Book Marketing Wizardry:
Fundamentals of a Successful Marketing Plan

by Bob Erdmann, Publishing Consultant

So often I am amused while chatting with a publisher who has achieved remarkable success with a book, when he or she sort of points his or her toe in the sand and says something like, "Oh shucks, I was really lucky" just like a shy old cowboy or cowgirl. In reality, however, a successful publisher is far more "sly" than "shy"!! Indeed, many achieve success accidentally. But most publishers who achieve success do so with a "book marketing wizardry" that's certainly not accidental, but one that is earned by mastering the fundamentals of a successful marketing plan.

Let's review the elements needed in a successful marketing plan. I'm going to put these elements into an outline form, adding a few comments as I go along. I suggest that you also begin the marketing plan for your next book by following this outline. Note that I will be happy to e-mail you any of the forms below that are marked with an asterisk. These forms are free to you, so you can begin your own successful marketing plan. Contact me at BobErdmann@aol.com and I'll send them promptly.

*Profit and Loss Analysis: Prior to the entire process, complete a comprehensive P&L on the book. Include all the expenses you will incur and forecast your expected sales over the first, second, and third year. Use several price points to determine acceptable profitability. This is a time and place to be conservative in your sales estimates, not overly aggressive.

*Basic Marketing Planning Form: First, define your market. Answer all the "who's, what's, when's, why's, how's, and where's" as they relate to how you are marketing your book. Establish your budget and interface this data with your profit and loss analysis. Your Basic Marketing Planning Form should clearly identify title, author, publication date, list price, unique features, national/local appeal, audience, sales revenue plan for each of the first three years, first printing, marketing budget for each of the first two years, trade channel(s) emphasis, strongest selling features, marketing strategies, strategy statement, ad budget, direct mail budget, publicity budget, direct sales, promotional material, special sales, and subsidiary rights. The information that you include in each of these categories should be comprehensively expanded to include several sub-categories. The Basic Marketing Planning Form should be quite detailed, as it is from this vehicle that you will create your overall marketing strategy. But placing the horse before the cart by completing this exercise immediately after the Profit and Loss Analysis confirms the wisdom of publishing the book in the first place.

*Author Questionnaire: You probably wonder why completing a form like this is important. Here's why. At this very early stage, the author will most likely be your best source of marketing information since he or she is an expert in the subject of the book, right? So why not extract as much data as you can from your leading expert, your author. I have always insisted that an author must complete the Author Questionnaire fully as part of entering into a publishing agreement with the publisher. In addition to the basic information about the author, the AQ should ask/answer: Define the content, purpose, and audience? Why did you create this book? Who are you targeting? What significant features/benefits does the book offer? List other significant books on the topic? How would you answer the question "Why should I buy this book?" What is your experience/expertise on the subject? Are you a regular contributor to magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, Internet? What other books have you published? What recognized experts would be willing to write an endorsement? List of potential reviewers, columnists, opinion leaders? List of business organizations that should be purchasing your book in large quantities? Authors will procrastinate doing this, but be firm and insist that it be done by the time the contract is to be signed, or no contract!

Distribution: You'll need to determine the distribution channel(s) that will be suitable for your book. It's always a good idea to have all these in place prior to publication so that you can immediately fill the pipeline and establish accounts receivables and cash flow quickly. Keep in mind that you'll want to have several options. Try to imagine what are the most likely choices your audience will want to use to purchase your book. Is it bookstores, the Internet, gift market, gourmet stores, educational market, catalogs, and various other non-book trade channels? Indeed, all of the above channels could be appropriate and nonconflicting channels of distribution. Consider also the international marketplace. Very few, if any, of the above options would include the international marketplace. As an example, many US distributors have "working relationships" with similar type distributors in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and/or Australia. These seldom are good choices for you. You should seek to make your own distributive arrangements internationally.

Publicity: In my opinion, this is one of the most important parts of book marketing… creating consumer demand. All of your efforts must be focused on your audience, the consumer. The most effect way to do this is through publicity. I will always recall executive Steve Riggio of Barnes & Noble recommending to me several years ago to always make certain that authors, and publishers, become "tireless promoters of their books." In no uncertain terms, that simple statement has tremendous implications and importance. Don't expect that all that is needed is to set up distribution. You must drive consumer demand to make your distribution effective. Publicity and distribution work hand-in-hand and therefore must occur simultaneously.

Pricing: Naturally your book must be competitively priced. But also keep in mind that there is nothing unique about price. Your product is what must be unique. Remember that your customers will always be able to find a lower cost option than your book so create the value in the content and packaging of the product, not in the cost for those who only consider price.

Subsidiary Rights: Seek first and second serial rights and book clubs. And don't overlook the vast potential of foreign reprint rights in English or translations. These are wonderful sources of revenue at little or no cost to you. Develop a plan to secure these profitable transactions.

*Spreadsheet: Now once you have completed and are satisfied with all the aforementioned steps, transfer them into time-lined action items on a spreadsheet over a 12-month period which starts with the author contract and ends with the publication date. I recommend running the spreadsheet at one-week intervals. However two-week intervals will also work, such as the 1st and 15th of each of the 12 months. Show targeted and actual completion dates of each of the tasks required by your marketing plan. Then work your hardest to achieve those targets to launch a successful book.

Does all this sound like a lot of work? Well, indeed it is! Trust me, however, it is considerably more work, as well as extremely costly, to figure out how to correct mistakes made by errors of commission or omission by having a poorly conceived marketing plan, or worse, none at all. Take the time early in the game to do your homework. A well conceived marketing plan should be in place at least a full year prior to the publication date of your book. A long lead-time? You bet! But you'll soon discover it's the smart way to do business.

OK, now you have the fundamentals of a successful marketing plan. Put them to effective use in creating your own "book marketing wizardry."