As San Diego Comic Con and Anthrocon take place this weekend, I keep promoting myself and my work during the event. But a lot of work is taking place at my drawing desk and at the computer. Just this morning, I sent out a batch of sales letters to libraries with big expenditure budgets.
I have explained before that the library market is one of my key targets in selling Sunnyville Stories. Given the fact that US libraries spend over 1 billion dollars on acquiring new materials, this is not a chance I can pass up. Most of these libraries are in states that are not yet on my goal map such as Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Utah and so on.
However there is one state I especially plan to focus on and that is my home state of North Dakota. In the coming weeks, I plan to send out sales letters to libraries not just in the Fargo-Moorhead area but throughout the Peace Garden State.
Assembling the North Dakota library mailing list
Besides the bigger cities like Bismarck and Grand Forks, I’ll also be sending out sales letters to smaller cities and towns like Wapheton and Rugby.
Some of you probably think I’m stupid for using postal mail to sell my work just as much as I’m stupid for selling to libraries. You probably are thinking “dude, get with the times and use Twitter, Facebook, email, etc”.
Direct mail is far from dead. My research has turned up interesting information regarding direct mail. That article says that according to the Direct Mail Association (DMA) Factbook for 2013, 65% of consumers of all ages have made a purchase as a result of direct mail. On top of that, direct mail yields a higher response rate of 4.4% in contrast to the tiny 0.12% than email. Those are numbers that are hard to argue with. Of course, they are part of an overall strategy. Besides direct mail in the form of sales letters and postcards, I still rely on my blog and social media as well as meeting vendors and customers in person.
While this is going on, the scripts for Sunnyville Stories #13 and #14 are still under construction. I have stumbled with both of them but at least now, I have a clearer picture of what the plots will be. Stay tuned to the blog for more news on the scripts as they develop.
Sunnyville Stories Vol. 1 (ISBN 9780615653921) is still for sale on Amazon. Copies of Sunnyville Stories Volume 2 and Von Herling, Vampire Hunter are for sale right now at Great Stories. Check out Direct Textbook too for more details on my books! And if you have an Amazon Kindle, get Sunnyville Stories Volume 1, Sunnyville Stories Volume 2 and Von Herling, Vampire Hunter for it today!
Comments? Questions? Fan letters? Interested in ordering books? You can write to:
Different Mousetrap Press LLC, 1100 19th Avenue N, #108, Unit J, Fargo ND 58102-2269
