One of the quickest and easiest ways for your book to be noticed is to be a guest on a radio show. People still listen to the radio at work, while driving their cars, or as background at home. Most radio interviews happen on the phone, so you can sell books while in your robe and slippers. In 1999, prior to today's health craze, we secured 100 radio shows for author, Dr. Lindsey Berkson and her book, Healthy Digestion. With only these radio shows to promote her book, sales went to over 17,000 in a few months. Another client landed a regular TV gig because the producer heard him on a radio interview. Yet another author's architectural practice multiplied because new clients heard her speak on the radio. One of our quantum physics authors received an invitation to speak at a prestigious conference because he used a CD of his radio interviews to promote himself and his book.
Each one of these authors did not waste air on the radio. They offered tips, were storytellers, and captured the audience's interest. For most people it's easy to talk or teach in an interview, however to capture someone's attention long enough to have them buy your book takes skill and practice.
10 tips to being a successful radio show guest:
1. Make sure listeners know who you are. Give the host an introduction that is exactly how you want to be introduced. What is the most advantageous way of describing you and your book?
2. Never say "the answer is in my book". Both hosts and the audience hate that. Instead you could respond with "we address that issue through what we call problem solving tools. Active listening is one of the techniques we use. Active listening involves..."
And then you can add "there are a number of other tools we offer in the book."
3. Practice answering a list of questions in front of the mirror, with family, while driving in your car. Practice until you are easily answering the questions you include in your media kit. Then have your family ask questions not on the list and be spontaneous with your answers. (Or you can hire a radio show coach to guide you through the ropes.)
4. Clearly state how people can purchase your book, and inspire them to action. During the interview talk about your website. What else will people learn by going to your website? Make sure the host knows the name of your website so they can mention it also. Mention how your book might be a good gift for Aunt Susan who likes books on wildlife, or how Dad always wants to know more about cooking. Give them a reason to buy the book for someone else besides themselves.
5. Make a personable connection with the host, and the audience. Say the hosts name when you answer a question. Demonstrate how you want to help the audience. Be engaging. The goal of every interview is to be invited back.
6. Listen to the some of the host's archived shows to learn how she runs her program, so you won't be surprised, and can give "good air time". One of the biggest mistakes authors make is to approach a radio show about new electronic devices with a suggestion for a show about how to keep your marriage alive.
7. The host asks you what you think is a stupid question. What do you do? You don't say- "Well that is a stupid question!" You say- So many people have asked me that question and... then you bridge to where YOU want to go. You say what YOU want to say. It is called a bridge- and the people who do this best are politicians. Stay focused, don't get defensive, be polite and then answer it the way you want to.
8. Either hire a publicist to get you on the radio shows, or plan your approach. Do you want to research regional shows that will support regional activities? Or do you want to research radio shows that connect with your topic nationally? Plan on approaching these shows at least a month before the event. Ask the engineer for a copy of the interview either as a MP3 to use on your website, or a CD to send out for speaking engagements.
9. Cover your bloopers if you can with a cough, or a vocalization like hmmm, or a "that's an interesting question", or a laugh with "you caught me on that one". Or you can repeat the question. Dead air scares everyone, and audiences leave.
10. Last but not least, have fun!
Mari's writing can be read on http://www.sanfranciscobookreview.com Mari is the director of Selby Ink, a publicity and marketing firm. http://www.selbyink.com Selby ink promotes authors who make a difference, and helps those authors to develop name recognition through assessment of their work, and developing virtual and real life" events. Selby ink specializes in the following genres: body, mind, spirit, relationships, environmental issues, and social justice. You can also find Mari on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
It's time once again to mention the Top 5 posts of the week. If you missed them the first time around, here is your chance to check them out. The Top 5 posts of the week, in order and by number of readers:
If the name Tom Llewellyn sounds familiar to you, it's because he has been featured in a previous post on this very blog. Tom had blogged about his publishing contract with Tricycle Press, an imprint of Random House, and just how much money he could expect to earn from sales of his new book. Since then, Tom has learned that the future of his next book, Letter Off Dead, is up in the air, now that Random House plans to shut down Tricycle Press.
Tom was kind enough to answer a few questions about how he marketed and promoted his first book, The Tilting House. What stuck out to me in the interview is that Tom doesn't take credit for the sales or success of his first book, but it is apparent from his answers that he has worked very, very hard to promote and market The Tilting House.
How many copies of your first book have you sold?
