– Marketing

Posts related to Marketing issues

How to find an Agent

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So you’ve finished writing your book, and it has been all edited, and you really want to share it with the world…BUT how? You could just find a printer and publish it yourself, but how would readers find it? The easiest way to share your book is by going through a publisher because they already have the distribution and marketing skills needed, so that’s your first step…or is it?

You could spend a lot of time trying to get a publisher to check out your book, but most of them won’t even talk to authors directly…they’d rather go through an agent. The publishers know that the agents have already vetted the ms and will submit it only to publishers who want or need that particular genre. It saves the publishers a lot of time to deal only with filtered submissions.

The problem then becomes one of trying to find an agent…who will represent your book and do the work of shopping it around to the appropriate publishers. As with publishers, some agents deal only with certain story types, so it doesn’t do you any good to use a shotgun approach. (In fact, it might work against you. Many agents share info about authors, and you don’t want them talking about you in a bad light.) So, now you’re ready to find an agent…we’ll show you a few ways to do that…and help identify “publishers” to avoid.

Do you need an Agent?

Before we figure out how to find an agent, we need to consider whether you actually need one or not. It turns out that many books out there don’t need agents…and agents don’t want them. Agents make their money only when your book sells to a publisher, so if there’s little chance of that happening, agents aren’t interested in helping you. A few reasons you won’t need an agent are if you:

  • self-publish (such as through Amazon’s KDP)—you are the publisher
  • write for artistic reasons—little regard for profit
  • have a niche audience—sales won’t make enough money
  • write for education or academic fields—publisher probably commissioned the piece
  • write non-fiction articles or essays or cookbooks—agents won’t touch it

On the other hand, you do need an agent if you:

  • want to get published by the Big Five—only accepts agented queries
  • write novels (including children’s)—most successful novels are published by the Big Five
  • write general interest non-fiction (including memoir)—to get a publisher with marketing skills
  • want to see your book in bookstores—bookstores buy their books through distributors
  • expect a large market—health, diet, cooking apply to large numbers of people

If you’ve determined that you do need an agent, then by all means consider the steps below!

Where to find Agents

Finding an agent is similar to finding a spouse. You’ll be working directly with them as a business partner, so personalities need to mesh well. All we can do is identify some of the many lists out there—it will be up to you to research and pick the few agents you’ll then contact. We suggest keeping a list in a table or spreadsheet. That way you can easily compare details and keep track of when you’ve sent queries and how they’ve responded.

  • Agent Query is free and is searchable by key words or genre, either fiction or non-fiction.
  • Two versions of the Wish List exist: MS Wish List is a Twitter-like listing, whilst Manuscript Wish List is searchable by both fiction and non-fiction genres.
  • Query Tracker requires a sign up to search, but has a good reputation.
  • Publisher’s Marketplace charges $25/mo, but you might need access to their info for only a couple months, so it could be worth it to subscribe for a short time.
  • Writer’s Market used to be a good source, but until they finish their transition to Penguin Random, the site is unavailable.

Agents often move around from agency to agency, so once you have a list of potential agents, be certain to check the agency website to see that they are still open to submissions. Follow their guidelines as accurately as you can. Some want first page, some first chapter. Some want synopses, some outline. Pay attention to formatting, too. Although with electronic submissions, it only takes a few seconds to change to Times New Roman, double-spaced, size 14 font, if an agent gets two submissions…one already formatted to their liking and one that requires “just a few seconds” to fix up, guess which they’ll read with gusto and which will be set aside.

Agents (and Publishers) to Avoid

You’ve got the good news…now comes the bad. There are agents and publishers out there who make their money by selling “services” to authors, as opposed to legit agents and publishers who make their money by selling books to readers…and sending money to authors. Fortunately, there are groups out there who have tracked down many of these “vanity” presses, so you can watch out for them.

Remember: The money should be coming to you. When the publisher sells books, royalties get sent to your agent, who then takes 15% and sends the rest to you. Agents only make money when you do. Avoid agents who charge a “reading fee” (sometimes called “professional development fee” or “editing costs”). Your book should already be edited before you submit it—you need to submit your best work, so an editor is a required expense (unless you have a really good Critique Group!). Once you’ve been picked up by a publisher, most expenses are covered, though you may need to put in a few hours doing marketing.

Here are some lists that will clue you in to who to avoid:

  • Absolute Write has a discussion board that often discusses agents and publishers to avoid.
  • The Alliance of Independent Authors has a colour coded list, ranging from Excellent to Watchdog Advisory.
  • The Association of Authors’ Representatives vets their list, requiring all agents to adhere to a rather comprehensive Canon of Ethics.
  • Writer Beware has one of the largest and best maintained lists. They’ve been around for many years, and although the list exists on the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) website, they are supported in their efforts by the Mystery Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors, so don’t let their address deter you.

It’s up to you

Narrow your list, follow the guidelines, keep track of submissions…and sooner than you think, you’ll have representation…and a chance at the big time. Good luck!

