by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
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| Image: Xandert |
As a traditionally published writer, I’ve felt guilty for years for my approach toward promo.
I’m extremely uncomfortable with direct sales, so I never fully embraced it. I’ve done only a handful of book signings, gone to just a few conferences, and stopped sending promo postcards out after the first batch. I haven’t purchased business cards or bookmarks in ages. With the advent of e-readers…I just wasn’t sure if readers needed bookmarks.
Besides being uncomfortable with direct sales, I also have a tough time fitting travel into a schedule that’s jam-packed—and leaving my children to pursue marketing.
My third problem with traditional marketing is that it’s expensive. You can reduce your costs using low-budget printers, sharing costs with other book-touring authors, etc., but it’s still going to be high. If you attend conferences and travel for signings, you’re talking about gasoline costs, airfare, hotel bills…the works.
I feel like my sales with traditional publishing are too modest to justify that kind of expense.
I was vastly relieved on a number of levels when the book promotion trend favored social media. That was the perfect way for me to promote—it’s worldwide, it’s basically free with your internet connection, and you can do it from home.
What’s more, social media was immediately embraced by the publishing industry as a great way to promote. This helped me feel less-guilty about turning down invitations from my publisher for dinners they were hosting at conferences. Now this doesn’t mean the publishers were embracing social media—they just wanted the writers to. I think the publishers are now still playing catch-up a little.
Are we reaching readers with our efforts? I think so. What’s more important, though, is that our readers are able to reach us. I hear from readers with astonishing regularity—primarily through Facebook and email. They know how to find me and they do. This is something that’s harder to accomplish if we’re focused solely on traditional marketing….it means readers have to hang onto our business card or bookmark. But if we’re on social media…if we have a website, or a blog, or we’re on various platforms…they can find us when they feel they need to.
One thing that worries me about the authors I know on my various email loops (all traditionally published) is that the ones who continue to focus on old-fashioned marketing techniques are missing out on the global market.
It is a global economy as Apple and Amazon have both reminded us lately as they’ve opened up markets/online bookstores in many new countries. Increasing our reach online is likely a sounder approach than filling up with expensive gas and driving as far as we can to visit bookstores and conferences. Maybe we should schedule tweets and updates during off-hours to engage people in other time zones.
But what is online promotion? I know what gives it a bad rap–all the folks who beg us to buy their books or talk about their books ad nauseum online.
Although I was happy with the advent of social media, I was still unhappy about doing direct promo. So my efforts at making a name for myself as a writer were completely focused on platform-building. How indirect could I go? I settled on blogging (which I enjoy and consider a great way to network with other writers…and I could just stick book info discretely in the sidebar), a website (which I offer information on purchasing my books…if someone is looking for that type of information), a Twitter account where I share writing links (and frequently forget to tweet my own blog posts), and various Facebook pages, which rarely get updated.
When I graduated from college in the early 90s, there was a recession going on. I held my nose and ended up with a sales job–where I constantly got in trouble for not asking for the sale. I figured that if someone wanted the thing, they’d buy it. Why ask for the sale? Asking for the sale only agitated me and distressed the customer.
Yes, I made a lousy salesperson and stayed in the job for mere months. I quit before I was fired and I never tried to find a job in sales again. But really, I have that same mentality now. If the reader wants the book, by golly, they’ll buy the book. My begging them to buy the book will likely just run them off.
So I decided that a presence was a good way to promote myself. Not a book. Me. It was a way to put myself out there, a way for me to rise in the Google rankings of other Elizabeth Craigs and Riley Adamses so that readers could find me, contact me, and be tempted by my book covers.
I saw a post by author Dean Wesley Smith recently that I truly enjoyed. He said that writers shouldn’t promote. Now, if they were self-publishing, then they could put their publisher hat on and very carefully promote in a business-oriented way. But they shouldn’t just hawk their wares as a writer. As Dean puts it in an October 9th post titled The New World of Publishing: Promotion:
“Write the next book. That is the best thing you can do for your last book. Turn around, face the future, become a writer, and write the next book, and then the next, and then the next… get it to a publisher or your own publishing company and then go back to writing.”
Ultimately, this is the best way to promote our writing. Write, improve, publish more books, have a bigger footprint in those online bookstores. It means discoverability.
How do you feel about promotion? How do you approach it?
Great post, as always :)
Mind you, while I do agree online promotion/social networking is easier, and (potentially) reaches a far wider audience, I think public appearances can work well for writers too.
