Post-Publishing for Authors

What happens after my book is published?
How many retailers will be able to access a book through CrossBooks with channel distribution?
How long does it take before a book is available through retailers?
Will CrossBooks published books actually be shelved in bookstores?
Will CrossBooks help me market my book?
How do I get started marketing my book to increase book sales?
Can you offer any tips or guidelines to follow when contacting the media?
Can you provide any advice about interviews?
How can I market my book so that brick-and-mortar bookstores will shelve the book?
How can I market my book using the Internet?
What are some basic tips for setting up a website?
Can I get involved in large marketing events, such as trade shows and conventions?

What happens after my book is published?

After you have finished the production process through CrossBooks, your book will become available for purchase through the online CrossBooks Bookstore, where anyone can directly purchase copies of your book. Your book will then be distributed through retail channels. You can order copies of your book at your author-discounted price by contacting your book sales representative for a quote.

How many retailers will be able to access a book through CrossBooks with channel distribution?

Books will be available to order through more than 25,000 retail stores, including Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and many more.

How long does it take before a book is available through retailers?

New titles take approximately 30 to 60 days to become available through most bookstores' databases and systems, and approximately 14 to 21 days to become available through most online retailers. E-books will be available on retail sites within four weeks of your book being published.

Will CrossBooks published books actually be shelved in bookstores?

It's possible that CrossBooks titles will appear on the shelves of bookstores, but we cannot guarantee it. It is the decision of the individual retailer and store to purchase copies of a book to stock it in their store.

Will CrossBooks help me market my book?

CrossBooks offers a substantial amount of promotional services for your book depending on which package and additional services you purchase. Many of our publishing packages provide marketing tools to help you get started marketing your book. You can also speak to your marketing specialist about a wide variety of professional marketing tools available to you as a CrossBooks author.

CrossBooks provides advantages and opportunities, but as an author, you are your book's biggest advocate. Your title will benefit from your efforts to follow up with interested parties, carry out a marketing plan and utilize the services and tools that we offer.

How do I get started marketing my book to increase book sales?

You can start putting your marketing plan together before you even write the first word of your book. But if you've already finished your manuscript, don't fret - you still have plenty of time. The first thing to do is create your marketing plan, or a document that records the actions necessary to achieve your marketing goals. The following are a few basics to consider regarding your book:

Clearly identify your target audience. Define the person who will be the most likely to purchase your book. Some aspects to consider about this group include: age, sex, career, income, residence/location and education.

Identify the competition. The book market is a large and highly competitive marketplace, but this can work to your advantage. Find out what books are selling the most within your genre. Observe and learn from experts in the field. Define your competitors' strengths and weaknesses. Investigate the selling price and market demand of your publication.

Consider possible methods of reaching your targeted audience, whether through a particular magazine, website or geographic location.

Develop a statement to position your book within your targeted audience. This statement should highlight what separates your book from the rest in a bustling book market.

Create a budget for your marketing plan. How much can you realistically spend on marketing over the next year? Over the next two years? Consider the type of media you will use, promotional services and other costs associated with marketing. Once you have examined these important questions, the next step is to develop your marketing strategy based on these fundamental distinctions.

Can you offer any tips or guidelines to follow when contacting the media?

Yes, here are a few basic tips for contacting the media:

Follow Up: If you distribute a press release to the media, contact them within a week or two. This is an essential piece of your promotional efforts, and you should not expect results without a follow-up effort.

When you contact an editor or reporter to whom you've directed your press release, do not ask whether he or she received your news release because the answer will mostly like be "no," followed by the person hanging up. Instead, tell the editor who you are and that you sent them a news release related to your book. Explain that you are calling to provide further information in writing a story, review, or scheduling an interview. Also, don't be afraid to offer a review copy of your book. Sure, you might be out the cost of a book, but you could in turn sell many more through a promotional event. Mention any recent scheduled appearances, book signings or other events that have occurred since you sent the release.

Be Prepared: You should also have promotional materials at your fingertips when networking. Whether it's a press kit, a business card, a copy of your book or all of these, you should be prepared to leave something physically in the hand of your contact when meeting face to face. Personalized materials add a professional touch to mailings and event invitations. You can always customize bookmarks, business cards and postcards through CrossBooks Promotional Materials.