Selling to Libraries

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One of the best places to sell your book is libraries…but we don’t mean you sitting out front, selling to library patrons…no, we mean selling to the libraries themselves. Many sales events are held at locations including book stores, schools, convention centers, museums, galleries, or community meeting spots…but don’t try a book sale at a library. As we mentioned back in More Steps to Marketing, most folks heading to the library are expecting to find free books, so they are less than willing to put out money to buy your book…no matter how good it is.

BUT, if you instead offer to sell your book to the library, then those same folks can come in and check out your book…and if they enjoyed it, they can follow the list you included (you did list your other books as we explained in Hook Your Reader with a 99¢ Book, didn’t you?). It’s almost as if you’re giving away a free copy to a bunch of folks all at once, but you get paid for it!

Distribution

Libraries, as with many bookstores, will only buy books from a wholesale distributor, so your first step is to get listed through as many distributors as you can. KDP’s Extended Distribution Program takes care of a few, but you can do more. Depending on the format of your book, there are different distributors that you need to sign up with.

  • ebook

To get your ebook into libraries, you need Overdrive. You can either go directly to them or use a consolidation service such as Draft2Digital, Publish Drive, or Smash Words* to cover more bases. Of course, adding a middle man will cut into your royalties, but subbing out all that extra work really pays off, and any other sales you make are sales you might not have made at all.

  • Print book (paperback and hard cover)

For all your printed books, you’ll need to go through Ingram Spark. It’s a rather involved process, and they do have an initial set-up fee (as opposed to other sites). If you’re serious about having your book available in more places, you should just consider it an investment.

  • Audio books

For your audio books, use FindAWay Voices. If you already have the audio files, you can upload and use FindAWay just for distribution. If you still need to create the files, they have options similar to other audio book services: pay the full price for the conversion or pay a partial and share the royalties with the narrator.

Get in the Library Listings

Once you’ve gotten into the distributions channels, the second step is to make your book visible to the librarians. The processes to get into these listings is long and laborious, though we may have a future posting that covers all the steps involved. (Let us know if this information would be helpful to you.) The lists you’ll need to access are maintained by Baker & Taylor, Brodart, Midwest Library Service, and Bookazine.

Convince Librarians

Now comes the real work. You need librarians to actually seek out your book in the listings. When you are trying to persuade them, you need to remember that their business is not sales, rather they provide a service. They have different goals than bookstores do. Librarians want to:

  • shelve books their patrons will want to read
  • increase traffic to their site (physical or Internet)
  • serve the folks in their communities
  • most importantly, stay within budget
    (often set by governments or parent organisations)

You should visit your local libraries and give a short pitch (Elevator speech)…offer to give readings or a talk on your subject. It will be good for you—exposure—and good for them—more customers. They are often agreeable to hosting local celebrities (and that’s what you are!), especially if there is an educational aspect to your lecture. See what they need. Then branch out to larger, more distant libraries…citing your local libraries as already having your book…create a snowball effect.

Tools

You‘ll need two tools to make your case.

  • Sales Sheet

A Sales Sheet gives important information about your book. Using a single 8.5×11 sheet, put the title right at the top, then a short paragraph expounding the good points, a picture of the cover, and a short About the Author section. In addition, you need to include the vital details: price, format, trim size, ISBN, publisher, and publication date. Don’t forget your contact info.

  • Author Sheet

Although you have some author info on the Sales Sheet, having a separate Author Sheet gives you more room to brag. Now you’re the focus, so, again on a full 8.5×11 sheet, start with your name and a paragraph all about you and what you can do for them. List topics you are willing to speak on. Include a sample cover of one or two of your best books, and make your contact info plain and clear.

On both sheets, the contact info should include a link to where they can read part of your book…such as on your Author Site. It’s a good idea to include the first few chapters there, so visitors can get a feel for how you write…as well as getting hooked—they’ll just have to buy your book to see how it all comes out.

*We’ve used Smash Words for quite some time, so we’ll be sticking with them. A comment often heard is that their formatting requirements are excessive. Following their free Style Guide is actually a good idea to keep your book organised, for ebook and for print…especially if it’s a long one. Our second choice would be Draft 2 Digital, where they have a disadvantage in that they don’t play well with Amazon…you’ll have to do that for yourself. What they will do for you is all the formatting. Unfortunately, you don’t get your personal touch as you do with Smash Words, so you may not end up with exactly what you want. There are always trade-offs.

More Steps to Marketing (Press Releases and Special Deals)

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This time we’re going to cover two more techniques to get your book noticed. With over 2,000 books being released daily, it’s no wonder that journalists don’t have time to go out and find them all…and certainly don’t have the time to read even a small portion of them. That’s why you need to write a Press Release to tell them how wonderful your book is. Save them the time and hassle of a bunch of questions by answering them first.

Once everyone has at least heard of your book, you need to convince them to pick up a copy. That’s more easily done by offering them some really Special Deals. We’ll go over a few different methods that should be a good start.

