Summary:
The Wordsy Woman philosophy when it comes to book marketing is that there is no one-size-fits-all magic bullet tactic that’s going to work for every author and every book. There is no proven system you can follow that will guarantee your book to become a best-seller. What works for one author, one book, or one reader may not work for another. So I advocate getting back to the marketing basics. In Book Marketing Basics: The 5 Ps, you will go beyond hit-and-miss marketing tactics to learn how to apply the marketing fundamentals in the ways that make the most sense to your product, your readers, your personality, and your preferences. It will help you get your book or product in the best shape as possible to prepare for the market. You’ll decide the best price at which to offer your book or product for sale as well as where offering it for sale is most likely to attract buyers. We’ll also cover promotion; in general as well as online and off. Throughout it all, you will learn how to take the fifth P of people into account, which includes your readers and yourself. Follow this advice to evaluate your book as a product, its price, its distribution, its promotion, its readers, and yourself to provide the best chance of selling and helping you to meet your goals.
Reader Review:
A Book Review by Dan Moore
I begin my review with this comment: “I received a free early review copy of this book so I could provide an honest review.”
The thesis of Jodie Toohey’s forthcoming book, Book Marketing Basics: The 5 Ps; Applying the Fundamentals to Your Book, is embodied within the dedication on page 4: “… dedicated to all authors … with a story to tell and words to share.” The techniques she offers in the book are clearly stated, easy to follow, and germane to reluctant, as well as to the more experienced writer.
She provides a simple framework for authors to follow in marketing contained in five principals: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, and People. Jodie’s style is always encouraging, which appeals to the Walter Mitty in new authors in the attempt to foster a sense of security and an urge to go forth and conquer. She smartly focuses first on the 5th P – People, and then folds this factor into every aspect of the other 4 Ps. This clever approach subliminally reinforces the importance of the author/marketer knowing themselves, as well as their target reader and ultimately, purchaser. Hers is not a Pollyanna approach or fortune cookie blurb; it is a concept well developed by her thesis.
Jodie allows that luck may have something to do with the success of a book, but marketing a would-be-best-seller requires use of the old state lottery promoter’s maxim: you gotta play to win. Her message is: this means you, the author. To aid in this endeavor, she offers ‘tools’ for a writer’s toolbox, encouraging the author to determine who her reader is and then to pluck the tools she needs from her book’s toolbox to satisfy the identified reader. Jodie encourages writers to challenge themselves, keep the logistics of writing convenient, and live abundantly. Writing habits should fit the author’s lifestyle, embrace her efforts, and not fear the necessity to tweak her routine for better results.
Her methodology is all about framing a mindset. This approach is friendly and woos the reader with a goal of confidence to be bounded by the caveat: you don’t have to try everything. The writer should identify hurdles and then develop methods to overcome them with the tools the book offers. To that effort, do not allow self-limiting beliefs to overcome ambition.
Each section of her book not only provides useful tools for preparation of a manuscript for publishing and marketing, but augments these with expert references, practical exercises to strengthen the product, and tips on valuable lessons learned from someone who has done this before. She constantly brings action requirements back to the reader, mostly with a subtle, “now let’s get started”. She lays out the methods and lends the encouragement, but places the onus squarely on the writer to determine what she is willing to do to meet her stated goals. To this end, her message is for the writer is: “establish her own brand” and sell herself to her self-identified target audience.
In the all-important chapter on the first P – Product, she goes to great length to impress on the author that before any attempt at marketing, the manuscript should be “the best it can be”. She breaks this into three detailed sections: big picture revisions, copy/line editing, and proofreading, covering time-tested do’s and don’t’s of polishing manuscripts and pointing out pitfalls to avoid. At times Jodie strays from her marketing theme with pointed details on how to write (style and composition). But these side streets are not off ramps, but provide scenic detours to be welcomed by all but the most experienced authors.
She gives solid, useful tips on editing; sheds light on the ins-and-outs of formatting, publishing, and pricing (discounts, sales tax); what to expect from the “big boys” when trying to display your book (returns, placement fees); and offers pragmatic ways to reach your reader and have her reach you, the author.
