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| Distribute Your Self-Published Book - Part 1 |
By:
Judy Cullins |
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Distribute Your Self-Published Book - Part 1Judy Cullins c 2003 All Rights ReservedWhere is your book now? With a distributor? In a book store?Or, did it already die an early death after a few months? New self-published authors often believe they need a distributorto sell a lot of books. They want to use Ingram or Baker &Taylor because they think they need to get their book into the"brick and mortar" bookstores like Barnes and Noble.Authors go through many hoops and snags to accomplish this-- what I call the "traditional publishing nightmare" of inefficiencyand lack of support for authors. Usually the author only getsaround 10% royalties and has to pay back all promotion expensessuch as book signings. So many hoops, some give up. So manyauthors I speak with who have gone this route still havehundreds, even thousands of unsold copies littering up storage space.Talk about discouragement.Distributors Can be Dangerous to Your Book's Health and Your WalletOne author wrote, illustrated, and marketed six beautifulchildren's books. Her books were well reviewed and received.For some time, the profits rolled in until her distributor wentbankrupt, owing her $160,000. After she stopped crying, shedecided to take her books on the road—to local fairs and talkswhere she could KEEP all the profits.Distributors take quite a chunk of money from the author'sprofits too. They charge the author for storage, and when booksare returned, the author loses those sales, and has to pay thedistributor too. Authors lose from the bookstores becausetheir payment is late or unreliable. Some authors wait way beyond 90 days. In fact, many just don't get paid. Writers are not alwaysgood at collections either. These middlemen not only take mostof the author's profits, they cause much stress too.How Can Self-Published Authors Distribute?Self-published books include: print books (perfect bound, combbound, print on demand or print quantity needed, or stapled) oreBooks (sent over Email through Word or Portable Document Files)Local Distribution.For each venue, make sure to include ordering information suchas your Web site URL, your company address, your toll-free800 number, your local phone number, and an order page to fillout for fax or phone orders..1.Distribute through the Press.-Create a "Power Press Release" (include tips and how-to's)-Get a Feature Story from the Media-Write a how-to article and submit2. Distribute through a local Talk Show-Radio and TV orguest speak for another person's teleclasses. Just a phone call away you can reach 100's of peopleinterested in your book's topic. Do some research on www.teleclass.com. From my guesting with other expertsevery 2 months, new clients come, new book and teleclass sales increase to make up half my income. On the talk shows or the teleclasses, offer the audiencea free report to capture their email addresses. You can alsosend it through your host and she will distribute that informationto her large email list. Of course you include your sales-pullingsignature file at the end.3. Distribute at local talks to groups. Sell your print books at theback of the room. Take a clip board and capture everyone'semail at the talk. These people become your dedicated salesforce and tell others. Word of mouth takes up to one or two years, so be patient for results. Check your library for Clubs whoneed free speakers. Develop a selling two-sided flyer with testimonials, your bookcover, excerpts, and an ordering coupon. Take books and flyerswith you everywhere. Offer to all you meet, even your dentist!Authors need to be proactive in book promotion because publishers won't do it for them. (Part 2 of this article is available) About the Author
Judy Cullins: 20-year author, publisher, book coachHelps entrepreneurs manifest their book and web dreamseBk: "High Traffic = High Web Sales" - New!http://www.bookcoaching.com/products.shtmlSend an email to mailto:subscribe@bookcoaching.comFREE The Book Coach Says... includes 2 free eReportsJudy@bookcoaching.comPh:619/466/0622 |
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