Over ten years ago, Hillary Rodham Clinton realized that "It Takes A Village" in order to raise a child. Today we could say the same about the publishing industry, particularly if you are a small press or the ever entrepreneurial self-published author. The real key to your ability to sell books will be the distribution method you choose. Putting the right people in place will aid in the exposure of your book within the industry. This is a highly overlooked avenue for small presses and authors with little cash flow - even more so in this tight economy.
As a publicist, I can get the media placements for an author but that does not always translate into automatic sales, especially if the book is not readily available. For instance, I've regularly had clients featured on major venues like the popular morning shows FOX & Friends and The Early Show, yet I've had a client that saw no sales after their appearance. The problem? Distribution. While the client's books were available online, via their own website and outlets like Amazon.com, if a potential customer walked into any book store in America they were faced with not finding it on the shelves. For those that took the next step and bothered to inquire further on the book, they found out they would be required to order it to obtain a copy - waiting days to weeks before actually getting it in their hands.
So in order to have availability in the stores, you must look at how your book is being distributed. Reviewing your distribution program is a must these days and taking action where necessary may be a factor in the life of your book. One area to definitely check on is to see if your books are returnable. Most bookstores will not even think about carrying your book if it shows up as Print On Demand (POD) or is listed as non-returnable - these can be the kiss of death for any book from the start. If this is the case, any potential customer will have to special order the book (even prepaying) from the bookstore in order to obtain a copy. In today's fast-food-society, where people want it now, are they likely to wait on what is probably an impulse buy to begin with?
Another item within your distribution to look for is to see how your book is presented to book buyers - from independent book stores to the large chains. Is your book listed in a catalog that is sent off to bookstores? Is there someone pitching your book to buyers in the industry? These things can be critical to get your book on the shelves in stores across the country. In a declining industry, it takes every fundamental aspect of your marketing plan to make your book accessible to the public.
If you are missing components to your distribution then you may need to look at professionals who offer these services within the industry. A small press or individual author, with less than ten titles, can submit their book for consideration to distributors and find a good fit. These distributors aid in getting books into the two main industry wholesalers - Ingram Book Company and Baker & Taylor. Without your book in these wholesalers distribution, you may be limited to online sales and the selling out of the back of your trunk. Check out this link for a list of distributors that may help you out: http://www.ingrambookgroup.com/new/distributors.asp.
While writing a book may end up putting you on the map, it takes key components - even 'A Village' at times - to get you positioned for success.
Laura Ward is a visual communication specialist and publicist for Strategic Vision, LLC, an Atlanta-based public relations and public affairs agency. She may be reached at laura.ward@strategicvision.biz
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Ward
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