| Divine recipes, luscious photographs - this is your first | | | | Don't stop with bookstores. Check out cookware |
| cookbook and you look forward to those big royalty | | | | stores and gourmet shops that will stock your |
| checks. So what's your marketing plan for this book? | | | | cookbook, and who might even welcome you to |
| What are you doing to increase sales? | | | | demonstrate your recipes on a busy Saturday. |
| New writers often think the publisher arranges for all | | | | Ask all your friends to help spread the word by joining |
| publicity. Not true. As the writer, you have most at | | | | food-related discussion lists, setting up book signings in |
| stake so it will benefit you most to take a proactive | | | | their local bookstores, and writing reviews of your |
| stance when it comes to promoting and selling your | | | | book. |
| cookbook. | | | | Contact television and radio stations to see if they are |
| Much of the research can take place while you are | | | | looking for a feel-good news story or if you can be a |
| planning andwriting your book. Visit bookstores and | | | | guest on one of their shows. |
| study the cookbooks that are on the shelves. Note the | | | | Having a new cookbook out or being a local published |
| different types of cookbooks and who are writing | | | | author isnewsworthy, but how do you keep the |
| them. Discern which books are your direct competition | | | | marketing effort up long term? Find a way to connect |
| for sales. Create ways to make yourself stand out. | | | | your recipes with events. Dessert cookbooks are |
| After your book is at the publisher but before it is | | | | easily linked with holidays like Valentine's Day, |
| releasedcontact magazine editors, ezine publishers and | | | | Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and weddings. |
| website owners. Ask if they will review your book and | | | | Healthy food cookbooks are great for January (New |
| wait for a reply before you incur the cost of shipping. | | | | Year's resolutions), spring (getting ready for summer |
| Write articles or offer excerpts from you cookbook to | | | | clothes) and right after a new medical report comes |
| magazines that cater to your audience. | | | | out about the danger of fat, meat, sugar, wheat |
| Tap your local newspaper for interviews and reviews. | | | | allergies and junk food. |
| Pick up thephone and ask for a feature reporter (look | | | | If you want ongoing coverage from local, regional and |
| for bylines in thefeatures, lifestyle, or Sunday special | | | | national news media send out announcements on your |
| sections) and offer yourself up as the subject of an | | | | expertise. Include any food science and nutrition |
| article. | | | | background you have to widen your appeal as an |
| Build a website using your name or your book's name | | | | expert. |
| as the domain. Take all those published reviews, | | | | Donate your cookbook as a prize or to be auctioned |
| articles, newspaper features and anything else anyone | | | | off for charity. Not only will the lucky winner learn who |
| has said about your book and link to it, or excerpt it. | | | | you are, but so will all the other readers, listeners and |
| You can also use quotes from reviews in any press | | | | viewers as the contest or auction is promoted for the |
| release you send out. | | | | weeks leading up to it. |
| Once your book is published call bookstores as far as | | | | The key to marketing your cookbook is persistence. |
| you arewilling to travel and offer to do a book signing, | | | | Try everything above, then go back through the list |
| cookingdemonstration or reading. Do not give up. Keep | | | | again and again. Marketing your cookbook successfully |
| calling and planning and promoting. Bring along | | | | can be likened to making a snowball. You start with a |
| giveaways to book signings. Have bookmarks, recipe | | | | few individual ideas, add on more each day or week, |
| cards, or notepads printed up with your name, website | | | | and soon you've got a snowball whose momentum will |
| and book cover prominently displayed. | | | | carry you, and your cookbook, out into the world. |