The last I heard, The Tilting House has sold a little over 8,000 copies. It’s in its second printing. The first printing sold out in about a month. It was made a Junior Library Guild selection, which helped a lot.
Where did most of your sales occur? Online? Bookstores? Self-sales?
I don’t know where the books sold—definitely not by me. As far as I know, sales have come nearly solely from Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, and to libraries and schools. I wish I had a clearer view into where sales were happening.
Was your book widely available in bookstores?
Yeah, it was (and is) in Borders and Barnes and Noble nationwide and available via Amazon. I know through word of mouth that many independent bookstores carried it as well, like Powell’s Books, University Bookstore in Seattle, Kings Books in Tacoma, etc.
How much help did your publisher give you in the marketing of your book?
Not as much as I expected (he says, while hoping he sounds grateful to be published at all). They sent out promotional copies, distributed the book in their catalog, blogged about it and sent me a whole bunch of customized bookmarks. They might have done a lot of other important activities as well.
Did you hire a publicist, or did you work on marketing and promotion on your own? If you hired a publicist, what types of things did they do for you?
I did not hire a publicist. Should I have?
What types of marketing activities did you handle on your own?
I’m a marketer for a living, having worked as director of marketing for a number of firms and currently working as creative director for a major financial services company. So I’ve got a bit of a head start in this area. A very talented designer friend of mine built a cool website (www.thetiltinghouse.com) and created a book trailer you can see there as well. I setup and completed interviews in local newspapers. I held a pretty massive book launch party—about which the publisher’s rep said it was the biggest launch party she’d ever seen. I’ve done a whole bunch of author talks at local schools and still continue to do them. And I’ve done a whole bunch of blog interviews—kind of like this one.
Which marketing activities have been the most helpful in selling your book?
Since I don’t have much insight into where the sales are coming from, it’s difficult to know. They all seem to help a little bit, but it would be hugely helpful if there was more transparency into the sales sources. If I, the author, am given the responsibility for marketing, which it seems I am, then I should also be given the information to allow me to do an informed job.
What was the biggest misconception you had before you started promoting your work?
I assumed the publisher would take a more active role. As a professional marketer, I’m a huge believer in the power of marketing. Statistics consistently show that investments in advertising dollars nearly always pay off through increased sales. Especially with books, when a book sale is literally one click away from a banner ad or a search engine marketing term. So I’m surprised the publisher doesn’t spend more on that. It wouldn’t make sense for me, because I simply get too little of the sales proceeds. But I wish the publisher would pony up a little more dough and effort on promotions.
How vital is social media such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. to your marketing?
It’s huge. I tweet a huge amount. My next book, Letter Off Dead, actually started as a blog—and was generating 10,000 unique visitors a month in less than six months. And I connect with other bloggers—like you—as much as I can stand.
How vital is niche marketing to promoting your work? How do you identify and reach out to your book’s niche audiences?
My first book, The Tilting House, is not really a niche book. It’s broad market middle reader fiction. My second book, Letter Off Dead, has more of a niche appeal as it deals specifically with junior high school, death and the afterlife. So I’ve been reaching out, via blogs and twitter, to junior high librarians, to grief counselors and to those interested in exploring metaphysical themes.
What advice do you have for new authors when it comes to marketing and promoting their books?
Don’t think that your job stops when you’re done writing your manuscript. Learn how to blog and tweet. Learn how to pitch the unique aspects of your story to local news sources. Network like mad. And never let a blog post that relates to your book go by without asking for an interview. You just might get one.
Today's guest post is written by award-winning author Jessica Handler. - Terry
I’m not usually a paragon of discipline, but when it comes to getting the word out about Invisible Sisters, marketing isn’t discipline: it’s fun. I’m fortunate because the book’s publicist played a part early and has a hand in publicity even almost a year after my memoir came out. Even a great publicist will tell you that it’s up to the author to be responsible for her book’s success. My publicist has made the connections for Invisible Sisters inclusion in some wonderful book festivals (I’ll be at the Virginia Festival of the Book in March, and the Southern Kentucky Book Fair in April) and I’ve pitched and organized lectures, book talks, and speaking engagements at writers’ clubs and community organizations. I ask friends and family (and friends of family) if I can visit their book clubs. If they live far away, Skype is a great resource!
