Marketing

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Goodreads Says Goodbye to Free Giveaways

Goodreads, the Amazon-owned social media site for bibliophiles, introduced a major overhaul to its giveaway system in early January. Previously, giveaways were free to host, making them a popular and cost-effective marketing tool for indie authors and publishers. Readers eager to win free books would browse the giveaways page and enter any contests that caught their eye, resulting in lots of exposure for books that might not otherwise get seen. The only cost to the host of the giveaway was that of the book (or books) and shipping.

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Marketing Hot-Topic Books

There are two main ways we catch readers’ attention and sell books: helping readers to personally connect with the content (using excerpts in marketing, writing shelf talkers, and making in-person recommendations) and using the book as a symbol to engage in a large discussion. Readers use the books they buy to make a stand and a statement. The books bought by a reader or acquired by a publishing house show interests and opinions. By associating with the brand or concept of a book, readers tell their communities how they identify or believe.

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How to Brand an Imprint

Publishing houses employ some of the most creative people around, and that creativity often extends further than just choosing the right books to publish. Marketers in publishing are challenging perceptions in a traditionally conservative industry by implementing targeted branding strategies. Branding is one of the most essential components to a marketing mix, and is usually recognized as an image or symbol companies use to differentiate themselves from other companies.

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Email Like a Professional

Over the course of the year, along with learning how to market books, I’ve picked up a few tips about how to market yourself. After all, the hiring process (which we are all heading toward!) is usually just marketing your skill set to an employer’s needs. One of the keys to success in the quest for employment—whether finding a new job or retaining your current one—is undoubtedly professionalism. It’s almost like good design; it’s recognized by a few when it’s good and noticed by all when it’s not. So, I think it’s time to get down to brass tacks and talk about professionalism and email.
Emails are the bacon fat clogging my productivity levels, and I bet they are clogging yours too. Sticking to the successful formula of the Four Cs of Copyediting, I’ve come up with my own Four Cs of Emailing.

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