Now that you have finished your manuscript what books have come out that are similar to yours? Maybe you have heard the cliche “there is nothing new under the sun”? No matter how unique your material may be there is still someone who has written something similar. The similarity may be a grain of sand within a whole beach, and still that grain of sand has something to teach you, or help you. Your competition can be your teacher in a variety of ways; how to do better promotion, how to speak about your book, how to reach your audience, how to not make the same marketing mistakes they made. And your competition can be your ally, through collaboration, sharing of media leads, and joint ventures. For those attempting to do their own marketing creating allies is a vital part of developing your platform.
Who is your ideal reader? Be specific. Is your parenting book a better fit for single parents, single moms or blended families? What are your reader’s biggest frustrations, needs, or sought for outcomes? How do you cover your reader’s needs in your book? How will they carry around your book? With the answers to these questions you can not only devise a clear marketing plan, you will know how you and your teacher – ally differ. And then look at how your perspective is different; are you more positive, do you offer more solutions?
You can learn more about your teacher and potential ally by going to your local bookstore, to Amazon, or to conferences that relate to your topic. What is the genre and category of your book? Look at their table of contents and compare it to the topics you cover. Study their bibliography for comparison. Once you have zeroed in on a few authors research their websites, read their blogs, learn what events they are doing. Conclude your research with a short phrase that discerns the similarities and differences between your books.
It’s your choice how you approach your teacher and ally. Will they just be a teacher, or can they also be an ally? There is always room in the market for additional information on any subject. What you offer will not fit everyone’s needs. How does your work complement your competitions book? Maybe your book is about collaboration? What better way to demonstrate your principles than by creating a joint venture for you and your book?
The next step is to look at your assets. Which ones do you feel comfortable sharing? Do you have more radio experience than your potential allies, or do you have a workshop that would benefit from having a partner? Do you have a mailing list that could also help your ally? Is there room in your blog for their contribution? How will your teacher and ally benefit from collaborating with you? How will you benefit from working with them?
How many books have you seen recently that offer bonuses when you buy the book on a certain day? These bonuses are offered by collaborators and allies. Their support broadens any single platform and breaks the burden of isolation. You don’t need to take on the launch of your book alone, you can create a team which may include a publicist, as well as allies and collaborators. What does your team look like today? What are some concrete steps you can do to enhance and increase the scope of your team?