Brian Jud

Authors and publishers hear the word “No” frequently. It could be said by the media, distributors, buyers in retail stores or corporate buyers. However, that doesn’t have to be the final answer. People who say no to one thing may be more likely to say yes if asked again. Use that fact to your advantage in a sales situation.

The traditional path for selling books is changing. There are more books available to fewer readers every year. Bookstore shelves are crowded with undifferentiated books viewed as commodity items, and shoppers increasingly base their purchasing decisions on price. Yet prices are increasing, not because of greater value to the reader, but because of increased costs partially due to shorter print runs.

For many years, corporate buyers have been purchasing coffee mugs, cameras, apparel, watches and other items to use as promotional items. These are tools used to increase sales, encourage buyers to remain loyal to a product or to change their loyalty from competitors. Until recently, there has been little awareness about using books to accomplish these goals. Therefore, you may have to first convince the buyers of the viability of using book as a promotional tool.