Product, Price, Place and Promotion

Crash Course in Marketing Story Collections 101: Four Marketing Principles: Product, Price, Place and Promotion

Once you have a basic marketing plan and have clearly outlined how you intend to fulfill your publishing goals, the next step is to consider your strategies, namely the Four P's of Marketing, product, price, place and promotion. Due to the nature of collections in general, there are a significant number of options available to self-published short story writers as well as some marketing avenues that may even surprise you.

PRODUCT: It's All About Presentation

Before you begin marketing, you want to make certain you have a well-constructed and organized product. Obviously, you want your stories to flow organically from one to the next, and you don't want your collection printed in a font too small to feasibly read. For various layouts, sizes and fonts that Wordclay's professional designers believe are of the best quality, you can always access our free collection templates as well as clear layout instructions from the landing page. But always keep in mind that you are in control of your product - only you know what your target audience wants. Here are some standard tips that may help you design a presentable and professional collection that will make your product easily accessible:

• Avoid Awkward Transitions. You never have to smash your stories together. Always begin a new story on a separate page. Don't be afraid to use white space either. Start you story halfway down the page to allow for clarity and elegant layout - your readers will thank you later. The alternative is a huge blob of intimidating prose and a clutter of tiny words on a single page. Make your headers and footers consistent throughout your book. Make certain all your transitions, textual and design-wise, are smooth and artful. As a reader, think about what you would prefer seeing when you first open a story collection.
• Size matters. Most readers want convenient story collections, sized to take up little space in their bags or purses. Like literary journals, collections are often thought to contain gems, and should be sized accordingly, usually as 6"x9" books. Not many people can imagine lugging around an 8"x11" collection, nor would they consider buying one.
• Clear, elegant fonts can do wonders. Readers are drawn to fonts that disarm as opposed to rigid ones that aggravate them. Think of invitations you've received in the mail. The more elegant and sparse the text, the more inviting the event seems. Though this may increase the page count of your book, it will make for a visually appealing layout and, ultimately, a more pleasant read.
• Don't judge a book by its cover. But of course, sadly, we all do. Whether supplying your own cover artwork (an option now available through the Wordclay Service Store) or designing one yourself through the publishing wizard, a well-designed cover could give a browser the added push they need to order your book. Remember that cover text can also go a long way. Articulate back cover blurbs and biographical information can greatly substantiate your literary authority in the eyes of readers.
• Mind your manners and say hello. Introductory text by you, an established writer or literary authority is yet another way to convince your audience of your collection's merit. Have a peer or colleague read your manuscript and write a short introduction. In addition, you can always supplement your work with an author's note, stating your vision for the short story and your experiences writing. This could be just the personal touch that connects your readers to your work.

Consider the overall quality of your book. Make sure that your text is thoroughly edited. Have other writers, friends or family read your work to catch typos and errors, or have your book professionally-edited through Wordclay.

Also, include materials to meet today's book standards, such as an ISBN, which you can obtain through Wordclay's Services Store. You may also consider having the interior of your book professionally-formatted. Wordclay's book layout specialists can design and format your book's interior to ensure your book meets and exceeds the most current standards of modern design.

Don't overlook the importance of a good product in your marketing campaign. Your message and unique voice is worth the extra time and effort to get it right.

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PRICE: Finding the "Sweet Spot"

When it comes to short story collections, price is difficult to nail down. Generally speaking, collections are priced lower than novels or non-fiction titles, but within the same ballpark as standard paperbacks. But collections are usually priced higher than poetry books, mostly because prose is currently more marketable. If you're an emerging writer, however, you may consider pricing your first collection closer to poetry, if only to appeal to browsers and potential buyers.

Though your voice is distinct and your content fresh, short story collections can be easily overlooked by the common consumer who usually opts for books with greater linear connections, like novels or memoirs. Therefore, your selling price will be a major marketing strategy. While a random novel may cost $12.99, the low price of your collection - let's say $8.99 - may jump out at readers and convince them to order a copy.

Successful marketing depends heavily on price. Say you're browsing a bookstore shelf for some collections and you come across two you're considering for purchase. One costs $8.99, and the other costs $12.99 - which are you more likely to buy? These lower priced collections are going to be your major competitors, and as a result, you must sell your book at a competitive price. If you're certain you'll publish a second book, you may want to underbid the hottest sellers, and incrementally raise the price of your subsequent publications.

