Having a book in print does not guarantee sales. Everybody knows that you must figure out how to market your book. Maybe if you looked at it as if your book is just another product like a radio or table, it would be easier to see what is needed to develop at meaningful budget.
Budgets are formed by identifying possible markets. Breaking your market down into segments is the best way to not waste money. This process will help you discover best, and least segments as well as marginal segments that may yield a source of steady income. See the following as market segments:
Genres (meaning type of book) …romance, historic, fiction, true to life, children, Bible teaching etc. Age of the Reader: Male or Female: Income Level: Education Level:
Other segments could be denomination, church affiliation, reader hobbies, interest in Biblical teachings.
There could be other segments that you see that I didn’t mention. However, each is a separate market and can be explored for harvesting readers.
The next step is to prioritize the segments. This will determine how much money you allot to each segment. Then there is determining a marketing campaign for the 3-top segments. After that is to move ahead with graphics and your message and offer. Then execute the plan to the top segment, analyze results and determine if a repeat performance is warranted or a move to segment #2.
It is understood that you have a certain amount of money set aside for marketing. The above process is meant to determine how to spend that money.
If you have no money for marketing, you can use social media but that is a shot in the dark. Posting your book in hopes that someone will see it and buy it is a longshot. I do that anyway as another means of exposure and collecting newsletter names but very few sales come from that source unless you give it away.
Until Next Time
- John Marinelli, Author & Publisher
- johnmarinelli@embarqmail.com