How First-Time Nonfiction Authors Can Optimize Working with Their Publisher’s Marketing Department

If you’re a first-time author, marketing may seem like a daunting task. The best kind of marketing, however, comes out of a strong working relationship between author and publisher. The more you collaborate with your marketing team, the more effective the marketing can be. This could potentially mean increased sales of your book—and at the very least improve your name and brand recognition as an author.

What Does a Publisher’s Marketing Department Do?

The marketing teams at publishing houses are constantly at work looking for new and creative ways to reach your book’s audience. They reach out to faculty, university departments, key opinion leaders, distributors, and others who might be interested in the bulk purchase or promotion of your book.

They also handle paid promotions like digital and print advertisements, creating brochures and flyers; come up with promotional sales; spearhead email and social media campaigns; and are likely to work closely with the sales team, distributors, and booksellers. They conduct outreach to influencers and book clubs, asking them to consider reviewing or adopting your book.

Marketing Versus Publicity

Marketing and publicity are commonly confused, so what’s the difference?

Marketers work to sell your book. They handle distributor relations, manage multi-platform ad campaigns (digital, print, social), and create promotions.

Publicity departments are focused on the press relations of your book—essentially getting the word out to media outlets. The publicity team will focus on making sure your book gets reviewed and featured in print and online.

At smaller publishing houses, the marketing and publicity departments might be combined and share these responsibilities.

Oftentimes publicity duties will fall on the author because of a lack of resources or expenditure of effort by their publisher. If this happens, authors can take a proactive approach by organizing events, reaching out to podcasters for interviews, soliciting reviews, and publishing articles related to their book’s subject matter. As an expert in your field, you are uniquely positioned to market and promote your book.

How Involved Should I Be?

Both you and your publisher want to see your book succeed. However, definitions of success can vary. For example, the marketing department at a publishing house might measure success by the number of book sales. For authors, a successful marketing campaign would not just increase the sales of their book but also raise awareness about it and elevate their brand as an emerging voice in their field.

An author who takes a more hands-off approach to marketing their books will still be in good hands. Marketing departments at publishing houses are focused on getting your book to the right audience—whether that be readers, distributors, booksellers, influencers, opinion leaders, reviewers, or faculty. However, the more you work with your marketing team toward that shared goal, the more likely your book is to succeed.

Reaching Your Audience

As a nonfiction author, you are the expert in your subject matter. When meeting with your marketing team, use it as an opportunity to reiterate the gap in the market your book fills and the selling points outlined in your book’s proposal.

Authors also know their readers better than anyone. Let your marketing team know who you think will read the book so they can best strategize how to reach your intended audience.

Working Your Own Network

Marketing teams are always looking for leads. It’s always a good idea to make your marketing department aware of opportunities to market the book, such as upcoming speaking engagements and conferences you are attending.

The marketing department might ask you to share the contact information of leaders in your field and others who you think might read and promote the book, such as contributors, colleagues, and department heads.

Using Social Media as an Author

Having a social media presence is also a huge plus when marketing your book. As an author, you may have access to more organic engagement than publishers, even with their large followings. Publishers do not expect authors to be influencers, but the ability to reshare and be tagged in posts and promote your book—although it might seem minor—can go a long way.

Your book’s release, upcoming signing and reading events, and key dates like conferences or anniversaries are all opportunities for organic content creation. Post often and consistently. Tag your publisher and any collaborators who may share and repost. An author with an up-to-date social media page and website is more likely to get approached for speaking engagements, interviews, and more.

Social media is a tool available to all nonfiction authors for the marketing and promotion of their books—independent of publishers.

Conclusion

When leveraged effectively, the working relationship between an author and their publisher’s marketing department can be a fruitful one.

Communication is crucial. Staying in contact with your publisher’s marketing team, keeping them apprised of potential marketing opportunities, and staying active on social media will help to ensure the success of your book.