Gail: I had a hard time selling Girl Scout cookies. I longed
to see my name on a bookstore shelf. However, bookstores may be more of an ego
boost than smart marketing. Here are some of the lessons I have learned.
Getting
my book published is the victory. Getting my book
published by a traditional publisher was a victory. I reached my first goal and
accomplished what God called me to do.
My
book on a bookstore shelf does not guarantee sales. Having
a book on the shelf at Barnes & Noble does not mean it will sell. Books
written by well-known authors sell first. Large corporate stores remove books
not on their sanctioned list. Even a “Local Author’s Table” does not mean the
store will keep it in stock.
Beware
of the pitfalls of large, corporately owned bookstores. It
was easy to get local bookstores, even large chains like B&N and Hastings
to order my book when it was “returnable”. It stoked my ego but not my book
sales.
Books
returned are not books returned. Bookstores do not mail
the book back to the distributor for sales elsewhere. Stores rip the beautiful
cover off and send it to the publisher to prove that they returned the book.
The rest of the book is recycled.
Returned
books come out of your royalties. Returns come out of author’s
royalties, translating into no royalty check. Discuss with your publisher if asking
stores to stock your book is a worthwhile goal.
Placing
books in a store on consignment gains visibility for your book without risk to
the store and puts money in your pocket. Books sold on
consignment do not count toward your sales numbers, but they put your book in
front of consumers with no risk to the store. Many local booksellers will agree
to a percentage arrangement, usually 70-30% where the store keeps 30% of the
sale price. Some generous storeowners offer 80-20% splits. One store allowed me
to do a book signing before Christmas and keep 100%. Consignment sales mean the
money you earn goes into your pocket to offset other marketing expenses.
Choose
locations for book signings with care. Friday
night at Hastings appeals to customers renting cheap movies. A tearoom could
literally eat up your profits by the amount of tea and scones consumed. Churches,
book clubs, library author events, and craft shows may be a better place to get
your book in the hands of readers.
Learn
to evaluate the market for your book. Where and how to market
your book is a complicated matter. Your publisher and marketing consultant are
your best advisors.
As a Christian author, I meet my goal with each
positive review and each comment that shows a life touched by what I wrote. The
book is the Lord’s so let prayer, not ego drive the marketing.
© Copyright Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, February
23, 2016
Have you found bookstores to be a good source of sales? Are you published by a small publisher and must fight for shelf space?
~~~~~
Norma
Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years,
her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches
Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American
Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico
Christian Novelists. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New
Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.
Connect with
Norma:
Website:
www.normagail.org
Amazon
Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Norma-Gail/e/B00ILHXBAK/
Book
trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/
Book Links:
Lighthouse
Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/