Before you market your book, you’ll want to understand your platform. Get a friend who’s read the book to help you figure this out. Make a list of the topics and issues in the book, even if it’s fiction. Is it about children, parents, travel, religion, social justice, hobbies, medicine…if you’re not sure, ask yourself who your ideal reader would be, and why. This will help you decide what groups in your community would particularly like to hear you speak on this topic. Learn to use social media, like Twitter and Facebook, and update your status or your tweets to build recognition about yourself and your book with groups and individuals who you think would be interested. For example, if your book is about parenting and there’s a parenting story in the news, tweet, update, and blog about the connection! Don’t have a blog? Start one; there are plenty of free and low-cost templates out there, and plenty of students, nieces, nephews, and friends who can get you set up if you’re hesitant to try it alone.
Word of mouth (and keyboard) is the best way to encourage readers to buy and enjoy your book. Ask friends to tell other friends how much they liked it. Send thank you notes (the old fashioned kind, written by hand) to book groups and event organizers after you participate, and make sure to include a business card or promotional postcard with info about your book and contact info for yourself.
Here’s the easiest tip of all. Be friendly, enthusiastic, and support writers in your community, and they’ll support you back. Attend readings at bookstores, community centers, libraries, and schools. Join their mailing lists. Get to know other people supporting writers in your community. Writing is a solitary occupation, but you’ve got a book out! Time to celebrate and spread the news!
About the Author:
Jessica Handler’s first book, Invisible Sisters: A Memoir (Public Affairs, 2009) is one of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Eight Great Southern Books in 2009” and Atlanta Magazine’s “Best Memoir of 2009.” Her nonfiction has appeared in Brevity.com, More Magazine, Southern Arts Journal, and Ars Medica. She received the 2009 Peter Taylor Nonfiction Fellowship for the Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshop, and a special mention for a 2008 Pushcart Prize. Handler teaches creative writing in Atlanta, Georgia.
How much help did your publisher give you in the marketing of your book?
I’ve had four books published.Of those four, I’ve had little marketing support from my publishers.Now let me clarify.When I say “marketing,” I’m referring specifically to public relations.I’m not referring to sales and distribution support.I’ve never been allowed any contact with the sales teams, though I understand some publishers encourage such.In fact, I’m friends with a sales representative for a major publishing house and she has advised me to always get to know and befriend my sales reps.When the sales reps love your books and you, they’ll fight to get your work into the stores, get you solid display space, and psych up the bookstore staff so that they recommend your book to the buying public.
Having said that, sales reps are going the way of landline telephones.Maybe landline telephones is the wrong metaphor to use since sales reps – those human beings who travel, from state to state, from bookstore to bookstore, to make face-to-face sales pitches to bookstore management – are being replaced by telemarketers.To foresee how well that is going to work, just think about how you react to telemarketers.
As for public relations support, for my first book Wasted, which became a New York Times bestseller, I believe my publisher sent out a few review copies.By that I mean I provided names and addresses of friends in the media and my publisher mailed them copies of the book and, from what I understand, a note that said here’s a book by Suzy Spencer.There was no publicity packet included.No sales pitch of what the book was about or why they would be interested in it.
With my second book, my publisher decided it was too expensive to send out review copies, so I was provided an extra box of books, which I was supposed to mail to my media contacts.
I switched publishing houses for my third and fourth books.That publisher did provide a bit of publicity support.But for the purposes of this interview, I’m going to stick to the details of marketing and publicity for Wasted, i.e. the experiences of a first time author who fluked into becoming a New York Times best-selling author.
Did you hire a publicist, or did you work on marketing and promotion on your own?If you hired a publicist, what types of things did they do for you?
My answer is all of the above.Initially, I did everything myself.As time passed and I was out of ideas and contacts, I hired two different publicists.Each pursued only radio shows.I believe one publicist charged per booking, meaning if she got me on a show, I paid her a fee.If she didn’t get me on a show, I paid her nothing.She got me on numerous radio shows, mostly high-wattage stations in rural areas, in daylight hours.
I believe the other publicist charged a flat fee with a minimum number of bookings guaranteed.He booked me into larger markets but in the middle of the night, AM hours.One radio host sent me a copy of that publicist’s Suzy Spencer “PR packet.”It consisted of a copy of my book and a note scribbled in black Sharpie on white paper that said Suzy Spencer is available for interview – no explanation of why the radio station might be interested in interviewing me.At least my publisher had included a neatly typed note.
I never used that publicist again.In fact, I never hired another publicist.
3.What types of marketing activities did you handle on your own?
