Book Marketing - Have You Evaluated Your Competition?
By Walt Shiel

Do you think your competition for book sales is primarily other books? Maybe, maybe not. Remember that books are mostly discretionary purchases, meaning those dollars could be spent on a wide variety of other discretionary things -- from attending a movie to buying burger and fries at McDonalds.

In other words, your sales message must convince a potential buyer that he or she would be more entertained, educated, and/or enlightened by reading your book than by attending that movie or eating that burger. True, books also must compete with other books, particularly if they're being purchased in a bookstore. After all, it is fair to assume that the potential buyer came in to look at books, right? Maybe, maybe not. Probably depends on the bookstore. Your would-be reader might be looking for a magazine...or calendar...or music CD...or movie DVD...or even just a latte grande.

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For online sales venues, maybe they're looking for a book by John Grisham but happen across your book on brewing yak beer. How can you convince them that your book will be a better use of their, typically limited, funds?

But don't forget to thoroughly research the other books in your genre. Use every resource at your disposal -- libraries, bookstores, and online retailers (particularly Amazon.com). Read the summaries and reviews. Pay attention to publication dates as books more than a year old with lackluster sales may or may not be relevant. And don't just look at books by the big name, bestselling authors. The more you learn about the competition, the better you can focus your marketing. (You did prepare a detailed marketing plan for your book, right?)

However, never assume that your competition is just another book in your specific genre, or even a book at all. Cast your research and evaluation net wider!