BookMarketingBuzzBlog: November 2024

Monday, November 11, 2024

How Much Would You Spend to Promote Your Book?

Here is a simple question that all authors struggle with: How much money should I spend to promote my book?

For some, the answer is made up for them. They have little means to invest in marketing and therefore they don’t explore outsourcing their promotions. But even in these cases, every author can usually borrow or scramble to get a few thousand dollars if they really wanted to buy some publicity.

Perhaps they hope or assume their publisher, if they have one, is doing their marketing. Most authors don’t have a publisher, and most publishers do not promote a book extensively or for any kind of duration. Authors must own their book’s marketing.

Some authors may be willing to spend but don’t know on which service to bet on. They are not sure they can trust the vendor not to scam them or if they will get what was promised or if what was promised and delivered will net them sales or any meaningful and tangible benefits.

Or, they choose to simply see what happens with their book, not willing to financially support it until it shows organic promise in the marketplace. However, little will happen unless the author actively pushes the book.

The answer of what should an author spend could come down to one of these factors:

* You have a set budget and can’t afford to go over it, even if that amount is not enough to get the whole job done.

* You will spend only on the things that you feel you lack the ability, time, knowledge, or connections to achieve, while supplementing * with your own efforts to do the things you think you are capable of and willing to do.

* You will spend based on what you believe you need to spend, provided you reasonably think it will yield a worthwhile and attainable result, however you define it.

* You are willing to spend whatever it takes, provided it gives you a shot at breaking through and getting a big pay-off.

Spending for PR also depends on:

* Your goals as a writer

* Your hopes for this book

* What type of marketing that money can buy

* How much the author can do on his or her own

Things that you can do on your own:

* Social media

* Speaking

* Submitting to book awards

* Blogging

* Building a mailing list

* Attend book conferences

Things you may want to pay another for:

* News media outreach

* Build a website

* Book marketing consulting

Things you can buy directly:

* Ads

* Book reviews

* Book exhibit display of your book

* Memberships to writer associations

Remember, you can’t do nothing, and even when you do something on your own, you likely will need to spend at least a few thousand dollars for professional services.

So how much should you spend? Neither mortgage the house nor shut your purse. Be open-minded to reasonable vendors with useful services who indicate the commitment and confidence to deliver on what they promise.

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Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully). This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen years, 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 www.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 director of publicity positions 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, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, 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. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook. It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

Saturday, November 9, 2024

Writer Nirvana In A Cemetery

I had a recent opportunity to go on a bus and walking tour of Woodlawn Cemetery (in the Bronx, NY) There are many great writers buried here, including novelist E.L. Doctorow, journalist Nellie Bly, novelist Herman Melville, poet Dorothy Parker, and writer Joseph Pulitzer.

Over 310,000 dead are accounted for here, whether the remains were cremated and sprinkled, or whether buried six feet under or above ground in one of 1300 mausoleums. Its creation dates back to the time of the Civil War. Its 26 miles of paths rest in the Bronx but the land used to be a part of Westchester.

It is a fascinating place, though it is missing a gift shop. It is still actively accepting new clients and relatives/family still come to visit loved ones.

Two centuries of history of New York City and of America reside at this historical landmark

“Established in 1863, Woodlawn is an active, 400-acre non-sectarian cemetery — an oasis in an urban setting,” claims its site.

“It attracts over 100,000 visitors from around the world each year. Recognized as one of America’s most historically significant properties, Woodlawn was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011, joining a rarified roster of 2,500 sites nationwide. Described by the National Parks Service as “a popular final resting place for the famous and powerful,” the cemetery is distinguished by memorials that ‘represent the largest and finest collection of funerary art in the country.’”

It struck me how only in death could different demographics of people peacefully reside — and not argue with each other. The dead at Woodlawn Cemetery, a historical landmark, vary by their faith, from atheist and agnostic to Jewish and Christian, with multiple denominations of the latter two. They varied in their gender and sexuality. You also had various races here as well, lying side by side. Nothing was sectioned off by any category. Gay black male Calvinists were next to straight Jewish white women.

The history and architecture behind this place is a marvel worth experiencing — as a visitor.

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully). This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen years, 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 www.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 director of publicity positions 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, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, 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. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook. It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

Friday, November 8, 2024

Is Your Book Great? Ok, Now Shorten It!

Books are getting shorter, and even for those who staunchly defend book reading, that is good news. Why?

Shorter books may mean one has time to read more books, increasing book sales and expanding the knowledge and experiences of readers. Editors don’t have to edit as much content, publishers save on printing costs, and writers can produce more books. Readers won’t complain as long as they get a good, interesting read out of the book.

In the decade from 2011 to 2021, the average length of best-selling books in America was cut by 11.8%. Books went from 437.5 pages to 386 pages.

