How tough is it to sell a book if you’re not a John Grisham type or in Oprah’s Book Club? It’s tough! (By the way, if any of you know Oprah, let me know. My good friend Sue is determined to reach Oprah and I love her for it! But if you know Ms. Winfrey, it may speed up the process.)
Here is a little analysis I could have done prior to writing my book on fatherhood. I’m happy I didn’t, or I may not have ever written it. (I’m kidding, yes I would have!)
Check this out.
THEREFORE:
A 0.0047% average population reach to 288,000 fathers who,
1) read more than one book a year,
2) with kids under 21, and
3) care about being better dads equals...
13.5 dads who will likely buy this book.
With this calculation of expected sales, I’m slightly ahead of expectations! ;)
Of course I am being facetious!
I made these assumptions for fun. But it goes to my point that the most difficult job of an author is not writing, but promoting! Some of these numbers are educated guesses and could be way off. But even with this pessimistic look, there would be 288,000 interested male customers of my book, not even counting women who would be interested! But no one can buy a book if they have never heard of it! 288,000 interested buyers out of 320,000,000 people is less than one tenth of one percent of the population--but it would, nevertheless, be great sales!
But here is another, more important, issue.
Those 288,000 dads I described earlier are not the men who most need to read a book on the challenges, answers, and rewards of being a dad! Their interest alone shows they are involved dads! It’s those men that don’t care enough to improve as fathers, or those who don’t think they need to improve, or those that are just clueless, that could use the discussion. They aren’t in that 288,000 interested male reader’s number, but should be!
What to do?
I'm trying many ideas to get "The Power of Dadhood" into the right hands. I’ve donated or given away over 200 books. I’ve spent more than I want to admit on promotion and I only get 10% of what one pays for a book, and I haven’t seen any of that yet. (Note: If had spent the promotion money directly on buying my own book, sales would have been much higher). I’m losing a bit financially, but this was not a money making venture for me, but I do hope my publisher prospers for their belief in my book. What I didn’t know is that publishers don’t really have much of a budget for marketing—it mostly up to the writer. I spend many hours every day on social media and reaching out to the National Fatherhood Initiative, Fatherhood.gov, father support centers, charities, book reviewers, etc. I write this blog, I look for opportunities to speak about fatherhood/Dadhood. I’ve tried to give it to libraries (and I did in Springfield MO. Thanks to Sue!)
BUT…
I understand all of this and went into this project with my eyes wide open, and with an open mind. I’ll keep on chugging! All I ask is that you, my blog readers and friends, keep your eyes and ears open to suggest my book to a father or family who either needs some help, would like to learn more, or is interested is measuring where they stand as parents!
Please understand I am not disappointed in any way. I am grateful beyond words that I was able to get my book into the hands of the public! I just want my book to make a small difference in as many families as possible!
Thank you!!!!
Here is a little analysis I could have done prior to writing my book on fatherhood. I’m happy I didn’t, or I may not have ever written it. (I’m kidding, yes I would have!)
Check this out.
- There are 320,000,000 people in the USA
- Only 30% of those read more than one book a year -- 96,000,000
- Only 30% of those readers are male – 28,800,000
- Only 50% are fathers – 14,400,000
- Only 25% have kids under 21 – 3,600,000
- 80% care about being dads -- 2,880,000
- Only 10% care enough or think they need to read about being better dads -- 288,000
- Finally, optimistically word of my book has reached about 15,000 , or .0047% of the US population.
THEREFORE:
A 0.0047% average population reach to 288,000 fathers who,
1) read more than one book a year,
2) with kids under 21, and
3) care about being better dads equals...
13.5 dads who will likely buy this book.
With this calculation of expected sales, I’m slightly ahead of expectations! ;)
Of course I am being facetious!
I made these assumptions for fun. But it goes to my point that the most difficult job of an author is not writing, but promoting! Some of these numbers are educated guesses and could be way off. But even with this pessimistic look, there would be 288,000 interested male customers of my book, not even counting women who would be interested! But no one can buy a book if they have never heard of it! 288,000 interested buyers out of 320,000,000 people is less than one tenth of one percent of the population--but it would, nevertheless, be great sales!
But here is another, more important, issue.
Those 288,000 dads I described earlier are not the men who most need to read a book on the challenges, answers, and rewards of being a dad! Their interest alone shows they are involved dads! It’s those men that don’t care enough to improve as fathers, or those who don’t think they need to improve, or those that are just clueless, that could use the discussion. They aren’t in that 288,000 interested male reader’s number, but should be!
What to do?
I'm trying many ideas to get "The Power of Dadhood" into the right hands. I’ve donated or given away over 200 books. I’ve spent more than I want to admit on promotion and I only get 10% of what one pays for a book, and I haven’t seen any of that yet. (Note: If had spent the promotion money directly on buying my own book, sales would have been much higher). I’m losing a bit financially, but this was not a money making venture for me, but I do hope my publisher prospers for their belief in my book. What I didn’t know is that publishers don’t really have much of a budget for marketing—it mostly up to the writer. I spend many hours every day on social media and reaching out to the National Fatherhood Initiative, Fatherhood.gov, father support centers, charities, book reviewers, etc. I write this blog, I look for opportunities to speak about fatherhood/Dadhood. I’ve tried to give it to libraries (and I did in Springfield MO. Thanks to Sue!)
BUT…
I understand all of this and went into this project with my eyes wide open, and with an open mind. I’ll keep on chugging! All I ask is that you, my blog readers and friends, keep your eyes and ears open to suggest my book to a father or family who either needs some help, would like to learn more, or is interested is measuring where they stand as parents!
Please understand I am not disappointed in any way. I am grateful beyond words that I was able to get my book into the hands of the public! I just want my book to make a small difference in as many families as possible!
Thank you!!!!
