The BK Author Marketing Workshop: Five Key Learnings

Associate Marketing Director Mike Crowley attended the whole workshop and even he learned one or two new things. However, as a service to our community, he decided to share his new-found knowledge with these five key takeaways about books, publishing, and marketing:

1. A clever twist or gimmick isn’t enough any more. If you are going to try to be a thought leader in a particular area you have to do one of three things: predict the future, sound the alarm, or call the game. More importantly, what you predict, sound, or call shouldn’t be the same as what others have already predicted, sounded or called. The U.S. economy is going down in flames and the resulting instability could impact financial markets worldwide? You don’t say! Actually, everyone has already said it.

2. LinkedIn is your corporate boardroom — Facebook is just your playground. Facebook is useless for promotional purposes if you’re a business author. You want someone to “like” your work on Facebook? Fine, but that person will also “like” a bunch of other things like “Laughing so hard that milk shoots out of your nose.” You are judged by the company you keep. LinkedIn is where people go to find serious professional information, and that’s where you should put your energy. So fill out your profile, join key professional groups, and leave Facebook for recommending movies and sharing vacation photos. Sure, mention your book, but that’s not what’s going to sell it.

3. “If it’s good enough to steal it’s good enough to productize.” Think about things you’re giving away at your presentations. If people are grabbing them like popsicles in the Sahara maybe you could charge something for them. Presenter Michael Soon Lee did speeches to realtors, who are always desperate to prove to their clients that they’re actually doing something. He made a list of 13 things realtors do. They loved it! So he started selling it for a buck. Then he decided to make it fancy: he laminated it for maybe $.25. And sold it for $4.95. That’s better royalties then he would make per book!

4. Budget? What budget? To put publishing companies’ minuscule promotional budget in perspective: Procter and Gamble brings out about as many products every year as Berrett-Koehler—about 50 for P&G vs. about 40 for BK—with roughly 10,000 times the annual sales. Bigger publishing companies have bigger budgets of course, but they bring out hundreds of products. Overall the numbers are the same. The publishing industry is like the Bumble Bee – somehow it flies, but it shouldn’t.

5. A personal brand is more than what you think it is. One way to strengthen your personal brand is to actually make it personal in a way that connects with your audience. Presenter (and BK author) Mark Levy had a brilliant magician as a client, but the guy was struggling. His client had started doing magic as a kid growing up in a very affluent community, performing for what was, he realized in retrospect, a very demanding audience. So he knew these people, he knew how they thought. Mark took that and rebranded him as “The Millionaire’s Magician.” Mentioned his background, got him to dress better, and pitched him to very upscale audiences. He did the same tricks—I mean “illusions”--as before, but he is now a millionaire magician among millionaires.

Five Good Reasons for Taking Over Seven PoliPoint Titles

BK's chief Steven Piersanti outlines his thinking and gives five reasons why he feels that acquiring seven titles from PoliPoint is a very good idea:

Over the years Berrett-Koehler Publishers has had many opportunities to acquire the rights to books published by other publishing companies. Yet until now we have always passed on these opportunities. So why did we jump at this opportunity? Here are five reasons why we found these seven PoliPoint Press titles to be a great addition to the Berrett-Koehler book list.

#1. All seven titles are important and well-written books. They make significant new contributions to major topics in our world today, including health care, education, politics, free speech, journalism, racism, and the economy.

#2. Each of these books is a great fit with the Berrett-Koehler publication list. Each advances our mission of “Creating a World That Works for All” and each fits right in with our “BK Currents” line of books.

#3. We wanted to be connected with these authors, because each is an authority of her or his topic, is highly respected, and has a great story to tell and message to share.

#4. Several of these books have strong sales potential. And as if to make my point, as I am writing this I just received word that Never in My Wildest Dreams is currently number 2 on the Seattle Times hardcover bestseller list.

#5. We always look to publish books that will be of enduring relevance and have a long sales life, instead of books that will have only a brief day in the sun. These books will continue to be important and useful for many years to come.

