Now that a finished manuscript has been completed and is in the process of being produced, how do we make sure folks hear about it, so they know to buy it when it is on sale? This is where publicity, marketing, ad-promo, subsidiary rights and sales come into play! 

To kickstart this process, editors give presentations about their books, emphasizing their content and what makes them special at internal meetings. From there, publicity and marketing teams will begin to build their campaign plans about a year ahead of the publication date. Publicity reaches out to media for reviews and features, and marketing reaches out to independent bookstores (indies) and online influencers to generate buzz. 

Every book is also presented to the company’s sales team, which includes sales representatives for bookstores across the country.  The accounts they sell to include independent bookstores, chain bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, airport stores, and Amazon, as well as retailers who sell books like Target and Walmart. 

What jobs fall under this stage of a book’s life cycle?

Publicists: The publicity department’s focus is to get media attention for the book and the author. This is to help drive sales via reviews, article coverage, radio appearances, TV interviews, and online coverage. Publicists work very closely with authors—often as closely as editors—and agents and editors to come up with winning campaigns that bring attention to books. They are experts in the media landscape who have built relationships with media outlets, and also attend events and conferences, and submit books for awards and prizes. Before publication, they create the materials to be used for the publicity campaign—press releases, pitch letters, Q&As, etc. Publicity is also responsible for organizing an author’s book tour, planning author signing events, and arranging the author’s travel.

Your Possible Career Path: Publicity Assistant, Associate Publicist, Publicist, Senior Publicist, Publicity Director

Trade Marketers: The marketing department is critical in helping to determine who the target audience of a book will be. They brainstorm and develop strategies to promote the books so that the sales team can encourage booksellers to order copies in anticipation of consumer demand. They work in conjunction with the editors and publicists to do targeted bookseller, librarian, and academic mailings, outreach to organizations and online communities, and provide the sales force with the best possible tools for selling titles. Furthermore, they work with publicity to create custom campaigns for each book, and work very closely with authors and agents, alongside editors, to help create and sustain enthusiasm for each book.

Library Marketers: The library marketing department serves as a liaison between publishers and the library community, ensuring that titles are made available in public libraries. They connect with librarians across the country, gathering feedback on what patrons are reading and recommending relevant titles for libraries to order.

Internally, library marketers collaborate closely with trade marketing, sales, and publicity teams to develop cohesive, multi-pronged campaigns. They promote books through targeted mailings, advertising, and direct outreach to the library community — including conducting book presentations and attending nationwide conferences.

At these conferences, marketers distribute advanced materials, coordinate author appearances, and strengthen relationships with librarians. In addition to promoting individual titles, they also create and provide resources that help librarians integrate books into patron programming. The long-term goal is to ensure that both a title and its author become lasting staples in libraries.

Your Possible Career Path: Marketing Assistant, Marketing Coordinator, Associate Marketing Manager, Marketing Manager, Senior Marketing Manager, Marketing Director

Advertising & Promotions (Ad Promo): Ad promo is responsible for planning the book’s advertising campaign, as well as researching, negotiating, and purchasing advertising space in various media outlets. They conceive, write, design, and print effective advertising and promotional materials. They produce materials you see in bookstores, such as posters and displays, as well as content for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and transit advertising. 

Your Possible Career Path: Promotion Coordinator, Ad/Promo Copywriter, Cover Copywriter, Advertising Coordinator, Advertising Manager, Promotion Manager, Production Manager, Associate Director of Advertising and Promotion, Director

Sales: Sales representatives are the gateway from the publishing house to bookstores. This department works to get booksellers excited about each and every book. They sell books to retail and wholesale companies and manage the company’s relationship with booksellers around the country and the world. Sales reps make sure that the books are available to readers in every possible place where books are sold—supermarkets, malls, independent bookstores, warehouse clubs, catalogs, airports, and online. 

Your Possible Career Path: Sales Assistant, Sales Associate, Sales Coordinator, Sales Manager, Sales Director