How a Publisher Markets Your Book
- By: Jessica Faust | Date: Jun 07 2016
When we talk about marketing I think most of us think of ways to reach our readers directly. We think of Facebook, advertising, reviews and blogs. What few think about is what a publisher does to market the book well before its time to reach readers. It’s something I was reminded of when an editor at Kensington gave me the latest catalog during our lunch meeting.
Marketing for publishers begins months before the book is in bookstores. Marketing means actually getting the book into bookstores. In this case, the catalog she handed me was for books publishing between September and December of this year. Each catalog page includes all sorts of information to entice bookstores to carry as many copies as possible; quotes, marketing plans, a blurb for the book (sounds like a query to me), and book details like the price, what rights the publisher holds, and where the author lives (for local promo).
Rarely do authors see these catalogs or even catalog pages (or promotion sheets) so I think it’s something they often forget that publishers even do.
Luckily, in Kensington’s latest catalog, we had two books. The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine by Kate Angell, Jennifer Dawson and our own Sharla Lovelace is publishing in September and Deepest Desires of a Wicked Duke by Sharon Page is publishing in November.
Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect with these great books.
And those catalogs are vitally important to booksellers. Now they are mostly electronic but without a catalog AND a sales rep we have no more idea what is out there than anyone else!
Jessica, thanks for this helpful visual. Kensington’s catalog page allows a writer to see specific content which can be useful when writing their queries and in understanding the bigger picture.
Ok. Very cool insider look at part of the process. I feel like I could stare at the “key selling points” bullets for an hour. Just absorb the meaning and possibility. Thanks!
Another Kensington title to keep an eye out for: THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE by my friend Donna Everhart, publishing in October.
Just thought I’d take the opportunity to plug, since you’re talking about marketing… 😉
Jessica, thank you for not kicking Colin off here, and COLIN! Thank you for the plug! Here comes another (((((hug)))) 🙂
Hi Jessica !
Thanks, I see your advice. I want to ask you,
I can send for You
Step 1 – “letter of request”?
I Hope You Agent)
Thank you Mila Ug-S