Mission point press

a publishing & marketing guide

Thank you for doing business with Mission Point Press. As writers ourselves, we know about the momentousness of a finished manuscript, and we’ll do our utmost to make your book the best book it can be. And to that end, we want you to be aware of all the facts about self-publishing.

The good news is that Mission Point Press is a hybrid publisher. That means that while we sometimes pay people to write and design our own books, we also employ the same standards — often the same people — to authors who self-publish. Additionally, every book we shepherd through the publishing process receives the Mission Point Press brand. Because of our talented professionals and high standards, a Mission Point Press book signifies industry quality. 

  • MPP authors regularly receive dozens, even hundreds of 5-star reviews on Amazon.

  • MPP authors are represented in bookstores across the country, in our home state of Michigan, and in more than 40 stores in our home state of Michigan.

  • Every single year, MPP authors are nominated by the Library of Michigan for the Michigan Notable Book Award.

But — here it comes — we can’t do everything. (We have it firsthand that no publisher, no matter how large, can — or will — do everything.) Yes, you’ve sat in a room alone for hours, writing your book. But if you want to recover your costs, not to mention make money from the sales of your book, your job isn’t over. It’s only beginning. Nearly a million books are published every year in the U.S. alone, and unless readers get some facetime with your book (ads, events, media), it might as well be a paper needle in a haystack of paper.

What follows below is our most up-to-date marketing advice, and we’re storing this document on the web in order to keep it current. Check in every once in a while. And please let us know if we’re missing something.

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TIMING IS EVERYTHING

First of all, let’s talk about the publishing schedule and marketing. To create a successful marketing campaign, you have to think ahead. For example, your book will need endorsements (blurbs). When do you ask people for these? If you want to submit your book for a Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly or Foreword review, these organizations require submissions three to four months in advance of publication.

Let’s look at a typical holiday publication timeline:

  • You have chosen a line edit and been assigned an editor. (June 1)

  • Work on the cover begins. (July)

  • You have worked with your editor, made changes — now the book goes to the copy editor. (July)

  • Editing complete, the book goes to design. (August)

  • The book loads to the printer for a first proof copy (August). Everything looks different when it’s on a page, so once the text is typeset, you will want to check for errors, corrections, and changes to the design. (August)

  • The book reloads to printer. (August) The cover is complete for advance social media promotions, and galleys (printed proofs) can now be sent to review organizations (with a November or December publication date) or for endorsements. You can also send the cover and PDF to target magazines and suggest an excerpt. Start booking speaking engagements, including libraries, speaker series, service organizations, or like-minded nonprofits.

  • At the same time, you and MPP will do a final proof of the galley. If you need a website, now’s the time to get started. (August)

  • Reload to the printer with corrections and front/back matter (front cover and back cover text) plus endorsements. (September)

  • Available for bookstore orders. (October/November)

  • Holiday publication. (November)

    Notice that this is about a five- or six-month process — after the manuscript is turned in — and that’s if there aren’t too many changes and no rewrites. While many authors will publish within this six-month schedule, timelines can vary depending on the project’s complexity. You will need to add at least three months to this schedule if you wish to request a Kirkus review.

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publishing overview

Many Mission Point Press authors have found resounding success in selling their books. Several MPP books have appeared on local and statewide lists of notable books and have sold thousands of copies. Authors have undertaken statewide and regional book tours, hosted packed book signings (post-Covid) and talks and have been featured in numerous newspaper, TV, and radio stories. Tom Carr, a Mission Point Press author, booked 16 engagements in three months! 

Mission Point Press authors have also achieved national success. David Yuzuk’s book, The Giant Killer, has spent over a year as an Amazon bestseller. Charles Cutter’s mystery series was chosen for a Kindle Daily Deal.

A lot of that has to do with the quality of an author’s book — both in terms of words and design. But a large part of success rests with the authors’ own hard work at marketing their books. 

