Post by jayvee on Jun 22, 2006 16:07:50 GMT -5
What's the best way to advertise a book you're printing off a print-on-demand publisher like LULU?
Before press:
Ad space from local businesses--can it be done?
Selling ad space to relevant websites? Think Matt Brady from NEWSARAMA would spring for a five or ten dollar, full page ad in something like PHOSPHOROUS TIDE? Or would NEWSARAMA (or a similar site) trade? You give them space, they'll give you space?
Prominent blogger wants to put a solicit in your book, or you've approached one with an offer--unconventional, sure, but what are the possible ramifications?
With B&W 8.5x11 Lulu publishing, each page costs about a third to half of a cent... I haven't done the exact calculations but it's close. If such is the case, and you've got a line of willing advertisers, what kind of rate would be fair to charge them for space?
How many advertisements would be too many? What's the best way to space them throughout the book (ads-per-number-of-pages or in a large clump at the middle or back)?
With Lulu, could some of this pre-press ad money go to buying a more substantial distribution option?
After press, assuming we've got a ISBN:
How do you market to bookstores?
How do you go about making a deal with an entity like Diamond--is that possible for a Lulu book?
After your initial advertising budget is gone, should you continue advertising using your sales as an indicator of how much you should keep pumping into the machine?
How long should you keep advertising in the same place before the sales decrease because everybody whose seen the ad and is going to buy your book has already bought it? Is that a relevant question, even, given search engines and continuous access to certain media?
How much of your advertising budget should you allow for free copies to trade books like WIZARD or COMIC'S BUYER'S GUIDE?
Anyway, just a few questions about advertising, some of which are pretty important to what's being done here on this board.
-- JV
Before press:
Ad space from local businesses--can it be done?
Selling ad space to relevant websites? Think Matt Brady from NEWSARAMA would spring for a five or ten dollar, full page ad in something like PHOSPHOROUS TIDE? Or would NEWSARAMA (or a similar site) trade? You give them space, they'll give you space?
Prominent blogger wants to put a solicit in your book, or you've approached one with an offer--unconventional, sure, but what are the possible ramifications?
With B&W 8.5x11 Lulu publishing, each page costs about a third to half of a cent... I haven't done the exact calculations but it's close. If such is the case, and you've got a line of willing advertisers, what kind of rate would be fair to charge them for space?
How many advertisements would be too many? What's the best way to space them throughout the book (ads-per-number-of-pages or in a large clump at the middle or back)?
With Lulu, could some of this pre-press ad money go to buying a more substantial distribution option?
After press, assuming we've got a ISBN:
How do you market to bookstores?
How do you go about making a deal with an entity like Diamond--is that possible for a Lulu book?
After your initial advertising budget is gone, should you continue advertising using your sales as an indicator of how much you should keep pumping into the machine?
How long should you keep advertising in the same place before the sales decrease because everybody whose seen the ad and is going to buy your book has already bought it? Is that a relevant question, even, given search engines and continuous access to certain media?
How much of your advertising budget should you allow for free copies to trade books like WIZARD or COMIC'S BUYER'S GUIDE?
Anyway, just a few questions about advertising, some of which are pretty important to what's being done here on this board.
-- JV