I sent out postcards announcing the publication and availability of the book, including its ISBN number.I sent those cards to friends, acquaintances, and even strangers, though I might have a tenuous relationship to them, and often added a handwritten note.I forced my family to do the same.
I set up book signings.I sent out postcards promoting the signings – again, to friends, acquaintances, and strangers to whom I had tenuous ties.I repeatedly contacted newspapers and radio and television stations regarding the signings and begged for interviews.I brought extra books when I felt bookstores hadn’t ordered enough product for a signing.And believe me, that happened often.
I created a press kit, which included a press release, biography, headshot, and eventually press clippings.I sent those to newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, and alumni publications.I constantly monitored the media to see if there was a news event that related to my book topic.If there was, I immediately contacted radio stations explaining how my book related to the event, what I could offer their radio show, and that I was available for interviews.
I probably need to stress that even when seeking publicity for my book signings, I didn’t simply say here’s my book, I’m available for an interview.I always provided a reason as to why they should want to interview me.I provided them with a story angle.I told them why their listeners, viewers, and/or readers would be interested in what I had to say and/or how it related to their audience.
I also set up talks with writers’ organizations, book clubs, high schools, and anything else I could think of.And I ran ads in Radio-TV Interview Report, a publication monitored by radio and TV producers as they look for topics and guests for their shows.
Which marketing activities have been the most helpful in selling your book?
With that first book, initially, I think the postcards helped most.Current friends wanted to support me, so they bought the book.Friends from the past were curious about what I was up to, so they bought the book.I believe my friends all over the nation are the ones who pushed the book onto the New York Times bestseller list.
After that, a book review appeared and proclaimed that Wasted had been banned in the oldest town in Texas.I jumped on that.Whereas my publisher had insisted x is your sole market.I insisted that x, y, and z were my markets.I sent a press release announcing the ban, along with copies of the review, to media that targeted those y and z markets.They jumped on the story and gave me coast-to-coast publicity.I then used those stories to get more publicity.
Finally, I think the radio interviews helped.I’d check my Amazon sales ranking before an interview, during it, and afterwards, and I could see the positive results.
One note:I inundated my publisher with my press clippings, which I believe kept them excited about the book.That meant their sales reps worked harder to keep the book on store shelves rather than letting it die a natural six-week to six-month death.
Which marketing activities have not worked for you at all?
This is kind of a tough question because what works for one book might not work for another and what works for a first book might not be right for a fourth book.Or what works for my book might not work for someone else’s book.For example, I’ve had friends who got scores, if not more than 100, radio bookings from Radio-TV Interview Report.For me, that was a waste of money.
Though I insinuate that I was disappointed with the publicists I hired, as I mentioned before, I could track improved Amazon sales after doing a radio show they booked for me.
And while I rarely do bookstore signings anymore because I lose money on them due to the travel expense, I found them highly beneficial for the beginning of my career.They introduced me to bookstore staffers and readers who never would have looked at my book.That meant that they talked about it and recommended it.The signings also got me at least a week’s worth of great in-store display and promotion, when, normally, one or two copies of my books would have been relegated to a bottom shelf.And they allowed me to get radio, TV, and newspaper coverage that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.Believe me, it’s a great thing when you’re sitting in a bookstore and a TV crew comes in to interview you.Customers start flocking over in curiosity and start buying.
What was the biggest misconception you had before you started promoting your work?
I’m not sure I had a lot of misconceptions.I know I didn’t expect the publisher to help me much on PR.And I knew that they only give a book a few weeks to succeed before moving on to the next book.But I guess I did expect them to put out a decent press release and send review copies to more than a few outlets.After all, I spent hours filling out their marketing questionnaire, i.e. my background, marketing angles, people and media outlets I knew that might promote my book and why they might promote it, etc..
No, my biggest misconception was their myopic view that only they know what works marketing-wise.I have a Masters of Business Administration degree in marketing and I live in Middle America.So I guess I had a fantasy that they’d respect my expertise and what I know about the market in which I live.But, no, they didn’t.And they don’t.They say, we’ve been doing this for years, we know who your market is, we know what works and what doesn’t, and you don’t.
But my theory is that what may have worked 20 years ago isn’t working today.The proof of that is the decreasing sales and profits experienced by the major publishing houses.So the other half of my theory is don’t say anything when they tell you don’t know who your market is and don’t say anything when they tell you your marketing ideas are wrong.Just go implement them on your own.If you don’t succeed, at least you know you gave it your all.And if you do succeed, well, your publishing house might take all the credit, but who cares … because you’ve got a bestseller.
