Book Marketing

Book Marketing Goals [taken from Dynamic Book Marketing]

Having a Goal

One of the first elements of book marketing is defining a clear goal for the book. Not everyone has the same goal. Some desire to share information, while others want to leave a legacy. Most books are written because the author feels he or she has something to say that others need or desire to know. A self-help book on navigating the divorce process in Utah serves a different purpose than a spiritual poetry book. A Christian book, for example, often has what seems like a placid author. He doesn’t seem to care if the book sells. Why? Oftentimes, Christian authors leave the sales to God. 

What I have found is that, although the primary goal for most authors releasing their manuscript is not to sell the book, but share information, they are more than happy to make money from it. Oftentimes, sales reflect consumer appreciation! People will pay for what they consider valuable. 

Marketing, as a separate entity, has a primary goal of making money. If an author does not have a goal of making money, then why bother with marketing at all?

What is the Goal for the Book?

It is important to realize the goal of the book. Why did the author desire to release this work? Most will state that they have a message, a training, or want to share their voice in a specific area. They want to get the word out and their book is a way to do that.

I asked AI the question, “How many books are on Amazon?”
Here is the answer: “Amazon has tens of millions of book titles available globally, with one source citing over 44 million, and another stating over 32.8 million published titles.”

I like to compare marketing with preaching in a church. The preacher has a message (like a book) and the people want to hear it. Using marketing methods to get the voice out is no different than a preacher using a podium and a microphone. 

Consider: 

What options can be used as a microphone? 

What size audience is the author targeting? 

Can the audience hear the message? 

Can the audience understand the message? 

Microphones in Publishing

Microphones include book events, ads, paid advertising on Amazon, podcasts, interviews, Facebook and other social media…and the same ones listed above under general book marketing. 

Size of audience: Some promotions speak louder than others. Ask which ones are for the author and his or her book. A tent set up at a local event has a lower voice than a paid ad on Amazon. 

Can the audience hear you? Is the book up to the standards of professional editing and publishing? Should it be done in other languages, sizes, formats, an audiobook, Kindle eE-book? Should you put the book on the wholesale market or the retail market? 

If the person who needs your message cannot or has no time to read, but is able to listen to an audiobook, then it is reasonable to make an audiobook. This is an extension of the podium or microphone, that amplifies the voice. 

*Just a note: Although it may be recommended to extend the voice of a book, the author may not have the finances to do it. Making an audiobook costs about the same as publishing the original book in paperback. Sometimes extending to a different audience needs to happen in stages, due to financial or time constraints. Make a schedule that works with your individual situation to further roll out the book’s extension.

Can the audience understand? Readers approach a book with different backgrounds, levels of understanding, and prior knowledge. Each person enters the reading experience from their own level of understanding. If the language, concepts, or teachings in the book are too advanced or complex for their level, they will not be able to fully benefit from it. Because of this, many books are intentionally written for specific audiences.

I am not advocating that all books offer readers entry at the lowest level. But I am attempting to increase awareness that the level of language and word usage for a specific topic in a book is written for a specific audience. Often, the author is not aware of this situation. For example, I worked for 30 years as an ICU nurse. It is easy for me to correlate elements in a book to a 12-lead EKG. The correlations will be readily understood by other medical personnel familiar with EKGs, but over the heads of those not familiar with such devices. Individuals grow into their own understanding and, oftentimes, fail to regard those with limited comprehension of the topic. 

For instance, I published a book entitled Kingdom Covenant Eschatology in 2023 by Patricia Garitson. I am sure you can tell by the title that this book has a limited audience. It would be a waste of time, money, and effort to market this book to those not seeking answers to eschatology. 

Basic marketing teaches the importance of understanding who your audience is. Once you understand who the book is written for, then you will be able to figure out how to reach them where they are.