Campaign Management?

[EttieG1]

Hi all. Wanted to pose two quick questions, which I'll elaborate on a bit below. The first concerns the logistics and pitfalls of hiring someone to manage your online marketing campaign. The second is about breaking through with Nook readers.

On the campaign issue, I am a professional writer who unfortunately has to spend my day writing for others. However I'm considering hiring someone who can help manage the social media marketing and Adword campaigns for my ebook. Naturally this sounds like potential quicksand of trouble.
Any insights? Horror stories? Happy endings?

The second matter involves finding the appropriate Nook forums to promote my book. While sales started off great at Amazon, not a single sale registered at B&N. It seemed odd that the same title would sell over 25 in one month, and zero elsewhere.

By the way, my book is a self help guides for parents of boomerang kids, helping to steer them out into independence. That means I tend to get better response at forums/sites with a non-fiction community.

I guess I'm looking for the best avenues of approach to reach those Nook readers.

Many thanks...

[VydorScope]

I am not sure where your market is, but Amazon is still the key store for ebook market in America. Kobo, Sony, B&N, and Apple do not really compete here.

About 75% or so of my sales come from Amazon, and the remainder is cut up among those I just listed. As I understand it, Kindle is winning the dedicated E-Reader and the Nook is failing.

Personally I own a Nook Color and read on it most every night, but I often get my books from stores other then B&N.

So my point is your experience fits the American market right now.

[Nancy Fulda]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

About 75% or so of my sales come from Amazon, and the remainder is cut up among those I just listed.

Same for me. Amazon seems by far to be the bigger gorilla at the moment.

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by EttieG1

On the campaign issue, I am a professional writer who unfortunately has to spend my day writing for others. However I'm considering hiring someone who can help manage the social media marketing and Adword campaigns for my ebook. Naturally this sounds like potential quicksand of trouble.
Any insights? Horror stories? Happy endings?

I've had a bad experience (horror story is probably over-stating it) of being on the receiving end of a book publicist. I used to write reviews. One publicist emailed me periodically to ask for reviews. He obviously didn't read my review policy, asked for reviews in genres I didn't review, and kept emailing after I stopped doing reviews (and posted notices on my site to that effect). I'll PM you details when I'm at a computer (currently using my phone).

[Lazer]

I think if you spent a million bucks on advertising an ebook available at both Amazon and B&N you'd still get a 25:1 sales spread.

The last time I walked into a B&N book store (my nearest one is three hours away) there was a salesperson standing behind a podium trying to hawk Nook's and she looked extra bored. For whatever reason, I just don't think B&N has sold many ereaders. For whatever reason, most people I've talked to that read on an iPad purchase their books through Amazon.

L

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by EttieG1

On the campaign issue, I am a professional writer who unfortunately has to spend my day writing for others. However I'm considering hiring someone who can help manage the social media marketing and Adword campaigns for my ebook. Naturally this sounds like potential quicksand of trouble.
Any insights? Horror stories? Happy endings?

If you do hire someone, you need to make sure it is someone who actually has social media marketing experience, not just experience with social media. They will be representing your brand, in front of a public audience. This is not something to take lightly, and it can easily go very, very wrong if the individual is not conscientious.

Even the American Red Cross has had "Twitter fails" due to interns (he accidentally posted from the RC account when he meant to post from his personal account), and the guy handling the Twitter account for a major US auto company tweeted derogatory comments about drivers in Detroit.

My advice would be to hire a mature individual (emotional and intellectual maturity, not age) who has experience representing some sort of brand. You have to communicate exactly what impression you wish to make on your current and potential readers. Witty? Insightful? Serious? That's up to you, but make sure they understand that, for all intents and purposes, they are YOU when they are running your campaign, because your audience won't know the difference. You'll get blamed if they screw up.

This doesn't necessarily mean it will cost a fortune to hire the right person. Since it's all online, it's perfect at-home, part-time work for a stay-at-home-mom or someone in transition who is re-entering the workforce for whatever reason, or just someone who wants a little extra money and has a few hours to spare. Heck, it's more enjoyable than most marketing tasks, for those who like social media engagement. Running a Twitter account as a brand can be fun and challenging, if done properly. My site, which hasn't even launched yet, got a Twitter @ mention from the account of a major History Channel tv show the other day. Coups like that make it all worth it.

[caleb72]

This somewhat interests me too. As an indie reviewer, the popularity of my site increases its value to the authors who are reviewed there. Ironically, authors I review are probably promoting my site more than my reviews are promoting them.

Sometimes I sit down and think about it: should I do more than reviews, should I bring on another reviewer to increase output, should I be spreading myself all over cyberspace with Twitter and Facebook and others, set up email alerts for those who wish to become "members" etc. etc. etc.. And then I sigh and realise that I can't have any kind of life if I'm going to make this site really successful, and this site isn't even intended to generate income (or at least, not currently).

Sorry - it's slightly off-topic, but I just wanted to mention that bloggers and reviewers have similar issues to authors when it comes to marketing and social media.

And if you're wondering, it's probably not the best idea to hire me as your campaign manager.

[Pressbox]

Generally speaking, I wouldn't hire someone else to do your online marketing for you. Even if you only have a little time to devote to it, it's much better in the long run for you to understand how you're reaching/talking to your audience. You should also be in control of your social presence, in my opinion. I say that from years of working in advertising and social media, so maybe I'm more inclined to the do-it-yourself model since I've done it myself......but I think you'd be wise to do as much as possible yourself.