Some independent publishers use what I like to refer to as the Christopher Columbus method of planning:
- They do not know where they are going.
- When they get there they do not know where they are.
- And when they return, they do not know where they have been.
This is not a good way to run a business.
You can avoid this situation by writing a strategic, functional plan to market your books. Your plan should identify the most promising business opportunities. It should clarify your goals and the procedures you will use to move toward them efficiently. And it should integrate all the elements of a complete promotional mix into a strategic program to launch coordinated action. For a view of a new planning formula, look through these "ize"s.