Stacey Cochran–a local author and friend from my Lulu days–has just published his new novel CLAWS, and since Stacey consistently uses creative and innovative ways to reach his audience I thought it would be a good idea to have him provide a guest post for us today as part of his blog tour. Furthermore, as you’ll see below, Stacey emphasizes the need for today’s author to build a marketing plan that’s ready to roll before their book is published.

Thanks so much, Henry, for letting me guest blog at publishandsell.com today to help promote the release of my new novel CLAWS. I’d like to talk about Book Marketing Campaigns and, of course, there’s an accompanying video for folks to watch.

CLAWS by Stacey Cochran

The central points I’d like to make about Book Marketing are that your campaign should be: 1) prolonged for a set period of time, 2) should utilize several distinct and clear strategies, and 3) should be realistic.

Point one is fairly self-explanatory, but most first-time authors don’t have a good grasp of a timeline for marketing their books (I sure didn’t). Everyone’s timeline is different, but mine for CLAWS is going to be set at 12 months. That is, all of my energy to promote and market CLAWS will come within twelve months. After that, regardless of how many books I’ve sold, I’ll start winding things down to move on to the next novel.

Here’s a bullet list of things I’ll do (and have done) to market CLAWS during this twelve-month campaign that illustrate points 2 & 3:

1. Get blurb endorsements from better established authors
2. Design several book trailers for CLAWS and post on YouTube
3. Plan and execute a 45-day Blog Tour
4. Send weekly e-mail updates to my database of support (about 2,000 folks total) during the 45-Day Blog Tour
5. Utilize my websites staceycochran.com and howtopublishabook.org to promote the tour, linking to all guest blogs and writing daily blog updates each day during the tour.
6. Mail out review copies to contest winners
7. Plan several select bookstore stops to discuss and sign the book
8. Print “movie posters” of CLAWS cover to put on large A-Frame signs at World Mystery Writers Convention
9. Speak on panel and pass out 1000 flyers for CLAWS at World Mystery Writers convention
10. Direct and produce the online audio-book version of CLAWS to be launched at podiobooks.com
11. Produce a web series of 5 viral videos called “Destroy My Book”
12. Make Amazon Kindle version available dirt cheap (currently listed at $1.59)
13. Set a price point for paperback version that is competitive with like titles.

And that’s pretty much it. You’ll notice that all of these things (with the exception of the writers’ conference and posters) can be done for practically no cost whatsoever. The conference will be the biggest expense this year, but since it’s in a town where I have family (and can drive to), I’ll be avoiding airfare and hotel expenses, which are the two biggest expenses in going to a conference. I think it’s good to have a presence at one or two major conferences each year, so that you’re in the minds and memories of our industry’s insiders.

Looking back at the central points I’m trying to make about a Book Marketing Campaign — 1) should be prolonged for a set period of time, 2) should utilize several distinct and clear strategies, and 3) should be realistic — you’ll notice that the thirteen strategies listed illustrate all of three. I tend to be more of an organic planner, but I can see how the endorsements led up to the blog tour and how the audio-book version will take up the latter half of the year. And that’ll be supplemented by the writers’ conference and website promotion.

And then I’m done. Basically twelve months on marketing CLAWS. The cool thing is though….

There’s a CLAWS 2 book ready for 2010! And most of the steps can be repeated next year.

Take care, folks, and feel free to e-mail me with any questions or suggestions that you have. I value and respect what you have to say. Thank you.

Stacey Cochran
http://www.staceycochran.com
email: stacey@staceycochran.com

Tags: Amazon Kindle, Audiobook, Author conferences, author marketing, Blog Tour, Book Marketing Campaign, books, Createspace, Publishandsell.com, Youtube Book Marketing