Marketing POD Style
Last week I talked about what being published with a POD (print-on-demand) publisher is like for me. The question of how marketing differs from traditional publishing came up, and my answer might surprise you–it’s not as different as you think. Most new authors launch their early books with little (or no) paid advertising from their publishers, and must do the legwork themselves. POD authors must also specialize in marketing because not only do they not have paid advertising support, but their books are likely sold only through the internet.
One of the biggest differences with The Wild Rose Press is having a dual-release date. Full-length novels are released as e-books first, then six months later the paperback becomes available to order online. My challenge was deciding where to spend my limited marketing budget, and since discovering most of the readers I know prefer paperbacks, I’m choosing to focus on the paperback launch. But that doesn’t mean I let my e-book go unnoticed! By targeting reader groups that are partial to e-books, I’ve tried to promote Table for One as I anxiously wait for the physical copy to hold in my hot lil’ hands.
So what am I doing to launch Table for One? Here’s a sample of my plans:
*blog tour and reader contests
*first sale announcements in writing groups and chapter newsletters
*secure orders through local bookstores
*spot in local Christian newspaper
*bookmarks with ordering info to pass out to family/friends because they can help with the most important thing:
*word of mouth!
This is by no means an exhaustive list, although let’s face it, promotions done right can be exhausting!
And since we’re on the subject of marketing, let me introduce you to Table for One:
Successful stockbroker Lucy Brocklehurst hasn’t had a date in four years. In a town where the ratio of single women to men is 7:1, she’s determined to wait on God for the perfect mate—as long as it’s the hot new youth pastor at her church.
Lucy will do anything to get his attention, including volunteering for the youth group. Through a series of misadventures on the teen outings, Lucy finds herself falling in love with a kindhearted chaperone named Edgar Flowers. But when their relationship grows serious, Lucy discovers the lengths his recently-widowed mother will go to in order to keep them apart. What starts out as harmless interference turns into an all out tug of war, with Edgar as the prize!
Will Lucy crumble under the scrutiny of her would-be mother-in-law? Or can Lucy and Edgar’s budding romance survive the schemes of his meddling mom?
**Me here again: I had more fun writing this book than should ever be allowed! If you need a laugh or a little pick-me-up, Table for One is a fun place to start.
