Part Nine of “How to Find a Publisher for Your Nonfiction Book”
One of the key decision makers on most any publishing committee is the marketing director. Without the support of the marketing director, your book is not likely to be approved. So it’s helpful to know the kinds of information the marketing director will be looking for when your proposal goes before the publishing committee. Here are five key things:
1. Concept. Since the marketing director is responsible for building awareness about your book, he or she will want to see that you have a fresh, clear, compelling concept that will stand out from other similar titles. To satisfy this need, craft your title and book description until it clearly describes the need your book addresses, how it meets the need, and the promise it makes to the reader.
2. Biography. The marketing director will want to know something about who you are. Share all relevant background information such as experience, degrees, titles, awards, and anything else that makes you the right person to write this book. If you don’t have any relevant background information, it will be difficult to convince a marketing director to get on board.
3. Platform. To get your book published, you will need to have or build a platform. Your platform is who you are in relationship to your audience. The marketing director is very interested to learn about your existing audience, the people who are already paying attention to you. When you write or speak, who listens? Your platform includes information about where you regularly speak and where you are being published, online and in print. Platforms come in all shapes and sizes, and generally speaking, the larger the publishing house the larger an existing platform the marketing director will want to see.
4. Marketing Strategy. Aside from marketing opportunities the publishing house will help to create, the marketing director will be interested to know what you plan to do to market your own book. This is not about what you are willing to do if the publishing house creates the opportunity, but about what you will initiate and what you will get done. This could include things like writing magazine articles, setting up speaking engagements, seeking specific endorsements, and making use of existing networks to get the word out about your book.
5. Competition. Finally, the marketing director will want to know your view on the competition for your book. When it gets placed in the bookstore, what other books will be next to it on the shelf? To satisfy this need, your proposal should include a list of books that are most closely in competition with your book along with a description of what sets your book apart from the rest.