Your Book Marketing Plan - How Much Should You Budget?

It's important to budget funds for book marketing. While it's certainly possible to do online book marketing on a shoestring budget, you will still need to invest some money in promoting your book.

The amount you should budget depends on your book marketing plan. Here are
some expense categories to consider and some money-saving tips:

Blog/Website: Website design and hosting fees. If you use a blog-based website, you'll minimize costs for online book marketing. See my Blogging Resources page for sources.

Graphics: Design of website header and graphics, design of printed materials, purchase of stock images for blog/website, and a photo shoot for your author photo. Services such as Killer Covers  and eCoverBee provide lower cost website graphics.
 
Printing: Business cards, bookmarks, postcards, flyers, and posters for personal appearances. In addition to local printers, check prices for online printers such as Printing for Less.

Copywriting and Editing: You may want to hire a professional copywriter to help you write effective sales copy for your website and other book marketing materials. It's also a good idea to have an editor or proofreader review your website and marketing materials.

Email Marketing: You will pay a monthly or per mailing fee to the company that manages your opt-in mailing list. Some services, like Mail Chimp, waive their fees until your list gets to a certain size.

Review Copies: Printing, packaging and postage for review copies sent through the mail.

Publicity: There are a number of free online press release services, such as PRLog and Free Press Release. To get wider distribution for your most important releases, you will need to use a paid service like PRWeb.

Learning: Lots of blogs and newsletters offer helpful book marketing information. But don't forget to budget funds for books, teleclasses and other opportunities to get a more in-depth education about publishing and book marketing, and for dues to writing and publishing organizations.  You'll be more effective at promoting your book if you know how to do it properly.

Each of the Savvy Book Marketer Guides features detailed information on a particular aspect of promoting your book. Kathleen Gage's VIP Club is a comprehensive course in online marketing. I also recommend join a publishers association like Independent Book Publishers Association or Small Publishers of North America.

Administrative: You may need help in implementing your book marketing plan, especially if you have a day job. There are a number of virtual assistants who specialize in working with authors. This website is a good place to search. You may also want to invest in consulting services from a publishing or book marketing coach to help you develop your book marketing strategy.

Other Expenses: Additional expenses may include travel, book fairs, book award entry fees, advertising, and administrative expenses such as postage.

The best way to develop a budget is to assign a projected cost to each element in your book marketing plan. Then you can break down your expenses by month, to arrive at a monthly budget.

Comments

[Brooksjyoung]

Great post. This has helped me as I am publishing my first book. Thanks for providing great content for authors.

[Dana]

Thanks Brooks - I am so glad you found this information helpful. Good luck with your book!
Dana

[Pamperry]

Dana, this was excellent. I find that most authors don't know and this will help them. The "done for you" model is where we are heading now. See http://www.newministrymarketing.eventbrite.com and the PR Boot Camp.

I would Love to have you on the Synergy Energy Show to discuss how social media is really the media of choice for authors and they better learn how to work it...in a strategy!!!

Not just posting to facebook and creating a website.

Pam Perry, PR Coach & social media expert

www.pamperrypr.com

[Dana]

Thanks so much Pam, and I'll get in touch with you!
Daan

[Jefflindsay]

Thanks - appreciate the ouotstanding service and advice for authors. It's important for authors to recognize that even major publishers are not likely to spend much money promoting your book, and that you need to do that yourself, vigorously, with a budget.

For radio promotion, which is what I'm doing now for our John Wiley & Sons book, Conquering Innovation Fatigue, I'm wondering if you have any advice. There are services that work to get you on radio shows for a fee, and others that sell lists of info you can uss yourself. Have the services been cost-effective, in your opinion?

[Dana]

Thanks for your note Jeff. I can't say how cost-effective any particular service provider is. There are several providers of radio lists at different price points, and it's a good idea to find out how up to date their lists are. I believe there are also some publicists who charge a fee for a specific number of interview bookings, rather than a flat fee. If you're short on time, you could write a good pitch and then have an intern or virtual assistant make the contacts for you, either using a purchased radio list or doing the research for you. See this post for some resources: http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/ezine/book-marketing-newsletter-december-2009.html

Good luck with your book!

[Freya]

Thanks Dana, this is a good list for first time authors. Planning ahead and knowing what to expect can make marketing a book so much easier. Not to forget marketing/branding yourself as an author :)

Cheers
Freya

Author Community Manager
www.BookBuzzr.com
World's No. 1, Free Online Book-Marketing Technology for Authors

[BookWhirl]

Superb article! You tackled on the most important factors to consider. Also, one must take note on the right media mix for every marketing campaign.