Marketing

I used to think marketing was an American term for doing the weekly grocery shop. Then somehow it morphed into the business of promoting and selling products. Then it took on aspects of satisfyng customer needs even before they knew they wanted whatever it was you were selling. Marketing for authors is something I find particularly difficult. Who knows who the customer might be? They will buy a particular title for many reasons, and may never choose to buy the same author again.

Branding myself sounds painful, but that's what marketing gurus always recommend. Plus which it is difficult to know quite what to brand myself with - am I a Historical Writer? Is that a brand? If I select that label, am I stuck with it for life? C J Sansom has made his name writing about a Tudor lawyer named Matthew Shardlake, but his latest novel is set in the second world war. I've not taken much notice of it, because that era doesn't interest me, thought I have his other novels on my shelves as keepers. For me, Sansom's brand is thoughtful Tudor mysteries and injustices, and I begin to see from his example that writing outside the brand can be dangerous.

Social media always crops up when talking about marketing. To some it is a necessary evil, to others it can be an addictive pleasure. I've been on Facebook for a while, (jen.black.775@facebook.com) Twitter not quite so long, (JenBlackNCL) and I visit Goodreads, though not frequently - and I have to say I do not find the latter easy to use. Promotion and excerpts on Yahoo groups for readers offer an easy route to readers, though they remain an unknown quantity. I try to visit a couple of groups every day. I've found they are least busy Friday night and through Saturday till late on Sunday and then everything starts to pick up again. It's often the same for Facebook and Twitter - family time comes first at that time.

'Likes' and 'recomendations' on Facebook I don't yet understand, but must get to grips with someday soon.

Penrith continued

Freda Lightfoot spoke early on Sunday morning. Photographs taken while speaking are never flattering, are they? Freda shot a brilliant smile the second after this, but someone nodded forward in their seat and eclipsed her, so apologies Freda, this is the only shot I have.

"Creating a brand" was her theme.

The brand is a guarantee of quality, and readers recognise a brand they like. Today, post NBA, power is not with the writer, who must think as self-employed person, know their target audience and their work – and the way it differs from others in the genre. Authors need a website, updated regularly.

Plan for the year ahead and budget accordingly. Read http://www.book2book.co.uk to stay informed about the book trade. Get on the WI, library, church groups, and pensioners club circuit and talk to potential readers. Ask libraries if they have a budget, accept whatever their normal fee may be. At first you may do it for nothing, or expenses only. Get them to put up posters and sell tickets, provide a cuppa. Say you will talk about the issue of ….whatever your book happens to cover.
Link up with other writers. Produce a newsletter once a quarter
Contact the media about ten days before publication. If you appear on live radio, ask what the first question will be and remember they cannot cut or edit if you are live! Have three points in your mind – the book! The title! Why you wrote it! What it is about – have a little anecdote if you can.

Her talk was a perfect demonstration of How To Do It Well. I only wish I could hope to emulate her!