Press Releases

Sample of a Press ReleaseSend out Press Releases to various news agencies to announce some newsworthy information: the release of your book. (There are other styles of Press Releases, but we’re going to stick to this one here.) Fairly short, one or two pages, they answer the important questions someone might have about your release. They are vital to journalists, who depend on you to tell them what’s so great about your book, but remember, journalists aren’t influencers—this is a news article, not an advert, so stick to the facts, no exaggerations. Let the journalist add the appropriate interest.

Your job is to make the journalist’s life easy, so when writing up a Press Release, consider all the questions they might ask…and come up with intriguing answers. Don’t forget to mention your release party, too…scheduled to coincide with your online release.

What goes into a Press Release?

No matter the subject, all Press Releases need to have some basic info:

  • Headline—grab their attention and let them know what it’s all about
  • Subhead—summarise the details (italicised), where and when
  • Release info—traditionally “For Immediate Release: <date>” at the top
  • Dateline—to verify relevancy of info
  • Lead—brief overview: who, what, when, where, why (one sentence)
  • News Peg—why is it important…now?
    Consider tying into current events (NewsJacking)
  • Body—details about info in lead
    • most newsworthy first—basic facts
    • quote—they will use this in their reporting, so make it good
    • background info last—fluffy stuff
  • Boilerplate—common facts (the same for all Press Releases you write)
    • Author info—so they know who you are
      (you can use the About the Author from your book)
    • Logo or picture—so they can visualize you and your brand
    • Contact info—so they can get a hold of you (or your PR team)
  • End mark—traditionally ### to indicate “that’s all”

How to Make a Press Release Work

Make your Headline catchy. You only have one line here, so keep it focused and make it count. Although you should have the headline in mind when writing the body (to keep on topic), I find it easier to write the headline after I’ve finished the rest, as a tie-up. An interesting tool to play around with is the free Headline Analyzer run by ShareThrough.

Write in third person, describing the people and events as an outsider would see them. Avoid “I, we, our, or me”. Break up the Body with a quote or excerpt from the book. Offer a free copy of your book.

Aim for publications that have a Target Audience that matches yours. Make certain to send it to a person, not a generic email box, and use a detailed subject line. Post it on your website and share it with the world in social media.

Send it out on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 9am and noon. Earlier in the week gives them more time to work on your story, and before lunch has the best response rates. Try to avoid sending it out at the top of the hour…wait a few minutes, then send it out.

Specials

Everyone enjoys a special, so when you want to give your book sales a boost, consider doing something nice for your readers. If you have a series of books, you can bundle the first few in a box set* at a lower price than the individual books. Once readers have become invested in your stories (dollar-wise as well as devoted to your characters), they’ll be more willing to continue with full-priced books later on.

If you don’t have a series, you can take books with similar themes or settings and put them together likewise. Books that share a common subgenre, characters, or settings would be perfect to combine. Again, once hooked on your story-telling proficiency, readers will gladly pick up your other books at full price.

Either way, you can also add in as-of-yet unpublished extras in the bundle. A novella or short story with some of the same characters, same setting, or same theme would make the boxed set worth even more. Readers who’ve already purchased the separate books might even opt for the bundle just to get the bonus stories.

Local bookstores often host gatherings where authors can sell books. Readings or talks on non-fiction topics can draw quite a crowd. You can bundle books there, too…though not with a fancy cardboard box…just a fat ribbon, or something appropriate to your genre, tied around a stack of books. Also, be certain to offer signed copies!

Consider book festivals in larger, nearby cities. Panel discussions are a good way to get your name (and face) out there, and there are plenty of opportunities to make bundled sales.

Although libraries are a good source for books, having a sale there doesn’t seem to work quite as well…most visitors are expecting to get free books…not have to pay for them.

*When is a Boxed Set not in a Box?

Apparently, when Amazon lets authors combine a series of books into a single “boxed set”, they aren’t actually putting them into a box, despite the fact that the picture shows a nice cardboard sleeve around multiple book spines. That’s why when you set it up, you aren’t allowed to mention the term “boxed set”. All you end up getting is the separate book files merged into one huge book…with a max limit of 828 pages!

To create a real boxed set, you’d have to go through a fulfilment company to put it all together…or you could turn your garage into a book boxing service. If you do, I’d suggest advertising and helping out other local authors.

Blurb, Logline, Pitch…what’s the difference?

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In the writing world, there are different ways to promote your material…and they differ based on their targets. Trying to get a potential reader to buy your book is the job of both the Logline and the Blurb, whereas a Pitch is designed to convince Agents or Acquisition Editors to take you on. If you’re into Self-Publishing, then you probably won’t need a Pitch as much, but if you ever plan to sell your work to someone you don’t know, you’ll need a good Logline as well as a Blurb. We covered a step-by-step process for creating Loglines previously, so this time we’ll take that Logline and expand it into a full blown Blurb.