It is no coincidence that these five points closely match how Berrett-Koehler evaluates any potential title for publication. Over 1,500 new book projects are proposed to Berrett-Koehler each year, and these factors are central in our deciding what to publish and not publish.

Any thoughts, responses, or reactions would be most welcome.

Best,

Steve

Seven Tough Questions for Useful Proposals

Many people have great ideas for nonfiction books that help change the world politically or socially or that help individuals grow in spirit and purpose. That said, keep these seven questions in mind when formulating your book proposal:

1. Is the book really needed? Authors often write books that they feel people need to read, but that fact does not mean people will read them. More and more people are getting cancer, recovering from mental illness, overcoming addictions, or getting sick of the economy every year, but there are already 1,001 books on these subjects. Why is yours different? What makes your book especially compelling? If you have teenage children or nieces and nephews, pitch your book to them and gauge their interest level -- you'll receive the same response from the marketplace.

2. Is your book tightly focused? Too many people want to write a “world as I see it and how it should be” type of book where they comment on all aspects of a particular subject. These sprawling works hold little appeal for most book buyers. Readers don’t want a grand vision or blueprint for a new government or economy or behavioral model (unless you are an influential world leader who has the clout to make these changes happen). Exhaustive books are just that –- exhausting. If you can’t sum up your book's core premise in two sentences, it’s too scattered.

3. Who is the audience for your book? Don’t look for overly general markets and say that your book is "for everyone concerned about the environment," "about democracy," "about spirituality.” In nonfiction, there is no such thing as a general reader. Be specific and carve out a niche for which a sizable yet specific audience exists. No one walks into a bookstore and asks for a book about "something that could be for everyone."

4. Are your qualifications, background, and knowledge directly related to your subject? There are doctors who write about politics, politicians who write about economics, and economists who write about spirituality. The problem is that these people lack the qualifications and professional consulting and speaking experience in the subject they are writing about. Are professional qualifications the only measure of authority on a subject? No, but consider this scenario: if you needed surgery, would you go with (1) someone who has conducted a lot of independent research and learned a lot about medicine, or (2) a board-certified surgeon? Keep in mind that you can disregard everything stated above if you are a celebrity, a fact that explains why Tori Spelling can write a New York Times bestseller about parenting.

5. What are the competing titles? This question is related to question number 1. Who else has written on this subject and what other books are already out there? How does your book differ (again, in a compelling way) from those? Be realistic and don’t list books by Elizabeth Gilbert, Deepak Chopra, Thomas Friedman, and Malcolm Gladwell as competitive titles, unless you are as famous as they are. Then again, if you're famous, you can write about anything you want.

6. What will the length be and how will the layout look? Be aware of certain parameters that affect your book. Books are getting shorter, so you will run up against more reservations once you pass the 200-page mark. Color photographs and other graphic elements increase the costs for most publishers, so they will have to price the book higher to recoup costs. Inserts such as CDs or other materials also drive up costs. Just be mindful of factors like these.

7. How will you actively market and support the book? Remember, books don’t launch movements; movements launch books. In the same vein, a book doesn't launch an author's career and visibility; an author's career and visibility are what launch a book (i.e., don't expect a book to kick-start your career). Don't tell the publisher that you are available to write articles, speak at events, and engage in other promotional efforts. You should already be writing, speaking, and consulting. Have a ready audience before you start your book so you have a base that you can market and sell the work to.

And finally, be careful when making assumptions about publishers and how publishing works. Publishing is an industry unlike any other, and the rules that govern business elsewhere don’t apply here. Learn the lesson that Borders recently learned. The company's last five CEOs did not have a publishing background and tried to run the company like the ones they used to run. What could have worked wonders in other arenas drove a great store to bankruptcy.

Alright, now get back to work.

