Pay Off From Book Marketing

I have this discussion on a regular basis with authors and other editors.  What is the true value of marketing a book? How do you know it pays off? Much of marketing is a bit of a shot in the dark with an uncertain payoff. I was fascinated with this article in the April 24th Publisher’s Weekly on this topic called Documenting the Value of Marketing by Jim Milliot.

While this particular study involves 200 book authors and geared to business books, it might have some lessons for every author. I checked on the actual book from RainToday.com and it has a hefty price tag. Here’s a few key sentences from the article: “The most effective way to promote a book, the survey found, was through the Internet, followed by coverage in trade magazines that report on an author's particular field. Book signings were far down the list, though Schultz acknowledged that a consultant is more likely to draw consumers at a professional event than a bookstore.” Businessweek also published an article about this book with slightly different information.

It gives another key reason for publishers to continue to look for authors who will work to promote their own books. Together with the author’s efforts and the publisher’s efforts, everyone can sell books.