How can you effectively use inspiration from other artists for your own marketing strategy?
Let’s ask authors Keith Kopka and Arisa White!
Keith Kopka on Incentivizing Pre-Orders
Keith Kopka is the author of Count Four (University of Tampa Press, 2020), and winner of the 2019 Tampa Review Prize. He is also the author of the critical text, Asking a Shadow to Dance: An Introduction to the Practice of Poetry. Kopka is a Senior Editor at Narrative Magazine, the Director of Operations for Writers Resist, and an assistant professor at Holy Family University in Philadelphia.
During the pre-selling process, Kopka noticed other authors and poets incentivizing the ordering of their book in different ways. He was even surprised to see some use promotional merchandise such as t-shirts, stickers, bookmarks, etc.
Drawing inspiration from this, Kopka created an visual artistic-aesthetic around his book Count Four. He did this by screen-printing posters of the cover and offering a signed poster for the first 100 people who pre-ordered his book.
The results? It even incentivized even the purchase of hardcovers, which are often more challenging to sell! When he threw in a poster with his book, people were less hesitant with making a larger purchase.
So, if you’re a small press author gearing up for the promotion of your first book, incentivizing your purchase is a great tip to consider!
Arisa White on Creating Experiences
Arisa White is a Cave Canem graduate fellow and the author of You’re the Most Beautiful Thing That Happened and Who’s Your Daddy. She collaborates with other artists to expand readership for poetry and to center the narratives of marginalized voices. White is an assistant professor of English at Colby College
In one collaboration, white was invited to be part of theater-based poet Natasha Moran’s “Midnight Teas” in Vancouver. These events were set in a secret location and for added mystery, the guests arrived blindfolded and in costumes. Moran & White went above and beyond to create an immersive, sensory experience for everyone.
How can you use a writer draw in inspiration from these strategies to create your own? In what ways can you embody your work into the very being of an artist? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Shafeeka Hafeez
Shafeeka Hafeez grew up escaping into a world of books where she discovered a love for writing and a fascination with trees. When she’s not taking up a new marketing skill, or typing out a blog post, you can find her Googling the best therapy for abandoned cats.
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