For literary and contemporary fiction stories, In 2021, only 38% of best-selling books were longer than 400 pages, which was a 29.5% decline from 2011.

Let’s face it, everyone has a shorter attention span these days. Thank you to caffeine and the over-medicated world. Thank you, Internet, with your dings and clicks that pop up every two seconds to addict us to a torrential pace of content flashing at us. Thank you streaming TV. Special thanks to the accelerated pace of today’s world.

Suddenly, we are all suffering from ADHD.

In keeping with that spirit, I will cut my blog post short. You got the point, so why blabber on?

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Thursday, November 7, 2024

Not Always Alone, One Writes Of Loneliness

I had forgotten what it means to be alone, to feel alone, to think alone. I was reminded of this when I took a solo trip 4,000 miles away to Germany last month, to attend the world’s largest book fair.

How does one feel alone amidst thousands of conference attendees or while walking down busy and crowded boulevards?

You see all of those people going about their lives, but I am invisible to them. I hold no currency. I am present but not in their consciousness.

Certainly I feel alone when I eat by myself and when I do fun (comedy club) or thought-provoking things (attend museums), in which there is no one next to me to talk with, exchange views, or even affirm a common experience. No one knows me in Germany who can validate my past, no one to encourage me, no one to challenge me to be better, and no one there to laugh with.

Sure, I am not truly alone in life. Back home is a wife, two kids, and other family, friends, and neighbors. I could also talk on the phone or text and email, but all of that does not replace the rewards and joys of having a living being by your side, to hold and touch, to talk to without an intermediary device, to look into another’s eyes and feel judgment, acceptance, or connection. I forgot how much people play a role in shaping who I am — and what I do, feel, and think.

My best writing comes when I am alone amidst a crowd. It sounds contradictory, but I need sounds around me, and to feel the forces of life’s energy around me. But I can’t be next to anyone whom I know, who will tempt me to talk or try to engage me.

Writers live lonely lives, some selectively during their writing process, like me, and others when it comes to their social life, perhaps due to circumstances or intention. I used to be more in tune to the loneliness, such as when I wasn’t dating anyone early in college or in between my divorce and meeting my second wife. Heck, I felt something worse than loneliness before my first marriage ended, when I felt unloved and even ignored by the person who had been closest to me.

Traveling is an awesome experience, to see new things, discover new facts and see unfamiliar lifestyles, architecture, fashions, and foods. You see new beauty — from natural landscapes to the urban skyline. Even with the globalization of the world and the tourist traps of every nation, there is still plenty to see and do in a new land. Travel alters your mind rhythm from that of your day-to-day back-home life. Even when done alone, it is fun.

I have a greater appreciation for life after being reminded of the barriers that loneliness can present me with. For some, the reality of loneliness never leaves them. For writers, it can shape their craft, even provide more opportunities to write and inspire the creation of a world that they crave to be a part of. When you see a writer alone, you may be witnessing greatness — and loneliness.

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Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Global Publishing Industry Snapshot

The United States of America, though seemingly a powerhouse for book sales, lags behind other nations when it comes to publishing supremacy.

Even though there are some big publishers in the U.S., several of them are owned by foreign entities. Penguin Random House, for instance, is owned by the German-based Bertelsman AG.

Only Wiley (#8) and Harper Collins (#10) broke the top 10 for publishers globally, when ranked by sales revenue. Please note this list does not distinguish by profits nor units sales, and it mixes trade publishers with other types.

Still, it’s interesting to note not one of the top 10 was from China or India, the two most populated nations that combine for about 37% of the planet’s people. Germany had two on the list. The U.K, Netherlands, Japan, and France each had one. The top, one, RELX Group (Reed Elsivier), has ownership in the UK, US, and the Netherlands.

The 10 combined had sales numbers in 2023 that almost equaled 2022’s output, down by about $400 million.

According to Publishers Weekly, the U.S book industry is doing well in 2024. Through the first half of the year, based on sales data provided by the Association of America Publishers, sales are up nearly 4% compared to a year ago,

Fiction sales rose heavily by 11.3%. Digital audio sales jumped by 20% and now account for more sales than e-books. Audio and e-books account for 30% of sales, while printed books cover 70% . Hardcover sales rose by 4.5% and trade paperbacks increased by 7%.

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Monday, November 4, 2024

The Good & Evil of Marketing, Even Books

I have always known that book marketing is a skill and resource that can be used to highlight and promote truly great books that not all people have access to. I am also aware that bad books or even books with bad intentions can use the power of marketing to sell a ton of books. Marketing is like a loaded gun — and anyone can shoot at anybody, regardless of the reason.

We see this in the political arena. It is getting harder to determine who the good guy is.