To determine what you should price your book, research some emerging short story writers and visit the anthology section in your local bookstores. While browsing, study the prices of similar publications (i.e. similar in size, subject matter, style and voice). This should give you a reasonable range for the sales price for your book. Browse online retailers such as Amazon.com and the Wordclay Bookstore for prices as well. Who knows? You may discover niche markets and retailers that perfectly fit your title's mood and marketing scheme.

It's true - lowering the price of your collection will ultimately lower the royalties you earn with each sale. Bear in mind, though, that the more attractive the price of your book, the more copies you're likely to sell. And the more copies you sell, the larger your readership will become, not only increasing the prestige your name will invoke when mentioned, but also paving the way for your future publications.

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PLACE: Where Oh Where Has My Audience Gone?

Next, you should consider where you'll market your particular story collection. Only you know the best places and locales that will work for you and your title, so make a list of all the possible platforms that can successfully showcase your book. When you're pondering where your book will sell and where you should plan on focusing your first wave of marketing efforts, there are two levels of "place" you should examine, namely geographic locations as well as other meeting places, both online and offline.

Geographic Locations: Start Locally. If you're a new arrival on the literary scene, then you may want to start with a local readership and eventually spread out into a more regional demographic. As a local author, you definitely have a clear advantage over the faceless, distant writers who send e-mails and letters. Local bookstores and literary centers are always looking for ways to make money and promote their organizations, and local authors can help them greatly. Not only is it more convenient for you to arrange that local retailers feature your book, but it's much easier to host signings, readings and other events as well.

After a few events, you can reference these valuable experiences when contacting media outlets in your area to suggest an interview, paving the way for future promotion of your title. After a few successful open mic nights, neighborhood coffeehouses may even agree to sell your collection at the counter.

Your local connections and efforts will have a much greater impact initially as a jumping-off point to spread to regional or national levels.

Of course, every rule has its exception. If you live in New York City, you may already be marketing on a national level. Due to the significant chunk of media outlets, publishing houses and literary institutions located in New York , your exposure has the potential to reach around the world. Whether local or national, however, always remember that you still need to put in the hours and constantly apprise the media as well as your future readers of your publication. Your collection doesn't sell itself - you do!

Your Demographic: A Cultural Space. In addition to your local connections, including any cities where you lived previously, lived while attending college, hometowns, etc., you can also play on any locations mentioned in the book. But targeting areas referenced or used within a story collection has its benefits as well as drawbacks. If all your stories take place in Los Angeles , then of course, target Los Angeles . But if your stories jump locales frequently, then it may be difficult and even counterproductive to target each of these, especially when no particular area is more important than the rest.

Identify the kind of regional demographic your collection targets, namely the atmosphere where you lead your daily life. Do you live in the Southwest, and does your writing have a Southwestern tone? Do your stories examine or deal with a specific culture unique to you? As mentioned earlier, perhaps your work examines the Korean-American experience - then you may already have a vast niche market just waiting for your collection. As a result, if your collection contains cultural content or styles, you should definitely list (and engage) these veins when you broaden your marketing focus.

Once you've established your place within your local and regional spheres, you may want to take your story collection to the next level. But penetrating and remaining active within the national market is probably the most difficult of the "Place" hierarchy, and can typically only be done after all other local and regional outlets have been completely saturated. Again, remember your audience and be specific. "Everyone" is not specific enough; neither is "fiction readers."

Next, evaluate target cities and institutions you want to visit for promotional efforts. For example, with a collection that characterizes a number of blues musicians and songs, you may organize a book tour that takes you through many proclaimed blues communities, such New York , Chicago, New Orleans , Memphis and others. Whatever locations you choose, now's not the time to relax. You may think that by reaching a national audience, your book should sell itself. But national or not, markets are markets, and the national one behaves no differently than the regional or the local. If anything, storming the national market is the time to double your efforts. Envision the venues, months of the year, trends that best fit your collection, and seek them out sooner rather than later.

Long Distance Relationships: What Occupies Your Audience's Time? Once you've identified geographic locations where you will market your book, you then need to identify the places where you can actually find your audience members. Finding places where your audience gathers on a regular basis, both online and offline, is key to planning your marketing strategy.

Consider platforms such as literary forums, poetry book clubs, creative writing seminars, book fairs and publishing conferences, where you might meet new readers. Another "place" aspect to consider is where (or on what) your potential fans are spending their time. Do they subscribe to or publish within certain journals, newsletters, online communities or daily blogs? Do they regularly listen to a particular radio station? These places where distance can be folded between you and your audience can be invaluable resources once you begin to actively promote your book.

