From the PAMB (last Friday):
Besides that only 25% of all books sold in the United States are sold in bookstores. I now have centered my marketing to the other 75%.
That old myth is still being passed from hand to hand at the PAMB.
Perhaps, if you're talking about "all" books, that may be marginally true. "All" books includes textbooks, reference books, law books, corporate reports, medical books, engineering tables, training manuals, academic studies, and much else that you don't expect to find in bookstores -- but that aren't being sold by the author out of the trunk of his car in the parking lot at Jiffy Lube, either.
If you're talking about trade books (the novels; the general non-fiction) that make up the bulk of PA's offerings, those mostly sell in bookstores. 60-65% of them sell there. Another 30% are sold through book clubs (and PA authors have yet to break into the clubs). We're up to 90-95% of all trade books right now, without getting into the on-line sales and direct sales.
Young author: if you've written a romance, a western, a mystery ... if you aren't in the bookstores you aren't anywhere. Sell what you can in the food court of your local mall (until security throws you out). But don't talk about "joining the 75%." Those ranks, too, are closed to you.
From today:
Well, I have not had much luck with the media or book stores either, but I did get somewhere with two reporters. Here is my advice:
Be a pest. I am a journalist and I know first hand that the press releases I use are the ones from the PR flacks that constantly call or e-mail me. I want to get them off my back so I use their stuff. This is how I have gotten somewhere. I got one reporter from AZCentral.com, Arizona Republic's online newspaper, to ask me for a review copy. The other reporter told me she was willing to call me shortly but I have since read the paper is not going to publish anymore. I still plan to call her again. I plan to send another round of e-mails to the reporters again this week. E-mails tend to work better than media kits because journalist tend to put off opening their mail but always open e-mail because they are expecting important information.
I also found out that bookstores finalize calendars the last two weeks of the month. So I sent more information to the bookstores last week and will follow up this week. I have Borders and Barnes & Noble interested even if it's slightly. There again, be a pest. Keep after them and call them within their timeframe.
But my best source of advertising has been word of mouth. My friends in my Women's Club have told their book clubs and churches without having even read a word of my book; some already have ordered the book; my dentist is going to have her whole staff go to the bookstore to ask for them to stock the book; I put flyers on all my neighbors door steps. One of them is a volunteer at the library and is planning to help me have an event; I contacted the library for a book signing. I give bookmarks to anyone who knows me even if it is marginal; my friends back East are talking up the book; I talk to people about it when I'm buying other services. I got a picture framed for my husband for our anniversary and talked to the framer about my book.
I don't know how many of those will turn into sales but at least the word is out about my book.
Good luck to you!
As you might expect, this author's book won't be coming out until the end of October. I wonder what advice she'll be giving at this time next year, after she sees how well this works?