| Marketing plans are great guides for business owners. | | | | area to plan. A few words of advice: Be unusual and |
| And a book marketing plan is the specific tool you will | | | | different because this creates buzz and free publicity. |
| use to find and create places to sell your | | | | Make sure to combine your unusual promotional |
| book(s).Consider these six areas when developing | | | | techniques with steadfast long-term tactics too. I love |
| your marketing plan.The Audience: Who did I write this | | | | to do seasonal off-the-wall stuff, yet I always have |
| book for? Make sure you narrow your focus and | | | | ads running consistently where I know my customers |
| target specific groups. Try to network with networks | | | | will see me.The Distribution: How will my customer |
| instead of one-on-one.The Product: What kind of book | | | | purchase my book? You must have a website that |
| is this? Check out your competition; see what the | | | | features you and your book(s). Writers try to tell me all |
| latest trends are with books similar to yours. One | | | | the time that they just don't need a website. That |
| current trend is to sell your how-to book at the end of | | | | maintaining it takes time away from their creativity. If |
| free how-to teleseminars.The Price: How will I price my | | | | you aren't networking with networks (in this case the |
| book? Make sure you don't price your book too high. | | | | entire world) then you are working much harder than |
| Again research your competition (and/or your friends!) | | | | you have to. Of course you can distribute via traditional |
| to find out what books like yours sell for. I've seen lots | | | | markets such as bookstores and gift stores, but what |
| of POD (print on demand) books outrageously priced | | | | sounds more efficient to you? Don't think of having a |
| because of the high cost per book to the author. I can't | | | | website as an option. Consider it a great way to |
| imagine they are selling many books when their | | | | connect with your customers and really have control |
| competitors are selling similar books at half the price. | | | | over your marketing plan.Sheri McConnell is the |
| Remember that printing larger quantities on your own | | | | President of the National Association of Women |
| allows you to achieve higher profits per book.The | | | | Writers ( She helps women writers and entrepreneurs |
| Packaging: How will I design and package my book? | | | | discover, create, and profit from their intellectual |
| Packaging makes all the difference and is the most | | | | knowledge! Free reports for writers available with |
| fun to plan! This is where I get creative and try to | | | | subscription to NAWW Weekly. Sheri lives in San |
| incorporate what I love most about the different books | | | | Antonio, Texas with her husband Seth and their four |
| that I buy. Make your packaging passionate!The | | | | children. Contact her at or her toll free number at |
| Promotion and Publicity: What promotional methods will | | | | 866-821-5829. |
| I use to sell my book? This is another fun and creative | | | | |