Book marketing is a lot harder than it looks. The other day, I was sitting in Barnes and Noble coffee shop sipping on a Venti Frappachino and there was a gentleman there editing a rather large manuscript. I inquired about his endeavors and he told me after 10-years he'd finally sat down and written a psychology book about the mass media and our perceptions in society. As he explained his concept and premise, I could see it was an intriguing concept, and that I might someday pay to read such a book. Okay so, let's talk because writing the book as hard as that is - really is the easy part.
We got into a discussion about publishing, e-books and book marketing. He said he wasn't the least bit worried about marketing, but was concerned about finding a decent publisher, he didn't want to produce an e-book, he wanted to be an author of a physical book, the old fashioned way; he wanted to earn it. Okay fine, but I was taken aback by his ascertain that he had all the marketing figured out. Why you ask? Well because no one I've ever met has ever told me that marketing a book was easy.
Unless you are a famous person, and willing to go on a book tour or are a past president and can get onto CSPAN Book TV with a mere phone call, I'd say marketing a book these days is a tough row to hoe. He told me that he had radio stations that would interview him and that was already lined up. I didn't have the heart to burst his bubble but, talk radio as good as it can be - well, that's still a tough way to sell books. Books on tape maybe, but physical books not so much.
Now then, there was a great article posted on Springwise on July 17, 2013 titled; "Buy a physical book, get the e-book for free - BitLit offers consumers companion digital versions of the physical books they've already bought," which is a completely intriguing thought isn't it? Yes, it is and Good marketing ideas here, also once you have the email address you can email advanced chapters of future books. It seems to me that physical books and e-books and even books on tap, DVD could go a long way to helping each other if the authors and book marketers are willing to mix-and-mingle the venues more often.
If you sell someone a physical book, and they give away their e-book download code to a friend, then that could help word of mouth, and although you didn't sell a second hardcopy, you did win a new friend and influence a new soul. Please consider all this and think on it.
