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The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Marketing » Page 7

Marketing

Who is Your Audience?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 21, 2014
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Recently I went shopping for a new watch. Thankfully, I later discovered I could have the old one repaired and am taking that route. However, since I’m a literary agent, I can relate everything to books, so here goes.

At high end stores a salesperson was immediately available. While I was trying on watches, I was given statistics such as, “This watch is Swiss made. The band is solid 18 karat gold, and the face is mother of pearl, with diamond hour markers.”

At department stores, I often had to hunt down a salesperson, who took a watch out of a crowded case and let me try it on. “We are having a pre-sale of 40% off regular price. If you use your store card, you can take off an extra 15%.” On to punching numbers on a calculator. “Your final price will be $78.”

The huge difference in approach is indicative of the type of consumer to whom the stores cater, in this case, quality and status seekers versus bargain price hunters. Likewise, it’s important for authors to know their audience. For example, nonfiction readers are looking for felt need and great takeaway value. They are looking to learn something from a reliable source, or to explore ideas. Fiction readers are looking for quality entertainment that evokes emotions. Sometimes consumers of novels will read primarily to be up to date on the latest books and therefore appear smart and well-informed. Others just want to escape into their imaginations for an afternoon and couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks of their taste. At different points in time, I’ve been all of these consumers. Haven’t you?

Your turn:

If you write nonfiction, how will you let readers know you are an authority on your topic?

For nonfiction, what will your readers take away from your book?

If you write fiction, do you write deep stories that teach a lesson or convey a moral, or do you write for those looking for sheer entertainment?

Have you ever read a novel just so you could discuss it at a party? Was that effort worth your time?

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Category: Book Business, Branding, Craft, MarketingTag: Audience, Branding, Marketing

Discoverability

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 14, 2014
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One of the buzzwords you hear in publishing today is discoverability. Authors must be discovered by potential readers. To that end, even though obviously selling a car is much different from selling a book, I still think we might be able to learn some lessons from Maserati. I hadn’t thought about this automobile company except with the vague idea that they are an iconic Italian race car …

Read moreDiscoverability
Category: Book Business, Branding, MarketingTag: Branding, Marketing

It’s Not Who You Know

By Dan Balowon July 8, 2014
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From the third season of the 90’s sitcom Seinfeld, this classic interchange: Car Rental Agent: I’m sorry, we have no mid-size available at the moment.  Jerry: I don’t understand, I made a reservation, do you have my reservation? Agent: Yes, we do, unfortunately we ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here. That’s why you have the reservation. Agent: I know …

Read moreIt’s Not Who You Know
Category: Branding, Platform, Social Media, TrendsTag: Marketing, Platform, Social Media

The Seminar Test: A Simple Way to Discover if You Have a Viable Idea

By Dan Balowon May 20, 2014
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Today we are going to explore something I devised as a way to evaluate an opinion or approach to a particular issue. I came up with this method of determining message validity after years of hearing opinions expressed in media, business and even in the church. For lack of something more compelling, I title this method, The Seminar Test. The concept is simple. Take any strategy, opinion or approach …

Read moreThe Seminar Test: A Simple Way to Discover if You Have a Viable Idea
Category: Career, Creativity, Dan, Marketing, Writing CraftTag: Career, Marketing, Writing Craft

Myths of The Author Platform

By Dan Balowon May 13, 2014
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There are three myths about “Author Platform” that I want to address today.  Since I started my publishing career in marketing, I’ve seen the issue from a number of different angles and hopefully today’s post will be helpful. Myth #1 Author platform is a new issue in the last few years created by the use of social media.   There has never been a time when author platform was not important to …

Read moreMyths of The Author Platform
Category: Branding, Career, Dan, Get Published, Marketing, PlatformTag: Career, Marketing, Platform

Fearless Writing

By Dan Balowon September 10, 2013
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Last century (sounds more dramatic than “15 years ago”), I made a presentation to a group of authors on book marketing with the intention of helping them understand how best to work with their publishers. I ran across my notes the other day and was not really very surprised to see almost everything I presented that day is no longer entirely valid.  The material was true in a publishing world where …

Read moreFearless Writing
Category: Career, Dan, MarketingTag: Marketing

Top 3 Reasons Authors Don’t Get Asked to the Prom (or Invited to ICRS) – Reason #1

By Karen Ballon June 5, 2013
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It’s just around the corner. That time of year when publishers, retailers, agents and yes, some authors, descend upon a select conference center (this year in St. Louis in late June) to attend the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS).

ICRS. The trade show formerly known as CBA (Christian Booksellers Association). Where publishers gather with their editorial, sales, & marketing folks …

Read moreTop 3 Reasons Authors Don’t Get Asked to the Prom (or Invited to ICRS) – Reason #1
Category: Book Business, Conferences, ICRS, KarenTag: booksigning, conventions, ICRS, Marketing

Changes or Opportunities?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 7, 2013
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What are you doing to counter and grow from the ongoing changes in the marketing of books?

I don't look at the changes as something to counter, but opportunities to reach an ever-increasing audience with excellent books. I am becoming more savvy about social media, because effective marketing by publishers is becoming more reliant on this new phenomena. I am working more directly with marketing …

Read moreChanges or Opportunities?
Category: Agents, Get Published, Marketing, TamelaTag: Agent, Marketing, Social Media

News You Can Use – Dec. 4, 2012

By Steve Laubeon December 4, 2012
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Guideposts sells Ellie Claire Line and Selected Summerside Titles to Worthy Publishing - Worthy Publishing adds a great gift book line along with some Summerside non-fiction to their company. Plus they added a new VP, Jason Rovenstine, who joins them from his similar role at Ellie Claire/Summerside. The Summerside fiction line remains with Guideposts with no editorial changes. Guideposts fiction …

Read moreNews You Can Use – Dec. 4, 2012
Category: New Book Releases, SteveTag: elevator pitch, Marketing, movie scripts, Self-Publishing

News You Can Use – July 10, 2012

By Steve Laubeon July 10, 2012
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Publishing on the Cloud is the Next Big Thing! – Mike Shatzkin writes yet another brilliant analysis of our industry.

Give Your Work Away for Free – Derek Webb makes an argument that “free” will end up making you money. Seth Godin used the same principle in some of his promotions. The difference is that Webb is talking about music. However, the music business and the book business are not …

Read moreNews You Can Use – July 10, 2012
Category: News You Can Use, SteveTag: Bookstores, Get Published, Marketing
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