Who Will Buy Your Book?

 

Whom is your book for? Who is its likeliest fan and buyer? You need to know who you are selling to in order to target them, find them, and appeal to their needs, interest, and desires.  

Here are the five steps to reach potential book buyers:

1. Be aware of ALL possibilities.
2. Narrow down your core target.
3. Identify where your consumer exists.
4. Make attempts to learn more about your targeted readers.
5. Put your book in front of your targeted reader. 

Let’s now explore each of them: 

1. Be Aware Of All Possibilities

Your book could be sold to the general public, niche marketplaces, and micro-retail channels. So, what’s even possible? Explore these outlets/markets:  

·         Bookstores

·         Libraries

·         Churches/Temples

·         Non-Profits

·         Government Agencies

·         Corporations

·         Small Businesses

·         Street Fairs

·         Museums

·         Schools K-12

·         College Campuses

·         Gift Shops

·         Airports 

·         Military

·         Supermarkets

·         Gas Stations

·         Trade Associations

·         Catalogs

·         Book Fairs

·         Conventions

·         Big Box Stores

·         Specialty Stores: Pet Shops, Clothing Stores, Restaurants

·         Drugstores

·         Variety Stores

2.                  Narrow Down Your Core Market

Look over the above list. Realistically, which ones seem like a path to your potential reader? Identify the markets that you want to pursue. Prioritize them.  

3.         Identify Where Your Customer Exists

Let’s say you choose several targeted markets. Great. Now think about where they can be found. For instance, if your likely reader is a woman who shops at gift shops, research online a directory of gift shops. Find out if any big wholesalers or distributors sell to them, and see if they will carry your book. Further, think about what gift store owners read or consult to keep them informed. Can you learn by reading those same publications? Can you advertise in them? Can you buy an email database of these stores? Are there trade shows or conferences where giftshop owners gather -- and can you network there? Create distribution where your buyers tend to shop, work, go to school, or play. 

4.                  Make Attempts To Learn More About Your Targeted Readers

You need to know why a reader would buy your book. So, you can sell these attributes to others. You also need to know what such a reader wants, needs, or desires. What are their demographics -- and how can you use this information to find, and sell to them?

5.                  Put Your Book In Front Of Your Targeted Reader

Now that you know who will buy your book, where they tend to circulate, and why they’d buy a book like yours, you have to market to them. Will you use some combination of advertising, speaking, cold-calling, direct-mailing, social media, news media, book awards, and other means to find -- and sell to -- them? Determine a game plan and execute it. 

 

Lots of book sales can be secured when you follow the five stops listed above. Go get ‘em!  

Please Contact Me For Book PR Help

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.2 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past decade, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.