Stephen Tremp - Promoting Beyond the Bookstore

Today I welcome Stephen Tremp to share some promotional tips while I appear on his blog, Breakthrough Blogs, with marketing tips of my own.

I have to admit the closing of Borders Books and Music was a huge blow to me. I had many book signings there at the dozens of locations within driving distance of where I live. I had set up an account and Borders carried my books in their warehouse. I could call or email any Borders store in the country and ask tem to place a copy or three on their shelves. Over half would oblige. They were so easy to work with. For two years Borders was my meat and potatoes.

But things are different now. They’re gone and now Barnes and Noble (who I also had an account with) now refuses to carry my books or allow me book signings. So I had to take stock and look for other ways to promote OPENING other than virtual marketing through my Blog and other social media venues. And what I found, to my surprise, was a resurgence in sales of BREAKTHROUGH. Now that I’m with CreateSpace (I left iUniverse), I can buy breakthrough for under $6.00 a copy and sell them for a larger profit.

Example: I can purchase copies at $5.80 including shipping and sell them on the street for $10.00. As I thought this through, I realized I spent two to three hours at a book signing and made much less per copy sold. I can set up shop and sell where people are out and about and sell more books in the same amount of time. And I can repeat the process every weekend, often in the same spots, with similar results. And with OPENING coming out in paper form February 15th, I will have two books to sell! And having a second book opens up new opportunities.

Foot Work: I’m also doing some old-fashioned advertising. I’m printing flyers and my kids and I place them on people’s windshields. At first, I was hesitant to do this. But I can print of two color flyers per page at a cost of $0.015 per flyer. I cut the pages in half at Kinkos Copiers. And it only takes a few minutes to hit a hundred cars when we go to the mall, grocery store, or wherever. Tip: When printing flyers, use a lot of secondary colors. You’ll get more copies per cartridge rather than burning through one primary color and wasting the rest of your ink cartridge.

Grocery Stores: I’ve contacted most major grocery stores and chains like CVS and Walgreens. Just contact the main office and submit what they can purchase and sell a book for. I’m willing to let sell BREAKTHOUGH to them on consignment at cost. They can sell it at $12.95. That’s over seven dollars profit per book to them. I’ve made it three levels up the corporate ladder with two of these major chains. No decision yet, but they like the money they can make. My goal here is exposure and with OPENING out and ESCALATION due out this fall, I’m hoping people will purchase these at full price through Amazon.

Indie Bookstores: They’re Baaaack! Indie bookstores are becoming popular again and willing to take my book on consignment and do book signings. I love that personal touch! Most in my area will carry my books.

Hotels: I also found many of the hundreds of hotels of hotels will carry my books on consignment. I may make a buck or two off each copy sold, but they add up over time. Guests see them displayed on the lobby and are happy to buy a book with a local theme.

Question: What are some of the creative promotions you use or have you seen that work?

You can visit Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs. His books can be purchased or downloaded at Amazon and Smashwords.

Smashwords for $1.99
Kindle
Smashwords

Thanks, Stephen. Be sure to visit Breakthrough Blogs for my suggestions on promoting in the real world.