Consider some of these general places (and organizations) where your audience resides:

• Local Universities and Neighboring Libraries
• Artistic Organizations (i.e. Art Galleries , Poetry Centers and Literary Magazines)
• Conferences and Literary Events (i.e. AWP Conference and Bread Loaf)
• Bookstores (i.e. Barnes & Noble and independent bookstores)
• Cultural Institutions and Centers (varies depending on ethnicity, background and style)

Shopping Habits: The Convenience of Ordering Your Book. In addition to the venues you're considering for your future promotions, you also need to think about where your audience shops. Generally speaking, people (especially writers) are creatures of habit and will continue shopping where they've always shopped. On the national level, most readers order books online, and it's likely they're not going to step outside their comfort zone and radically change venders for you. Besides, nobody wants to hunt for your book into obscurity, and you already want them to find it easily, so why not make it easier for everyone?

Fortunately, Wordclay has anticipated such situations, and now offers a variety of distribution packages, including Wordclay ISBN and Single ISBN: Be Your Own Publisher, through our Services Store that will make your title available at more than 25,000 online retailers, including Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Fiction enthusiasts will want to conveniently order your book, and the last thing you want are buyers who are unable to order your title. An ISBN and Channel Distribution can make you secure with the knowledge that readers worldwide can easily order your book from their home, office or local bookstore.

Another package to consider if you want bookstores to stock your book on their shelves is Wordclay's Retail Return Insurance , which allows booksellers to return unsold copies of your books. Retailers are hesitant to take on new authors, especially if they are self-published, but with the Retail Return Insurance, the risk to them is greatly reduced. Knowing that they're covered whether or not your book sells will definitely increase your chances of being picked up by brick-and-mortar bookstores. The best part about this package is that you keep the royalties for each book the retailer orders, whether they return copies or not. Say a bookstore manager orders 10 copies of your book, sells six and returns four, you get paid for all 10 - it's just smart business.

To view both packages in greater detail and review prices, use the quick links below:

• Wordclay ISBN and Channel Distribution
• Single ISBN: Be Your Own Publisher
• Retail Return Insurance

Of course, you have to stop into their bookstore and convince them that your story collection belongs on their shelves. Bring a copy of your book and documentation of your previous sales. Mention the past, present and future events you have booked. Retailers want to believe in you, and it's your job to present (and build) the facts that will make your case.

All in all, think bigger. Always book your time wisely as well as effectively, and always consider new, untapped marketing methods.

Remember, there are other writers just like you, waiting for their fifteen minutes, so remain active within your scene, continue to write and strive to maintain a loyal readership base. The more enthusiastically and consistently you inhabit the spotlight, the more your readers will remember you and expect your newest collection in the future.

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PROMOTION: Reaching Out and Touching Readers

"Promotion" is the fourth "P," and involves selecting the specific advertising platforms, forms of media, promotional efforts, marketing products and networking avenues that you will use to spread the word about your book. Promotion is always ongoing, and your marketing plan should examine a number of different angles. Your promotional efforts should encompass various forms of media and utilize all kinds of channels, avenues and efforts, known as a "Marketing Mix." There are traditional methods and promotional events you can arrange, but there are also many non-traditional areas just waiting for your story collection.

When it comes to promotion, you've got options galore. But when planning, don't forget about the basics, such as: Who is your target audience? Where can you find them? What is your budget? These fundamental points should guide you when choosing your promotional strategies.

Consider all your promotional options, from traditional elements such as seminars, book signings, readings and press releases to new marketing elements, such as online social networking, pay-per-click ads and e-zine article publishing. With a little research, you're sure to find a combination of strategies that works for you.

For an extensive list of promotional possibilities, read the article "Fundamental Promotion Techniques for Your Story Collection" on the Short Story Genre Page.

Plot Your Marketing Strategies and Launch Your Plan into Action

The Four P's of Marketing are essential in any marketing plan, but new ideas are always evolving, so keep your eyes open. Don't forget to sketch out a basic timeframe in which you will accomplish these tasks. Marketing and promotional efforts take time - time to arrange, time to manage and time to complete. Be aware of how much time you have available to devote to your efforts, and remember that things don't happen overnight. Through patience and persistence, you will see ever-increasing, tangible results.

Now that you know the basics of how to create a marketing plan and strategy, it's time to sit down and start brainstorming ideas. By setting goals, staying focused and utilizing the resources available to you through Wordclay, you're sure to find success in your book marketing goals.

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