It clearly matters whether or not you have a good marketing consultant. A marketing consultant can either make or break you, especially on self-published books. Though the phone calls can sometimes get continuous, I find that marketing consultants have the techniques in selling your product. My publisher sets authors up with marketing consultants once their books are published. While I was thrown off at first, I find the frequent updates to be beneficial for selling books. I don’t always agree with the processing fees and costs, but I understand that they have to make a living too. I believe I have a good marketing consultant as he says, “Your success is my success.” Some information I found useful after going through this several times is:
- You can sometimes negotiate the price, even 50% to what they quoted you originally. (Don’t accept their first offer if you don’t like it).
- You can pay in installment plans. (Be careful here, they don’t often tell you that the service(s) will not be issued until the balance is paid in full). This process usually takes about 3 months, unless you pay it off beforehand. An option always open to you. If you are in a hurry, good to ask questions up-front.
- Let the marketing consultant know what you want (expecting) initially and what you want corrected. I ask my marketing consultant specific questions and get an answer that day.
- Always ask for confirmation through an email, fax, or in writing originally. (If you don’t have it in writing, it doesn’t exist).
- Don’t get stressed or feel pressured to accept services. You always have the option to decline. Rather than feel my blood pressure go up when my publisher calls, I just tell him or her that I can not do it. I find some things I simply want to do myself.
- Lastly, but the most important point I feel. Just have fun in writing and go with the flow. I enjoy writing and have a lot of fun with it. It should never become a chore. Once it becomes that, than you are in the wrong career. Pick up a hobby instead.
While I don’t want to offend marketing consultants, I feel it important for potential writers and authors to understand the policies in the publishing world. I didn’t find this world – it found me!
Such a timely post in my world, Anne, as I just finished a week long Book Festival. I am up to my eyebrows in marketing notes. It’ll take a while to sort through the thick advice, but your words are sage as well. We must love what we do.
Cheers
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Thanks for your comment. I just entered my latest book in the book fair this summer. It’s a lot to absorb but I try to find different ways to market my books. 🙂
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You post is very timely for me. I really want to promote my own fiction instead of editing and ghost writing for others all the time. Your tips were spot-on. How do you tell the true marketer vs. the multitude of scams out there? Any suggestions? Thanks for your assistance.
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I’m glad it helped you. I just know what I’ve gone through with publishers. Always check first to make sure the person is reputable. My marketer is from my publisher so easily identified. If you don’t feel something is right, trust that gut feeling. Have you published yet or going self-publishing? I can recommend a publisher if you need one. Anne 🙂
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Self-published, 5 eBooks only on Amazon sofar. I do all the formatting and set-up myself because that’s what I do for other authors or provide camera-ready masters for printing. I know all the nuts-and-bolts, but not the promotion and distribution. I’ve gotten a little recognition through social media, but more for editing and doc prep than writing. I’m a little older so my tech skills are inconsistent. I was able to transfer my editing and design skills to the computer, but marketing and promo for myself is the down side of my learning curve. Thanks for responding.
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Great comment to have fun and never let writing become a chore. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
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Thank you, Christy. Writing should be fun all the time. Anne 🙂
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