Kate: I enjoy your newsletter and perspectives. You make many valid points, but miss a few things here, in my opinion. Most of my publishing career has been in marketing, promotions, publicity, but also in other things. In one of my courses at George Washington University's graduate program in publishing, I mention that no marketing plan…
Kate: I enjoy your newsletter and perspectives. You make many valid points, but miss a few things here, in my opinion. Most of my publishing career has been in marketing, promotions, publicity, but also in other things. In one of my courses at George Washington University's graduate program in publishing, I mention that no marketing plan is foolproof; you can certainly do everything "right" and work hard at promotion and publicity, and crickets from media and from your audience. And, on occasion, a book seems to take off without much effort at all (although usually there is considerable effort by marketing and sales, even when not apparent). But one sure thing is that your chances of making an impact with a book or other publication are greatly improved with a concerted, coordinated, and comprehensive marketing plan. The planning and execution are a lot of work; it's difficult and sometimes impossible to measure exactly what works, but most successes do come with a coordinated effort between marketing, publicity, and sales; the author's help is, if not essential (the author may be deceased, or unwilling or unable to contribute, for various reasons), certainly beneficial.
Kate: I enjoy your newsletter and perspectives. You make many valid points, but miss a few things here, in my opinion. Most of my publishing career has been in marketing, promotions, publicity, but also in other things. In one of my courses at George Washington University's graduate program in publishing, I mention that no marketing plan is foolproof; you can certainly do everything "right" and work hard at promotion and publicity, and crickets from media and from your audience. And, on occasion, a book seems to take off without much effort at all (although usually there is considerable effort by marketing and sales, even when not apparent). But one sure thing is that your chances of making an impact with a book or other publication are greatly improved with a concerted, coordinated, and comprehensive marketing plan. The planning and execution are a lot of work; it's difficult and sometimes impossible to measure exactly what works, but most successes do come with a coordinated effort between marketing, publicity, and sales; the author's help is, if not essential (the author may be deceased, or unwilling or unable to contribute, for various reasons), certainly beneficial.