The information Jodie provides in the Price, Place, and Promotion chapters are lessons learned from a professional in how to get your book “out there”. At first, these tips don’t seem nearly as important as worrying about split infinitives, punctuation, or dangling participles. But, they are crucial to building success in an author’s marketing effort. A writer can have the “perfect” book, but where and how she sells it (and this is the pointy end of Jodie’s thesis) is just as important. Jodie Toohey’s Book Marketing Basics: The 5 Ps; Applying the Fundamentals to Your Book, is a valuable, contemporary addition to any writer’s bookshelf, or in her terms, toolbox. It is concise, easy to ready, and well worth becoming a page-worn, well-thumbed reference.
Review by Mike Bayles
Jodie Toohey’s guide to publishing and marketing, Book Marketing Basics, provides a very thorough and useful guide to writing, editing and promoting an author’s book. She looks at questions of target audiences, and the five P’s of marketing: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People. Her helpful guide avoids presenting a “one plan fits all” approach, allowing each author to create a plan for his/her individual needs. I highly recommend her book for both novice and veteran authors.
Review by Wenonah Allen
“Book Marketing Basics: The 5 Ps, Applying the Fundamentals to Your Book” by author Jodie Toohey is my complete “comfort” as I face the future publication and marketing of my own book. Publishing and marketing my future imagination clippings will be my first rodeo but I’m thankful I won’t have to deal with the drama of figuring out the what, why, where, when and how’s of marketing because Jodie is publishing “Book Marketing Basic: The 5 Ps to walk me through the entire process.
Jodie’s new book is in-depth and a very good read. As I read the conclusion of her new book and my third cup of green tea is gone, my first reaction is “WOW”. I had no idea that getting a book on a shelf is such a rigorous stunt that encapsulates the body, soul, and mind. Jodie, thank you for going into depth and detailing the marketing process in legible terms. Your philosophical view on publishing and marketing followed by practical solutions gives me, the reader, the type of hope that prepares me to dive into marketing without hesitation. Jodie constantly and consistently reminds the reader the exercise in writing, publishing and marketing is their desire to inform, entertain, and satisfy someone’s search for finding words on a page they can connect.
I am a wanta-be-author and it is paramount to have an accurate, organized, detailed bench mark that informs the author the many ways the industry is evolving; and with Jodie’s sage philosophy on Mindset and Motivation, she is looking fast forward by including resources to use when all quotes and answers must be current and factual. I would expect no less from Jodie; among her degrees and professional accomplishments she is an MBA graduate of the University of Iowa Henry B. Tippie, College of Business.
The 5 Ps in “Book Marketing Basics” helps us new kids on the block research the patterns of People Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Jodie lists People first as the most important and I agree. People share all major significant experiences through various communication and physical interaction. Jodie went in-depth to explain her own marketing experiences and techniques for reaching audiences from a wide range of categories and personality types. This topic is my Achilles heel and the examples Jodie provides is my new go to for gathering my people. People are the constant of what comprises and identifies the individual controlling characterizes in the remaining four Ps and Jodie’s well-choreographed, plain and honest explanations helps me connect the dots. Jodie’s pragmatic instruction in building relationships or gathering an audience is beneficial for me; a person who is sometimes a type A.
Jodie tackles “Brand” and answers my many questions about “me” advertising “me”. BIG GULP! I wondered about this, but she includes examples of marketing maneuvers essential in establishing a brand. She states this should be an exercise to create something memorable, but it can turn out disastrous. That is my fear, however she gives instruction on how to identify the opportunity and time within an author’s power that will build a purposeful author brand and encourage positive reviews. THANK YOU!
I know “Product” will see a lot of my eyes for so many reasons. Jodie identifies the intricate basics that is core to writing, publishing, and marketing. As a reader, I understand why she states grammar, editing, proofreading, and formatting, are the meat of what marketing is about. Yes, I can create People relationships but developing an exemplary habit or plan to consistently deliver the best product to those People is monumental.
Price, Place, and Promotion are direct products or children of People and a heaping thank you is out to Jodie for arming my tool box with a plethora of on-line tools to establish a total marketing feasibility study.
The “Resources” section is a treasure trove of references with websites, links, and additional information. Any author searching for marketing guidance will find this section beneficial no matter if you are well-seasoned or embarking on a new career.
“Book Marketing Basics: The 5 Ps, Applying the Fundamentals to Your Book”, by author Jodie Toohey is my forever reference material to embrace.“I received a free early review copy of this book so I could provide an honest review.”