct 2019 05:22 PM PDT  Everyone has a blind spot, not just when driving a car or steering their life, but in how they market their brand or promote their book. What's your gap that needs attention? Assume there is a blind spot and seek to find what until now has remained hidden to you. Ask yourself: · Where does my message not resonate? Why. · Why do some people not perceive me the way I'm projecting? · Is there a disconnect between what people hear and what I say? · Am I failing to fulfill a need, serve a desire, or at least empower, entertain, enlighten, or educate others? The minute you think that everything you say, do or believe is perfect is the moment you know something is missing. We are human and we all are misunderstood at some point in our lives, by many people including those closest to us. Remember, all conversations or presentations are two-way exchanges. What you do, say, look like, and give a feeling of is then translated back by those who perceive, observe, interpret, and come to internalize what you said or did. They then match it up with their personal baggage, professional abilities, psychological handicaps, or physiological limitations. Aim not to please all of the people, all of the time. Don't settle on pleasing some of the people, some of the time. Seek to win over a majority of people, the majority of times. That still means you'll fail to get millions of people to take your side, but it also means millions could follow and support you (if you can reach that many people). When you look at the image/message that you seek to share or show off, start to ask: Who will love it vs. hate it? Who will understand you and who won't? Who will need such a book – and who won't? Start by looking at a variety of obvious demographics and see where people fall into categories that will be drawn to or repelled by the sight of you. Likely, these factors will be important: · Race · Age · Wealth · Sex (gender/sexuality) · Religion · Region · Political party · Pet owner · Health · Intelligence/education level Just those above-mentioned 10 areas will define who is open to your message, who is closed, and who is on the fence. We can't predict all outcomes based on single characteristics, but when you holistically examine criteria for judging/ranking people by their variety of affiliating milestones, and characteristics, we see some huge patterns form in an undeniable way. So test your message and look against these demographics. Will black, younger women be as enthusiastic as older, white males? Will well-educated fat, dog-owners feel the same as well-educated, skinny cat-owners? Can you win over soccer fans as easily as those who like to go to church regularly? An author is almost like a politician. You have to appeal to those who naturally will find you appealing. That's your base. Speak to them so that you win over a lot of them. But then expand beyond that and see who else would be open to your book. Don't waste time on those who need a lot of convincing or are harder to reach and influence. Remember, perfection is not your target – just to win over majorities in the majority of places you appeal to. It's not easy for authors to admit failure, but they need to, at the start of their campaign, to promote a book. Instead of believing their book is for everyone or that tons of people will enjoy their book, they need to say: "Ok, I know more than 90% of the country won't buy or read my book, no matter what I say or do. Let me focus on those who, if they hear about it, will buy the book." Predict who to appeal to, dismiss the rest, and you'll succeed wildly! See These Great Resources: Can You Follow The 3-Minute Book Publicity Rule? Is Some of Book Promoting Like Job Hunting? How Could Authors Maximize Attending A Conference? https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2019/10/how-authors-can-maximize-attending.htmlTop All-Time Posts of Award-Winning Blog: Book Marketing Strategies & Book Publicity Resources Brian Feinblum's insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA's Independent. This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource." He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.  |
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