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Promotion idea - what do you think?
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I'd be wary of committing to spend too much - it's really difficult getting people to come out of an evening in a lot of places - and also it depends on weather/what else is on/what's on tv at the same time... It all sounds v interesting tho, and I wish you well with it - any chance you can share the cost? Get sponsors?
I have just set up a forum here for discussing marketing idea swaps and such. http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/8...
Rob wrote: "Sales of my book Year of the Celt: Imbolc continue at a trickle so I've come up with this idea to hopefully give them some momentum:
In my home town (Otley) we have a walking festival each year. ..."
Sounds interesting:)
I suppose a lot of this hinges on (a) how well author events work in your area, and (b) your currency as a local celebrity. I've seen a goodly number of non-rock-star authors at signings or readings with one person in line (often to ask where the toilets are) or in the audience.Like Karen, I'd be really careful about your out-of-pocket expenses on this. I'd also be wary of scheduling opposite other events; you'll want your event to be the only game in town while it's on.
Good luck.
You know, I think the 10 pound model with the free book will work. Lots of authors don't make any money from their books themselves, but from speaking events. I think, if you can get bums in seats, you can make this work. Ic can see it working, especially if there is rain on the night of your event. Just make sure all the B&B owners, hotels, etc, know it's happening.
By the way, 3 pounds per book seems really low to me. Who are you using to print?
Kate wrote: "By the way, 3 pounds per book seems really low to me. Who are you using to print?"I've had a number of quotes:
bookempire.co.uk quoted £647.04 for 250 (that's 350 pages A6)
printdomain.net 200 x A5 350pp £709.44
yps-publishing.co.uk 198mm x 126mm x 250 £2,195(!!!)
So it's clearly worth shopping around.
By the way, there is something about the £10 and free book that appeals to me too. I'd have to make the evening entertaining/interesting though - and promote it well.
Sounds like a very good idea to me. I would work with a choir as they will bring their supporters which will swell numbers. £3 isn't very much for a book. You could have a couple of volunteers going around with them in costume making direct sales. You could number them and have a draw for a nice prize which would be an added incentive to buy.
Rob wrote: "Kate wrote: "By the way, 3 pounds per book seems really low to me. Who are you using to print?"I've had a number of quotes:
bookempire.co.uk quoted £647.04 for 250 (that's 350 pages A6)
printdoma..."
See what Create space and lulu offer maybe?
Don't know why I didn't mention it to start with but... have you been in touch with your local library? They might be able to help with hosting and they're usually supportive of local authors.
Rob, could you please delete your book link in your first post? You've asked a very pertinent question about going about promoting but I'd hate for any readers to be put off by viewing this as a blatant promo post.
Patti (A Fine Pear) wrote: "Rob, could you please delete your book link in your first post? You've asked a very pertinent question about going about promoting but I'd hate for any readers to be put off by viewing this as a bl..."No worries, I only put a link to the book so it would make sense in terms of what the evening is to be about. Anyways the link is gone now.
The plan is growing and I've a number of people who have promised to contribute now:My guitar teacher is going to do a few 'Celtic' tunes that he will arrange himself (he is brilliant).
A local writer is going to read out her poems; coincidentally she has been writing on Verbeia, the local mythical/legendary river goddess - the nearby town of Ilkley was originally called Verbeia by the Celts.
A couple of local authors are going to be there too.
I have a small list of local 'celebrites' to contact.
Not yet come up with a title for the evening - need some more inspiration for that...
Sounds like its really coming together! Great stuff Rob!
Brilliant! Hope it all goes really well!
I am very interested in hooking up with authors in Warwickshire, Banbury, Coventry so we can do joint events at Waterstones - they are willing but you have to be organised. Have other ideas as well, so authors near me please add me and let's chat.
Covers both - almost!Edit - my consultancy fee is reasonable too!
In my home town (Otley) we have a walking festival each year. It's got bigger and bigger and even has the occasional celebrity attending (Janet Street Porter one year).
I’ve booked an evening in a local community venue to promote my book in the middle of the festival. The idea is to have a number of different things throughout the evening: a small promotional session with me, a slot from the local museum (where I got quite a lot of info from), maybe a local choir/singers/band (there are lots of folk bands in Otley) doing a ‘Celtic’ song or two. I know other authors in Wharfedale and could even invite them. The idea is that it’s a varied/fun evening and not just me droning on for an hour or two.
The connection is that the novel is all about Otley (but set in 499BC) and the website promoting it has walks on it, leading people around some of the iron-age sites/carved rocks that are used in the book. The festival organisers have a policy of not charging for anything so my evening can’t be an official part of it (or I’d have to have free entry) – but I am leading a guided walk round the rocks during the festival and I might just let it slip about my evening.
The hall hire will cost £200 and can hold 140 people seated. The venue manager reckons 80 would be an average attendance for something like this. I’ve thought of a number of options:
Charge £10 and give each person a free book (I’m having a small print run and they will cost about £3 each to print).
Charge less, say £5, and hope to sell as many books as possible.
What do you think?
Any suggestions to add to the evenings entertainment?