How to Set Marketing Goals

Every author knows you need a marketing budget big or small. However, have you brainstormed any marketing goals? Chances are you haven’t. This is one key step many authors forget about when putting together their marketing plan. Your marketing goals are part of your marketing plan and deal with many different elements you wish to tackle in promoting your book.

The first step is to brainstorm what you really want to get out of your marketing plan over the next few months and even year. I’m sure big book sales is number one on your mind, but how are you going to achieve this? You will want to have several goals in mind, but you may start out slowly with one overall goal that builds to the next goal and the next and so on.

The second step is to make your goals achievable. This means making your goals realistic and attainable. If you have a goal to be on the New York Best-sellers list in six months, you may want to rethink how you will reach this goal. Okay, maybe you don’t have that goal written down, but you do want to make sure you haven’t unconsciously set a goal you will have a hard time achieving even if you had the means and time to do so.

By breaking your goals down into small, realistic goals set against a reasonable timeline, you will have a greater chance at success. These smaller goals will build and help you achieve your bigger goals such as becoming a New York Best-selling author or selling 2,000 copies of your book in the first year.

The third step is making sure your marketing goals fit into your overall marketing goal and plan. A great way to do this is by writing down your goals in a pyramid outline. Place your main marketing goal at the very top and then write what you will need to do to achieve it, followed by what you will need to achieve those goals, etc. For example, your overall goal might be to sell 2,000 copies of your book this year. This might seem a bit challenging, however, the goals under this one might be to sell 40 copies a week and have 2 book signings a month. Under these goals, you will list four more goals and on and on; until you have smaller more attainable goals.

The last step is to believe in your abilities. You either are in the process of publishing or have successfully published a book, which means you believe in your talents as a writer and your book. Now you need to believe enough in yourself as a marketer and salesman. Success hugely depends on only one person…YOU and that means you can do what it takes to achieve your marketing goals. Self-doubt is your biggest adversity on your road to success. Don’t lose focus of your goals because of a set back or self-doubt. The best way to keep your eye on your marketing goals is to list them on a piece of paper that you can post somewhere you’ll see it every day. This can be next to your computer, bathroom mirror or where you will see them weekly, daily and hourly. There is nothing like a visual reminder to keep you on track.

Lastly, here are some goals to help get you started.

• Target book reviewers by sending (snail mail or via email) a cover image with a brief description, contact information and bio.
• Send my book information to the highly anticipated monthly e-catalog, The Critic’s Bookshelf.
• Contact local libraries and get involved in their author nights or reading to children program.
• Get my book more visibility with important book buyers through programs like the monthly Review Direct newsletter. (Note: This is sent to nearly 40,000 librarians and approx. 3,200 independent bookstores.)
• I will seek non-traditional markets such as corporations, consumer product companies and other organizations that tie-in with my book’s topic(s).
• Seek and maintain relationships with traditional markets like bookstore owners and librarians.
• Talk with peers and research successful book marketers to fashion my own marketing plan after them.
• Determine my overall marketing budget for six months to a year and allocate dollars to programs that will reach the most important target readership/market; e.g., libraries, bookstores, reviewers, media, book shows, networking, etc.
• Attract new customers by opening new sales channels through eBooks sales such as on ePub and Kindle.