Business Plan: Book Marketing Plan

Since my book launch, I have been doing a lot of book marketing of my paperback version of my books in the local market place. This however, is not the only way that I market my books. In order to use the best ways of marketing my books, I use a marketing plan.

Why I Need a Marketing Plan

On my marketing plan, I take predetermined intentions and goals and apply marketing strategies to them. I then determine tasks that I need to do to apply these strategies.

Here is an example:

Intention: Earn enough money writing to quit my job.

Goal: Sell 1000 books per month.

Strategy: Include books in independent book stores  locally, regionally, and then nationally.

Tasks: Daily contact bookstores, talk to the decision maker about adding my books to the store’s inventory.

Using Multiple Strategies for Better Results

Of course, just getting my books into stores does not sell my books. Books on a shelf in a book store often just sits there as easily as they just sit in my closet. In addition to getting my books into the bookstores, I would also find ways of helping that bookstore sell my books.  Other strategies have to come into play such as book signings, radio interviews, events, social media posts and the like.

The more focused I make my strategies, the better. Let’s say I get my books into a bookstore (strategy #1) and I decide to do a book signing (strategy #2), I then send a press release to the local newspaper announcing that I will have a book signing at that particular bookstore (strategy #3). In addition, I let book fans on various Facebook pages aware that I will be doing the book signing at that bookstore (strategy #5).  I also invite individual fans who live nearby to the book signing (strategy #6). Finally, I can go on twitter or Instagram and the like and announce up to the minute updates about the book signing (strategy #7). If the bookstore also puts ads in various places that I am having a book signing, that is yet another strategy used to market my books (strategy #8).

Knowing What Works and What Doesn’t

Having a marketing plan in place in my business plan is necessary to show me what strategies for marketing works and which ones do not. I wouldn’t be able to do this if I don’t keep track of the strategies that I am using and how effective they are. As it is often said, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity. The same is true with not having a strategic marketing plan and expecting great results. It won’t happen in a million years.

Donna Brown is an ordained minister. As Author Cygnet Brown, she  has recently published her first nonfiction book: Simply Vegetable Gardening: Simple Organic Gardening Tips for the Beginning Gardener

She is also the author of historical fiction series The Locket Saga. which includes When God Turned His Head and Soldiers Don’t Cry, the Locket Saga Continues, and most recently, A Coward’s Solace, Book III of the Locket Saga.For more information about Cygnet Brown and her book, check out her website at http://www.cygnetbrow.com .