And it is hard work. It means identifying your target market, sending out press releases and following up with phone calls, writing letters and emails to friends, securing speaking engagements, engaging with folks on social media, buying ads, lugging cartons of books hither and yon, and answering the same questions over and over without making it seem that way. But it’s worth it to meet readers … and to sell books. That’s why you write; that’s why MPP publishes. 

There are multiple options for marketing your book, kind of an a la carte menu. You can decide how big or small you want to go, how much you want to spend, and how much time you want to put into it. We are here to help you in whatever you decide. What we do know is this: Like anything else in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it!

Our bookstore, library and media liaison is Tricia Frey, an author herself who has years of experience in marketing. You can email her at tricia@missionpointpress.com.

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Getting Started

Here are a few basics to get working on while your book is being edited. Thinking about these things can help you figure out how deep you want to dive into marketing your book. 

  • Think about your audience. Is your book going to be popular with history or romance lovers? Scientists or seekers? Adventurers? Rich, poor, old, young? It’s sometimes painful to drill down to specifics, but it is also extremely helpful. Think about where those people gather — online and in real life. Do they belong to organizations that meet regularly? Do they belong to forums and Facebook groups? Get familiar with these groups and join them. Create lists of all the interest groups, publications, and potential readers with contact information and a place for notes. Service groups might include clubs like Rotary or Kiwanis. Continue to gather contacts throughout your publishing career by taking an email signup sheet to appearances and collecting business cards wherever you go. Keep your email database current, then send regular emails packed with useful information. Continually ask readers to review your book on Amazon. 

  • Join a writer’s group in your area. There are just so many good things about writers groups. They are places to network, make friends, get writing tips and feedback on your book, and learn marketing strategies.

  • Prepare a presentation. You’ll need a presentation for talks and book sales to book clubs, nonprofits, classes, etc. Prepare a presentation — the more images or video, the better. Include information about your book, of course, but also about you, your writing process, where your research took you, and other points of interest. Consider booking appearances that aren’t specifically directed at selling your book, i.e., a photography exhibit or a how-to class. Your presentation should be used as a template that can be customized to each group you speak to. Take books to every appearance and stay to sign and sell them. It’s better to have a partner with you to handle the sales, so you’re free to chat and sign. If your speech is a moving one, they’ll want to buy a book to take home to remember the experience. 

  • Set your official publication date. Be strategic about your publication date — it’s not necessarily when you book will be physically available. Instead, think of the month that will score the biggest sales: the peak tourist time in your area, an important anniversary year, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Black History Month or Women’s History Month.

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    once your manuscript is fully edited

  • Find testimonials, or what the industry calls “blurbs”— a sentence or three about how great your book is. Email a paragraph or two about yourself and your book to authors who have written about a similar topic and ask them if they’d be interested in seeing a galley (see below) or a PDF. Leaders of nonprofits or groups who are advocates for your cause are also good candidates. Local authors are, of course, also an excellent option. (Belonging to a writer’s group gives you a big leg up in this area.)

  • Create a galley or advance reader copy (ARC). To enter a contest or to submit your book for a pre-publication review, you’ll need a galley. This often looks like a finished book, but with the following wording: “This is an uncorrected advance reader copy. Not available for resale.” Before sending to review organizations, first try to get as many testimonials as possible.

  • Enter a contest. There are many, many contests out there for completed, self-published books. But be careful—some are scams and carry a high price to enter. (Here’s a site that rates contests.) Sometimes — as with the Booklife Prize — the entry fee includes an evaluation and a blurb.

  • Get reviewed. The Book Commentary, for example, is an interesting place with a wide selection of books, both traditionally and self-published. Booklife, Eric Hoffer and Foreword also review books. Reviews take time, so plan your release date accordingly.

  • If your book has national appeal, consider the following:

    • Submit two galleys to Publishers Weekly at least 3–4 months prior to publication

    • Submit a galley to Foreword Reviews at least 3–4 months prior to publication

    • Send media review copies to newspapers and magazines prior to the proofing stage

    • Buy (try for) a BookBub New Release (if you’ve written a fiction book)

    Create Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. Announce your book and launch date and say how friends and family can pre-order. You might already have a Facebook page, but a dedicated author page will allow you to run (boost) ads. You can track who “likes” your ads and send a personal message, with news of special discounts or gatherings. Learn the tools of creating an ad on Facebook. Many of our authors recommend Canva. 

