The Early Bird Gets the Book Sales
Diane Pfeifer was cruising the aisles at the annual Memorial Day weekend BEA Book Fair. This year, she noted there were a lot of angel books and she began to think about her specialty: (parody) cookbooks. (Gone with the Grits; The Country Music Cookbook, Stand by Your Pan; The Computer Lover's Cookbook, Quick Bytes, and more.) She continued to visit booths but kept on planning her Angel Cookbook. On the third day of aisle cruising, her heart sank when she came upon a booth announcing an angel cookbook. Then she looked closer, the sign said, "Coming in December." Diane returned home and got right to work. Her Angel Cookbook came off the press in September.
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Book Publishing Tips of the Day
Daily words of wisdom from Dan Poynter and other publishing industry experts. (Search on "tip" in archives for complete list.) - Today's Tip from Poynter: "Stay in one field..."
PUBLISHING TIP OF THE DAY"Make Sure You Will Have Readers."
If you build it, will they come?
Before you even start writing, consider who will buy your book and what you plan to give them. Who is your primary audience? Who is your secondary audience?
The nonfiction book has to contain information people want to know or they will not part with a twenty-dollar bill to get it.
What associations do your prospective readers join and how large are their memberships? What are the circulations of the magazines your potential customers read? How many show up for specific annual events? Quantify your potential audience. Are there enough probable customers for your book? Be realistic.
"All writing should be to a specifically targeted group that you research until you know it intimately. Aim for your readers' personal hot spots, in a writing style and level they are comfortable with. Learn how the group feels, acts, and what your audience likes or dislikes. Then, craft your writing in style and content specifically to your readership." -Markus Allen, The Direct Mail Guru.
(c) 2000 by Dan Poynter. For more tips and information on book writing, publishing and promoting, see the Para Publishing Web site.
MARKETING TIP OF THE DAY
THEME: COPYWRITING Before a media contact will say "yes" the best publicists are asked "could you send me more information on that?" Don't forget. Media people are journalists. They are writers. The materials you send them had better be well-written. Here are a few . . .
Rules for Powerful Copywriting
2. Use of numbers not only capitalizes on the specific; it also draws in the eye of the reader. While following AP Style guidelines for media releases and body copy, use actual numbers, not the words for the numbers, in headlines, subheads and bulleted points.
Seven Steps to Better Press Release Writing
7 Steps to Better Press Release Writing
(c) 2000 by Tami DePalma. For more tips and information about "Marketing with a Twist," visit the MarketAbility Web site. Don't your books deserve MAXIMUM EXPOSURE?