Sunday, May 16, 2010

Reviewer's Tip - Advance Reading Copy - Part 3

Last time we talked about what should be on the back cover.  Today, we'll look at probably the most important item for your book's back cover - the marketing campaign.

As we mentioned earlier, we're taking examples from books the 'Big Boy's have sent us.  Whenever we get an 'Advance Reading Copy' from one of the mainstream, large presses, the back cover ALWAYS includes a summary of the book's marketing campaign.  Why?  To help sell the book to reviewers.  They want to know that the book has been given sufficient attention and a decent marketing budget so that it will get significant attention.  Afterall, why would a reviewer/review publication spend precious time on a book that's going to flop due to lack of promotional funds? 

Normally, the marketing plan is at or near the bottom of the back cover, typically blocked off in a text box or by some other means that makes it stand out.  Here are examples of what publishers have listed as part of their marketing campaigns (but are not limited to):
  • National broadcast and print media coverage
  • Online promotion
  • 30-City (or more/less) national tour
  • National radio campaign
  • Blog tour
  • E-card campaign
  • Online video and e-mail notifications
  • Author website (with website and/or blog url listed)
  • School and/or library appearances
  • Viral marketing to author promotional sites (children's sites, genre specific sites, etc.)
  • Press releases to over 150 national/regional genre magazines/sites/book clubs, etc.
  • Interviews in over 25 genre related publications (note: you should list the genre!)

No comments:

Post a Comment