Jeevan

Seven Tips for Selling Your Book Overseas

Hello BK community members,

I just returned from a trip to Singapore, where I met with our partners at McGraw-Hill Asia, who distribute our English-language print editions in that part of the world. I was pleased to see that BK books were amply represented on Singapore bookstore shelves; click here to see the 100+ or so I spotted. Our partners offered some advice about what authors can do to help their books sell overseas, advice I’ve heard echoed by other distribution partners in Europe, Australia, and Africa. Here are their pointers for the top six things authors can do to influence international sales (and a seventh one from another, equally helpful source):

1. Travel overseas. The single most impactful thing an author can do is visit in person. Just as in the US, immersive speaking events build community and drive sales. And foreign media is much more likely to cover your book if you’re coming to town.

2. Include international examples in your book. Overseas book markets are just as crowded as the US’s. If the stores are faced with choosing between a book that has local applications and one that’s just US-centric, they’ll go local every time. If your book is already published, consider creating an online supplement showing international applications and case studies illustrating your ideas in action.

3. Make connections with international professional associations. Groups like Global Speakers Federation and the Australian Institute of Management may be interested in hosting member events featuring YOU. AIM has a particularly good reputation for planning events well and supporting book sales at those events.

4. Collect international endorsements. Space on your book's cover is limited, of course, but just like us, publishers can share endorsements from overseas luminaries with their partners, to help build buzz and sales in their territories.

5. Team up with other authors. Over the last several months, I’ve seen impressive and inspiring examples of authors helping other authors by sharing their international networks, or by planning joint overseas trips. If you’re planning international travel, consider posting about it on Community Groups that you belong to on LinkedIn, or post news of your trip and what help you’re looking for on your blog site. And if you haven't started blogging yet, bkcommunity.com is a good place to start.

6. Keep in touch...and plan ahead. If you’re planning international travel, or if your community of fans already has a sizable international component, do let your publisher know, so they can alert their relevant partners. Remember that it can take several weeks to ship books across oceans and continents, so the more notice, the better. Many of our partners request at least two months notice to ensure adequate support of author travel in their territories.

7. Read 7 Ways to Get International Publicity, a piece by Alan Stevens that BK author Jennifer Kahnweiler recommended to me (thanks, Jennifer). It's brilliant and I have also posted the piece on my blog.

I hope this advice is useful to you. If any globe-trotting authors or others have additional suggestions, please do feel free to share with your fellow BK community members here.

All the best,

Johanna Vondeling
Vice President, International Sales and Business Development
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Dear Author...

Hi there. We need to talk. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now (the last two weeks, to be exact), and…

Oh my God, this is really hard… Let me start again.

I like you, I really do. The past four months we’ve worked together on publicity for your book have been truly amazing for me. For both of us, I hope. But it’s time to go our separate ways. I’m sorry, but we need to break up. I’m sorry, but I need to see other authors.

Actually, I’ve sort of met someone else. His book is about to publish and the press release isn’t even done yet. He needs me. Remember how much time you and I spent on that? You were so meticulous in your revisions, sending me four different drafts in the span of two days. I accepted all your changes, even if I didn’t agree with them. Now I have to start all over again with someone new. It pains me too, you know.

Of course you can still call me, but let’s cool it for a bit. Maybe try emailing me instead every couple of months or around the holidays (?) It’s not that I didn’t enjoy our long talks every week, it’s just that there’s only so much to talk about once the initial fascination associated with the pub date and media frenzy has died down. No, I can’t write another press release for you – that’ll just throw us back together in a dysfunctional relationship. Ok, maybe I’ll make this one exception to send out a media copy, but it doesn’t mean that we’re back together, okay?

Look, I want us to be friends. I’ll always be happy to hear about big media for your book, in fact, it’s imperative for both of us to keep each other in the loop. Just keep in mind that big media, by definition, is BIG, as in, national, as in, the Birmingham County Times is not big news. NPR is big news. The New Yorker is big news. But Silent Bob’s Career Podcast is not big news. Yes, I will call you if Oprah calls.

I’ll confess that despite me saying it’s not you, it is a little bit you – kind of. I mean the under-appreciation thing. Not even a thank-you card for all the hours I spent researching, compiling, pitching, organizing, reporting, staring at the computer and developing carpal tunnel in my wrist? It’s not like I expected to be mentioned in the dedication of your book like all your exes, since our relationship started only after you had submitted that part, but you could have shown some sign of appreciation. Chocolates would have been nice. Even a cheap-o Whitman’s Sampler. Oh well.

