The Indie Author Bookstore Marketing Master Class
Hello!
You probably found this page because you are bookstore and you are very interested in hosting a class on how self-published authors can better market their books to your bookstore.
I have written a class that your store can host. While I have very limited capacity to travel and teach this class outside of New England, I have written a course that can be delivered by you or your staff. It is also completely free for your store to bring in! The only ask I have is that bookstores leave in the slides with the pictures and titles of my books and the slide with my qualifications and contact information.
In addition to the course, I also have a book called Escaping the Algorithm: The Self-Published Author’s Handbook to Working Directly with the Book Community to Build a Business. This book goes into even more depth on marketing for indie authors and how authors can produce a bookstore quality book. It is available in the Ingram catalog at the 40% wholesale discount, retailing for $13.99. While it is returnable, I do ask that bookstores with more than a book or two to return contact me at mjetkind@izzihousebooks.com so I can buy back directly. As it stands now, I eat the entire cost of the return without any opportunity to resell returned books when stores go through the Ingram return process. So being able to buy back at the wholesale cost while circumventing Ingram means I have a way to recoup book costs.
Course Material:
Presentation: The deck for the course is located at this link here and should be inclusive of everything the store needs to deliver the class. I can also email a PowerPoint copy so the store can make modifications. Please email mjetkind@izzihousebooks.com. While M.J. Etkind cannot physically deliver every course, she is available for a free consultation call with whoever will be instructing the class. Please email mjetkind@izzihousebooks.com to schedule a time.
Optional: Escaping the Algorithm: The Self-Published Author’s Handbook to Working Directly with the Book Community to Build a Business.
Brand Kit: I have included a downloadable version of the cover by clicking here, and a brand kit from Canva you can access by clicking here (though it is optional to use).
Time to deliver the course: 75 Minutes, though bookstores are welcome to pick and choose what topics from the deck they present to the class. It may make sense for bookstores to focus on the section on bookstore marketing versus some of the information on ARC and libraries.
Equipment needed for the course: Bookstores can either project the presentation on a screen or they can print a QR code which links to a copy of the deck for participants to view on their own devices.
Additional Resources: While M.J. Etkind cannot physically deliver every course, she is available for a free consultation call with whoever will be instructing the class. Please email mjetkind@izzihousebooks.com to schedule a time. In addition, I can send a free PDF copy of Escaping the Algorithm to your instructor, so they are able to read ahead of the class.
Monetization for bookstores: While I am not charging bookstores anything for the course, Bookstores are allowed to monetize this class. This could include a required purchase of Escaping the Algorithm as an entry fee, a small nominal fee of around $5-$15 (Though the course fee is up to the bookstores discretion) to register for the class or this could just be a free class with Escaping the Algorithm available to purchase afterwards. Again, my only expectation is that you continue to include Escaping the Algorithm and all of the pictures in my deck so that I can get some exposure for the course.
Continual resources: Bookstores are allowed and encouraged to record the course and include it on their bookstore’s website. In addition, both the deck and Escaping the Algorithm can be linked on bookstores “For authors page” as a way to provide educational resources for authors looking for bookstore placement.
For additional questions, please reach out to mjetkind@izzihousebooks.com.
