Promo Plan in a Month: Step #4 Putting It All Together

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If this is your first visit to our blog, this is the fourth and final installment in my Promo Plan in a Month series.   Today, I lay out the basics of the promotional plan for my debut historical romance, SOMETHING ABOUT HER.  

Where Do The Dollars Go?

The big question in any promotional plan…how much?  The monetary investment is the one that tends to hurt the most and often times, it's the unexpected or unaccounted aspects of your promotion and marketing that break your budget. 

All this research has been great, I've learned a lot, so how exactly do I put all of that to use? Every choice I make should relate specifically to a goal, and if it connects to more than one, even better.  The key to a successful plan, besides hard work, is knowledge.  Know what I want, how I plan to get it, and how much I have to spend to do that.

If the "what I want" isn't feasible with the "how much I have to spend" then I have to adjust my methods to get what I want.  As I said in the last post, if there is less money to spend, you'll have to invest more time.  If you can't invest either, then you're going to get from your book sales exactly what you put into them.  Nothing.

Remember that EVERY sale counts.  The book business is largely word of mouth.  You can make one sale to one person who could know ten people who could make your book famous.  (Aren't we all just six degrees of separation from Oprah? <g>) 

One sale should always be celebrated.  It's a step in the right direction. 

LEAVE SOME WIGGLE ROOM IN YOUR BUDGET

Your budget can be $100, it can be $1000 or more.  There are choices, big and small, to make at any level.  But realize that this budget is all inclusive.  My budget and plan includes all my advertising, marketing, promo materials, shipping, author copies, giveaways, and contest offerings. 

It's also incomplete.

I realized that my plan needs to be a little flexible.  There will be times when something doesn't pan out, or another opportunity jumps in my lap and I can't (or don't want to) refuse.  If you've maxed your budget to the hilt before you start, you have nothing left to spend.  So I choose to leave a portion untouched for unexpected costs.  I have also checked out the penalties and fees incurred if I need to cancel anything I've done.

WHERE MY EFFORTS ARE GOING

So, to remember what I'm focusing on:

My Book Goals:
Get it into the hands of readers.  
Pursue avenues to get my book onto shelves – whether in local or independent bookstores, larger chains, libraries, etc.  Know my options. 

Career Goals:  
Increase name recognition   
Further establish a brand (ie what should readers expect from me and my work)

My audience:
Romance readers: American females, married or single, with an average college education in the age range of 25-64, who read historical romance and will buy books online.

My release date: April 10, 2009 

My goals, if I had to honestly prioritize them are as follows:
– Increase name recognition
– Get it into the hands of readers
– Get into bookstores
– Establish a brand

It's important for you to see what I prioritize in my choices, so you'll know why I spend my time and money where I do.  I want to create buzz.  I received a FABULOUS push just this past week in form of a cover quote that is already on my updated new cover.  This quote comes from a NYTimes Bestselling Author whose work I love and admire and who, as a person, I respect.  Gaelen Foley writes some of the best regency-set historicals I've ever read. 

She emailed me after reading my book with this quote:  "A wonderful debut! Jeannie Ruesch writes with tremendous heart."  

What an AMAZING jumpstart to my promo efforts.  I'm already on cloud nine from her comments, and thrilled about the potential this can help me in getting some book buzz. 

Lauren Lise Baratz-Logsted said on this blog post:  "….The blurb, for consumers, is usually the last line of influence. So who does care about blurbs?  Reviewers, in particular the reviewers for the major prepublication trade magazines, and buyers for bookstores. Do blurbs guarantee a good review or increase orders? Not directly, no. But they are part of the package that guides perception of the work before reading or buying."

This can help my book step outside of its own box, maybe with just a toe, but I tell you, that toe is now painted hot pink with pretty sparkes on it. 

If I build a professional promo package on top of this, the blurb gets me moving in the right direction toward reviewers and bookstores.  It wouldn't be enough of its own, it all depends on what I do with it (and I plan to use this quote shamelessly)…in case you hadn't guessed that already.

Eanie, Meanie, Miney, Mo….

So, this entire series boils down to seeing a Promotional Plan as I promised, so here is what I've decided on and why:

Print Advertising

The largest portion of my budget went to print advertising – a small 1/6th size ad in the RWR Magazine for $100 and a New Author Spotlight ad in The Romantic Times magazine for $550.  Why, you ask?  I've specifically said that my target would be romance readers who buy online.

Well,  the New Author Spotlight ad comes with a very strong chance of getting a review.  And with my hot pink, sparkly quote, I just might be able to snag that review (and then pray they like it.)  I think a review in RT would go a long way to helping build exposure, buzz and sales, so it's a cost worth the effort.   The combination of a review in RT and the blurb from Ms. Foley could also get me high consideration for other reviews…as well as bookstore placement.  Anything that sets my book apart.

Reviews and blurbs also tie into every piece of advertising I decide on.  Each ad has a small piece of real estate in which to get the job done.  Recognized names with good things to say about your book go a long way to grabbing attention when your name isn't enough.  (And I doubt mine is, unless you happen to be related to me.)

  
ONLINE ADVERTISING

Next, I went through the online advertising opportunities I knew I wanted. 

At Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, I snagged a two month advertising spot on their website, for $100.  Their traffic stats are strong and they've grown quite a bit in popularity over the months (although I don't believe I'm brave enough to send the book for review there). 

