DISTRIBUTION ... Actual Buyers
There are any number of organizations who will buy your book
FRIDAY
In my mind, DISTRIBUTION is where the gold is in your Author Adventure. Of course individuals (family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and strangers) will buy your book if you are on the platforms where they shop. However, those are only a few of the opportunities, many more exist if you know where to look and how to approach them. The Fifth Secret of the 5 Secrets to Publishing Success is DISTRIBUTION.
Over the next few weeks I will be talk in depth about all the other DISTRIBUTION avenues that exist for selling your book and the special language you must speak to each of them –– if you are going to successfully get them to buy multiple copies of your book or books.
There are any number of organizations or institutions who might be interested in buying your book if it matches their audience needs. Here again understanding your audience is critical just like when writing, launching, publishing or marketing. So, who are these organizations or institutions:
Public and PreK-12 School Libraries
Public and Private Schools (Curriculum Directors, Principals, PTA’s, etc.)
Day Cares
Universities
Bookstores
Other retailers (Toy, Apparel, Furniture, etc.)
Big Box (Walmart, Sam’s, Target, Costco)
Churches
Non-Profits
Hospital Gift Shops
Hotel Gift Shops
Airport Gift Shops
Corporations
Professional Associations (Lawyers, Engineers, Doctors, Tech, etc.)
Military
Museums and Cultural Centers
As I mentioned, I will address each of these different opportunities as you cannot have the same conversation with a School as you have with a Corporation, nor can you approach the Military like you do a University or a Hospital.
DISTRIBUTION channels are the paths products take from their initial manufacturing stage to selling them to consumers or other end-users. Sometimes it is direct, sometimes it includes a wholesaler, retailer, or other go-between.
The challenge is every profession (and distribution channel) has their own particular language and way of doing things. Sometimes they have specific line items in their budgets or maybe they have accounts set up with specific wholesalers; these systems are in place to help streamline their financial and acquisition efforts. Sometimes they can or want to buy direct.
If you are looking for different ways and places to distribute (SELL) your book or books then please subscribe (NONE/Free) or consider becoming a paid supporter. It is basically the cost of a nice meal out. Consider investing in your future or current author adventure instead of your stomach! :-)
I look forward to sharing specific strategies under my 5 Secrets to Publishing Success –– Writing, Launching, Publishing, Marketing and Distribution. .
Cheers to your writing, launching, publishing, marketing and distribution success, Liz