Distributor who? New tool lets authors be their own sales team

POSTED BY tolly ON August 3, 2010

Does anyone else find direct sales as fascinating as I do?

No?

Well, let’s take a moment to appreciate exactly how direct sales have transformed your shopping habits over the past decade. First, there was eBay. Then, there was Etsy: A virtual craft fair for fashion designers, artists, and crocheted baby hat makers. I LOVE Etsy, and probably buy something from them once a month.

But now, OpenSky – which launches this week – is bringing the direct sales model to authors. And the company got a huge spread yesterday in Los Angeles Times.

Now, I love publishers. Of course I do.

But no one can deny that the publishing industry is in the middle of what some call “progress,” and others call “upheaval.” As Elaine posted about last month, sales of e-readers now top that of traditional paperbound books (tear), so book lovers and book industry workers: We have to be pragmatic about this. How will authors support themselves if only a few big-time authors at each house “make it” financially, while lesser-known/newer authors languish?

Answer: By teaching authors how to market themselves. And, by allowing them to be their own distribution and sales team.

Consider this:

• With the traditional publishing model, authors are at the mercy of an in-house sales team to angle for bookstore placement. With OpenSky, authors can set up their own virtual storefront.

• With the traditional publishing model, a select few titles, and ONLY best sellers – think Eat, Pray, Love – are lucky enough to get in on cross-promotion deals. For example, the Eat, Pray, Love shop at World Market. With OpenSky, a chef can sell her homemade tomato sauce along with (or independently from) her Italian cookbook.

• With the traditional publishing model, authors are kept in the dark about book sales. And, for good reason, lest they call their publisher all day nagging them for sales numbers. With OpenSky, they know exactly how many books they’ve sold, and can see which marketing strategies are working, and which ones aren’t.

That last point is probably my favorite feature of OpenSky. Authors are always asking: “What sells books?” Or (my favorite), “Will this sell books?” after we’ve just landed an interview or print/online story.

But press aside, by allowing authors to get down in the marketing trenches, and learn for THEMSELVES what tactics are attractive to the buying market, they’ll eventually become better salespeople. And better self-branders.

I’m having fun just thinking of the cross-promotional ways an author could promote his book. Like, for example, if I wrote a fan fiction book about Jane Austen (actually not unlikely), I could sell little packets of homemade English Breakfast tea with each copy!  Or, as the article points out, one literary agent suggested tying sales of a book to a hotel promotion where the story takes place.

For any authors reading this: Would you try OpenSky?

Tags: book marketing, direct sales, opensky

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