How vital is social media such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. to your marketing?
My books have all come out prior to the mass popularity of social media.However, since 2004, when I started work on my next book, which should be out in 2011, I have been prepping my marketing plan.I have a list of blogs that I want to hit up for PR.I have my own blog on writing that I’m trying to grow.And I have a smaller blog that primarily deals with the topic of my next book.Eventually, the two blogs with be integrated.
I have my Facebook account and really try to work it.I have my Twitter account, though, admittedly, I don’t “get” Twitter.I have my YouTube account and am prepping videos for it.And I have my BlogTalkRadio account, for when I need that.
Though I don’t know if Twitter and Facebook will be as important five years from now as they are today – after all, look how myspace has almost disappeared for anyone other than musicians – I do think social media is imperative to follow and utilize.For example, I have Facebook friends all over the U.S., England, Turkey or Greece (I forget which), and the Philippines.Previously, if I wanted to hit those markets, I had to be on CNN.And believe me, I find national and international TV to still be my best promoter.But those aren’t always available to first time authors.But Facebook is.In a matter of seconds, you can post a few lines there and have people all over the world reading about your book.And that’s a heck of lot cheaper than sending out postcards.
How vital is niche marketing to promoting your work?How do you identify and reach out to your book’s niche audiences?
I’m known as a true crime author.That’s my niche – my x target market that my first publisher insisted was my sole market.My publisher further insisted that a great book cover and great photographs inside the book is enough to market to my niche.So I left that to my publisher and worried about the y and z general markets.
My next book is not true crime, and I think my publisher sees its target market as the general public.I see it building in the niche world and expanding to the general public.As such, I used the Internet to research the leaders within that niche, contacted them, and became friends with them.They introduced me to other leaders, as well as participants, which eventually created a huge email list.I then used MySpace and now Facebook to further develop that list.
In other words, I’m networking within my niche – I meet one person who introduces me to three others, and those three others introduce me to nine others.
As I get closer to publication, I will utilize this email list to create buzz for the book and then sales.
Other than sales, what benefits have you experienced as the result of becoming a “bestselling” author?
It gives you credibility.
What advice do you have for new authors when it comes to marketing and promoting their books?
Step 1:From day one, start creating your marketing plan.That means making a list of possible PR outlets.And it means getting out there and schmoozing and making friends.The greatest thing I ever did for my career was joining and volunteering for the Writers’ League of Texas.I worked on publicity for one of their fundraisers.That gave me an introduction to people in the media.Eventually, those people gave my book PR support.
Step 2:Don’t necessarily confess this PR obsession and game plan to your agent and editor.There’s a time to mention it, and it’s not when you’re writing the book.If you do, they’ll think you’re sacrificing your writing for PR.So wait until the book is done.If they then give your ideas a dismissive wave of the hand, let ‘em … then go do your own marketing plan.They’ll appreciate it when the sales get tallied.
Step 3:When everyone tells you stop with the PR, keep going with it.You’ll extend the life of the book and wring out additional sales.Think persistence, persistence, persistence.Be persistent, persistent, persistent.
About the author:
ABC’s Primetime Live has referred to Suzy Spencer as Austin, Texas’ best-known true crime writer. She is the author of Breaking Point, the story of Andrea Yates, a Book of the Month Club, Doubleday Book Club, Literary Guild and Mystery Guild selection; Wasted, a New York Times bestseller and Violet Crown Book Award finalist; The Fortune Hunter (St. Martin's True Crime Library), which was called“riveting” and “blockbuster” by the Globe; andWages Of Sin .
She has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC World News, Primetime, Dateline NBC, and numerous shows onFox News, CNN, MSNBC, Court TV, Oxygen, and the E! Channel.
Spencer holds a Masters of Professional Writing and a Masters of Business Administration, both from the University of Southern California.
Currently, she is writing a book about Americans’ alternative sex lives, which will be a lead trade paperback for Berkley Books.
I think authors can learn a lot from each other, particularly about marketing and promoting their books. Authors with several titles under their belts have already seen and experienced many things that new authors haven't yet gone through, and they have a lot to share. With that in mind, today's post features an interview with Sheila Lowe, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Handwriting Analysis, 2nd Edition and a recent novel, Dead Write: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery, published by the Signet imprint of the Penguin Book Group. As a veteran author who writes for a major NYC publisher, I think Sheila has some great words of wisdom for all up-and-coming authors.