A Blurb is defined as a short description that praises your work so that people will want to buy it, but there are two different kinds: the ones written by others…and the one we are going to create here…written by you. In either case, you’ll use it on your back cover, so readers who have been attracted to your front cover…or title…will be convinced that they need to read the whole thing.

Build a Blurb from a Logline

Starting with a Logline of fewer than 50 words or an Elevator Speech of 50-75 words, we are going to build up a Blurb, perfect for your back cover. Although we covered Loglines in depth when we discussed the difference between Loglines and Taglines, let’s go over a quick description first as a reminder. A Logline consists of:

  • A short description of your Main Character (no name)
  • A bit of setting
  • A reference to the Inciting Event
  • A twist to the story
  • A reason to care about the characters
  • The stakes involved
  • A ticking clock

In that previous post, we had developed the following Logline.

  • A former boy scout, now in his early twenties, is finishing up college and arranges one last great adventure with some fellow scouts. Using some experimental technology, they plan to travel far to experience a new world where they discover more about themselves than they expected. They have to make some crucial decisions to ensure that all return safely before the door to the new world closes.

Add More

We have the bits…just need to expand the concepts. A blurb can be a few short paragraphs, 300-400 words, so we have plenty of room to include more info…the first of which is the main character’s name.

  • Benjamin, a former boy scout

We can also bring in the Antagonist…whether he’s a single person, an organisation, a force of nature, or some other issue. In this case, the Enemy is unidentified, though we can bring up the fact that they are no longer under the influence of the current world.

  • rules no longer apply…no social restraints and no one watching

We can show a scene filling in details about the Inciting Event, explaining why now is the time for a change in their lives. We can also introduce some secondary characters along the way…explaining more of the situation.

  • some of his old scout buddies
  • before they go their separate ways into the adult world
  • Eric, the nerd of the group, offers some technology
  • a Door that opens onto a new world
  • a week-long hunting expedition to explore

We can also expand on the stakes. What will happen if the Protagonist doesn’t achieve his goal? In this story, their safety is at risk.

  • keep the group together

As well as the twist…something that makes the story interesting and unexpected…possibly increasing the obvious conflict or adding a new struggle to contend with.

  • some experimental technology
  • plan to travel far
  • experience a new world
  • they discover more about themselves than they expected

Finally we can expand on the clock, giving more information about how it all works.

  • hoping to make it back to the Door when it opens

That should complete the expansions.

Put it all together

Now that we’ve expanded the info, we need to put it together into a distinct whole, adding connections.

  • One last great adventure…that’s all he wanted, so Benjamin, now in his early twenties, gets together with some of his old scout buddies to make plans before they go their separate ways into the adult world. Pushed by Eric, the nerd of the group, they accept his offer of some experimental technology he has access to: a Door that opens onto a new, distant world.
  • The scouts agree to a week-long hunting expedition to explore this new world, but when they arrive, they realise that the rules they’ve lived with no longer apply…there are no social restraints and no one watching. With this new freedom, they discover more about themselves than they had thought possible.
  • Ben struggles to keep the group together as factions split the friends apart. In the attempt to reunite the troops, they all have to make crucial decisions to ensure that everyone makes it back safely to the Door when it opens…and that they get through before it closes.

This one is a bit short, giving us plenty of room for the other type of Blurb: quotes from others…either someone who has read the book or someone who knows that we are the only one who could have written it. We could ask fellow authors, specialists in the field, or reviewers to give some ideas to use (here is not where you put your mother’s commendations!).

  • “The struggles these characters face are the same as society as a whole faces daily.”—Sociology Expert.
  • “The way Eric talks is so entertaining…sounds like a walking encyclopaedia.”—Gushing Fan.
  • “Could be the start of a series…I look forward to this author’s next works.”—Dedicated Follower.

Try to Avoid

Although she really means it, and you really like it, try to avoid including any obviously gratuitous quotes.

  • “I love the way the author has put this story together and would be thrilled to read anything else he writes.”—Author’s mother.

Hook Your Reader with a 99¢ Book

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This is a marketing ploy designed for authors with a series of books…or if you plan to have one. The idea is to start off with a low-priced eBook to get the interest of some readers…then convince them that the other books in the series are worth more, for both eBook and Print versions. This practice is similar to the Freemium pricing strategy in which a product or service is offered free (or at a low cost), but then additional features, products, or services are made available at increasing costs (a method that has been used with software since the 1980s). This process works well with software (and eBooks!) for the same reason: cost of distribution is minor.

Once you’ve gotten a loyal reader base, they’ll gladly pay more for additional books because they now value your work. (Of course, that assumes that your first books are truly wonderful.) The general idea is to secure as large a collection of customers as possible right up front, and because your low-cost books are so amazing, those first few readers will spread the word and draw in even more readers.

