In some ways, books are like humans. They enter the world as babies, full of potential and opportunity, with proud parents boasting great visions for their children’s success. But as they grow, something happens and very few become the sensation their parents hoped they would be. The same process occurs to many titles, and their authors can … [Read more...]

Have you wondered why celebrities being interviewed on television can look so calm when millions of people are watching them? And have you ever wondered if you could do that? You can appear on national television and radio, and you can appear calm and collected, just like the actors you see every day. But like actors, you cannot just show up for … [Read more...]

Direct mail has been given a bad reputation because of overuse and poorly designed mailing pieces. Unfortunately, people perceive all direct mail as junk mail, and its Internet equivalent as spam. In reality, direct mail is a targeted marketing weapon that that can help you sell more books, test new titles, generate sales leads or … [Read more...]

Have you ever listened to a forecaster’s prediction of pleasant weather and then made plans around that forecast? You may have been dismayed when it rained instead. But that is the nature of a forecast -- it is simply a person’s best guess of what might happen in the future. The metaphor for publishers is that we should calculate a … [Read more...]

Many independent publishers think of the word plan as a document beginning with your mission statement followed by an analysis of your business and a description of your markets, competition, strategies and tactics. However, if your goal in planning is to create a list of straightforward actions, then there is an easier way to accomplish your … [Read more...]

Your telephone can be a valuable asset to help you sell more books, especially in non-bookstore markets where you have to do the selling. Yet many people feel apprehensive about using the telephone to talk with strangers. If you can learn to use the telephone in spite of your fear, you could experience increased sales and profitability. … [Read more...]

Did you ever try to lose weight? If so, you may have set a goal to lose 24 pounds in one year, broken down into twelve monthly two-lb. increments. Then you probably weighed yourself regularly to see if you were on track to reach your goal, and you may have had to make adjustments to your diet or exercise program. This same process can be applied … [Read more...]