How much help did your publisher give you in the marketing of your book?
These days, publishers expect authors to do most of their own marketing. My publisher (Penguin) lists me on their site; they sent out notices of my book to reviewers (though this time they did not send out advance reader copies), and they distribute the book many places where books are sold, including Kindle. If I request a review copy for someone who has asked, they will send a book to that person. Apart from that, the success of the book is pretty much up to me.
Did you hire a publicist, or did you work on marketing and promotion on your own? If you hired a publicist, what types of things did they do for you?
I do have a very low-cost publicist who handles book sales at my launch parties and some other events, and who also has arranged for some semi-local talks for me, some which actually pay(!). In the past I had a publicist who charged a monthly retainer plus fees for events. However, we weren’t on the same wavelength about what events or bookstores would work best for me.
What types of marketing activities did you handle on your own?
I’m active in organizations in my genre, such as Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, as well as professional organizations. I attend conventions where I appear on panels, and meetings where I lecture. I send out bookmarks and signed custom bookplates to readers and to bookstores that want them. I write articles. Drop in book signings, as well as some scheduled ones. Speak at book clubs and guest blog. Because of the nature of my work as a handwriting analyst, I’m sometimes called by the media for comment when there are stories in the news where there are also handwriting samples (most recently, Tiger Woods), so that helps get my name out, too.
Which marketing activities have been the most helpful in selling your book?
I’m still trying to figure that out. When I do, I’ll do more of it!
Which marketing activities have not worked for you at all?
Scheduled book signings have very limited success, which I hear from other authors, too, even big name ones. Book store sales people have told me that signings don’t often generate more than 1 or 2 sales, and that 5 books sold at a signing is considered a huge success. This is probably less true at small, specialty stores that have a loyal customer base who attend everything they schedule.
What was the biggest misconception you had before you started promoting your work?
That my (major) publisher would be helping me sell books. The sad fact is, the large publishing houses have so many authors and so few publicists that mid-list authors can’t expect much in the way of promo. I’ve heard it said that publishers expect their authors to use their advance for marketing, which means you don’t ever break even unless your books sell hugely. When I was with a very small publishing house, there was a great deal of personal help in promotion. Ironically, that’s how I got to move to a big house—the small publisher sent my first book out for review and it got a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly, who called it “a dynamic debut.” That got the big publisher’s attention.
How vital is social media such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. to your marketing?
I’m not sure yet, but I think they are important, at least to some degree. I believe we create readership by selling one reader at a time until a book goes viral. I’ve heard it said that one happy reader represents five more. I don’t know whether that’s true, but if it is, I’d like to precipitate a very big sneeze!
How vital is niche marketing to promoting your work? How did you identify and reach out to your book’s niche audience?
For me, it’s important because I’m well known in my field (handwriting analysis) and colleagues around the world read my books. However, the down side is, it’s a very small field. I need to reach out more to people in related fields, such as psychologists and lawyers, as my protagonist is a forensic expert. But then, my fiction books are psychological suspense, so they can be enjoyed by anyone who likes reading mystery.
What advice do you have for new authors when it comes to marketing and promoting their books?
Have a marketing plan before you even look for an agent or a publisher. Write it out so they know you are committed to marketing and promoting the book yourself. If you do, you’re far more likely to get a book deal than a writer who expects to sit back while the publisher does everything. These days, that’s not going to happen. It’s probably even more true in non-fiction, but non-fiction is much easier to sell. There are some helpful books on writing book proposals that include great info on how to create a marketing plan.
What stuck out to me in the interview is that Tom doesn't take credit for the sales or success of his first book, but it is apparent from his answers that he has worked very, very hard to promote and market The Tilting House.
, marketing isn’t discipline: it’s fun. I’m fortunate because the book’s publicist played a part early and has a hand in publicity even almost a year after my memoir came out. Even a great publicist will tell you that it’s up to the author to be responsible for her book’s success. My publicist has made the connections for Invisible Sisters inclusion in some wonderful book festivals (I’ll be at the Virginia Festival of the Book in March, and the Southern Kentucky Book Fair in April) and I’ve pitched and organized lectures, book talks, and speaking engagements at writers’ clubs and community organizations. I ask friends and family (and friends of family) if I can visit their book clubs. If they live far away, Skype is a great resource! 
, which became a New York Times bestseller, I believe my publisher sent out a few review copies.
, which was called “riveting” and “blockbuster” by the Globe; and 