Always Remain Professional: Be considerate of an organization's right to turn you down, and simply move onto the next one. Unless told otherwise, you can consider following-up 90 days later, with those who initially were not interested in an interview, book signing or review.

Can you provide any advice about interviews?

If you are scheduled for an interview, there are a few preparation tips to think about before the big date. Some questions to consider include the following:

How did you come up with the idea for the book?
What is your background, education and/or other interests?
Is there anything interesting about the research you conducted for your book, such as interesting facts, or the mode of research collection?
How does your book connect with local interests in the broadcasting area?
What other works or authors have inspired you?

Practice answering these and other questions with confidence. If the interview is actually in person (not over the phone), practice speaking in front of a mirror to express confidence as well as relaxed gestures and body language.

How can I market my book so that brick-and-mortar bookstores will shelve the book?

If you plan to market your book to physical bookstores, you'll want to incorporate this goal from the very beginning of your publishing process. You'll want to ensure that your quality book includes the necessary book features to be seriously considered by a retailer. One service you will definitely want to consider is the Booksellers Return Program. This service removes the risk associated with a retailer purchasing a book for their store, because when a book is returnable, the retailer can always recover their cost if the book does not sell. In fact, some retail bookstores, especially chains, have a policy against ordering books that are not returnable.

Once you've published your book, begin contacting bookstore managers to arrange a book signing, speaking event or reading at a local store, library or other local venue. This will help book sales once your book is placed on their shelf. Next, try to organize a book selling event with a smaller, independent bookstore to gain experience and more local interest. By the time you approach the larger chains, you'll be able to provide examples of your success. Always be courteous to the managers you encounter, have business cards ready, a sample copy of the book and a press kit on hand that you can leave with the manager, and always follow-up if they cannot give you a concrete answer right away.

How can I market my book using the Internet?

A growing number of authors use the Internet to help market their book. Setting up an author website and establishing yourself in social media is a simple way to stake your claim online. Include ways people can find you online in all of your marketing material to help spread the word about your book and drive more traffic to your order page.

Utilizing the search programs already supplied by popular search engines, such as Google and Amazon, will help increase Internet visibility. Many of our publishing packages already include the the Google and Amazon Book Search programs.

What are some basic tips for setting up a website?

A basic outline of pages to consider included within your website are: a homepage, book detail page (one for each title), book reviews or other media appearances, events calendar, blog or diary, and a links page.

Choose your domain name wisely. First, choose a name that is logical, such as the title of your book or your name. It should also be short, so don't use your entire book title if it's too long. Second, use words that are easy and simple to spell. Don't use your last name if you usually have to tell people how to spell it, or if it's an uncommon spelling; just use an initial instead. Third, consider registering more than one domain name with different suffixes (.com or .net), different spellings, or if the word is commonly misspelled (in which case, you may want to reconsider your choice). Lastly, your choice must be available. If someone already registered your pick, unfortunately, you're out of luck.

Use keywords to ensure your website is found through common searches. Pack the opening homepage and the first paragraph on each page with words that represent you and your book effectively. Try to think from an Internet user's perspective and speak the language of your targeted audience. What keywords would someone search for if they were looking for a book like yours? Advanced users can utilize the metadata, or keywords about your website, which search engines use to organize their search results.

Make sure your website is easy to navigate, edited, and contains current information. Update your site on a regular basis to avoid outdated material, and keep your viewers informed by posting upcoming events, appearances and signings. Get your audience involved by posting an interactive blog. Help them get to know you with an online diary relating to your book, events or personal stories. Never post anything that you are not comfortable disclosing to the general public.

Can I get involved in large marketing events, such as trade shows and conventions?

Yes, you can get involved in large marketing events such as trade shows, book fairs, conferences, conventions and book festivals by researching upcoming events and personally contacting their organizers. However, before you sign up, make sure that you have plenty of information about the event. Determine if the event is right for you by analyzing the cost/benefit balance. What are your goals? How much exposure or book sales can you gain? What will the total cost be for reserving a selling booth, creating an attractive display, plus the cost of food and travel? Also, find out if you will able to reach your specific targeted audience. Once you've researched an event, you'll then be able to make an informed decision whether or not to get involved.