This information was so needed. I work with a HarperCollins author, and I've realized I have to be more strategic, but I didn't know just how much so. This breakdown was insightful, and I enjoyed your wit.
A question: I’ve always heard about the marketing rule of seven-- that a consumer usually needs to see something an average of SEVEN times before pulling the trigger and buying it. Do your experiences back that up? And if so, does some of the cheaper options (like an insta tour) then become a worthwhile risk, because while it’s not moving tons of copies it is helping with exposure...?
I know that wasn’t really the point of your post. You’re focusing on what actually contributes to substantial sales. But it’s something I’ve been toying with a lot as an author lately... what will move copies Vs what will simply help get my books cover in front of eyeballs.
It's funny, I have a rule of 3: If I read/hear about a book three times within a certain time period, I buy it if it sounds interesting to me. I think the idea of seeing something 7 times is antiquated because of two reasons: influencers and social media ads. Generally, you only need to hear an influencer talk about a product once before you pull the trigger. Social media ads operate on that premise and have a distinct advantage: the platform knows everything about your habits, so they are putting ads in your feed that they know you'll click on. It's not enough for consumers to see the book cover image with a few sentences in the caption--that's become very clear to me over time. I've had authors pay for blog tours, Instagram tours, etc., and no word-of-mouth comes from it, so sales don't happen. It's difficult to quantify how many eyeballs see the Instagram posts. As for exposure, I'd say that if Insta tours led to sales or additional promo, then it would be worth it. In my experience, that doesn't happen. I understand why authors do them--they want the exposure. But if that isn't leading to anything, then it isn't the right kind of exposure.
A follow-up question to this: Does that mean that paying to boost your own posts on the platform (or having your publisher do this) might move the needle by placing the post as an "ad" on an audience's feed? Or is that just another way to toss money into the void?
Thanks for writing such a helpful and insightful post!
R.L., great to see you here! In what seems a bit of irony considering this post, I reviewed your short story collection We Love Anderson Cooper several years ago for Shelf Awareness. (LOVED IT!)
That review meant so much to me! Which goes to show that reviews and other kinds of exposure are important beyond the sales they generate, and I don’t think Kathleen was saying otherwise. Wonderful to see you here, too. I love this newsletter.
Thanks for this. It definitely confirmed for me that some of my own experiences were not at all unusual, and that busting my ass to do e.g. blog tours or Insta wasn't worth it.
I don't know if I'll ever get over my starry-eyed love of getting a review in PW or Kirkus, even though I *know* full well the only people who ever read those are industry people.
If you could choose a single marketing event/technique for a book, what would you choose? Or would that depend on the book?
Thank you for this. What you said reinforced my own experiences and suspicions, especially about IG, where I continue to flail around ineptly. It's a good thing we love the books we write because they can break our hearts if we let them. . . I have a new memoir out (I know: who doesn't?) and after an initial happy sales run it's gone flat. I believe it's temporary, but it's hard to always feel like I'm pushing a huge boulder up a mountain.
This is incredibly helpful and insightful, especially noting the difference between publicity and sales! You could write a book, if you haven't already.
Many thanks for this illuminating post! You have certainly opened my eyes to realities I did not understand, and I shall adjust my strategy accordingly.
This is such useful information and I’m reading it right when I’m spiraling about marketing my books. I appreciate this insight so much and the timing makes it feel like you wrote it just for me 😆
Lots to consider in this post! My debut picture book, releases in a few weeks! So I’m all about considering different marketing angles, possibilities and opportunities!
Super helpful breakdown of all of these different things!
Excellent info and context.
One of my favorite reads. Looking forward to part 2.
This information was so needed. I work with a HarperCollins author, and I've realized I have to be more strategic, but I didn't know just how much so. This breakdown was insightful, and I enjoyed your wit.
Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this!
A question: I’ve always heard about the marketing rule of seven-- that a consumer usually needs to see something an average of SEVEN times before pulling the trigger and buying it. Do your experiences back that up? And if so, does some of the cheaper options (like an insta tour) then become a worthwhile risk, because while it’s not moving tons of copies it is helping with exposure...?