Get New Readers

Many readers out there are constantly looking for something new and interesting to read…but they are hesitant to invest $5, $10, or even $15 (hard copy) just to see if it’s worthwhile. An option is to find book-selling sites that will allow authors to release a portion of an eBook as a ‘sample’ to lure readers, but if the rest of the book still costs too much, then the sample won’t be very effective in getting new readers to buy the whole thing. Until your name is recognisable, you’ll have to tempt readers with a full book at a low enough cost that they are willing to try you out. Dropping the price of your first book to 99¢ is a good way to entice them.

Quantity Over Profit

Initially you’ll have to be satisfied with only a small profit on each sale, but the key is that every sale is a new customer…just waiting for your next book. Growing your readership is the concept here. Remember, every new reader will not only want your next book, but they will also spread the word about how good your books are, so you’ll gain even more customers.

Rankings and Reviews

Gaining all those readers will help you move up the rankings into the best-selling lists (no matter which distribution channel you’re using), giving you more visibility to other readers as they search for new material. (There are whole courses on how to spike your sales, but we haven’t time for that here. If you want more info on that, let us know. If there’s a large enough response, we may do a posting targeted to that subject.)

The idea is that when a reader searches for a book, they will often take just a glance, then head right down to see how many stars it has in its rating…and how many reviews it has. A 5-star average…with 3 reviews (your mother, your spouse, and your best friend don’t count)…doesn’t have as much influence as a 4.2-star average with 100 reviews, so getting more readers to read and review the book increases the odds that other readers searching for your genre will find your book tempting.

Link to Your Next Book

In each of your books, you need to list your other books and mention your next book (in the Front or Back Matter). You should include a short teaser (a first chapter), but putting in links (eBook or otherwise) can be difficult. The snag with links is that if you include a link to Amazon in a Nook book or vice versa, the publishers and distributors may hesitate to carry it. The same thing happens if you have a Kindle book with links to your printed book…same thing with links to any other competitors.

Using Redirect Links can solve a couple of problems. Redirect Links (also Shortened Links) work by sending your readers to a different page than the link shows. For example, if you have a link that shows <mysite.com/books> it could actually lead to <mysite.com/content/monthly/current_listing>. Not only is it shorter, but it is also easier for readers with a printed copy to type in. (Including a QR code helps with that.)

The key is to have the links to Amazon, Nook, or even directly to your printer on your page. It takes an extra click or two for your readers, but keeping all your links together makes it easier for you to update them if needed. (Much easier than trying to change a link printed in a book!) Another advantage is that your readers can find the rest of your books there, too. Tracking your Click Through Rate (CTR) will show how your marketing is influencing your sales.

Problems With Link Shorteners

You might be tempted to use commercial link shorteners, but there is one big caveat: most use some kind of domain name that is short and easy to remember…BUT it forces your data to pass through other countries. Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLD) such as ‘.ly’ (Libya) or ‘.ws’ (Samoa) or ‘.my’ (Malaysia) are controlled by those countries, so care must be taken as the controlling country could monitor or even restrict traffic they find unacceptable. Libya has shut down sites using their Country Code for a variety of reasons. (That’s why I hesitate to click on links like that.)

The best way is to use your own domain name (you do have your own website, don’t you?) and install redirected links yourself. If we have enough requests, we will post a How To that covers the technical details of Redirected Links, but for now we’ll leave it at that.

Who is Your Target Reader?

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Before you get too far in writing, it is a good idea to identify your Target Reader. That’s the person (singular) you have in mind when telling your story. It’s always easier to picture one individual as your reader…and you can just sit down and tell them what you want to tell the whole world. That’s what you write…just as if you were face to face with them…keep it casual and don’t try to impress them with your vocabulary. For the first few stories I wrote down, I pictured my kids. Of course, those stories started off as bedtime stories to those kids, so it was easy to keep them in mind as I put it all down on paper.

Who is Your Target Market?

There are a LOT of people out there…and some of them don’t care to read what you’ve written, but there’s a fragment of them that would dearly love to read your stuff…so how do you find them? In the marketing world, a differentiation is made between a Target Market and a Target Audience. I’ll try to explain the difference…and why it’s important.

Your Target Market are folks who might be interested in your product (your book). They tend to share attributes that you can identify: age, location, interests, available time, etc. If you’ve written a book about the origins of the street names in Sacramento, then you’d be aiming for 40-60 year olds, living in or around Sacramento, with an interest in history, who have plenty of spare time to go exploring the city. On the other hand, if you’ve written a Sci-Fi adventure book, your market would include 15-30 year olds, living anywhere in the US, who find escape in reading, and have time during a commute to read a chapter a day.

You probably are included in your own Target Market…because you’re writing what you like to read, right?

Who is Your Target Audience?

Your Target Audience are the folks that you can send your message to. You couldn’t possibly tell all the folks in your Target Market about your book…you only have so many resources. Most first-time authors (especially self-published ones) are likely to do their own marketing, so they have to use the methods available to them. (Yes, you could hire a company to blanket the world, but could you really afford it at this point? And what would the payoff be?)

