
Have you ever done something and later regretted having done it? Or wished you could change part of what you did? There is a way you can minimize mistakes in producing and marketing your books. And this one simple step can help you become more profitable. It is not difficult and can even be done for free.
The one step is test marketing—asking people to comment on your cover design, page layout, one-sheet, piece of selling literature, or even a sales presentation. If you experiment beforehand with different ways of accomplishing a task, you can reduce errors and make the end result more productive in generating revenue.
Test marketing does not have to be an expensive focus group (although it can be if you so desire). For example, get feedback on potential titles, content and pricing while exhibiting at trade shows. Or, post different cover designs online (your website and Facebook page) and ask for feedback. Even make a sweepstakes out of it by offering a free copy of the finished book to people who respond. If you are a member of a publishing group, ask associates for feedback. You can conduct a media interview or practice a sales presentation asking employees or friends to give you a critique.
Regardless of how you do it, experimentation before implementation yields success-acceleration. Here are several benefits of test marketing:
- Discover manuscript improvements
- Get product-placement ideas
- Sell rights (foreign, movie, electronic, serial)
- Publish books with better cover designs and page layouts
- Win more award competitions
- Get more testimonials and endorsements
- Build buzz
- Increase the size and involvement of people in your platform
- Build awareness among prospective buyers in your target markets
- Predict life-cycle stages, and plan strategies for each
- Improve your website
- Determine if you have the resources to succeed (personal, financial)
- Increase traffic at your tradeshow booth
- Come up with a better title for your book
- Test order-fulfillment processes
- Make promotional campaigns more productive
- Improve media performances
- Create a more realistic timeline for putting your promotion plans into action
- Determine the applicability of content to trends
- Limit your financial risk
- Test your overall marketing strategy
- Create more accurate forecasting
- Generate new sales opportunities
- Build strategic partnerships

Brian Jud is an author, book-marketing consultant, seminar leader, television host and president of Premium Book Company, which sells books to non-bookstore buyers on a non-returnable, commission-only basis and conducts on-site training for publishers' sales forces.
Brian is the author of "How to Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns)," a do-it-yourself guide to selling books to non-bookstore buyers in large quantities, with no returns. He has written many articles about book publishing and marketing, is the author of the eight e-booklets with "Proven Tips for Publishing Success," and creator of the series of "Book Marketing Wizards." He is also the editor of the bi-weekly newsletter, "Book Marketing Matters."
Brian is the host of the television series "The Book Authority" and has aired over 650 shows. In addition, he is the author, narrator and producer of the media-training video program "You're On The Air."
Reach Brian at BrianJud@BookMarketing.com or visit his website at www.PremiumBookCompany.com