Enlist Your Authors to Sell More Books

Though most publishers acknowledge the key role of authors in their marketing plans, few make consistent efforts to educate or empower their authors' own marketing efforts. They may schedule an author tour or take a few moments to discuss their in-house marketing plans, but that's usually about as far as they go. Rarely do publishers provide support or inspiration for marketing efforts initiated by authors. Nevertheless, by recognizing the central role of authors to your own marketing efforts and encouraging efforts on their part, you can stretch your marketing dollars and gain incremental sales.

Look for marketable authors

Peter Goodman, publisher of Berkeley-based Stone Bridge Press, is so emphatic about the marketing role of authors that he finds himself preferring "a poor writer who has a presence in the marketplace than a good writer without that presence." While he will publish books even when an author is unavailable for promotional purposes, he nevertheless says, "you can't underestimate the value of an author who is mediagenic, comfortable marketing his own work, or brings established connections to an audience."

The company's Marketing Director, Don Best goes even further, saying, "an enthusiastic author is the most valuable marketing tool we have. But because, in general, authors don't know what to do, we have to educate them about how to market their books."

Give your authors practical tools

Recognizing the importance of authors to her marketing efforts and the need to get them headed in the right direction, Laura Simonds, Director of Sales for Davies-Black Publishing gives authors time, advice and, even more significantly, a 125-page binder she has assembled with sample marketing communications, templates, contact lists and directions on how to get started.

Explains Simonds, "I'm used to working closely with authors, many of whom conduct workshops, teach, or travel extensively as consultants. These people are in a good position to market their own books, but I've found they need more than encouragement. If they haven't created a brochure, newsletter or Web site, I need to give them a model. With the information I provide in the binder they can actually implement my suggestions and their own ideas."

While publishers will naturally customize the kind of information they offer to authors depending on the nature of their line, the topics in Simonds' binder provides a model of what you might include when communicating with your authors. Tabbed sections in Simonds' binder are titled: Special Market Promotions, Direct Mail, Web Sites, Media Publicity, Speaking Engagements, Your Company Brochure, and Your Newsletter. Each section contains an introduction explaining how an author's efforts in a particular area can interface with the publisher's efforts. The bulk of the material, however, is comprised of resources gleaned from professional publications or the Internet and examples of efforts from other authors. There is also an addendum with articles excerpted from trade publications that provide an overview of book marketing and anticipate frequently asked questions.

Start early and keep going

Simonds explains that she tries to get authors engaged in marketing efforts as early as possible since so much can be accomplished prior to publication. As soon as editors tell her they have an acceptable manuscript in hand, she sends out a binder, and, whenever possible, she meets with the author. She cites the example of an author whose book is just entering production and doesn't even have a title fixed yet, but who is already putting together a newsletter. Through the newsletter the author can began building demand for his work as well as a mailing list that can be used for direct marketing when the volume finally appears.

At the other end of the normal marketing cycle, Simonds has encouraged authors to keep up their activities long after publication. She notes the particular success of Stephen Dent, author of Partnering Intelligence, who signed up with a Web-based speaker bureau—referenced in Simonds' binder—so he could make public appearances a year-round aspect of his work. Through these efforts sales have continued strong at a time when they would ordinarily begin to drop off.

Encourage authors to meet the public

Though you will, no doubt, have to deal with authors who are shy and reticent about doing public events, you will also have those who will turn loquacious at every opportunity. Don Best suggests putting that eagerness to work by giving authors a list of local bookstores and encouraging them to introduce themselves to store proprietors and personnel. He tells how H. E. Davey, author of Brush Meditation, visited every store within driving distance, got many to stock the book and arranged a number of store events. These efforts have directly contributed to the success of the title.

Best also emphasizes that significant results can grow from seemingly inconsequential efforts. As an example he cites a bookstore reading by Fred Schodt, author of The Four Immigrants Manga. At the time, both author and publisher considered the event a failure because only a dozen people showed up. It turned out, however, that one of those people was the department head of a local college who subsequently decided to use the book as text for a core course. The net result has been an order for 100 or so books every semester since.

(This article in slightly different form first appeared in "Bulldog Reporter's Book Marketing & Publicity")