We did our best to make it work – and it certainly had its moments, didn’t it? But now it’s ending, and we both need to move on. Please know that I’ll always fondly remember you and our frenzied conversations and urgent emails in the dead of night, but I have a new author in my life now.

Cynthia

Ten Reasons Not to Let Steve Near Social Media

Steve Piersanti, our publisher, has made it official -- he is going to start getting involved with social networking. While this is cause to celebrate in most cases, the staff is concerned about some trends we have already started to see:

1. Constant irritability about not having as many Twitter followers as Justin Bieber.

2. Starts engaging in that annoying practice of one-or two-word updates that make no sense ("Banana car!")

3. Posting sensitive author comments to his blog, "S@*!t My Authors Say."

4. Despises and routinely criticizes other publishers' online presence as "fancy-pants showboating."

5. Nonstop pseudo-humble updates to Facebook like, "Oh wow, an article about little ol' me in this charming small-town paper that no one reads -- the Wall Street Journal."

6. "Friends" other publishers just so he can post smack on their walls.

7. Makes up stories about hanging out with Charlie Sheen.

8. Really rubs it in the staff's faces on rainy days with updates like, "Is it wet outside? I didn't realize. You see, I work at HOME. Nice, warm, not wet HOME. Working in my pyjamas without shaving...at...you guessed it, HOME."

9. Hacks into authors' Facebook pages and changes the "People Who Inspire You," "Political Views," and "Activities and Interests" entries to "Steve."

10. Incessant tweets about "that moron executive managing editor."

The Executive Editor Speaks

Our Executive Editor reflects on his first year at BK and everything that threw him for a loop about us (despite the fact that the man has been in publishing for decades):

I must confess that I was a bit stumped when Jeevan asked me to share my biggest surprise on joining Berrett-Koehler. The problem was most certainly NOT a lack of surprising things from which to choose. I’ve been pretty much amazed since the first day I got here at one thing or another. To name just a few awe-inspiring examples:

1. The employees got to vote on whether or not to give themselves a bonus at the first staff meeting I attended. Heck, we even vote around here on which holidays to take.

2. Berrett-Koehler authors are so proud of their affiliation that they’ve formed their own “club,” an independent co-op that stages retreats and provides tools and mentoring.

3. Berrett-Koehler does not “announce” whimsical print runs for marketing purposes as do many publishers. (Hint: If you read “First printing of 50,000 copies,” this translates in publisher-speak to 10,000 copies.)

Of all the things that have surprised me, our standard Publishing Agreement with authors has surprised me the most. First, I can’t resist pointing out that I was once chided as a young editor for sending a blank standard agreement to an author who was a member of the Author Guild. Trade Secrets! Here at Berrett-Koehler, we just post all our agreements for all to see here.

There are plenty of forward-thinking and equitable parts of our author agreement, but one paragraph, namely Paragraph 13, really stands out: “Right to Terminate Agreement.” To my knowledge, Berrett-Koehler is the only book publisher to offer authors, without asking, the right to cancel their agreement at any time for any reason. This one clause does more than anything else to signal our collaborative model—if an author just doesn’t feel that our publishing partnership is working for them, they are entirely free to move on. (And, unlike other publishers, we also don’t insist on an “option” for the author’s second book when signing the first.) I don’t know any other publisher who would consider taking the risk of adding this clause to their standard agreement. Yet, I’m told this clause has been exercised only once in the company history, and that parting was entirely amicable. (The departing author even asked us to continue selling his book’s subsidiary rights on his behalf.)

This clause is just one symbol of BK’s fierce determination to treat our authors as equal partners. Some of our other initiatives in this effort are our “author days” and our Author Bill of Rights. It’s a good feeling to know that Berrett-Koehler authors publish with us not because they’re locked into a contract or option, but because they have the freedom to choose the best place to be.