Put Off Your Procrastination

One reader recently wrote, “I have one major problem. I can’t keep a deadline. I don’t just miss deadlines by a few days or weeks, but by months! What am I doing wrong?” Have you ever felt like that? If so, you may have felt so overwhelmed that you didn’t do anything.

There are several things you can do to keep yourself productively moving toward your goals. Creating a business plan is the best way to begin. But this can be a daunting task, one easy to put off. That can perpetuate one’s sense of futility and actually encourage procrastination.

Instead, try this simple technique. Make a list of all the things you have to do, organized in categories of similar actions, put a deadline on each, and start doing them one at a time. Use your pub date as the ending point, then work back to the present day. Are you unsure about the definition of the term pub date? According to Eric Kampmann, president of Midpoint Trade Books, “Pub Date is not the same as Bound Book Date or Ship Date. Bound Book Date refers to the time when the book comes off the printer’s press. Ship Date refers to the time when your warehouse releases backorders and begins to ship your title to bookstore accounts, including wholesalers. Then finally comes Pub Date. This is the day when you really begin to market your title to the consumer. This is when you should begin media appearances, advertise or have display promotions in stores.”

Eric continues, “The time from Bound Book Date to Pub Date should be between 4 to 6 weeks. This time must be allowed for you to tee your title up from the time it leaves the printer’s plant to the time it is displayed in stores to support your marketing efforts. Finally, remember that whatever you plan to do to support the publishing of your book, you must leave enough time to develop and implement your strategy.”

Still not sure what to do? Here is a list of actions to take, organized by similar action, and the approximate time it should be started so you reach your pub date, ready to sell.

1) The Planning Phase (26 weeks before your pub date). It is highly recommended that you prepare a complete business plan. But if you don’t, at least establish your foundation, and set the general direction in which you intend to move.

• Define your target reader, the typical person who is most likely to be interested enough in the content of your book to purchase it. How many of them are there? Where are they located? What are their buying habits?

• Decide on the price of your book. Do a simple search on Amazon.com to evaluate competitive prices. While you are there, learn how your book will be different from — and better than — competitive titles?

• What are your plans for your physical product? Will it be a book? If so, how many pages will it have, and what size should it be? What type of binding? Will you use illustrations or half tones? These simple decisions will make your production phase proceed more smoothly.

• Evaluate potential distribution options. Will you distribute your books through the traditional distributor Þ wholesaler Þ retailer channels? What special markets — mass merchandise clubs, associations, premium sales, government agencies, catalogs, book clubs or schools — are suited to your title?

2) The Production Phase. The next month or two (four to five months before pub date) are devoted to the production process. Finish all re-writes and editing. Complete the front cover design and internal layout, which presupposes you have complied with all registration information (ISBN, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number, Bookland EAN bar code).

Action Step Weeks before Pub Date

Copyright your manuscript 20

Decide on title 20

Seek endorsements 20

Manuscript to editor 16

Illustrations/photographs completed 16

Arrange for cover design 16

Arrange for text layout 16

Request for quotation (RFQ) to printers 16

Obtain ISBN 12

Send for Library of Congress Catalog Number 12

Write rear cover copy 12

Complete bound galleys 12

3) The Promotion Phase. Promotion begins three to four months before publication date. List the general promotion strategies you intend to implement. For example, will you perform on TV and radio? If so, you may need media training. Contact book clubs, inquire into serial or other rights’ sales. Send galleys to send to reviewers as well as for peer review and endorsements. When you receive testimonials, add them to the final rear cover copy and to all your promotional material.

Think in terms of the four parts of the promotion mix: publicity, advertising, sales promotion and personal selling. Create and place prepublication announcement advertisements (some magazines have 90-day deadlines). Produce sales-promotional items. Decide upon the trade shows at which you will exhibit. What direct-mail letters and sales literature must be written and printed? Plan non-traditional publicity programs that will stimulate as much attention as possible.

Prepare press releases for relevant newspaper and magazine editors. Do not overlook the broadcast media as a source of low-cost, high-yield publicity. Develop a list of television and radio shows suited to the topic of the book.

Action Step Weeks before Pub Date

Contact book clubs 16

Develop a list of appropriate publications/reviewers 12

Prepare and send media releases 12

Develop your brochure and literature 12

Prepare a press kit 12

Bound galleys to reviewers 12

Prepare and place prepublication announcement ads 12

Send announcements to key buyers 8

Contact major television and radio shows 8

Send your press kit to interested shows 8

Phone call or email follow-up media *

Plan author tours, book signings 8

Final changes to printer 8

Participate in co-op niche mailings (PMA, etc) *

Participate in book fairs and trade shows (BEA, ALA, etc) *

Contact magazines about periodical rights for excerpts 8

Contact magazines about serial rights 8

* Denotes tasks that are performed regularly

4) The Distribution Phase. During the two to three months prior to publication, your objective is to create distribution. Research and contact relevant wholesalers and distributors. Do not forget that separate channels may be required for marketing to libraries, bookstores and special markets. When you contact a prospective distribution partner, describe the comprehensive marketing plan you have in place and how your promotional efforts will support their sales efforts.

Action Step Weeks before Pub Date

Plan non-traditional promotional programs 8

Contact wholesalers and distributors for traditional and special channels

(warehouse clubs, airport stores, libraries, supermarkets, drug stores) 8

Contact relevant associations, corporations, academic markets 8

Look into government buyers, military options, niche markets 8

Send targeted mailing to specialized bookstores/outlets 6

5) The Introduction Phase. The final month before publication is devoted to following up and catching up. Follow up with your printer, editors, producers, buyers and reviewers to consummate your programs. Catch up by doing all the miscellaneous tasks that are required to meet your ultimate deadlines.

Continue implementing last-minute promotional programs. This may entail mailing literature to non-bookstore buyers, sending book covers to distributors, participating in cooperative mailings, and getting your web site up and running.

When your book is finally released, the real work of sustaining its momentum begins. However, the publishing process is more rewarding and productive if it begins well enough in advance, building steadily upon a strong foundation of strategic planning and effort.

Action Steps

Send review copies to reviewers and major media

Mail to catalog houses

Scan book cover for press kit/post cards

Target mailings to library/book trade publications

Research special editions of library review magazines

Send books to library review magazines

Send your press kits to general media

Sell books directly to appropriate niche markets, government agencies, academic buyers, and others as appropriate to your title

Arrange local media promotion/autograph parties

Research/develop co-op promotion with bookstores

Is all of this still too much to do? Email the author at brianjud@bookmarketing.com and ask for his free automated timeline. This Excel file will allow you to insert your pub date, and all the steps and deadlines will be filled in for you. There are even links to sites that can help you perform most of the tasks. There is no charge for this Marketing Wizard, and it comes with a free subscription to Book Marketing Matters bi-weekly newsletter for selling books to special-sales markets.

Brian Jud is author of Beyond the Bookstore (a Publishers Weekly book) and The Marketing Planning CD-ROM describing new ways to sell more books profitably to special-sales buyers. He is editor of the Book Marketing Matters special-sales newsletter, and creator of the Book Market Map directories for special sales. Contact Brian at P. O. Box 715, Avon, CT 06001; (800) 562-4357; brianjud@bookmarketing.com or visit http://www.bookmarketing.com

Last 5 posts by Brian Jud

• Focus on Non-traditional Marketing - April 17th, 2008
• Sail the Seven Cs to Media Performances - March 24th, 2008
• Goals are Worthless… - February 11th, 2008
• Why Bad Things Happen to Good Titles - December 5th, 2007
• Practice Makes Permanent - October 22nd, 2007