Special EventsMarketing for Authors Not Only Key, but King by Taryn Carrino and Donald Graul A new book is published every 30 seconds. 200,000 books are published in the U.S. each year. These are only a few of the realities, Becky Brasington Clark, marketing director of the John’s Hopkins University Press’s book division, urged authors to realize during WIW’s, March 10, “Marketing Yourself and your Writing All-Day Seminar.” There are a lot of books competing for the attention of readers, thus the importance of good, no great marketing. Ann Merchant, the current director of outreach and marketing at the National Academies Press, emphasized that an author should try and maintain a good relationship with his or her marketer. “In this competitive landscape,” she said, “an author should make every effort to understand the mechanics of his or her marketing budget and discuss the budget with the marketing team.” Merchant also recommended that a writer keep in mind the “Marketing Mantra: Marketing comes first. Marketing drives the product. Marketing drives the process. Marketing is King.” Marketers and publishers, she said, commit to an author’s book and it is important that authors realize that they all share the same goals. Clark advised the audience to closely study the marketplace to determine who published what and how the book faired. “Amazon is a fabulous resource for authors to gauge the marketplace,” she said. After publishing a book, customer reviews on Amazon.com can also help a book find an audience. Also, when marketing a book or pitching to an agent, it is important, she noted, for an author to focus on the details of his or her own particular book and to have short accurate selling points. Agents, sales representatives, and publishers, are short on time, and the more specific your focus the better chance you have of commanding their attention. Ralph Eubanks, director of publishing at the Library of Congress, reiterated that “you need to be a partner with your publisher in promoting your book.” He urged authors to spend time carefully completing the marketing questionnaire, highlighting that an author should read like a marketing person and consider becoming a member of publishersmarketplace.com, carefully noting what type of publicity an author can or cannot hope to obtain. You might also consider putting money aside to hire a publicist, he said. But if you do hire a publicist, he cautioned, make sure they are closely coordinating their work with your publisher’s publicist. Eubanks also suggested that authors think of creative ways to promote their books, for example, writing blogs or creating websites. Websites, he said, allow a writer to promote him or herself as an author and at the same time promote his or her book. Gene Taft, who owns and operates a Washington, D.C. based public relations firm, admitted that “the work doesn’t end after you’ve written your book.” And you need to be a realist. An author needs to understand the process and what to expect; ask questions and meet with the publisher, he said. Cooperate. Taft repeated several times, “There is no magic formula.” The most important thing is that authors try to focus their marketing strategies and know who their audience is; whether you promote your book through print, electronically, or television, chose a few marketing outlets and do them well. Robert Udowitz, moderator of the panel, and WIW board member, who runs his own public relations and marketing consultancy, concluded the panel, telling the audience to “take the advice of your publicist and marketer,” emphasizing, again, how important it is for an author to make every effort to build a strong and positive relationship with the marketing team. Find and Win Freelance Clients: “Use the growing popularity of the web to your advantage” Moderator of the second panel and WIW board member Phil Piemonte reminded the audience that writers need to look at the job of writer as a temporary position. And with the transitory nature of the job in mind, a freelancer needs to find ways to secure a steady stream of clients. Nathan Apse, a writer, editor and journalist currently reporting as Senior Correspondent for Federal Daily.com and Federal Employees News Digest, advised the audience to “use the growing popularity of the web to your advantage.” Echoing Eubanks advice, Apse suggested that an author create a website and “write articles on hot topics for your website, especially if you are not widely published.” Other suggestions included, joining a listserv, creating professional and unique business cards, and maintaining a list of business contacts. “Develop a network,” he said “and direct colleagues to jobs you don’t take. They will reciprocate.” Annette Licentra, an editor for the American Federation of Teachers, also stressed the importance of networking and agreed that authors should keep a list of contacts. Keep in touch with colleagues, she said; jobs and opportunities you can’t anticipate may result from good relationships with people you have worked with in the past. And, she noted, “when you do land a job, go over and above editorially; people will want to bring you back.” In addition to