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newsletter archives
July 2006 - Interview with Penny Sansevieri:
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I've been in publishing forever it seems - both as a publicist and I also spent some time as a literary agent. I have a background in PR and Marketing and studied at Leuven University in Belgium. I spent a number of years in corporate America but my love was and is publishing. I opened Author Marketing Experts, Inc. over seven years ago.
Tell us about your company
We're a full service marketing and publicity company dedicated to authors, but more than that, we're one of the most creative book marketing firms in the industry. We are constantly changing and evolving to better serve our authors; we've developed quite a number of cutting-edge programs. In fact our Internet Publicity campaigns are one of the hottest new markets right now; our authors love these!
What is the most difficult marketing experience you have ever encountered?
Honestly, I don't know - with 500 books published each day in the U.S. nothing we do is simple. It always requires a lot of creativity, patience and persistence. My team and I are fortunate that we love what we do - no matter what challenges we are presented with!
What marketing mediums would you recommend authors use to market their books?
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I always recommend that they market to their reader. This might seem obvious but so many times with all the marketing choices presented to authors, they tend to lose sight of this. Marketing to your reader may mean never doing a radio interview (if your reader doesn't listen to radio) or going after women's magazines if your reader is within this demographic. But one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give is do not overlook the Internet. Often authors think that their Internet marketing ends with launching their web site but really, it's only beginning. What if you build a great web site and no one shows up?
What marketing advice would you give authors and publishers who are trying to raise awareness of their books?
Don't subscribe to the "spray and pray" theory; don't just do a lot of ‘stuff’ because it feels like you're accomplishing something. All this will do is drain your marketing budget. Be focused in your campaign and build a strong platform. Whatever you do, do enough of it to make a difference. For example, one radio interview won't sell books but twenty interviews might. One book signing here and there doesn't really do much for the awareness of your book but many speaking events might. Keep in mind that the best kind of book marketing is done over a long period of time as opposed to a shot-gun approach. We did an information study at my company and found that authors typically market themselves for 90 days, after 90 days they were exhausted, discouraged and had drained their marketing budgets. One of the reasons for this is the high expectations and unrealistic goals. The first 90 days of a campaign is a lot of "seed planting" - it will take a while for folks to get back to you and you'll feel like you're just sending pitches into a black hole. Trust me when I say that all of us feel that way at one time or another. Sticking with it and keeping a focused campaign is sometimes the best thing you can do for your book and your future.
What advice would you give to unpublished authors?
Never, ever, ever give up! But also, read contracts carefully and ask lots of questions. This industry can be overwhelming to new authors and there are a lot of choices when it comes to publishing and marketing your book, not all of them may be right for you. Also, keep in mind that there's nothing wrong with self-publishing your book, just make sure your book doesn't look self-published. With 195,000 books published every year, the competition is fierce.
How would you recommend they set their books apart from the rest?
Remember that your book is your resume - make sure it's as near perfect as you can get it. Make sure you have it edited by a professional, get an outstanding cover and make sure you know what else is out there on your topic. If you have a book that's never been written there may be a problem.
What resources would you recommend they use?
Some resources I use and recommend include my book, From Book to Bestseller: An Insider’s Guide to Publicizing and Promoting Your Book. Morgan James Publishing, 2006. Two other valuable resources I recommend: Dan Poynter, The Self-Publishing Manual, Para Publishing, 2006; John Kremer, 1001 Ways to Market Your Book, Open Horizons, 2006.
Do you have any other words of wisdom you would like to offer our readers?
Enjoy the journey, becoming an author can be a wonderful thing but it can also be very challenging. Remember that often the "no's" you'll get aren't always about you, and when you get "yes's" you'll want to celebrate each one.
bookhitch would like to extend our thanks to Penny Sansevieri for taking the time to participate in hitch news. If you would like to get more information about Penny or Author Marketing Experts, Inc then you can visit their website at http://www.amarketingexpert.com/ She has given some sound advice to reflect upon, we hope that you have enjoyed her comments.
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