Book Marketing - Don't Be Fooled!
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
If only I had known before hand!!
Yes if only I had known that the supposed reputable publishing house I was using, was actually part of another company, and therefore not the 'honourable high moral company' that I thought is was!
If only I had done a 'google search' before hand, simple enough to do and totally free. It just never occurred to me that Balboa Press, promoting itself as Hay House's self publishing company and selling all the possibilities of being taken on by Hay House 'if you were successful', was owned by another company, who are not the slightest bit interested in your success or not!
Hay House was founded by Louise Hay, a very famous self-help author, whose motto is 'how can I serve?' So I felt sure that my book and my money would be in safe hands with 'her self publishing company'. Turned out to be a very expensive mistake! So I am writing this article to do all I can to prevent someone else from making the same or a similar mistake.
With a bit more research I have found out that Balboa Press is owned by Author Solutions, which according to Wikipedia own quite a few self publishing companies, so this will affect many new authors, not just those writing self-help books.
Extract from Wikipedia:-
Author Solutions is the parent company of the self publishing companies/imprints AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Trafford Publishing, Xlibris, Palibrio, and Booktango.[2] Author Solutions also maintains partnerships with traditional book publishers Simon & Schuster (Archway Publishing),[3] Thomas Nelson (WestBow Press),[4] Hay House (Balboa Press),[5] and Guideposts (Inspiring Voices);[6] as well as with Writer's Digest (Abbott Press).[7]
I can't speak for how all of these companies work, but I can share my experience with you, so you can be aware and take note of any alarm bells ringing. When we are aware of what to look out for, then we are more likely to see or hear it. My aim is save you or someone you know from getting ripped off thousands of dollars - Yes, thousands!!
The publishing of my book went amazingly well, better than I thought possible and so easy! I therefore had total trust and belief in Balboa Press as a reputable company, wanting my book to do well.
However, the marketing was a different kettle of fish altogether! Now that you are believing and trusting your publisher, you are an easy target for their sales managers who are extremely good at their job. The sales manager who sold me my marketing package actually (accidentally!) told me in a later chat that she could sell anything to anybody! She came across as a genuine person and wasn't a typical pushy sales person, so I didn't feel like I was being 'sold' a total rip off package.
The sales pitch told me everything I wanted to hear! Naturally, this is repeated several times during the call, "you can appear on global TV and radio stations, this is the best way to get your book out there worldwide, to become well-known and have a best seller, you are an amazing person, an inspiration to us all, we will take over your Twitter and Facebook accounts and build you a following, and if Hay House sees you doing well then they may publish 'Loving You' under their label", and so on.
Whilst the 'truths' that would make you think twice about purchasing are left out; the amazing person raving about you and your book will not be the person doing your promotion work.
In fact, the company you are paying will not be the company doing the marketing work either! It will be subcontracted out to a marketing company who will treat you and your book like a number in a factory, ticking boxes and following a system with no care at all if your sales are good or not. I mean they get paid regardless of what the results are, why should they care? It's just a job to them.
In fact, the company you are paying will not be the company doing the marketing work either! It will be subcontracted out to a marketing company who will treat you and your book like a number in a factory, ticking boxes and following a system with no care at all if your sales are good or not. I mean they get paid regardless of what the results are, why should they care? It's just a job to them.
In case you are wondering, what did I actually receive from what was sold on the sales call?
No TV interviews, No radio interviews. No tweets. No Facebook posts. No global awareness, No real sales to warrant the huge cost! No support or real advice. Definitely No Caring!
Just 2 magazine articles for the marketing package price of $18,000!!
Totally unreal, huge rip off and when you chase it up afterwards you are just ignored!
My advice if you are thinking of publishing a book,
- Don't trust the reputations of any companies.
- Do lots of research, a few google searches show many unhappy authors who have been ripped off by Author's Solutions and who are trying to sue,
- Usually we get what we pay for and better quality costs more - not so with marketing, don't be fooled by price!
- Join an author's group like Books Go Social, where you can ask other authors and get honest replies and advice.
- Does your publisher allow you to change the price of your book and do offers, or do they control the price. This is very important and I had no idea about this before joining Books Go Social
- Do you have an 'author's page' with Amazon, fully completed and looking good? Again, I had no idea about this either! Surely a good publisher should be telling you all this information?
- If you feel you are being pushed into an expensive marketing package then say no. There are much better options available.
If I could turn back the clock, I would not have paid Balboa Press for any marketing at all and would have found better more effective ways to promote Loving You, with real help and advice.
I feel Books Go Social really do want me and my book to succeed. Laurence O'Bryan is an author himself, and he understands the challenges that authors face with publishing and promoting, and is doing all he can to help them.
The marketing department of the company sub-contracted to promote my book had no interest in me or my success at all.
It was a money making operation - end of!
Michelle Carter
Author of Loving You - Discover Your True Inner Self
Images from pixabay.com
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