Using social networking to share info about your book is a typical approach. You could even set up an author page (besides your personal page) to focus your efforts. Other ideas include bookmarks or info cards that you could drop off at local libraries or bookstores. If you manage to join in a multi-author book signing or have a big release party for you book, you might want to invest in a full-sized poster to stand next to your table.

Any way you get the message out will help with sales.

The Overlap

Those sales come from the overlap between your Market and your Audience. When you send out your adverts, you’ll be aiming for your Audience, but there will be some folks in your Market who won’t get the message…and there will be others, in your Audience, who will get your message but aren’t in your Market. Your objective is to widen your Audience enough to encompass as much of your Market as you can.

Analysing your Market and your Audience may be tough, but once you start getting sales, you can check to see how accurate your predictions are…and adjusting either could result in more sales…always a good thing!

Elevator Speech

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What do elevators have to do with writing…much less marketing? Maybe not much…but then again maybe everything—they could allow you the opportunity to access the Agents and Acquisitions Editors you need, so you can be discovered by one of the big presses. The term Elevator Speech came about because when an elevator is moving from floor to floor, you have a captive audience…and an chance to tell them all about your book. There’s little reason for your hostages to politely complain…they just have to wait until the doors open, then they can escape, but until then, you have their attention.

Now, think what could happen at a writing conference…one of those folks trapped in the elevator with you could be just the person who has been ignoring your attempts to contact them. Too bad you don’t have a brief and pithy way to convince them that your book is worth their time…unless you’ve perfected your Elevator Speech! The idea is to give enough details, so they want to continue the conversation after they exit the elevator. Sometimes they truly have someplace to be and can’t continue right then and there, but if you’ve caught their interest, you can offer to exchange business cards, so the two of you can re-establish contact later.

How Long Should Your Speech Be?

Although these days Elevator Speeches are seldom actually presented in an elevator, but with speed pitching becoming the way to contact Agents, the concept remains: keep it short enough to avoid boring your listener. An average time for an elevator to go from one floor to the next is about 30 seconds, so your Elevator Speech shouldn’t be much longer than that.

Considering that the typical person speaks from between 100 and 150 words per minute, you need to keep your Elevator Speech to between 50 and 75 words. For more accuracy, count the syllables and divide by 4.5 to get an approximate number of seconds it will take.

In order to focus on the proper details, there are some facts you can, and should, leave out. As surprising as it may sound, you really don’t need the title. At this point, they don’t even know what your story is all about, so they don’t care about the title. After you capture their attention, they will ask you for more—that’s when you give the title and your name. The easiest way is with a business card that has your contact info and a Logline, so they’ll remember which one you are and why they’re interested.

What All Do You Need to Include?

So what do you put in? Similar to creating a Logline but with an emphasis on verbal expression, you need to include the same items:

  • The Main Character—description not name (as with title, irrelevant here), as an outsider would see him
  • A bit of Setting—just enough to set the general scene, time period, genre
  • The Inciting Event in Act I—no detail, just why things have changed
  • The Stakes—what could happen, what the risks are
  • Why the listener should care—the impact the book will have on readers or how they’ll feel after reading it

That covers all the facts, but it probably sounds a bit brusque…like a list. To make it more conversational, you should now fluff it up, improving the flow. Here you can add some style, so the reader will recognize you when he gets his hands on the book.

If we expand on the example we created back in Loglines, we could have something like this:

  • This book is about a former boy scout who wants one last great adventure before going his way in the adult world. Now in his early twenties and just about to finish college, he plans the ultimate campout with some fellow scouts. Using experimental technology, they travel far to experience a new world where they discover more about themselves than they expected and have to make some crucial decisions to ensure that all return safely.

At 75 words it’s right at the top end of the range where it should be, and with a speaking time of 36 seconds, if this is your Elevator Speech, you’d best talk just a bit fast (which shouldn’t be difficult!).

Practice to Perfection

Practice your Elevator Speech aloud a few times, so it becomes second nature. If there are any parts that make you stumble, fix them now before you go public with it. Let your friends and family get tired of hearing it. That way when the topic comes up, you can launch right into it without thinking.

Offer to share your speech with your local librarian. They have to consider thousands of books with only a few seconds to decide which to stock—take any suggestions they offer. Remember, you’re seeking advice, not compliments.

On a plane or a bus, you have a captive audience of one, so ask your seatmate what they think of the idea. Start with your logline, then move on to your Elevator Speech…one caveat: if they seem interested, don’t start unveiling all the details, scene-by-scene. Just thank them for their input and offer a postcard (with Logline and front cover).

Speech or Advert or Blurb?

The nice thing about creating this speech is that you can reuse it in different ways. Besides spoken, you can print it on postcards or bookmarks to use as adverts. Turn it into a Blurb by adding a few quotes from folks who know you or have read the book, showing why you are the only one who could have written it.

When someone you don’t know reads it and want to know more, you’ve succeeded!

