An engineer can look at the foundation of a building under construction and tell you its eventual height. The deeper the base, the higher the structure will be. Similarly, an independent publisher must create a strong foundation to support a title’s future growth. This preparation is performed in five phases. 1) The Planning Phase Focus…
Author Archives: Brian Jud
Do You Want to Increase Your Book Sales?
Are you sure? It is difficult to plan your actions and focus your attention on such an indefinite objective as “increase sales.” Instead, specifically restate your objective to increase your gross revenue, build additional profits or perhaps deplete a large inventory of books. The distinction is important because each objective requires a different strategy, particularly…
Successful TV and Radio Interviews
Two concepts determine your relative success in answering questions during a television or radio performance: preparation and flexibility. In most cases you will not know the questions you will be asked during the interview. But if you know your topic and know beforehand what you want to get across to the audience, you will be…
Stop Book Returns
Industry statistics reveal that book returns can be 30% or more of sales. If you reduce or eliminate returns then you could increase your net sales and revenue by that same amount and your profits by even more. But, you say, you have no control over returns since Ingram and the bookstores return them at…
Selling Books to Supermarkets and Drug Stores
There are tens of thousands of supermarkets and drug stores of all sizes around the country. Many of these sell books, booklets and videos. Some of the larger supermarket chain stores – such as Kroger — actually have a bookstore, rather than a book section. The means of marketing to these two segments is similar,…
Choosing the Most Profitable Book Price
The article Pricing for Profit described a pricing technique utilizing probability theory to estimate sales at different price levels. Since some publishers prefer a less intuitive technique, here is a different way to price your books that is based more on marketing strategy. This technique also contends that traditional pricing – that is, by multiplying…
Pricing for Profit
Price is the element of a marketing mix with the greatest impact on revenue; the others (distribution, product development and promotion) produce revenue indirectly. Yet, this importance notwithstanding, some publishers establish the prices for their books by following the rule of thumb that says the price should be 8 times printing cost. Others price their…
Mid-Year Book Marketing Measurement
When a helicopter is at rest, the dials on its dashboard are all askew with arrows pointing in different directions. But when that helicopter is flying straight and level, with no problems, all the arrows are pointing straight up. The pilot can glance at the instrument panel and quickly see if any dials are out…
Sell More Books To Airport Stores
All major airports have at least one bookstore, surrounded by a captive audience of weary travelers looking for something to do to help pass time. What better way while away the hours than by reading a good book? Your book? Apparently many travelers seek that option because “a major store in a large airport will…
Use Celebrity Blurbs to Build Your Book Sales
Testimonials (sometimes called “blurbs”) are statements by people attesting to the quality of writing and the value of the content in your book. They offer objective support of the prospect’s buying decisions, that his or her money will be well spent. If you can get celebrities to endorse your book, the positive impact on the…