Author's Mantra of "Promote, Promote, Promote" Drives Success
In the excitement that surrounds putting the finishing touches on a manuscript, authors can lose sight of all the work that awaits them once their book is ready for the masses. When a book goes to print the real work is just beginning – effective promotion lies at the heart of book sales. That was sweet news to author Barry Cohen, who has spent the past two decades in the advertising world. By applying that knowledge to his first experience in the world of self-publishing, Cohen has turned his book, Ten Ways to Screw Up an Ad Campaign, into a success.
When what began as a brief workshop that Cohen delivered to local business groups evolved into a full-fledged presentation for small business expos and statewide trade associations. Before long, he had developed the outline for an entire book. A traditional publisher expressed interest, but the project fell victim to corporate restructuring. It was then that Cohen turned to AuthorHouse.
“I didn’t want to wait another one or two years to release the work,” he says. “My original goals and objectives were to share the knowledge of my long career in broadcast advertising, giving the small-business owner a ‘leg up’ on avoiding the typical costly mistakes of the trial-and-error approach in advertising.”
Through AuthorHouse, Cohen was able to achieve, then to exceed, his goals.
“AuthorHouse helped me by making the publishing process affordable and quick, In the past, an author would have had to order a garage-full of books at easily five or 10 times the cost of print-on-demand. I was able to get the title our in just a few months with AuthorHouse.”
In a classic example of what it takes to get any book noticed, whether it is self-published or not, Cohen set about looking for familiar angles from which to market. Because Ten Ways to Screw Up an Ad Campaign deals directly with the type of work he does, Cohen realized he had a double advantage when promoting the book to those in the advertising industry: On one hand, he could market himself as an expert on the topic; on the other, he had a ready-made list of friends, business associates and contacts within the industry who in turn could help drive sales. Such a situation is not uncommon, and Cohen advises authors to use the same approach when it’s time to market their book.
“Look for tie-ins between your book, your business, your community and your favorite charitable causes. Promote, promote, promote,” he says. “Leave no stone unturned. There is always an opportunity. Believe in yourself and your project, and don’t be bashful!”
Ten Ways to Screw Up an Ad Campaign is written for small-business professionals and those who work in the advertising field. Cohen provides no shortage of real-life examples to help readers avoid the most frequently made mistakes in advertising. In addition to strategies for creative and media campaigns, he addresses how to effectively measure their success.
Cohen took a cue from his own admonition to “think of an advertising campaign as a lightning rod.” If the rod is solidly grounded in marketing, he says, it charges one’s enterprises – book sales included. To drive interest in Ten Ways to Screw Up an Ad Campaign, Cohen used the extensive AuthorHouse distribution network as a springboard to branch out and establish his own channels. He set up distribution channels through professional organizations and media that catered to the book’s content. He incorporated the book and its message into his speaking engagements and drew upon every media review to generate even more interest in his book. And his hard work has paid off. After attending the 2005 Book Expo in New York City, Cohen followed up with several traditional publishers and sent them a copy of Ten Ways to Screw Up an Ad Campaign. One of them recently signed him to a book deal.
From the author’s (or a character’s) ties with a community to revenue-sharing opportunities, persistent and effective marketing is an author’s ticket to book sales. For authors who publish with AuthorHouse, a talented and dedicated staff is ready to support them at every step in the process – and to applaud their every success.
