Publishing Marketing

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Publishing marketing describes the strategies of a publishing company to address its target groups in sales marketing and thus to market its products. In addition, the tasks of publishing house marketing consist of a product range policy in line with the market and targeted marketing communication, namely relationships with market partners such as authors, readers, the press and the book trade. One area of ​​publishing house marketing is bestseller marketing. Publishing house marketing knows different product forms such as newspapers, books, magazines, audio books and, in the digital area, also e-books.

Marketing strategies from publishers

Pull marketing

In the first type of publishing house, so-called pull marketing can be used. In this case, a publisher is scientifically oriented or oriented towards a specific subject and can thus directly address the target group that suits it. Pull marketing can be used by any publishing house that attracts the interest of a specific socio-demographic group. Through various multipliers (congresses, specialist bodies, etc.) interested parties can be addressed directly and drawn into a deal with the publisher. Hence the term pull marketing.

Push marketing

During push marketing , the direct counterpart to pull marketing , the publisher does not orient itself towards a socio-demographically determined target group, but towards a psychodemographically determined target group. In this case the reader tries to satisfy a need of some kind by consuming a book that suits him. Mostly these are detective novels , entertainment fiction or works that fit the reader's lifestyle (e.g. hobby literature). The target groups are to be determined here by various characteristics, such as the attitude of the reader or his living conditions. Since such target groups can be most effectively influenced by the mass media , but publishers usually do not have the financial means for such costly marketing , they usually turn to retailers.

Push-and-pull marketing

This strategy, which is the classic strategy of major manufacturers of branded goods, stimulates the target group in two ways. On the one hand through advertising that is as target-group specific as possible in print and online media, on the other hand through marketing in retail. Public relations has a further meaning for publishers, in which they have novelties reviewed by media whose readers match the target group of the publisher's product. This promotes the awareness of books and that of the publisher among readers and encourages bookstores to include books in their range when demand increases. Bookseller marketing is important for publishers, as relationships are maintained, also by business travelers, the novelties are presented with previews and current product information for booksellers can be found on the publisher's homepages at any time. It is also becoming increasingly important to provide big players like Amazon with interesting information and to be present in databases.

Advertising and direct marketing

Bestseller lists

The most important bestseller lists are compiled by Spiegel magazine and the specialist magazine Buchreport. Seeing your titles on one of the lists is the ultimate goal of book publishers' marketing departments. In terms of opinion-forming, bestseller lists have a high impact on consumers and thus actively contribute to sales promotion. Booksellers also mostly use the lists to compile their product range. Due to the fact that some lists are not based on exact sales figures, they are often the focus of public interest and are criticized. Because of their advertising activity, bestseller lists are an important part of bestseller marketing.

Direct marketing

Of course, many book publishers still use the "classic" sales strategies. They are represented at book fairs , seminars, phone calls are made with potential consumers, they are addressed directly through the delivery of advertising material or advertisements are placed in magazines and newspapers and read copies are presented for reviewers . In the age of the Internet , this is also often used to draw attention to new literary products. For example through internet links, emails or online advertisements.

Advertising in science and specialist publishers

Both scientific and specialist publishers are happy to use the concept of direct marketing. They reach their potential consumers through advertisements in relevant specialist magazines, appearances at specialist events and advertising in the specialist bookshops that represent them (mostly between 200 and 250). From this they also receive all the important information on which their advertising strategies are ultimately based.

Publicity advertising

In the case of advertising in the general publisher , people who have a particular interest in literature are addressed in particular . For this reason, new literary publications are advertised in certain magazines and newspapers with low circulation. Instead of using pull marketing, which is based on advertising in the mass media (TV, radio, etc.), push marketing is preferred here. Public publishers are mostly dependent on the support of the book trade , on the advertising activities of the dealers (dealer advertising) and their contact with customers. The tactics of the general publisher are based on two reasons: firstly, advertising in the mass media is too expensive for many publishers, and secondly, customers are often only reached who do not depend on the literary quality of books, but on their level of awareness.

