How to Sell More Books
- 1. How to Sell More Books What distributors & buyers look for to get in stores and how marketing helps. @ G r e e n l e a f B o o k G r # i d e a s t h r i v e
- 2. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A BOOK DEAL ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. No Control • "You lose control over how the book looks, is presented and your voice 2. Guarantee Sales • "Most traditional publishers require a minimum number of sales to produce the book • In most cases, you must purchase the difference between actual sales and minimum 3. Books For Your Own Purposes • "You have to buy books from publisher if you want to sell at the back of the room
- 3. How Do You Get Into Bookstores? @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive First, you need to understand buying habits of buyers.
- 4. TIMELINES ARE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING WHEN TO PRESENT YOUR BOOK ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. Typical store operates 6-7 months ahead • "If you try to plan within a couple of months, you’ve already lost 2. There is a specific budget allotted • "There is only so much money and room 3. Helps to look at PR/Marketing and make their decision • "They want to know it has a chance to sell
- 5. BUYER BEHAVIOR WHAT THEY LOOK FOR 1. Proper Genre 2. Appropriate Price 3. Binding 4. Page Count 5. PR/Marketing 6. Platform 7. Cover
- 6. #1 REASON BUYERS DECLINE BOOKS: GENRE ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. Retailer demographic • "Different for each type of retailer 2. Bad timing for genre • "Children’s book in Jan/Feb • Business book in Summer
- 7. PRICE IS KEY $1 OFF IN EITHER DIRECTION IS A KILLER ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. Is price appropriate for genre? • "Genre will dictate the overall price 2. Is the price appropriate for page count? • "You don’t want to be too high on a low page count 3. Is the price appropriate for binding? • "A high price with paperback spells “N-O” for a buyer
- 8. BINDING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. Self Help requires paperback 2. Business requires hardcover 3. Fiction prefers paperback
- 9. PAGE COUNT CAN’T BE TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW, IT NEEDS TO BE JUST RIGHT! ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. Genre will determine your floor & ceiling 1. Children’s picture book, ceiling is 40 2. Business book ceiling is around 300, but floor is 150 2. General public doesn’t like books under 200 pages 3. Critical to determining ultimate price point 1. Buyers don’t like high price with low page count
- 10. PR / MARKTING NEEDS TO BE ON POINT ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. Customers need to know your book exists 2. It drives people to online and brick & mortar stores 3. Buyers want to know author activity 4. Use social media / online marketing 5. Stay away from billboards and magazine ads
- 11. PLATFORM NEEDS TO BE SOLID, THE BIGGER THE BETTER ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. Buyers want to know # of followers on social media or newsletters 2. It drives long term sales 3. Can help with direct sales to various organizations 4. Buyers scour the internet when making their decision
- 12. COVER IS THE FINAL PITFALL, BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE LEAST ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. It needs to reflect what is in the book 2. It must be genre appropriate 3. It needs to stand out without going completely outside the norm of the genre 4. You may LOVE your cover, but the market might not…get a professional cover designer
- 13. MARKETING MATTERS! @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive It is key to all the decision making for buyers and customers
- 14. WHY IS MARKETING SO IMPORTANT? ..................................................................................... @ GreenleafBookGr # ideasthrive 1. There are over 7,000 new books released everyday 2. Buyers comparing two similar books buy the one with strong marketing 3. Needs to be ongoing 1. No marketing after 3 months, book tapers off in all formats 2. If marketing continues it will stay in stores longer 4. 75% of all authors only sell a few hundred copies during the lifetime of a book
- 15. QUESTIONS
- 16. E XPERT ADVI C E FRO M P U B LIS H I N G PRO FE S S IO NAL S A BOOKSTORE BUYS FROM THE WHOLESALER The books are kept at the wholesaler’s warehouse until a retailer places an order. BLACK & WHITE BOOKS are usually printed domestically . . . FOUR COLOR BOOKS are usually printed overseas to reduce cost. They then take a boat ride home . . . IF B O O KS C O UL D E A RN F REQ UEN T F LY E R MIL ES , T HE Y ’ D BE TA KIN G VA C AT I O N S E V E RY Y E A R THE LIF E OF A BOOK AT THE WAREHOUSE The books are kept here until ordered by a wholesaler. Once an order comes in, they are off to the wholesaler’s warehouse. . . . and, by plane, train, or automobile, arrive at the publisher’s warehouse. Once the retailer places an order, the books are shipped out again. B O O K S T O R E IF SOLD A consumer buys a book and takes it home with them. IF NOT SOLD If the book is not sold in a timely manner (normally within a few months), the bookstore will return the book to the wholesaler’s warehouse. IF STOCK IS DAMAGED . . . AT THE RETAILER . . . RE-JACKET HARDCOVERS If the damage is superficial, authors can choose to re-jacket their books then put them back in the supply chain. Damaged jackets are recycled. PERSONAL USE Authors can request their stock be shipped to them so they can sell it back-of-room at speaking engagements or signings. They can also be used as promotional copies for giveaways, or as gifts to keen readers. DONATION Local libraries and schools frequently take donations, especially children’s books and non-fiction. Charities worldwide will accept slightly damaged books to help readers of all ages develop their literacy skills. The wholesaler returns stock to the publisher if they have eight or more weeks of inventory.
- 17. THANK YOU!!