Here are just a few signs that the wave is coming:
- Traditional book publishers accept only a few books and reject 90-99% (no wonder the self-publishing industry is taking off).
- Bookstores make more money placing your book on the shelf than they do from actually selling your book.
- Book publishers who pay advances know that most books will never earn out the advance paid.
- Half of books sold are not bought from bookstores.
- Over 30% of all online purchases are for books.
- And many more signs!
Who is best positioned to ride this wave?
You might already be! If you have an audience (a market, database, or ability to reach people) and an interest in helping others, then you are in a very good position.
Speakers, charities, trainers, churches, coaches, certain businesses, ministries, colleges, newspapers, magazines, websites, network marketing companies, and e-zines will have the advantage.
But basically, anyone with an audience will be positioned to ride the wave!
What is the wave?
The wave is a surge of talented authors who have books that need to be published now, who want more profits per book, who actively work to sell their own books, who treat their books like a business card, and who are willing to pay for the production and printing of their own books.
Most of these talented authors lack only one thing: a market. And if you have that market or audience already established, then you have what they need!
They need you!
This wave simply entails publishing a book and selling it directly to the best audience. A leadership book for a leadership audience, a science fiction book for a sci-fi audience, a sales training book for salespeople, a business book for business owners, etc.
The book can still make its rounds through the bookstores, Amazon.com, etc., but the majority of the books will sell to the best audience. Word of mouth marketing, referrals, greater impact, and higher royalties come as a result, not to mention speaking engagements, trainings, and consulting.
How does this publishing wave work?
Here is a real example. In 2008, I helped leadership trainer David Byrd launch his powerful book, The Tripping Point in Leadership-overcoming organizational apathy (it's on Amazon.com if you want a copy). He did a paperback version and printed 10,000 copies, which retails for $11.99, and paid less than $1.00 per copy!
In just a year, he has almost gone through his 10,000 copies! And his primary audience was fellow leadership trainers and consultants. At less than $1.00 per book, he can afford to go down to $3 a book, which he does when he sells them 100 at a time, and he still makes a profit.
If you had published David's book through your own publishing label to your audience of leaders and leadership consultants, you would be riding the wave! But there are countless great authors out there, most of which have already been rejected by traditional publishers, who need exactly what you have - a market.
Ride the wave!
What you need to ride the wave:
To ride the wave, you need a market (audience, database, platforms, etc.), and if you have multiple markets, then you need to decide which is best.
Then, create your own publishing label. Sounds daunting, but it isn't. Start with a name (it could be your current business name), create a logo, and you are good to go! (I assume you have a business address and checking account already in place.)
If you are wondering about all the production work (layout, cover artwork, editing, writing, and proofing), printing (getting bids, ISBN numbers, and barcodes), and basic marketing (contracts, foreign rights sales, details for your website, your ads in the back of the books, and Amazon.com), you can relax! You don't have to worry about all these pieces because that is what my company does and has been doing for many years.
You have the market, the authors need what you have, I help with the behind-the-scenes work, and you are free to ride the wave.
There is one final element: cost … and you don't have to pay for it! The authors pay for the production and printing of their books, not you. And in addition, you make money from the books sold to your market and from each book printed for your authors.
The wave is there … go ride it!
About the Author:
Brian Mast is an author, editor, and book publisher who specializes in helping others start their own publishing labels. He has written, edited, or published over 80 books with more than 1.6 million copies in print. If you are ready to launch your own publishing label, he can be reached at dtanetwork@directtoauthors.com or http://www.directtoauthors.com.
You Can Ride the Publishing Wave of the Future
