Murder Must Advertise
Sponsored by Jeffrey Marks
Marketing Murder
My new mystery, “The Koala of Death” debuts August 15, so I’m currently in a marketing frenzy. Actually, the marketing of “Koala” began around ten years ago, shortly before my first mystery, “Desert Noir,” was published by Poisoned Pen Press.
Three months before “Noir”s publishing date, I began planning my book tour. Since Poisoned Pen Press was a fairly small press at the time, they were called bookstores and libraries throughout the country to wrangle signings for me. By the time I was finished with the three-week tour they'd set up, I had collected around 150 names and addresses of people who had bought my book. How’d I do that? Simple. I’d just typed up a “Sign In” sheet, and shoved it in front of everyone (politely, of course), explaining that I’d love to send them a post card when my next book came out. I also promised to not give their name and address to any telemarketers.
During the past ten years, I have continued to use the same type of Sign In sheet at my every talk and signing, and have now collected several thousand addresses (for the past few years, most are email addys, postage being what it is). Since I average 40 to 60 public appearances every year, those addresses really add up.
Now back to my soon-to-debut “The Koala of Death.” Two weeks before the little devil gets released, I will drop more than a thousand postcards in the mail (yes, I made labels, and continue to add to them). On the blank space below the address, I’ve made up other labels giving times, dates, and places of upcoming signings/appearances. A pile for Southern California, a pile for Northern California, etc. But that’s not all. One week before “Koala” comes out, I’ll send out thousands of emails crowing about the book. By the way, these go ONLY to people who have corresponded with me and/or added their email addys to my Sign In sheets.
Of course, not all of these efforts result in sold books, but enough do to make the effort worthwhile. Those emails and post cards have another benefit, too. When people know I’m going to be in their area, they try to make it to my events. Last year, one lovely couple drove 75 miles through a rainstorm to get to one of my California signings. Another couple rode their motorcycle all the way from a neighboring state.
The last thing I do -- at least in the way of contacting folks -- is pick up the phone and call various organizations where I’ve been a guest speaker to let them know about the new book. Almost always, they’ll set up another speaking engagement for me. The largest of these speaking engagements numbered 960 well-dressed women with lots of credit cards and a blood lust for mystery novels.
Today I designed and printed 500 full-color, two-sided “The Koala of Death” fliers. I’ll give those out at the libraries which have asked me to speak and/or give a writing workshop. The front side of the flyer has a picture of the book cover and a short plot synopsis. Underneath are some of the niftier review lines from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, and Library Journal. Below that, is a brief bio and my picture (I’m smiling, looking approachable). The bottom line on the flyer says in big red letters, “Learn more about the zoo mysteries at www.bettywebb-zoomystery.com.”
The other side of the flyer, also in full color, reproduces the covers of all my Lena Jones mysteries -- six at present count -- and gives review snippets for each, ranging from the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, the Denver Post, the Huffington Post, to Booklist and Mystery Scene Magazine. The last item on the page gives a brief synopsis and nice review for my first zoo mystery, “The Anteater of Death.” Thus, eight books and two different series are advertised on one piece of paper.
Although I’m starting off with 500 flyers, I know I’ll have to reprint them, because I also give them out at the various functions I attend. I give out my post cards, too, but the fliers advertise every one of my books, not just the current book. Yes, it helps that I was in advertising for 20 years – first in graphic design, then copywriting. Therefore, I know how to sell a product. And as much as we dislike to think of it this way, a book is a product.
Since I have two vastly different book series, I have two different web sites. My www.bettywebb-zoomystery.com yammers on and on about my zoo mysteries, but it also refers readers over to my Lena Jones web site at www.bettywebb-mystery.com. That web site, of course, talks about how wonderful my Lena Jones books are (“Mysteries with a social conscience!” says Publishers Weekly. “Eye-popping!” says the New York Times), and links right back to the zoo mystery site. Everything links to everything else.
I also have a blog, where I give writing advice, although I don't post as often as I should. And yes, the blog links to my web sites, and my web sites link to my blog. I’m on Facebook, but I don’t bother with Twitter; that thing drives me crazy.
What else do I do to market my books? Well, I belong to more writers’ and charitable organizations than I can count, but I try to be subtle about “pushing” my books when attending their functions. I’ve found it’s enough that people there simply have access to my post cards and flyers (there's usually a table for that sort of thing). When these folks ask for more info, I chat them up, hand them a flyer, and tell them about my web sites. Face to face marketing like this is important. Because of my membership in so many organizations, I’ve been asked to speak at groups I’ve never even heard of (social/charity groups are always looking for entertaining speakers). And I always speak at book clubs no matter how small they are, because someone at one of those book clubs almost invariably recommends me to a vastly larger group.
I attend at least two writers conferences every year, take part in all sorts of charitable events (such as recording for the blind, volunteering at the Phoenix Zoo, and the Scottsdale Library), and always carry my post cards and a few flyers with me – just in case. But I never push them on people, because pushy writers irritate people. And no matter what happens at any of these events, I am always courteous. However, I’ll admit that on one occasion, I did come close to sticking a fork into one bore’s eye when he kept asking me – loudly, from across a crowded room – how much money I made.
Speaking of temper, no matter how cranky I feel, I never diss another writer, even if I hear that he/she has been dissing me (oh, we writers love to gossip, don’t we?). To diss others is not only tacky, it’s dumb, because it’ll come right back at your. Whenever I get the chance, I praise my fellow writers, and give their names to groups looking for speakers. Those writers usually wind up extending me the same courtesy, because that old saying about “what goes around comes around” is absolutely true.
In summation, what I’m trying to say is that marketing isn’t just one thing; it’s many things, and they all work together to build a readership. But marketing isn’t only for the month before your new book comes out – marketing continues all year long, right up to the time your next book comes out.
Because in between all that marketing stuff, you’ve been writing another book, haven't you?
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BETTY WEBB: Author of DESERT LOST, judged "One of the Top Five Mystery Novels of 2009" by Library Journal. "Eye-popping," The New York Times. "Socially conscious," Publishers Weekly.
www.bettywebb-mystery.com
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All text copyright © 2000-2009 Kate Derie and Jeffrey Marks.