1.
How do you work with
authors to make sure they are doing all that they can to promote and sell their
books? We spend a significant amount of time
with our author discussing goals – both for their book and their overall brand.
Once we have a firm understanding, we customize marketing initiatives and
really get creative with messaging, promotions, and opportunities to grow their
platform, which in turn leads to a community of potential book buyers and brand
ambassadors. Another big part of our job
is to educate our authors on trends and best practices within the publishing
industry and to share our experiences and successes marketing similar books. We
take ideas and inspiration from all of our authors and use those as jumping-off
points to help new authors reach their goals.
2.
Which big books were
recently published by Greenleaf Book Group? I’m continually excited by our title
list and the passion each author brings to their expertise and storytelling. Greenleaf CEO, Tanya Hall, recently published Ideas, Influence, and Income: Write a Book,
Build Your Brand, and Lead Your Industry which gives authors a
comprehensive guide to publishing and brand building. Michael Jordan’s The Company of Demons is receiving rave
reviews from thriller readers. Both Becoming
Whole: A Healing Companion to Ease Emotional Pain and Find Self-Love by Dr.
Bruce Kehr and Elevate: An Essential
Guide to Life by Joseph Deitch are helping people to take control and
improve their lives.
3.
How would you
describe Greenleaf – publisher, distributor, hybrid? Greenleaf is a hybrid
publisher, offering our authors the best of what both tradition and
self-publishing have to offer. We have the editorial, design, distribution, and
marketing muscle of traditional publishers and our authors maintain the creative
control, and rights, afforded to self-publishers.
4.
Corrin, what changes
have you seen over the past five years with how a book is marketed? We’re much more
focused on consumer marketing than ever before – it’s about connecting directly
with readers rather than advertising to them. Book clubs are cool again and
we’re flooding voracious and influential readers with early reviewer copies to
build pre-publication buzz which drives early reviews and preorders, which then
feed Amazon’s algorithm to reach new readers.
5.
What must authors and
publishers get better at doing when it relates to promoting a book? Patience. Overnight
success happens for a very lucky few
authors, and that can be frustrating, particularly for first-time authors. But
each fresh review, podcast interview, out-of-the-book marketing opportunity –
they all move the needle forward. Stay engaged and open to new opportunities,
and your book will find its audience.
6.
Do most authors
understand what it takes to build their brand? I think most authors have an understanding that building their
brand takes an investment – time, money, passion. Where I see authors get
discouraged or overwhelmed is when they try to build a brand that is separate
from who they really are a person. It’s like leading a double life. You are
your brand – openly share yourself and your ideas. You’ll build a more engaged
and loyal community and you’ll enjoy doing it.
7.
What do you love most
in working with authors and with books? Getting the opportunity to learn from each new author. Their
expertise is so varying and vast that I take some nugget of information away
from each and every project that I’ll never forget. I’m great at cocktail
parties thanks to my authors!
8.
What advice do you
have for authors who are struggling to breakthrough with the marketing of their
book?
Step back, re-evaluate, and try again. While timing is important
for the success of some books, many books are evergreen, so if you need to take
a breather, that’s okay. Book marketing and the publishing landscape is always
changing, which means there are always new opportunities to reach readers.
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what happened at a Book Expo PR Panel that I hosted? Scores of helpful
tips and strategies:
Valuable Info On Book Marketing Landscape For Authors From A
Writers Conference
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author to actively promote his book?
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promote the benefits of their books?
Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative
opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone
and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him
on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels
much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in
Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and
IBPA’s Independent. This was named one of the best book
marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the
top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best
resource.”
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