Value-Added Book Marketing

Can value-added marketing work to sell books?

Value-Added Book Marketing

Everything on this planet relates to marketing.

There is not one sector in human society that has not been influenced by marketing.

Marketing is neither bad nor good; a bit like money, it is neutral. However, it depends on its purpose, and in the hands of profit or power above everything, it can have the most detrimental, devastating effect on society.

Value-added marketing is a well-known strategy. The phrase, "Would you like chips with that?" is a good example. Something low cost is added to make the overall purchase look more valuable.

Again, there is nothing wrong with it; however, if one is concerned about the ongoing obesity epidemic and its related health issues, marketing campaigns such as "Would you like that super-sized?" one wonders if that is still ethical. Instead of super-sized, or chips with that, it can be anything that adds a perceived value.

That marketing campaign was and is highly successful.

Should a business be responsible for their customer's well-being?

Book marketing is a different story. If we assume for a moment that reading is a positive activity, even educational, then we can allow ourselves to feel good about marketing.

In a highly competitive book market, with 500,000 to one million books published annually, it is nearly impossible for new authors to sell their books without marketing.

The question is, "Can value-added marketing work to sell books?"

The answer depends on your creativity and innovation. Value-adding is limited by itself. To start the marketing journey, one still needs to attract attention to the book through the usual channels of social media, newsletters, blogs, book reading, and "mobilising your friends."

Once enough eyes have been drawn to your book, the added value could be the motivating factor for someone to buy it.

The value-added item can be mentioned within your general marketing campaign to attract more readers.

All of the above is straightforward, but now comes the tricky part: what can one add to a book to add value?

Writers are supposed to be creative, but the thought of marketing can throw some writers off the game, and creativity flies out the window.

If that is the case for you, imagine you write a passage in your book where the protagonist has to develop an idea for a value-added item.  

It can be as simple as a personalised, attractive bookmark advertised as a "Free signed bookmark", but I don't think that will cut it.

Something more substantial, like another book, may do the trick. Whatever you can add depends on your creativity and your circumstances.

Adding something while selling a book at a bookstore is easy, as you can give the item to the customer. However, most books are bought online, requiring different methods to provide add-ons.

For online bookselling, the last page of your book can show directions on how to redeem an add-on item, service, voucher, or whatever. It can be a website address or a QR code. It can also create a way to collect email addresses by making it dependent on the customer emailing you for a password.

Try to think of an item that you don't have to mail. An e-book, a subscription, a printout, or 10% off your next book, etc., would be a better idea.

And remember, nothing works in isolation; added-value marketing is just another component of your overall marketing campaign.

Adding value is highly successful. However, it has to be a worthwhile item to attract attention.

Get your creative juices flowing.

From Brainland News - Cheers, Dieter Luske - www.dieterluske.com

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