  • Create a website. A basic website is essential, and a nice way to include a “for more information” line in your press release, business cards, social media, etc. Here is what the website should include: a book description, an image of your book cover, a bio and a headshot of yourself, a one-chapter excerpt (optional), blurbs, additional relevant images, and most importantly, how and when to buy your book. Be sure the website is designed so that you can add links to articles. Some authors sell books (and ebooks) off their website, while others provide a links to brick-and-mortar bookstores or online retailers. Websites aren’t nearly as complicated or costly to create as they were just a few years ago. Mission Point Press can create a basic website for you for a very affordable $500.  

  • Create an author profile at Amazon’s Author Central.

  • Schedule book launch talks and book signings. Over the last couple of years, authors have faced with the reality of COVID and its aftermath, making it challenging to hold in-person bookstore signings, or book launch parties. Some authors are reaching out to book clubs or groups of friends and talking about their new book in Zoom meetings. In that case, be sure to provide links in the chat function for book orders. 

    Think creatively about where and how to celebrate your book, including in your hometown. For example, if your book is about kayaking, try to host a launch party or signing in every town that’s mentioned in the book. Consider renting a table at a sporting event. Arts and Crafts fairs can also be excellent places to sell books.

  • Book other appearances beyond the launch, virtual or in-person. Look at that audience list you created earlier (Think about your audience). Now, find a representative for each group and approach them. (Email is fine for the initial contact, but a follow-up phone call is hugely recommended). Tailor your pitch to each group, i.e., tell the History Book Club contact that your book takes place on a ship in the 1800s and you immersed yourself so deeply in researching that era that you took a liking to hard tack. (Personal details like that are gold!) Ask if you can bring a box of books to sign and sell after the presentation. Think about other outlets as well, such as art shows, trade shows, craft fairs — whatever’s suitable for your book. These organizations may also agree to include your book information or appearance schedule in their member newsletters.

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once your book is launched

  • Go crazy with social media. Post your book and party announcements everywhere. Remember your posts on Facebook will go unseen unless you “boost” them. Follow up with your fans on social media by sending a personal message to people who have liked your posts. Ask if they’d like to be on your email list.

  • Email everyone on your list with the great news, and include a link to order (plus a request to write a review on Amazon). Continue to gather contacts throughout your publishing career by taking an email signup sheet to appearances and collecting business cards wherever you go. Keep your email database current, then send regular emails packed with useful information. Try using Constant Contact or Mail Chimp if the email list is large. And remember: The subject line is the most important part of your email.

  • Tell the media, bookstores and libraries all about your book. Think about timing. You’ll ideally want your press release to go out two weeks before the bookstore signings so they can be used as a “hook” for the article. Make sure the signing is included in community calendars. Also, add the event listing to your website and Facebook page and let your email list know. Once the press release goes out, send an email and drop off or send a copy of your book to the targeted media. Focus on newspapers, TV and radio stations that are known for doing author interviews. Press releases and distribution are also a Mission Point Press service (see below).

  • Tap into Goodreads. Goodreads is a powerful community of book lovers and avid readers; nothing more. Unlike other social media platforms, Goodreads exists only to serve people who want to find books to read. Authors can benefit greatly by getting familiar with how Goodreads works. Goodreads users are very discriminating readers and are eager to rate and review the books they find there. A 3-star rating on Goodreads is often better than a 4 or 5-star rating on Amazon. Goodreads can be confusing to navigate, so prepare to devote some time promoting your books there; it can produce great benefits. 

  • If you have a series, keep an eye on your KDP Select promotional options. KDP book giveaways, price reductions and ads can drive readers to the authors of exciting series. Read about the options here.

