Comments on: You and Your Publisher: A Marketing Dream Team

By: Jill Kemerer

Jill Kemerer — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:31:40 +0000

Wow! Great information and a good lesson. Thanks for the tips.

By: Leigh DeLozier

Leigh DeLozier — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:21:52 +0000

What great advice — thanks for helping draw some parameters this week for working with the editorial and marketing teams. Most things make perfect sense once we stop long enough to think about them. I love this weekly update idea and will keep it for future reference!

By: janetgrant

janetgrant — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 01:07:58 +0000

Judy, publishers do like to know that, even though they’ve moved onto promoting other books, that the author has stayed engaged with marketing already-published titles. But authors do need to keep in mind that once a title is older, you should lessen the number of reports you send. As Judy mentions, when she has a significant update, she lets the publisher know. But she isn’t sending in regular reports.

By: Judy Gann

Judy Gann — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:07:40 +0000

I’ve found it valuable to continue commuicating (brief e-mails) with the marketing team as long as your book is in print. My nonfiction book released five years ago. I let the new marketing manager and editor know when I’ve scheduled radio, tv, and blog interviews, speaking engagements, and book signings. I don’t know if this has helped keep my book “alive,” but I want the publisher to know I haven’t stopped my marketing efforts.

By: Bill Giovannetti

Bill Giovannetti — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:37:44 +0000

I think I dropped the ball exactly where you said: at informing the publisher of all the marketing stuff I was doing… Good lesson learned. Thanks.

By: janetgrant

janetgrant — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:16:17 +0000

Unless you are an uber best-selling author, you’re unlikely to meet the marketing team before the contract is signed. Visiting the publishing house is often welcomed by publishers, but of course, it’s best to have your agent ask about the feasibility of a visit, discuss timing, and create an agenda.
The author would pay for the trip (with some publishers offering to pick up meal tabs and hotel); so it’s an investment.
If every author visited the publishing house, soon the publishing staff would spend all their time hosting authors. So the publishers do have the option to say they just can’t fit a visit into the schedule.
Usually they like to have that visit when the complete manuscript has been turned in because that gives marketing and publicity a chance to read as much of it as they would like. And for editorial to have some thoughts on potential additional revisions.

By: Michael K. Reynolds

Michael K. Reynolds — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:13:26 +0000

Janet,

There seems to be somewhat of a disconnect if a marketing department doesn’t know about a project heading down the pike.

How helpful and how common are site visits and tours to meet the publishing team in person? At what point is it too early in the process to begin developing relationships with the marketing group.

Personally, as a writer who is a marketing professional, I would want to build working friendships at the beginning of the contract stage so the book comes out with a well timed splash. How would that come across?

By: Samantha Bennett

Samantha Bennett — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:55:50 +0000

Helpful tips! I like how you specified the difference between list-form and paragraphs. When talking to writers, this is never a bad idea.