Next Steps to Marketing (Reviews and Free Samples)

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Well, we covered a few things that authors can do to market their books a while back (First Steps to Marketing), so now we’re going to go over a few more. Later, we’ll continue the list with More Steps to Marketing. This time we’ll be hitting two topics: Reviews and Giveaways.

Reviews

You already have a list of loyal readers, so now you need to show that your book is worth the time of other readers. For that, you’ll need some reviews. Prior to your launch, send out Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) to a variety of reviewers. Look for sites or bloggers that cover your topic or find folks listed as Top Reviewers for similar books. If you still can’t find enough reviewers, try sites such as NetGalley or Edelweiss+ to find more.

Those reviews can’t be posted to retailer sites until release day, but they can be published on the reviewer’s personal site, blogs, or book review sites such as BookLikes, BookBrowse, aNobii, LibraryThing, and Riffle. Ask the reviewers to copy their comments over to the retail sites as soon as the book is released. (Send them the link to make it easier for them.)

To get any traction from the reviews, you’ll need to have a couple dozen posted in the first few weeks. Once you have those reviews, don’t forget to mention them in any additional announcements you make.

Free Samples

Freebies always get good attention, but there are different ways to get them out there: distribution sites, review sites, your own site, or even printed materials. When you are deciding how much to share, be certain to include enough so that the readers can determine whether they like your style…and the story itself. Your objective is to leave them wanting more, not confused about what is going on in the story.

Other Sites

Some book distribution sites allow readers to download a certain percentage of your book free. If a site doesn’t have that option, you can always publish your own sample to “sell” (for zero cost) right next to the full thing. Just be certain to change the cover and title, so they know they are getting just a portion of the whole book. Don’t forget to include a link at the end directing them back to your site, so they can get the rest of the story.

Some review sites allow you to publish your own sample. Try out Reader’s Circle, Bublish, Book Praiser, Inkitt, Scribd, or Wattpad.

Your Own Site

You can do the same thing by having an extract of your book available as a downloadable PDF (or mobi or epub) on your site. Let your interested readers download it, read it, and pass it around…just make certain you have a link at the end pointing back to your book list page on your site, so they can get the uncut version. You can also encourage them to sign up for your mailing list at the same time.

Instead of sharing pieces of your actual books, you could just write shorts about the characters in your books. Your readers will appreciate the side stories as they give insight into backstory. The extra stories can also branch off and follow certain characters who have a life outside your book. Just set up a separate page on your website to post short stories a few times a month. Each time you post a new one, tell the world about it via your Mailing List and other sites.

Printed Material

Handing out a few printed copies at panel discussions always seems to work. Wave around a few copies of your book and watch the folks rush to the front. I’ve even seen some authors drop off printed copies of their books in public places, such as at a café or on a bus or commuter train. They put a sticker on it that says to enjoy and pass on…but they also include a QR code for folks interested in finding out more!

You can also create bookmarks, postcards, or even posters with teasers from your book. If you include a customized QR code on each, you can track which marketing technique works best. For non-fiction authors, handing out worksheets, lists of tips, and short reminders works well for keeping your book in mind…and the QR on each directs the readers back to your site.

Creating an Author Website

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There are only a few things that you must do in the writing world…and even fewer that everyone agrees on, but if you plan to actually sell your book to folks you don’t know, you’re going to have to let them know it exists. To do that, you’re going to need a website where you can promote your wonderful works, call it your ‘home’ on the Internet—a place to focus your marketing efforts.

What to Name Your Site

Only a few things seem to be required no matter who you ask. The first, and most important one, is getting a Domain Name that matches your Author Name. If the name on the cover of your books doesn’t guide folks to your site, then most likely, they’ll never find you. If you find your given name is too common…or matches someone else (search the web to see who comes up), you may have to opt for a pen name, a nom de plume, a pseudonym. Many famous authors have chosen to use a different name for their writing to hide who they are. For example if they already have a non-fiction following and are now branching out into fiction (Charles Dodgson wrote as Lewis Carroll) or if they are writing an exposé and want to remain safe from persecution (Steven Billy Mitchell used the pseudonym Andy McNab to hide his connection to a failed military mission).

Other reasons to pick a new name is that your given name may not feel right for the topic you’re writing. Pearl Gray didn’t feel his name fit the western genre that he wrote, so he dropped his first name and changed the spelling of his last name to become Zane Grey. Then there are the gender issues where some female writers will hide their gender with either a pseudonym (like Alice B. Sheldon who published under James Tiptree, Jr.) or just initials (such as D. C. Fontana, J. D. Robb, and of course J. K. Rowling). Another reason may be that you’re trying out a new genre and you don’t want to confuse your readers. For example, Isaac Asimov used the name Paul French for a series of juvenile science fiction that didn’t fit into the rest of his writing.

What to Put on Your Site

The first thing visitors should see is your latest book (you do have more than one by now, right?). They aren’t there to find out about you…they want something to read, so show them what you have. As they scroll, they should find your other books, either listed vertically or just a horizontal row of covers. Each one should have a short blurb and should link to a page with more details (and a purchase link).

