australian society of authors © 2008 david marlow

ASA Professional Development Seminars

Marketing: The author as brand name Melbourne, 27 August 2008

Presented by David Marlow © 2008 As requested by members, the ASA is providing papers from the professional development seminars for downloading. The information that follows summarises the content covered in the seminar and reflects the personal views of the presenter. Please note that the views expressed are not related in any way to ASA opinion or policy.

The Australian Society of Authors acknowledges the CAL Cultural Fund for its generous support o f the ASA’s professional development seminar program.

Australian Society of Authors

© 2008 David Marlow

Chocalottabooks! Reaching customers

David Marlow B.Comm B.Bus MBA Public Relations ANZ Marketing ANZ MD Teledirect in Asia Book Street since

2003 Love books

Don’t be afraid to give yourself a plug!

Two independent bookshops from scratch Built unique selling point positioning

◦ Hampton◦ Toorak

Author events Character events Community relations Literary festivals Advertising …

Kids, Mums & Local Highbrow, Jewish & Local

Hampton◦ Hazel Edwards◦ Mark D’Arbanville◦ WEG / Don Richards◦ Wayne McCauley◦ Robert Dessaix◦ Nicki Gemmell◦ Dr Chris O’Brien◦ Monica McInerney◦ Anna Pignataro◦ Li Cunxin◦ Lisa Sewards◦ Maria Prendergast◦ Evelyn Field◦ Jutta Goetz

Toorak◦ Sir Zelman Cowan◦ Walter Jona◦ Barry Jones◦ Jeffrey Archer◦ Waleed Aly◦ Julian Burnside◦ Peter Costello◦ Suzy Zail◦ Marshall Browne◦ Xinran Xue◦ Naomi Ragen ◦ Steve Bedwell◦ Dr Henry Lew◦ Father Frank Moloney◦ Prof Brian Costar

Overview of the book industry with implications for authors

Identifying different kinds of markets Writers weeks and festivals Book reviews and testimonials Launching your book Bookshop signings, book tours, etc Networking Creative exposure with or without publisher

support

Success as a brand = ◦ JK Rowling◦ Jeffrey Archer◦ Tom Kenneally◦ Jodi Picoult◦ Emily Rodda◦ Dr Seuss

What do they have in common?

Do you want to only ever write one book? Your ‘talent’ is separate from your ‘brand’ What are you selling? What are you known for? Fiction v. non-fiction Cumulative effect of building book by book

?

People know what they are going to get from you◦ Brands

Jeffrey Archer Colleen McCullough Tim Winton

◦ Ford James Patterson

◦ General Motors Colin Bowles Colin Falconer Mark D’Arbanville

Readers

Book b

uyers

Publishers- imprints & agencies- editors- publishers- printers- sales reps- mktg / sell ins

Authors & illustrators

Distributors- local- international- warehousing- logistics- wholesalers- distribution

Frontline

Media, reviewers, commentators, prize judges, opinion leaders, bookseller feedback,

librarian feedback, Bookscan

Local International

Majors◦ Alliance (HH, A&U, Watts,

Harlequin)◦ UBD (Penguin, DK, New Holland)◦ Macmillan (Macm, McMeel…)◦ Random (Random, HG, Egmont)◦ Scribo – Bookwise, Brumby, Gary

Allen, Tower◦ Harper (Harper, S&S)

Independent publishers ◦ Scholastic◦ Lonely Planet◦ Wiley…

Wholesalers eg. Taltrade, Seek Educational suppliers Library suppliers

Baker & Taylor Ingrams Gardners

Index Position Isbn Title Author Imprint Total Quantity RRP ASP

1 1 9780241015308 Breath Winton, Tim Hamish Hamilton 766 $45.00 $40.82

2 2 9781741149982 Forgotten Garden,The Morton, Kate Allen & Unwin 668 $32.95 $30.17

3 3 9780747585664Eat, Pray, Love:One Woman's Search for Everything Gilbert, Elizabeth Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 571 $24.95 $23.70

4 4 9780732278366 Time We Have Taken,The Carroll, StevenHarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd 562 $27.99 $26.67

5 5 9781408700921When You are Engulfed in Flames Sedaris, David Little, Brown 448 $32.99 $30.91

6 6 9780731813421 Wild Tea Cosies Prior, Loani Simon & Schuster Australia 426 $24.95 $24.21

7 7 9780718148577New Earth,A:Awakening to Your Life's Purpose Tolle, Eckhart Michael Joseph 417 $29.95 $28.52

8 8 9780241015377Tall Man,The:Death and Life on Palm Island Hooper, Chloe Hamish Hamilton 408 $32.95 $30.98

9 9 9780646470801 4 IngredientsMcCosker, Kim & Bermingham, Rachael 4 Ingredients 378 $17.95 $17.02

10 10 9780732280376 People of the Book Brooks, GeraldineHarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd 358 $32.99 $30.88