History has shown how propaganda has allowed for revolutions and sweeping changes of governments to occur. Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Party is perhaps the most powerful example in modern times of how a republic can buy into charisma and lies to elect someone who almost destroyed the world.

Political races here get decided by parties and opponents who implement their use of advertising, news media, social media, and public appearances. War chests and campaign advisors play as big of a role as the issues and facts in deciding who will govern our communities. Things have gotten so nasty that any attempt at political discourse quickly devolves into name-calling, threats, and lies — whether from political candidates or even two friends discussing things.

I am sad to say I recently lost someone whom I considered a good friend for nearly 20 years. We disagreed on politics and had heated discussions by text, and then go back to politely and enthusiastically discussing sports, movies, or our kids when out to dinner. But he at some point had reached his capacity to accept an opposing viewpoint can exist, or that it can be stated in a certain manner, and like most Americans, retreated to a preferred silo. Our great debate experiment had failed.

Most people who passionately see the world differently through a political prism are incapable of befriending the other side. This increasing chasm amongst fellow Americans will get worst before it gets better.

While the 2024 election may have concluded with a new Congress, White House, and local governments across the country getting voted in, this was anything but a celebration of democracy. The sides with the most money, best lies, and savviest marketing campaigns won — but America lost.

I blame an uninformed electorate, one swayed by rumors, lies, and distortions for the mess that we are in. I blame a system that rewards those who use obscene amounts of money to influence election results. I blame a lazy republic for not taking a few minutes to register and a few more minutes to vote.

* We need civics taught to every adult and child.
* We need to fact-check and punish blatant liars.
* We need lobby money kept out of the ballot box.
* We need voters not to be one-issue ballot-casters.
* We need voters to check their biases.
* We need people not to opt out of the voting process.
* We need more than two political party choices.

* We also need marketing awareness courses taught, so regular people can see through the bullshit that they are fed.

Marketing a book may not seem to have the same sinister gravitas as marketing a political candidate, but there is a lot of power in the influence derived from book marketing. Wield that power wisely but do use it for something good.

Put out great, useful, inspiring, entertaining, and enlightening books — and use the advantages of marketing to be heard. We need to counter the weaponization of marketing that lousy writers and ill-intentioned authors use to push less-than-worthy books on an unsuspecting and gullible public.

Our political campaigns have shown us how far a marketing campaign can take someone. It is time we use marketing for good and to promote the books that many of us need or want, if only they knew of their existence.

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully). This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen years, 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 www.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 director of publicity positions 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, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, 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. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook. It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Book Marketing Lessons From Pickleball

Pickleball mania has swept the nation for several years and I finally got a chance to play America’s fastest-growing sport the other day. I love it! There is a book marketing lesson here, so listen up.

Learning a new sport and its rules, acquiring new skills, and developing the right muscles and body to perform well are all part of anyone attempting to embark on any new sport. It is a similar feel to how authors need to learn a new sport, and it is called book marketing.

So, there I was, with 10 other newbies to the sport, ready to see if I have what it takes to hit a wiffle ball and with a plastic paddle.

The court is half the size of a tennis one, and games are scored differently from other sports.

The ball doesn’t have much bounce and the holeless paddles don’t allow for particularly big whacks to occur. It is a game of finesse.

It is a game built for doubles, a team sport, one in which your ability has to synch up with that of your teammate.

It reminds me of tennis and paddleball, but it really has carved out its own story. The success of the sport should remind us that even in a crowded field, something new and unknown can catch on from word-of-mouth.

Think about it. Not that long ago, where was this sport? It just did not exist. And there was little reason to think it would catch on. Then it did. Just like your book. It is unknown now, with little demand for its existence. But one day, we may reflect back and wonder what our lives would have been like if your book had not entered it.

Pickleball has no reason to exist. We have paddleball, ping-pong, paddle tennis, tennis, badminton, racquetball, and other similar sports. What is it about the noisy sport of pickleball that draws us in?

* It’s the new shiny toy and everyone finds it trendy to say they play it.
* It is familiar enough to anyone who plays a racquet/paddle sport.
* The wiffle ball makes you feel like a kid.
* It is genuinely fun.
* Games don’t take long to play.
* Low entry point to playing — old people, fat people, short people, and dumb people can play.

Now look at your book. Why would people want to read it? You should have some answers.

Now ask, why would one invest their time or money in your book when they could easily be reading something else? What is the pickleball factor for your book?

As with all sports, there is are elements of strategy and execution to pickleball — where and to whom to hit it; and how fast or low? Authors need to strategize how they will go about marketing their book — and then start volleying to see where the ball lands.

Perhaps a book on pickleball, if marketed well, would be a big seller? Then the author can retire…. And have time to play pickleball!

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