Direct Selling, Part 1

Last year, we brought you a three-part series, Distribution Digest, on the ins and outs of book distribution. Today, in the first of two posts, we focus on direct selling, a form of book distribution that occurs outside the typical distribution system, often through sales by the author to a retailer, library, or other group. This type of selling applies primarily to self-published authors, as they own their books and aren't sharing profits with a publisher. This post will address the benefits of direct selling, as well as direct selling options for authors. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

What are the benefits of direct selling for authors? The major benefit is higher profits. When a book is sold the traditional way through the book distribution system, both the retailer (bookstore) and the distributor take cuts, leaving you—the author—with only a percentage of the retail price. But when you sell a book directly to a customer, you keep all the profits and pay only the printing cost for each book. You also have the freedom to charge whatever you’d like for your book. Sounds good so far, right? The benefits of direct selling don’t stop there. Through direct selling, you can develop a community around your book. Direct communication with your customers is a great way to build a fan base. You can gain also access to information about the people buying your book—information that would be otherwise unavailable. A list of previous customers (and their contact info) is extremely valuable for authors. After all, who’s more likely to buy your second book than someone who purchased your first book?

There are several direct selling options for authors. Probably the most common way to reach customers directly is through your web site. To make your web site an appealing choice for potential customers, there are several things you can do. First and foremost, the best way to compete with other online sellers is to charge less than the retail price. You can also create a more unique or enticing shopping experience for customers by offering incentives, like free shipping or signed copies of books.

A second option for direct selling is to make personal contact with customers. You can do this through mailing lists (snail mail or e-mail), your web site blog or message board, phone calls, or social networking services (like Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter). Another way to make contact with customers is through personal appearances. If you are doing a reading, signing books, or giving a lecture, bring copies of your book with you to sell to audience members after your appearance.

So there you go—the basics of direct selling. Stay tuned for Part 2: tips on direct selling.