11 11 9780241015414 Boat,The Le, Nam Hamish Hamilton 317 $29.95 $27.81

Sell-through and reprinting

Internet

Libraries

DDS

Chains

Readers & book buyers

Independent bookshops

• Leading Edge• Franchisees?• Specialty shops• Other

• A&R / Borders• Dymocks• Collins• …

• Big W• Kmart• Target•…

• Council libraries• School libraries•…

• Amazon• LEB• Chains•…

Push

Pull

Frontlistv. Backlist

30:70

50:50

80:20

Protection v. Parallel importing Discount from RRP Sale or Return

◦ v. Consignment◦ v. Firm sale

BookFind - Titlepage Competition includes TV, Cable, DVDs,

surfing…

Push Pull

Author events Merchandising Hand-selling Point of Sale Publisher sell-in

Publisher advertising Book reviews Prize announcements Amazon recommedations Bookshop newsletters Product placement E-mail blast

A “push” promotional strategy makes use of a company's sales force and trade promotion activities to create consumer demand for a product.

A “pull” selling strategy is one that requires high spending on advertising and consumer promotion to build up consumer demand for a product.

Da Vinci Code The Secret Spotless 4 Ingredients

You want name recognition in your chosen field◦ Antarctica for kids = Hazel Edwards◦ Bullying = Evelyn Field◦ Climate Change = Tim Flannery◦ Child psychology = Michael Carr-Gregg◦ Kids picture books = Mem Fox

Look for loose bricks – your niche

Readers - Buyers

Adult

Tweenie

Young Adult

Little Kids

Reader type:

Fictioncategories

Non Fictioncategories

Eg. HistoryHistorical societiesRSLsLocal papersUniversitiesSchools

Eg. ThemesAddition - OCDCurious Incident - AspergersBroken

Publicity v. advertising Booksellers Librarians Book Groups Community groups eg. Military - RSLs Reviews Interviews

◦ Mention the title, mention the title, mention the title, mention the title, mention the title…

30 X 25 = 750

Book Expo / London / Frankfurt Book Fair Melbourne/Sydney/Adelaide/Perth Writers

Festival◦ Ubud (Bali) Writers Festival

Bayside (& other council) Literary festivals Community writers festivals

◦ Eg. Jewish writers festival in Sydney Seek – approach – network Volunteer to help They create word of mouth, awareness, media

exposure and sales!

Oprah

TV eg ACA, ◦ Sunrise, Tue Book Club

Radio eg. ABC, SBS◦ Can do by home phone

Newspapers eg. Age, Herald Sun ◦ – Target approp. journo

Local newspapers / magazines

Blogs

Internet buzz eg Blair Witch, New Earth

Cover quotes

Introductions at events

Review copies are your cheapest marketing

Don’t advertise in a vacuum Advertising maintains brands PR builds brands Creativity makes up for cash poor

◦ Tooheys used billboards Need buzz

◦ Word of mouth – events, networking, direct mail◦ Push and pull

Targets: Booksellers, reviewers, book groups, community groups

Case study – Mem Fox / Tim Winton in USA Retailer sales conferences – the motherload At the event target booksellers as well as

consumers ◦ you want the enthusiastic handsell

Susan Duncan – be gracious Local events Frequent bookshops & make yourself known Speak / Sign / Network / Entertain / Party Plan, schedule, communicate, stock, local media Leave signed copies

Be gracious and make eye contact Try to look like you’re having fun even if few

people turn up Sign stock and network Chat with employees It doesn’t matter how many you sell at the event Prepare & practice your talk/reading Make small groups informal Be honest and funny about being nervous Don’t drink alcohol until after your talk Send a thank-you to the bookseller

Ref: K. Goldmark cited in The Complete Guide to Book Marketing by David Cole)

MediaMagazines

NewspapersRadio

TVInternet

CommunityLibraries

Community groupsEg. Rotary

SchoolsBook groups

Festivals

IndustryBooksellers

BuyersPublishersPublicistsLibrarians

Become the GO TO Guy / Gal - ongoing

Create & nurture your media/contact list

Phone – mail/email - phone

Write for newspapers – Xinran, Naomi Ragen… What’s on? Chapter samplers Reading copies Flyers, email newsletters Bookmarks Shelf talkers Point of sale – sale support Kids book characters Custom events eg. Fairy parties Media, buzz – look at Richard Branson…

Toorak Hampton

Sir Zelman Cowen◦ Universities◦ Law firms◦ Jewish groups ◦ SBS◦ Media release

Tom Kenneally◦ JHC joint promotion◦ AJN

Toorak Rotary

WEG / Don Richards Lisa Sewards Maria Prendergast

◦ Herald Sun◦ Melb Weekly

Anna Pignataro Rainbow Magic Party

◦ Fairy shop co-op Spot & Maisy

◦ Leader◦ Reading / colouring in

Money Time Skill

Network Don’t be shy – Chutzpah pays Don’t be annoying

◦ Make appointments◦ WIIFM

Practice presenting Keep titles simple and memorable Ensure books available when publicity

strikes Think outside the box

David Marlow◦ 0407 389 919◦ bookstreet@bigpond.co

m◦ Hampton:

482 Hampton St Hampton◦ Toorak:

Shop 7 Toorak Place, 521 Toorak Rd, Toorak