Booksite

MY BOOK IS PUBLISHED; HOW DO I MERCHANDIZE IT?

By Joe Fabel

Aggressively! What is definitely required is wide exposure and name recognition. How can this be accomplished effectively within your budget?

There are four parts to my process of merchandizing a book: working with the publisher, liaisoning with established author groups, networking with known authors and, finally, personally organizing author readings and book signings.

1. Working with the publisher: (the particular one I chose for this book…PublishAmerica.com.

· PublishAmerica.com invited me to submit a mailing label list of 100 people. They mailed these out at their own expense for me. This information alerted the individuals to the soon to be release book.

· PublishAmerica.com allowed me to use (as often as I wanted) an Electronic Postcard e-mailing which contained a color picture of my book’s cover as well as a blurb on the book. It also listed an order form and the e-mail address of the publisher.

· PublishAmerica.com announces my book with a listing to Bowker’s Books-In-Print, wholesalers like Baker & Taylor, Brodart Co., and Ingram. They make the book available through online bookstores such as www.Amazon.com, www.Borders.com, www.BarnesandNobel.com, Chapters.com and through the 50,000 corresponding “bricks and mortar: stores”.

· I am able to order/purchase book copies through PublishAmerica.com initially at a 50% discount. I use these books for my privately arranged author readings and signings.

2. Liaisoning with author groups:

I joined the American Authors Association group for the benefits of such association.

The AAA has arranged a session at a local TV station where I will be interviewed about my book. AAA’ clout made this possible. This is exposure to a wide audience in my area.

AAA has listed a large number of my poems on its website with my e-mail address.

AAA is including me in upcoming author displays and signings.

AAA is exposing me and my book to its wide membership. I have written book reviews for a number of these members. Such networking has produced sales.

The strength of AAA is “do for others and they will do for you”.

3. Networking with known and successful authors in the area:

Whenever I find news articles listing author signings in my general area, I make it a point to attend and participate however possible. This provides support for that particular author. The benefit to me is networking.

While attending other author’s readings, I have been invited to read from my book. This provides me with name recognition.

4. Individual organizational actions to promote my book and poetry:

I have used my computer (Print Shop 12) to construct attractive business cards listing only that particular book just published. Additionally, I have computer generated posters and flyers for promotional activities.

I have arranged interviews in local newspapers to speak of myself as an author and to promote my book.

I have established my own website to promote my work. Additionally, this website contains written reviews of my book with order forms to be downloaded.

I am contacting other authors in the area to form a cooperative to write reviews for each other’s works. Thus each author will have listed a number of written reviews by identified authors. This will be a positive promotional for each of our books.

On every occasion I hear or see another book published by an author I am acquainted with, I e-mail a congratulations. In response to this, I have had most of these people network my book.

Other organizations: I am an active member of the local Historical Society as well as a participating member of the local Civil War Round Table. At meetings of both groups I have invited to give readings of my book of poetry. The Historical Society as elected me to be their Poet Laureate with the obligation of a new poem for each monthly meeting. This provides me. With a wider audience for my work since the public attends these monthly meetings.

And, of course, every signal relative and acquaintance receives an Electronic Post Card.

Joe Fabel has had a large number of poems, children's stories and short stories published individually in various anthologies and magazines. He also has been active as a book reviewer. He has had a book of poetry published through Publishamerica which can be purchased through www.publishamerica.com/books/7401 website. Copies also can be ordered through Amazon.com as well as Borders.com, Chapters.com and BN.com. He is presently preparing a second book of poetry for publication. You can e-mail him at PAPAJOE157@aol.com

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++