There are hundreds of companies and individuals out there offering to help you promote your book for a fee. They range from full-blown book marketing companies and pay-to-publish companies with marketing help for their authors to private parties who hang out their shingles in order to earn extra money.
Do you get your money’s worth when you work with an outside marketing agent? That all depends. An author who hires someone to take over the entire responsibility for marketing the book may be disappointed in the results. If you have expectations beyond what the company or individual is capable of or willing to do, you may not see sales increase. Authors who don’t understand much about the process of book promotion, may not be satisfied with the outcome.
The fact is, even if you don’t want a hands-on publishing and marketing experience, you still need to educate yourself about the publishing industry and what it takes to sell books. Without this knowledge, you won’t understand how to go about hiring the right people to help you succeed.
I maintain that the best spokesperson for your book is you. Who knows your book better than you do? Who cares more about it?
If you’re writing a book or you have one you’re trying to market, keep this in mind. Start now studying the publishing industry and learn what your responsibility as a published author is. Come to understand more about the hugely competitive world of book marketing. Then take the reins and create a workable marketing plan and/or hire the right people to help with this task.
If you hire someone in order to shirk your responsibility as marketing manager for your book, you may be surprised. Most of these agents do not take the responsibility from you, they actually give you more to do. Most authors who hire a publicist become extremely busy traveling, making appearances, getting involved in social media and so forth. The only difference between you being your marketing manager and hiring one is that you don’t have the cold-calling and set-up work to do. And you don’t charge yourself large fees.
If this sounds way to daunting…if you are like some hopeful authors and you truly do not want to be bothered when it comes to marketing your wonderful how-to, self-help, informational book, novel or children’s book, for example, you’re probably entering into the wrong business. Reconsider.
Many of you will not heed these words. Countless authors hear them from professionals and ignore them. They are among the nearly 78% of authors who fail every year.
Start your study of the industry by reading Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. Available at amazon.com in print, Kindle and audio. Or order it from the author, Patricia Fry, here: http://www.matilijapress.com