Marketing
Here's the thing. I've set up my website, my blogsite and my MySpacesite. Now I have to get readers. At the moment I'm blogging to myself.
Today I went out into the field, or on another run of local bookshops, to let them know my book is coming. The same thing happens each time:
i. Catch the eye of the bookseller. Bookseller looks away nervously thinking 'okay what does this guy want?' Approach bookseller... nervously.
ii. Stumble through an opening introduction which includes the words 'my book' while desperately reaching into bag for cover image and printed details, because I know the bookseller is thinking 'vanity press'/'self published'/'print on demand' etc...
iii. Produce cover image, mention the words 'properly published', meet booksellers eye to show honesty. Wait...
iv. ...for the question that comes each time. "What wholesaler/supplier can we get it from?" Bookseller begins to smile knowingly, expecting dumbfounded look from myself. I mention the word "Gardners" and everything changes. A light clicks on in the booksellers eyes. "So it's a real book..."
Okay, perhaps this is mild paranoia but that's how they make me feel.
The hard sell is just not in my nature...but I'm learning!
Today I went out into the field, or on another run of local bookshops, to let them know my book is coming. The same thing happens each time:
i. Catch the eye of the bookseller. Bookseller looks away nervously thinking 'okay what does this guy want?' Approach bookseller... nervously.
ii. Stumble through an opening introduction which includes the words 'my book' while desperately reaching into bag for cover image and printed details, because I know the bookseller is thinking 'vanity press'/'self published'/'print on demand' etc...
iii. Produce cover image, mention the words 'properly published', meet booksellers eye to show honesty. Wait...
iv. ...for the question that comes each time. "What wholesaler/supplier can we get it from?" Bookseller begins to smile knowingly, expecting dumbfounded look from myself. I mention the word "Gardners" and everything changes. A light clicks on in the booksellers eyes. "So it's a real book..."
Okay, perhaps this is mild paranoia but that's how they make me feel.
The hard sell is just not in my nature...but I'm learning!
posted by Danny Rhodes at 7:06 PM
2 Comments:
For some reason booksellers can really get the hump when confronted by an unasked for visit from authors. Whether this is right or wrong your actions may be counter-productive.
You have a great publisher and a good distributor. Trust your publishers sales and marketing team - they know what they're doing. Just make yourself available and don't try the hard sell. I know it's difficult but I'm sure everything will be fine...
Best of luck.
Thanks for the advice. To be honest I couldn't manage the 'hard sell' if I tried...
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