Customer Reviews

Self-Marketing to Independent and Locally Owned Bookstores

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If you are looking to self market a book you've written, save your money.

This book - I bought the ebook of it - is almost 10 YEARS old, but that information is conveniently missing from the product information both here, and the site I bought it from.

Here is what you receive when you get this book:

8 pages of blanks/ title page / 1 line dedication, etc.

1 page "contents", divided into 3 "sections". Each section is a small blurb. No pages numbers... I thought this was odd, until I read on..

1 page introduction, basically the same language used to promote the book.

1 page on Print on Demand and E books.

1 page "how to use this book", which can be boiled down to "Write a query letter. Email it". Well, duh. There is the oh-so-timely advice of "email everyone as a bcc in your email program". Yes, because that will get your query looked at..

1.25 page "Section A" is basically a very vague, "duh" sort of blurb on writing a query letter.

From there... any marketing advice? NO. From there, all that remains is:

"Section B" - 201 pages of 6-7 bookstores per page, Store name, phone number, Fax, and 10-year-old email address only. Alphabetically listed, NO info whatsoever on the focus of the stores. Because I totally want to approach a used fiction store with my new cookbook. That won't make me look like an idiot AT ALL.

"Section C" is a short blurb that directs readers to download a "database" of contact info. Well, that would be great! Hey, maybe there is a use for this book after all.

No. The "database" is a text file with a bunch of email addresses. No contact names, no indication as to what store each is for... nothing.

Lastly, several more blank pages.

Well. There was MY morning "WTF!?" experience.

Sorry, but if your "marketing" book is essentially just a collection of contact information, THAT should be clearly stated. Also, as the contact information heavily relies on email addresses - it should DEFINITELY be stated that this book was published in 2001.