I know that wasn’t really the point of your post. You’re focusing on what actually contributes to substantial sales. But it’s something I’ve been toying with a lot as an author lately... what will move copies Vs what will simply help get my books cover in front of eyeballs.
It's funny, I have a rule of 3: If I read/hear about a book three times within a certain time period, I buy it if it sounds interesting to me. I think the idea of seeing something 7 times is antiquated because of two reasons: influencers and social media ads. Generally, you only need to hear an influencer talk about a product once before you pull the trigger. Social media ads operate on that premise and have a distinct advantage: the platform knows everything about your habits, so they are putting ads in your feed that they know you'll click on. It's not enough for consumers to see the book cover image with a few sentences in the caption--that's become very clear to me over time. I've had authors pay for blog tours, Instagram tours, etc., and no word-of-mouth comes from it, so sales don't happen. It's difficult to quantify how many eyeballs see the Instagram posts. As for exposure, I'd say that if Insta tours led to sales or additional promo, then it would be worth it. In my experience, that doesn't happen. I understand why authors do them--they want the exposure. But if that isn't leading to anything, then it isn't the right kind of exposure.
A follow-up question to this: Does that mean that paying to boost your own posts on the platform (or having your publisher do this) might move the needle by placing the post as an "ad" on an audience's feed? Or is that just another way to toss money into the void?
Thanks for writing such a helpful and insightful post!
Great question. Thanks.
See above.
R.L., great to see you here! In what seems a bit of irony considering this post, I reviewed your short story collection We Love Anderson Cooper several years ago for Shelf Awareness. (LOVED IT!)
Absolutely not saying reviews aren’t meaningful. They are--but for different reasons.
Yes -- completely agree, Kathleen! (Sorry if my comment seemed otherwise.)
Not at all!!
That review meant so much to me! Which goes to show that reviews and other kinds of exposure are important beyond the sales they generate, and I don’t think Kathleen was saying otherwise. Wonderful to see you here, too. I love this newsletter.
Thanks for this. It definitely confirmed for me that some of my own experiences were not at all unusual, and that busting my ass to do e.g. blog tours or Insta wasn't worth it.
I don't know if I'll ever get over my starry-eyed love of getting a review in PW or Kirkus, even though I *know* full well the only people who ever read those are industry people.
If you could choose a single marketing event/technique for a book, what would you choose? Or would that depend on the book?
It would depend on the book. It would also depend on genre: fiction or nonfiction.
I hope part II includes some advice on dollar spending, including how authors can most cost-effectively invest their money in publicity *services*.
It might. I did write about that in another post: What You Need to Know About Hiring a Publicist. Check it out.
Thank you for this. What you said reinforced my own experiences and suspicions, especially about IG, where I continue to flail around ineptly. It's a good thing we love the books we write because they can break our hearts if we let them. . . I have a new memoir out (I know: who doesn't?) and after an initial happy sales run it's gone flat. I believe it's temporary, but it's hard to always feel like I'm pushing a huge boulder up a mountain.
Very helpful, thank you
This is incredibly helpful and insightful, especially noting the difference between publicity and sales! You could write a book, if you haven't already.
Very helpful -- and realistic -- post. Thank you.
Thank you for reading!
I've been a book publicist for 25+ years and I cannot cosign hard enough!
Many thanks for this illuminating post! You have certainly opened my eyes to realities I did not understand, and I shall adjust my strategy accordingly.
Glad it helped.
This is such useful information and I’m reading it right when I’m spiraling about marketing my books. I appreciate this insight so much and the timing makes it feel like you wrote it just for me 😆
I'm glad it helped. Don't spiral! There are so many ways to market books--you just have to know where to find your audience.
Thank you! You’re absolutely right & I just finished reading Part 2 and the ideas are already percolating
Lots to consider in this post! My debut picture book, releases in a few weeks! So I’m all about considering different marketing angles, possibilities and opportunities!
Really helpful and I cannot wait for part 2! As I head into an October launch I am hanging this on my wall!