Internet sales

The Internet is also popular as a sales platform for literature. For example, advertisements for books are placed on various websites, often with images of the cover and advertising texts. Internet bookstores are now also part of the usual marketing strategies ( e-commerce ). Such strategic opportunities can of course only be used if bookstores are willing to network with other media and partners. Another way to use the Internet for sales promotion is so-called online products. This means activating already published works on the Internet for a fee. This can be done through a subscription or by purchasing a single item. In this way, interested parties can get immediate access to the content of a book without first having to buy it in stores or order it via the Internet. Experts are still of the opinion that the broad and promising offer of the Internet is still being used to a limited extent by bookshops and publishers. A more intensive occupation with the subject of the Internet would certainly open up new and interesting ways for publishing house marketing.

Online marketing

In addition to selling, publishers also have other options and tools, especially in the social media area, for integrated marketing communication. In business networks such as Xing, they can exchange experiences with their target groups and contacts with potential authors or, depending on the range and readership, set up book or author fan pages on Facebook. Blogs or blog entries are possible for individual books or the publisher, in which the author or publisher comments on the range or book topic or publishes current articles and book excerpts that are of interest to the reader. Articles related to the book topic or the publisher's range and references to new publications or about current author readings with YouTube integration and book trailers can also be posted on Twitter. Reader communities and specialist forums are a platform for specialist publishers in particular to provide know-how contributions and, for example, initiate reader discussions. Publishing websites also offer numerous options - reading samples or free e-books can be offered, feedback and criticism can be requested from readers and book reviews can be published. The interest or demand for new book topics for market research can also be evaluated and news for market partners such as the book trade with previews can be created. Newsletters on new publications or with advance copies of novelties are also interesting instruments. The more platforms, tools, websites and networks publishers present with useful content - and, above all, are networked - and communicate with their readers (and other market partners), the more effectively and broadly they can establish themselves and their product range online and make a name for themselves Promote awareness.

Special features of bestseller marketing

The bestseller marketing, which is a component of the publishing house marketing, is even more aggressive and specific than the normal publishing house marketing. The bestseller marketing pays particular attention to the prominent positioning of certain authors, for example through frequent naming in the media; Placing a title on a bestseller list often increases sales. This can also be achieved through both positive and negative reviews of well-known critics ( Marcel Reich-Ranicki , Hellmuth Karasek , Sigrid Löffler etc.). A successful cover design is an important prerequisite for the production and marketing of a bestseller .

Best-seller sequels occasionally try to build on the sales success of a bestseller.

Publishing assortment policy

This is the product policy of publishers. In the case of book publishers, it is a matter of developing and maintaining a book program that corresponds to the publisher's strategic orientation and target audience. The central questions are which topics - specialist topics or novels - you want to tackle which authors and whether these fit the publisher's range. The pricing policy (high specialist book prices or rather low prices as in the case of fiction) and the product form (paperbacks, hardcover, pocket guides, CD-ROMs, paid content online) are further factors that are important for the publisher's range. In addition, there is the recruiting of authors, i. H. for example their competence, awareness, subject area and publication experience, which have a significant impact on the success of publishing products. Of course, the book concepts and contents are also central, i.e. whether a textbook is up-to-date, competent and interesting, can generate a sufficiently high demand and has an author who has competence and a good reputation in specialist circles. In publishing houses, this is usually decided and assessed by the publishing house managers, editors and marketing specialists. It must then also be checked whether the book trade can be won over to accept a book and what opportunities exist in sales marketing.

literature

  • Wolfgang Erhardt Heinold: books and bookmakers . CFMüller Verlag, Heidelberg 2001 (UTB 2216).
  • Ralf Laumer (Ed.): The PR workbook for libraries, bookshops and publishers . Viola Falkenberg, Bremen 2010 (2nd edition).
  • Johannes Monse: The Marketing Advisor . Edition Octopus, Münster 2008.

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