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Book Promotion Myth --
The Best Place to Sell Books is a Book Store
Judy Cullins
©2001
When most people think of buying books they think of
bookstores. Marketing guru, John Kremer, author of
1001 Ways to Market Your Book says "I'm glad I
don't rely on retail "brick and mortar" bookstore sales
for my income, but it will be nice to add that icing on
the cake into my cash flow again."
In the past three years, John has sold 45,000 copies of
his book, many from non-traditional marketing strategies;
his web site, his eMagazine which offers tips, products and
seminars, specialty stores, foreign markets, libraries, and
back of the room sales. Because he is a recognized name,
he and other bestsellers by famous authors get a lot of shelf
space in the bookstore--cover side out. For your lesser-known
book, only your spine will show and after three months of
initial placement, your book will fade away unless you put
on your promotion hat to get customers to the store.
In one book coaching session, a new client thought he wanted
to sell to the bookstores. I asked him who was his particular
audience. He said business people. What kind of business
people? Do these people go to the "brick and mortar" bookstore
for a business book? Or, will they be more likely to visit a
particular business Web site for specific kinds of business books?
DID YOU KNOW?
*Seventy percent of US adults haven't been in a bookstore
for the last 5 years
*Bookstores sell only 45% of all books sold
*Bookstores return non-sold books to the author-think of the
Starbucks people dripping their coffee and scone on your book.
The author will get those returns.
*Bookstores will take 90 days, even a year to pay you for your
total book sales
*Bookstores only order two or three copies at a time because of
limited shelf space
*Bookstores buy only from a distributor or wholesaler.
Why the big push to get a wholesale or distributor and get into
the bookstore? These people represent so many other authors;
don't you wonder how much attention your book will receive?
They exact healthy fees, around 55%. That leaves a small profit
for the author, and remember, bookstores, distributors and
wholesalers don't promote your book!
After her distributor went belly up and she lost $160,000, one
author said she would rather have more control over her priceless
products. She distributes them all herself now through various
venues that suit her personality.
Authors spend a lot of time and money chasing the improbable,
when the "golden egg" of self-publishing and self-promotion is
right in front of them. In my opinion, I'd sell my books everywhere
except the bookstore!
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Judy Cullins: author, publisher, book coach
_Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online_
http://www.bookcoaching.com/products.shtml
Subscribe to FREE ezine "The Book Coach Says..."
mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com
Judy Cullins is a 22-year veteran publisher, book coach, and author of _Write your eBook or Other Short Book--Fast!_ and _Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online_, and 30+ others. Known as the Non-techie eBook Queen, Judy helps people to market their products and services online. She publishes "The Book Coach Says..." a free monthly eZine. Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com and visit her Web site at http://www.bookcoaching.com.