  • Buy ads. Buy an ad in your local media or through Amazon or BookBub. Be on the lookout for author series and book fairs that create author programs that sell advertising; they may be less expensive, run for a longer period of time, and they contain the perfect audience: book lovers! Here’s a link to how to market your book at KDP. Here’s another link.

  • There are also numerous online services to help you market your book, some free and some not. There’s a good list of resources here (www.thewritelife.com), including writers groups, writing tips and marketing sites.

  • Give your book away … strategically. You may have noticed the proliferation of giveaways in cosmetics and crafts. With more and more companies jumping on the bandwagon, something must be working. Put your book in Little Libraries, leave one in the doctor’s office. More eyes mean more chances for more 5-star reviews.

Mission Point Press can help with any and all of the above steps. But don’t underestimate what you can do for yourself to save money. 

Finally, we at Mission Point Press are always available to answer questions and offer suggestions once your book is published. Don’t hesitate to contact us.

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SUMMARY OF MARKETING SERVICES OFFERED BY MISSION POINT PRESS

Mission Point press outreach to libraries, bookstores and media

Key to your success is outreach to libraries, bookstores and media. You’ll need to send what’s called a “sell sheet” to libraries and bookstores, and a press release to media. Your reach can be statewide, regional, or national, depending on your target audience. Tricia Frey is the marketing manager for MPP and an author herself with extensive marketing experience. She can be contacted at tricia@missionpointpress.com.

  • Mission Point Press creates stunning sell sheets with a book synopsis, book-ordering information, images, your bio, photos, and, ideally, a few endorsements. This is what bookstores and libraries use to judge the merits of a book, and they also use it as a reference for ordering and setting up signings. Sell sheets can be tucked inside review copies, and if you’re dropping off finished books to stores, make sure to include one as well. Sell sheets can also be emailed and used for print marketing.

  • Included with the Sell Sheet Plus package is a professional press release. The press release will provide information about you, your book, and your expertise on the book’s subject. Press releases also include your name, your contact information, the title and cover of your book, the genre, a few quotes from yourself, and testimonials. The release, whenever possible, will include a list of your upcoming appearances and book signings. The standard package goes out to Michigan libraries, bookstores and media, but you can tailor the geographical reach to your needs.

  • You need to follow up! Once the press release goes out, follow up with a phone call. Your goal is to snag an interview with reporters, radio talk shows, and TV hosts. In your conversation, explain why the book is relevant or of special interest to THEIR audience. Media builds upon media, so always include email links to previous articles in your emails to reporters. Drop off a copy of the book with a sell sheet to newspaper offices, and TV and radio stations that are known for doing author interviews.

  • There are two Sell Sheet packages available. For the basic Sell Sheet, Mission Point Press will do the writing for $100, but it will be up to you to distribute. The Sell Sheet Plus package takes care of the distribution to Michigan bookstores and libraries, and includes the press release to media ($500). Again, this can be tailored to any location you wish. It also includes a personalized press release for up to five media organizations.

 SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media has changed forever the way writers promote their books. A social media campaign can work for both fiction and nonfiction, but there’s a learning curve. We can help. For details, see this page on the Mission Point Press website.

Amazon Ads

If your book is on Amazon, then you likely should explore the merits of advertising it on Amazon. But it takes some guidance to do it well. Mission Point Press has partnered with a company that specializes in helping self-published authors promote their books to Amazon shoppers. For details, see this page on the Mission Point Press website. 

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Mission Point Press can also create a website for you, including hosting. See our website for pricing and samples.

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Because every promotion campaign is different in terms of scope, the following services are priced at a rate of $60/hour; if required, there may be additional costs because of the purchase or creation of custom lists.

PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION PACKAGE

We can help find your audience, including research and development of new custom or special-interest groups and send out copies of your book with a tailor-made pitch.

MEDIA RELATIONS SERVICE

We can help with booking appearances and other press release follow-up and interview coordination. 

BOOK TOUR ORGANIZATION

We can help organize a book tour, which includes contacting bookstores and libraries and booking appearances.

 

To print any of the Author Resources, right click on the guide and select “print.” If you need additional help, ask your team leader to email the guide as an attachment.