working hard, Licentra suggested that an author develop writing specialties. “Anything that you are interested in read like crazy,” she urged; “become an expert.” Bruce Goldfarb, a writer and editor for The Magazine Group in Washington, D.C., revealed that “writing is only a small part of freelancing; a mediocre writer can do well if her or she is a good marketer.” As Licentra, stated previously, Goldfarb, suggested that a freelancer discover his or her own writing strengths and develop a specialty, for example, feature writing or technical writing. To gain clients, a writer might consider sending out letters to prospective employers, he said, and in the letter “include your availability, strengths, and background. You don’t need to necessarily be pushing a particular idea or selling anything, just introduce yourself and let them know you are available for future assignments.” Presenting Yourself: In Person and On the Web Ellen H. Stuhlmann is a WIW Board member who specializes in corporate communications and providing e-content for organizations offering products and services to business executives. She believes all presentations are essentially one-on-one. Networking at a recent women’s business-to-business trade show she noticed again the importance of connecting a potential client’s needs with your abilities, remembering that it is their need, not your ability that is most important. Stuhlmann also emphasized maintaining a positive, professional, and respectful presence in all business encounters. Know what you are selling and focus on presenting that message with clarity and repetition. She also suggested that you solicit testimonials from all clients for marketing and promotional use, saying this is too often forgotten. Christina Breda Antoniades is a Baltimore-based freelance writer who currently writes for The Washington Post, Baltimore magazine, Revolution Health Care and other publications. She is dedicated to “building my own brand” at all times. She wants to make every editor’s job easier so they think of her whenever there is a real need to get the job done right—clean copy, on time, no hand-holding. Antoniades said that she specializes on several areas to present herself as the expert on those subjects, rather than attempt to do everything. She also positions herself as a collaborator, part of a client’s team. One practical tip she offered is the ease of posting her clips on her Web site for editors and clients to read. Stay connected with everyone you have worked for and key people you have worked with and help other writers Kristen King is a full-time freelance writer, editor and consultant. Her Web site was a finalist in the 2006 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Web site Contest. She introduced herself: “I work with words . . . I'm Kristen King, and writing and editing are what I do best. Contact me today to find out how I can help you get your message across clearly and beautifully.” King said preparation is key. The professional appearance of your business cards can’t be overstressed because you shouldn’t be shy about giving them out, they better look good. Your 30-second “elevator” speech needs to be smooth and direct. A mission statement can always change later, but you need one. A clear idea of your target audience and what appeals to them is required. In person, don’t forget a firm handshake with eye contact and when you ask what people do listen to what they say. Tools and Tactics for Pulling It All Together Michael Causey is president of WIW and a long-time, full-time freelancer who creates business-to-business newsletters in healthcare, telecommunications, energy and the automotive industry. He believes an important issue is to match one’s personality to the networking activity, don’t try too hard to be what you aren’t. If you are not comfortable glad-handing strangers, then be sure to keep your current clients happy. Work to expand your existing business—increase the frequency of a newsletter, develop a regular series of teleconferences. Ken Norkin is a full-time freelance copywriter primarily in business-to-business marketing communications for technology-based products. He created KN Creative in 1991. A freelancer should always do more marketing that they think they need to do. It is during the busy times that marketing is so necessary to avoid the cyclical slower times. Follow-up is often the most important factor. When you start freelancing your last employer should be your first client. Another guideline is to avoid any one client being responsible for more than 25% of your business or any two clients responsible for more than 50% of revenue. It is simply too risky. Gene Meyer is a WIW Board member and former Washington Post reporter now a full-time freelance book author and magazine writer. I always make sure that I have read and understood a magazine before approaching them for a story. It is a research job to get a strong sense of the profile that the magazine has established. My Web site has a brief bio and samples of my writing, what I call Wordwork. One thing I have started is taking photos to illustrate stories and new technology makes it easier and faster. |