YOUR TIMELINE TO MAXIMIZE BOOK SALES

In early 2015 we launched one of the most important components of this self-publishing game

plan:BookBaby’s Print On Demand (POD) program. Utilizing the latest in digital printing technology and modern logistics, independent authors can sell their printed book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and dozens of other stores.

While it’s fast and easy for readers around the world to order your book, the process behind the scenes is rather complex. Rest assured, BookBaby is doing all of the heavy (read “technical”) lifting, but it’s important for authors who use our Print On Demand services to understand how this distribution program works in order to take full advantage of this powerful selling platform.

The first and most important part of understanding how Print On Demand works is about timing.

In our first year with POD, we’ve watched some authors enjoy great success. Others not so much. The books that comprised both groups were pretty much the same in terms of genre and – in my judgment – in content quality. Upon closer examination there was one major difference: Time.

Authors who didn’t make use of the pre-sale period and rushed their book into the marketplace fared poorly. POD is one of those things that simply cannot be rushed. Think of it this way: You’ve spent months and possibly years to write and edit your book. Why would you want to waste all that time and energy on a poorly-produced and hastily scheduled book launch?

Meanwhile we have hundreds of authors who correctly managed the calendar and are now reaping the benefits of a strong POD program. They allowed their books to enter into the distribution stream and become available to online retailers without any external pressure or arbitrary deadlines. Before long, they were seeing tremendous sales and strong inventory positions through Amazon, B&N, Powell’s, and many more.

So what’s a good timeline for you? We recommend that you set a Print On Demand release date at least eight weeks out.

Why? Because it takes time for your printed book to be created, proofed, printed and loaded into all of the retail systems. Let’s examine some of the nuts and bolts of the POD process:

No two book projects are the same. As a result, your book project timeline will be unique. Many factors go into how long it takes – especially the time it takes for authors to approve their book proofs. That said, here’s a rough timeline you can use as a guide.

Week 1: You upload your book and all metadata (author bio, description, pricing, etc.) to BookBaby system, pay, and check out.

Week 2: You receive your book proof to review. If you’ve ordered cover design or book formatting, allow an additional 10 days for this stage of the process (at minimum).

Note: At this point, the clock stops at BookBaby and starts with the author. It’s up to you, the author, to determine how quickly or slowly this process will go. Authors can approve their book proof in one day or 101 days. The average time for proof approval is approximately seven days.

Week 3-4: BookBaby finalizes files and sends them to online book stores.

Week 4: Your book will begin to appear at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other stores in a pre-sales status. Customers can purchase your book online but it will not be shipped until after the book release date. (Note this could be on Day 14 or Day 28 based on seasonality and other factors.)

It’s crucial to your short- and long-term POD success to promote your book like crazy during pre-sale! The pre-sale period is when your book is listed on Amazon and other stores prior to the published book launch date. After your book proof is approved, we will send your POD files out to our entire retail store network. Your book will start appearing on the retail websites within two to three weeks. During this period of “pre-sale” status, your customers can order their book (their credit cards won’t be charged until the book is actually released and shipped).

Many authors plan out a multi-week pre-order period, with a different promotion each week to build the buzz.

http://blog.bookbaby.com/2015/12/making-the-most-of-print-on-demand-part-1-your-timeline-to-maximize-book-sales/?utm_campaign=BO1604&utm_source=BBOff&utm_medium=Email&spMailingID=50573475&spUserID=MTQxMTQ4Nzg4ODc4S0&spJobID=843787452&spReportId=ODQzNzg3NDUyS0