If you have a Mailing List, you could ask them to sign up for it…offer them some kind of reward for doing so…maybe the beginning of a new story or a short that hasn’t been published or a newsletter that will let them know what’s going on with you. You want to keep them informed and get some kind of response from them. A Call to Action is required if you’re going to get any good out of this site.

Next on the list should be your events page. You’ll want them to find you, either on line or live at a book signing or author promotion. If you team up with other authors in your local area, you could find a bookstore where you can all set up tables to sell signed copies of your book. That’s always appreciated by your readers.

Picture of Westley in Victorian outfitThe last thing every author site should have is the About the Author page. That’s where you put your contact info (via a form instead of publishing your email address). That makes you seem more approachable. Any links to social media would be good, too. And don’t forget a good picture (unless you’re in hiding!) like the one of me to the right. Although it’s a bit old, I really like this shot—it has the right attitude.  🙂

Share Your Page

That just about covers all the needed items. If you have other ideas, go ahead and add them in…after you’ve gotten the basics. Send us the site address, so we can see how you’re doing. We might just feature you and your work in a future posting!

First Impressions

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Readers can’t buy your book unless they know it exists, and it’s your job to let them know that your amazing book is out there and ready for them to find. A big way you can make a good first impression is knowing what your book is about. Yes, you’ve written it, so you know everything that is going on in it, but can you succinctly explain what it’s about…without hemming and hawing…stuttering…taking way too much of someone’s time? That is where creating an Elevator Speech will help.

The next biggest way to announce that your creation is out there works when you aren’t even around: printed info that you can hand out or make available for folks to grab later. We’ll cover both of those right now.

Elevator, Blurb, or Logline

If you have only 30 seconds…as the elevator moves from floor to floor…to tell someone about your book, you need to have a quick, yet complete, summary of your book…ready to go. That’s the idea behind an Elevator Speech. You’ve prewritten it to include enough information to catch someone’s attention, yet it leaves out enough to keep their curiosity up. Once you’ve perfected it…and practiced it in front of a mirror until you’re tired of it…you’ll be ready to tell anyone, any time, all about your book.

When used on the back cover as a blurb, you can also add quotes from well-known folks in appropriate fields, either praises about the content of the book or compliments regarding your expertise in writing it. When done right, the back cover can entice potential purchasers to open up the book and start reading…right there in the store aisle.

Though similar to a Synopsis, an Elevator Speech differs in content and audience. A Synopsis includes a brief, but complete, version of your entire story…including the Climax and Resolution…and is intended for Acquisition Editors or Agents. They don’t want to be entertained…rather they need to know that it is a finished product and has a satisfactory ending, so they can evaluate the marketability. Elevator Speeches, on the other hand, usually stop just shy of the Climax, often barely hinting at the Darkest Point. They are for prospective readers who need to be convinced that they must read the whole thing.

If you shorten it even more, you can use it as a Logline. Often only one sentence long, a Logline captures the main character, the central conflict, and the stakes involved, along with a key concept that makes your book distinctive.

Printed Material

You can’t always be around when readers are looking for something to read, but instead of trying to find them, let them find you. If you can put your info into their hands, then you can sit back and let them come to you. Putting your contact info…and enough of a hook…on different kinds of items can work wonders for your sales. You can use something as small as a business card (though there’s not much room for your pitch) or a bookmark (more room…for a picture, too), as big as a postcard (cover picture and a blurb), or even as huge as a poster (plenty of room for all kinds of info).

Business cards can be handed out whenever you meet with readers…and they will remember you when they get home. Bookmarks are always useful to readers and can be offered to interested folks. Postcards can be mailed as well as being available for folks to pick up when they wander past your table at the book fair. Posters that can be seen across a room will attract attention, drawing folks to come over to see what all the fuss is about. (Imagine a 3 foot by 5 foot poster of the picture to the side…now that draws a crowd every time he sets it up!)

Any type of handout you use should include some basic info: your name, your site (and QR), the book’s name, and the Logline or Tagline. On the larger ones, include your book’s front cover, so they’ll recognise it when they go shopping. You can also use a scene from in the book in addition to the cover to draw more attention.

QR Codes

We’ve mentioned QR codes in more than a few postings, but we never detailed just what they are. Let’s rectify that deficiency now. The abbreviation QR stands for Quick Response—a method of encoding information (such as a URL) in printed material that can be scanned by a smartphone.

Sharing your URL in print is fine, but folks often balk at having to type it all in or even just searching for your site. Putting it on your business card as a QR code eliminates that issue…they can just scan it with their phone, and it will take them directly to whatever page you’ve encoded. That’s a key point…because you pick the page they are sent to, you can have multiple similar pages and different QR codes on different items pointing to each one. That way you can see which handouts give you the best return for your investment—you can do your own A/B testing.