Recession-Proof Book Marketing Strategies

*The succeeding article is about Cost efficient book marketing, Book Marketing Strategies, Inexpensive marketing techniques, Economical book marketing and many other useful tips about book marketing.

A recession-proof marketing strategy is characterized by the sustainability of the book marketing plan through these uncertain recession times and well into economic growth and betterment in the near future. The marketing strategy is not so much affected with the cumulative displacements of the predominantly difficult economic situation, as much as it adapts efficiently and functionally through it.

In simple terms, the marketing strategy should be clear, feasible and practical. Take a hint: a recession-proof book marketing strategy is something that is long lasting, something that will transcend the ongoing recession. Thus, a good book marketing strategy also makes the book publicist work smarter, not more.

Here are some recession-safe book marketing activities that are guaranteed to spare you from lots of promotional troubles caused by the far reaching consequences of the ongoing recession:

Market the book’s value rather than its price. In a time of economic recession, consumer spending behavior becomes prioritized and rather selective. For this, convince your readers why they should care at all in being engaged with your product, and for this purpose, you have to be an effective marketer without sounding too commercial.

Value your customers as you do prospects. No favoritism here, treat them equally because you are about to establish a crucial mass readership that you can rely, and who may just purchase your succeeding works as well.

Maintain an effective yet inexpensive web presence. The Internet provides authors and publicists with plenty of cost saving marketing tools that are just as effective as offline book marketing campaigns.  The online marketing techniques include advertising at free ad listing sites, blogging to genre relevant sites, registering at social networking sites, requesting and arranging for virtual book tours, uploading book “video-mercials” to video sharing sites, and sending online media releases.

Write and submit online articles with free reprint rights on a topic that is book genre relevant. This inexpensive marketing tool builds up, slowly but surely, an author’s credibility and expertise of the given subject matter. It also provides the author with a web marketing presence that both online researchers and book readers will appreciate.

Market your books to non-traditional sources to get closer to your target readers. Do a research on companies, clubs, associations, organizations, foundations and/or similar groups that are book genre specific and see if there is a gold mine somewhere for marketing. It is recession safe because you don’t have to spend a great deal of money promoting; what matters is for you to show to them the many benefits they will gain by purchasing your book.

Send emails with book excerpts to your relatives, friends, acquaintances, school alumni, and neighbors who have email addresses. Never underestimate the power of email to generate word-of-mouth marketing—even from among those whom you are already familiar with. From a marketing context, they are your “loyal audience”. Follow it up by asking them to please send related emails to people they know who could also be interested in your book. You see, building a marketing pyramid—but without the fraud—can start in this precise manner.

Consign your book to relevant local shopkeepers and retailers. For a minimal consignment fee, your book is prominently displayed and   instantly recognized. So you have a book about pet care? Your local pet shop is just around the corner. Have an illustrated book about flower varieties? The local florist may be more than willing to accommodate for a shelf display, a perfect compliment indeed for your book.

Promote your book to school libraries. Regardless of your book genre, you can actually market to local or state level libraries, if you are able to determine which schools are regularly updating their catalogues with new book purchases and acquisitions. If there is favorable action to your proposal, offer a reciprocal arrangement for the book acquisition, like volunteering for free book reading sessions and creative writing discussions.

Be consistent with your marketing plan. To save precious time, money and effort, study what works for your book subject; know your target market well by determining what’s important to them and what influences them to make a purchase. Learn the success factors of fellow authors and analyze the recessional marketing trends to establish a well researched marketing plan. Decide early on whether your manuscript is promising enough for publishing houses to consider or you would rather self publish. Also, don’t do social networking publicity online unless you’re really motivated to do it. Don’t do marketing stuff just because you think you’re supposed to; you might end up  wasting hard earned money and resources in this manner.