Romance Junkies: Ad size/placement yet to be determined, but I will be spending some money with them.  They are listed as one of the top 101 writer's websites and offer a great connection with my audience.

Historical Romance Club: Featured author for 1 month $15.00, banner advertising $20.00 for 3 mon
ths. My target audience is right there.

Romancing The Blog: $30.00 for a 4 week run.  A very well-trafficked blog.

I will choose a few others as well, based on traffic, and keeping in mind the review sites that WRP submits to.  All in all, my goal will be to have a number of impressions made on my readers in the months of April or May.  (Remember the 15 impressions?)

Author Copies & Mailing Packages

The copies I purchase myself for reviews, for bookstores and for giveaways.  I have also made allowances for paper, ink and presentation folders and shipping for packages to mail out for reviews or for bookstore consideration.  Important to note the costs of these if you plan to send out a lot.  I do.

Marketing Materials

– 1000 bookmarks at a cost of about $60.00
– I will also watch for printer specials that offer postcards, brochures and such at discounts and utilize those in smaller amounts to hand out.  (VistaPrint often offers products for the cost of shipping.)

THE TIME INVESTMENT

The above covers the majority of my money investment.  I've left a portion of my budget remaining for things that might pop up down the road.  The rest of my promotion/marketing plan will include my time:

Design Time

I will need the hours to design my promotional materials, including the bookmarks, the press kits, etc.  In this count, I will include website updates and newsletters. 

I have plans to create giveaway freebies that relate to my book to draw traffic to my site, get people to sign up for my newsletter, so I'll need to consider the time to create and make those as well.

Articles/Promotional Writing

1. Press Releases: I plan to write 3 to 5 press releases targeted at different markets to try and get some coverage
2. Articles: I've developed a relationship with an online relationship/dating site and will be writing an article for them, with hopes it will turn into a column.
3. Blog Tour: I am in the phases of researching the blogs I hope to visit on a tour come April, and will finalize that soon.
4. The Happy Endings Blog of course. 🙂

Social Networking
I plan to spend 15 minutes a day (hopefully that's it) on conversations on my loops.  To make this easier on me, I have all my forums sent to me via email so it's easy to see topics and respond when I can.   Not all of these networks are writer-related either,  I have other interests that match up with my target audience.  So I can have a little fun and promote all at the same time—most of those forums allow for signatures.  I don't ever have to say a single word about my book (and wouldn't unless asked), as long as it's in my signature.

Hitting the Bookstores
I plan to visit each independent bookstore near me, as well as the local Borders and Barnes & Noble bookstores, ask for the manager, leave a press kit and a book and try to make some connections. 

I also have looked up the list on the Romantic Times website of their "Bookstores That Care" network for bookstores in California, to send or deliver promotional items to those closest to me.  I intend to schedule a couple of "bookstore days" (oh, what hardship) to visit all the stores nearby.  

Preparations
I also need to consider the time involved in sending out review books, press kits, sending out press releases, etc, and looking for ways to maximize my efforts and save time.

THE MAYBEs and PROBABLYs

At the tail end of any good promotional plan will be the Maybes and the Probablys…those items that you just haven't decided on, or the ones you know you want to tackle but you aren't sure where it all fits yet.  A promo plan is a focus point, but it's not a contract.  A few of mine include:

-plans for an online launch party as well as a local one
– Two local booksignings and hopefully more

HOW MY PLAN LOOKS IN MY HEAD

So, we all have the idea of what the perfect outcome would be and I am no different.  All my efforts are geared toward that perfect outcome. 

What do I want?  I want to have my first book be a success. A benchmark of that: I want to see it on my publisher's bestseller list.  I want to be taken seriously as an author.  I want to get established in the industry.  I want to see my book in a bookstore. 

Knowing what I want is the first step to getting it.  Being specific about it is the second.   A friend of mine told me years ago to make a list of all the things I wanted in a potential mate.  (Before I met my hubby, of course.)  She told me to be specific, detailed and list small and large things no matter how silly.  I asked her about her husband –was he all the things on her list?  She laughed and said yes, he was.  Every single one.  But there was one thing she forgot to put on her list:  age.

He was ten years younger than she was.  (Is that a plus or minus? You decide. lol)

I have a sign on the corkboard next to my desk.  It says: Believe.  When I doubt, when I worry that I'm not good enough to meet my wants or any of the million other doubts that creep and crawl about us, I look at that sign.  And I believe.  I believe all of those things can happen.  I also believe that there are hundreds of possibilities in front of me that I can do to help make that happen.  The above is simply a start. 

And I believe it can all happen for you.

So there it is…the basic frame of my promo plan. How did I do?  Do you agree or disagree with where I chose to spend my money and time?  What are you planning?

And I promise to keep reporting on my promo plan, how it changes, how it grows.  I intend to write posts to cover each aspect of my plan in future weeks, including: online advertising and how to choose, the meat of a press kit, writing press releases and much more.  I hope you'll stay tuned.

And don't forget…You will have given yourself the first opportunity for some FREE promotion if you've commented on each and every post in this Promo series.  I'll be checking come December 1st to see who is eligible and then we'll announce a winner.

Thanks for sticking with me… because really, this whole series was simply about forcing me to finish my promotional plan. 🙂
 

Jeannie Ruesch

Something About Her, a historical romance available April 10, 2009
Read Chapter 1 | See the final book cover!

He was the one man she knew she shouldn't trust.  She was the one woman he knew he couldn't have…and the only one he wanted.