In 2012, I’ve done over 70 writing-related presentations, workshops, author panels, book fairs etc. These sort of events can be a great way to get your name off people’s ‘Never heard of him/her’ list.
Whether it’s online or face to face, if we can show ourselves to be interesting, if we can provide something useful for the folks who read us online or come see us at events, or even if we simply entertain them enough, we’ll sell more books than if we simply tout our wares at every opportunity.
I’d say there’s room for both online and in-person promotion on a writer’s calendar.
Of course, others may disagree :)
Elizabeth – I completely agree with you about how dicey promotion can be. Like you, I dislike it so much when writers’ social media presences are more like advertisements than anything else. At the same time, there’s nothing like modern social media for reaching readers. I think even writers whose work hasn’t yet been published need a social media presence. That’s how we connect with readers in a direct and innovative way. And readers go online. That’s where they get ideas for ‘what to read next.’ So how do I promote? Online. My blog is my #1 tool but I also tweet and so on.
Nice. Having three in the bag when you query your first would give an emerging author four in press in five years…not a bad initial roll out. All the more reason not to query when you have one complete (excluding the one under the cat box we do not discuss).
It takes some will to hold off but then, you are already writing. That takes some will,too.
If you’re online, selling your book can be as natural as breathing.
Which is to say, you’re not selling at all. You’re just living out there where people can see you. Interacting naturally.
Unfortunately, it’s so easy, that people see it as a short cut, and then start adding other aggressive “short cut” methods to the process: spam, tagging clubs, etc.
The pressure to do those things is big. Resist it, and write the next book is the best policy you can have.
Jon–I should have put an exception in there, I think. :) I do know some writers…on my email loops and personally…who do *very* well with appearances. Frequently they’re paid speakers, actually. I think if you’re the kind of person who does this well, it can really almost be another source of income.
I can hold my own as a speaker…but I’m sure I’m clearly uncomfortable. And I’m even worse during the time before and after my presentation when I’m meeting people! This is why I’m so frequently in the hospitality room at conferences…ha! So I’m one of those who probably makes a better impression with readers when I’m not face-to-face. But others I know do very well.
Exactly, Elizabeth – we have to sell ourselves, not our books. That’s what a platform really means.
I used to do a lot of book signings, but they’re just not feasible anymore. So few people buy physical books anymore.
I’m a lousy salesperson as well. I certainly fare better here online than I would in the real world though.
Margot–I think you’ve built a great community of crime fic readers and writers at your blog and Twitter, just by being yourself. :)
j welling–A very nice point! I think you might be inadventently responding to another post, but thanks for coming by. Yes, that can be a good approach–have a pile of books already written (or a good-sized backlist) and then release them bit by bit but not too spaced out. Nice way to build a readership.
Diane–I think you’re right…and that each year the number of those who buy physical books will decrease. I think many folks will want physical copies of their favorite books, but not just regular reads.
Alex–You and me both!
Camille–Natural is definitely the way to go.
If it’s natural, then I’m not stressed. If I’m *selling*, then I’m stressed. So this is how I can tell I’m not selling. :)
I couldn’t agree more, Elizabeth. Many authors say that their book signings generate little revenue. It’s about building relationships and being interested in other people.
I just started building my platform- after a long time dreading it- only to find out I LOVE it! Now I think the trick is finding a balance between blogging and writing. I’d love to see a blog post some time on practical ways to make yourself sit down and write.
Hi Elizabeth – hate asking for sales … I worked in a cook shop – and that was fine … because I could see they wanted that item, if not then perhaps another .. if not something else – that’s not usually possible in selling – and I’ve done that too and failed miserably!!
It’s getting our name out there isn’t it .. well done for all you do –
Cheers and have a lovely Christmas and New Year with the family – Hilary
F.C.–I’d actually made a couple of sales at a bookstore signing out of pity! I remember 2 times that men told me that they felt sorry for me and bought my book. Bleh! Just another reason I crossed signings off my list. That and the fact that I was always asked where the history/humor/reference section in the store was (I clearly don’t look very authorly.) :)
Hilary–That would be so much better because you know they wanted *something* and then you could help direct them!
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
Bess–You know, like anything, I think having a habit is the best way. But also, to be very flexible with yourself as far as when and where you write. Also, to set a timer and write for only a few minutes at a time…whatever is easiest (even 5 minute spurts.)
Blogging is fun, isn’t it?
I would make the worst sales person EVER! And I rarely buy a book from someone who keeps pushing people to buy. Not my thing. But helping others promote their work in a non spammy way? I’d totally do that.