You know that Granny Rainbow's been launched. (You can't help but know if you're following my blog or we're connected on Facebook or the Word Cloud!) You know that I'm selling books. You probably even know that there are three copies up for grabs on Goodreads in a giveaway.
I know that if I want Granny Rainbow to be bought, I have to publicise her as a product to keep sales moving. Which is fine - as long as I don't say it too often or keep talking about Granny to the exclusion of all else. (But you will let me get excited, won't you, when I get a nice review or some feedback from a reader or have a successful sales event?)
Unfortunately, I've noticed a couple of worrying developments which have left me wondering whether I'm turning into a marketing monster already, in spite of my best intentions not to do the hard-sell.
I have booked into a Spring Fair next weekend, mainly to sell the last few crafty bits we made for our church reordering fund...but I'm also taking Granny Rainbow with me.
My parents celebrated their Golden Wedding yesterday with family and friends; a couple of my aunts and uncles had asked me to take the book so I did. And packed a few spares, which I also sold.
I even took copies to church; Laura and myself belong to the same church and there's understandably a fair bit of interest and support for Granny Rainbow within the congregation.
It just doesn't feel right to be touting for business at some of these occasions, yet I know I can't afford to miss out on a sale until I've at least covered my costs; there's a way to go yet before Granny Rainbow breaks even. I keep telling myself I'm carting books round with me as a 'just in case', rather than as a determined effort to sell...
But what kind of things will definitely turn me into a marketing monster? Tell me, please - and I'll try to avoid them!
I remember an author friend of my mine making the realisation that he was being too pushy when he tried to sell his books at a funeral!
ReplyDeleteI only had one awful episode of being Pushy Author when I took some bookmarks to a party, had a glass of something too many and started thrusting them at people who really weren't interested. I still cringe to think of it.
A funeral?! Oh, Spi - that really isn't on! And at least you can blame your bookmark episode on the booze...
DeleteI think you're going about it the right way, Katherine. You're making connections with people first and showing your wares second. And the blogs and posts have been really interesting. I've really enjoyed reading about the process. I thought it was really quite ballsy to put yourself out there and just do it! The people who annoy me are those who tell tweet me on the hour every hour about buying their book when they don't know me from Eve. That's hard sell. Marketing by connecting with people who might like to read what you write is fine. And I would have been disappointed if you had made it to Oxford and hadn't had a couple of copies on you. Especially as I haven't bought mine yet!
ReplyDelete*whispers* I'll probably take some books to York...
DeleteI'm glad you found the blog posts interesting, Jules - there's always a bit of me that wonders whether anyone else is even remotely interested...*phew!*
I always read them - I was very impressed that you could knit socks: I can't knit at all - I'm just not very good at replying!
DeleteI think that one is for you to decide and you alone. Why do something that you feel uncomfortable about? On the other hand, is the promotion of the book worth the discomfort? Do you believe that to do this, you will have to change as a person? What do you mean by 'monster'? Maybe there's another way to look at it, depends I suppose on whether you really, truly wish to grow yourself around this new arrival in your life... I could go on, I shan't. It's a conversation you have to have with yourself if you wish to resolve these uncomfortable feelings. I don't think it will help by coming up with some kind of externally verified list of what features make a monster. And that's enough from me. Good luck dear Squidge. FP
ReplyDeleteFP - You're right that I'll only do what I'm comfortable with...I suppose it's the fear that what sits well with me might be too much for others so that their perception of me is that I'm constantly plugging the book when I don't feel that I am! A bit like the fact that I can allow the ironing pile to be a lot higher than Mr Squidge before I feel I really, REALLY ought to tackle it!
DeleteI don't think that having to get into the marketing side of things will change me - it will certainly add another string to the bow, but as what you see is what you get with me, I can't see I'm going to suddenly become all pushy and self-promoting!
Thanks for the comment - it's made me think of things in a different light... :)
If you find you're starting to hit the same group of people several times, I think then it's time to find a different audience. Some authors seem to just keep plugging away with an already saturated market
ReplyDeletePS it sounds as though the people you're engaging with are very happy to be marketed to!
ReplyDelete:) Navalairhistory - I think my same group of people thing was accident more than design!! And yes, I'm very pleased that folk at the mo seem to be quite happy with how I'm pitching things...
ReplyDeleteHi Katherine, I've just come to your blog via the Word Clod. It sounds to me like you're doing all the right things. To me, someone becomes a monster when they talk about nothing else but their book. Their Facebook posts, Tweets etc, are nothing but thinly-disguised 'buy my book' messages. I'll soon be in the same position as you (my book should be published in the autumn, and I'm learning that the best way of marketing is to make genuine connections with people. Good luck with it!
ReplyDeleteHi, Katrina - and welcome to the Scribbles to a fellow cloudie! Good luck with your own book - I shall have to look out for it.
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