Page 1
A Marketing Plan For
Book Title
by
Author's Name
Author's Name
Address
City, State ZIP
Email Address
Phone Number
Pages 2 - 3
Objective: State the objective of the marketing plan. Who is your intended audience? How do you intend to reach them? Assuming that you are working with a small publishing company, they will have limited resources to market for you, and you must be willing to work with them if they have a different opinion regarding marketing of your book. Think conservatively; think locally first and then expand out. In your objective, you can focus on reaching specific sales market if appropriate, like "independent booksellers with a focus on fantasy for young adult and children." To cast a broader net, include Internet options.
Press Kit: State what you want the press kit to contain. Remember that this is a marketing plan; you need not write the actual press release or create a press kit for your plan. Just write about what you want it to contain, how you think it should be presented, and where or to whom it should be sent.
In general, a simple press kit should contain the following information:
- Press release one-sheet (Book logline or "hook," blurb, and author biography)
- Background information on publisher
- How to order information
- Background information on subject matter, if appropriate (for example, if it is a picture book about a president, and the 50th anniversary of the death of the president is approaching, this information would be of interest to a potential bookseller)
State that an electronic verson of the presskit will be available on your author's website, if you have a website.
Promotional Items, Giveaways: What kinds of inexpensive promo items could you have printed or purchase in order to help promote your book? Think about things of interest to your target age group for school visits. Young children like stickers or pencils. Older students like bookmarks or postcards, or artist "trading cards." Postcards should have a picture of the cover art on your book as well as "how to order" information on the other side. Trading cards and postcards are also good giveaways at book fairs and book signings.
Book Fairs, Conferences, Signings: What book fairs would be best for your book? You can be sufficiently vague in this area, leaving it for the publisher to suggest appropriate book fairs, but you should at least mention your local writer's organization's conferences and book fairs, or Book Expo America if you know that your publisher regularly attends. Other possibilities include home school conferences, librarian conferences, SCBWI Nationals, school appearances, and local independent bookstores. Remember, think locally first, then exand from there.
Internet: It's a virtual world and marketing must extend its reach into that world. Consider social networking sites, particularly if you are marketing a YA novel, as well as blogs, your personal website, a book-specific website if you are so inclined, and a virtual book tour. If the writer's groups you belong to have message boards, note that you will post a book announcement to those boards.
Buzz: How will you create and sustain excitement about your book? This is a place to include links to people or places you intend to market, but it has more impact if you know someone specifically who will help you to promote your book. For example, if you know a dj at your local radio station who will give you air time, mention it here. If you don't know anyone or can't think of any way to sustain interest in your book, at very least mention that you will maintain your author's website or periodically have reader contests or giveaways through your social networking site.
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