At PageMaster Publication Services we know that focusing on your book’s key audience will help you design a marketing plan that enables you to reach your publishing and sales goals.
Who is your ideal or core target audience, and why? In order to identify what characteristics are shared by your ideal readers answer the following questions. Be thorough, and do some research if you have to. As you answer the questions, consider whether they seem relevant to your book’s key marketing message. If the question is not relevant to your book, just skip over it:
- Gender – Is your ideal audience composed of women, men, or a mix? Is gender a relevant factor in whether or not someone would be interested in your book? Why or why not?
- Age – What age group do your ideal readers fall into? Is age a relevant characteristic that is shared by your ideal audience? If so, why would a certain age group in particular find your book interesting/informative?
- Cultural Ties – Do your ideal readers share a particular ethnic background or have any cultural ties in common? Do these relate to their potential interest in your book? Explain.
- Primary Relationship Status – Is your target reader married? Single? In a long-term relationship? Newly dating? Does their marital or relationship status play into whether or not they would be interested in or helped by your book? Explain.
- Other Relationships – Do your ideal readers have any other specific relationships in common (mothers, fathers, children, grandchildren, siblings, friends) that significantly influence whether or not they might be interested in your book? If so, how?
- Location – Is there anything about where your ideal reader resides that would make them particularly interested in reading your book?
- Career – Does your ideal reader work in a particular profession? Does their profession make them more likely to be interested in, or benefit from, your book? If so, why?
- Financial Situation – Is there anything about your ideal readers’ income or financial situation that would make them more likely to benefit from your book? If so, what exactly?
- Special Events – Are there any holidays, or special or seasonal events, that your ideal reader observes? Are these events tied to their potential interest in/benefit from your book? List the events along with how your book relates to them.
- Major Life Events – Are your ideal readers sharing common life events? Are these events tied to their potential interest in and benefit from your book? List the events along with their ties to your book.
- Social, Religious or Political Interests – Do your ideal readers share common interests in particular social, religious, and/or political causes or organizations? Are these tied to their potential interest in and benefit from your book?
- Belief Systems – Do your ideal readers share strong values, or deeply held beliefs or ideas? Are these values tied to their potential interest in and benefit from your book? List these values, along with their ties to your book.
- Hobbies – Do they have any particular hobbies, interests, or activities that make them more likely to take an interest in your book, or benefit from it? Explain.
- Groups – Are your ideal readers likely to belong to a specific club, organization, association, or group? If so, list the clubs, groups, organizations, and/or associations.
- Other Products – Other products and activities related to your book’s key message that your target readers are interested in. (Think about what else you could offer, or businesses you could partner with.)
- Influential Individuals – In relation to your book’s core message, what individuals are influential to your target reader? Are there any public figures, business or organizational leaders, well-connected professionals, community members, popular bloggers, etc. who influence the behavior of your target market? List them.
- Information and Entertainment – Where do your ideal readers get their information and entertainment? Do they share an interest in any particular TV/radio shows, newspapers, newspaper sections, newspaper columnists, magazines, books, movies, websites, or blogs? List specific titles, programs, and channels, and where possible, describe what exactly makes them so popular for your ideal readers. Drill down as much as you can to the actual journalists, show hosts, and producers that your ideal reader follows.
After all that finish this sentence:
My Ideal Reader…
You’ll need this create an effective elevator pitch for your book.
Contact us at PageMaster Publication Service if we can help you plan your book marketing strategy.
Why don’t you post your answer to the sentence above… “My Ideal Reader...” and our staff will help you break that message down.