Artists of all genres, overall, struggle to find people who will buy and appreciate their art, which are not always the same thing.
Ever since I published my first book, Bryony, in 2011, I have struggled to learn the mysterious ways of marketing and sales.
And I am a slow, clumsy learner.
But the more I talked to other artists, the more I learned they struggled, too.
We all know what low sales look like. We all know what wildly successful sales look like.
But many of us don't know how many pounds of marketing it takes to equal an ounce of sales.
And many of us don't know what an encouraging amount of sales are.
OK, "an encouraging amount of sales" is probably very individualized.
But the beginning of 2020 was the very first year we felt encouraged. And we all know what happened in 2020.
So we used most of 2020 to study, learn, strategize, and revamp in a more focused, objective, and persistent manner than we had in the past.
The result is that we were encouraged at the end of 2021.
And we did much better in 2022, enough that we are celebrating in the spirit.
Don't laugh at the numbers when I share them. They are low by most standards, except ours.
If sales numbers are higher, you may leave this blog feeling good about your efforts (as you should).
If your sales numbers are lower, please know solid, happy readerships aren't built in a day (we've been slogging at this whole book thing for more than a decade now). We want you to know that after the first rush of selling to people you know, you can still sell the same books years later.
Still this is our best and most consistent year yet - and 2022 was a train wreck of a year for our family (and it ain't over yet, not for a few more hours).
But before I share numbers, I'd like to share some "What have you learned, Dorothy?" thoughts.
1) I have learned marketing and sales are two different species. Marketing lets the world know you have something to share. Sales is when the world decides that something is worth parting with some money to have it.
2) Sales only feels "icky" when the tactics are icky. Think of all the items out there people can't wait to buy. Think of all the items out there you wish you could buy. Think about that.
3) I will give Timothy total credit for coining the BryonySeries tagline: "A better reading experience." The full circle experience begins with the first hearing of the books to closing the cover after the final word. It led us to really ponder how do we, as a team of six, make that experience wonderful from beginning to the end.
4) Granted we cannot control whether or not customers will actually read the books they bought. We cannot control if customers will like what they've read. But we can control their experience of buying the book. After you write and publish the best book you can, put your efforts into the experience of buying for your customers. Make them feel glad they are taking your books home with them.
5) Except for the online sales, which are hidden behind a veil, every customer appeared happy when they left our table, bag in hand. This, above all, is what really encouraged us.
RESULTS
Books sold: 112 to the general public (not friends or family)
Additional books moved into circulation through donations by my family: Approximately 700
RANDOM NOTES
Our top selling book this year took three years to perform well.
Print versions of all titles substantially outperforms eBook on all sales platforms. So print is where we'll put our focus for 2023.
Reviews don't make a sales difference for us, which is actually a relief, so we don't have to put much effort into obtaining them. Organic reviews, sincerely given, ring more sincere, I think.
I've learned no venue is too unlikely for selling books. For instance, I sold books in bars twice this year. Hopefully this knowledge will expand my vision for new opportunities in 2023.
SALES
Top selling book: Nine Months of Kindness
Top selling BryonySeries book: Lycanthropic Summer
Top selling subseries: Bertrand the Mouse
Least performing book overall: Bertrand Gives Back
Least performing subseries overall: Before the Blood
Books most likely to encourage repeat sales from the same buyer: the original "drop of blood" trilogy (Bryony, Visage, and Staked!) Before The Blood (including all five installments: John Simons, Kellen Wechsler, Bryony Marseilles, Henry Matthews, Bryony Simons), The Phoenix, Call of the Siren
Venue least likely to result in sales - but it did: New Orleans North
Book least likely to sell - but it did: Before The Blood (one large volume of all five installments: small print on white paper)
Surprise sales opportunity: Christmas Market at Elder Brewing Co. in Joliet one week before Christmas Eve (many thanks to Cean Magosky for arranging it).
Surprise marketing opportunity: media blast from Timbers of Shorewood for WriteOn Joliet, of which I'm co-leader.
Surprise sales opportunity: Willow Fest, where Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, sold seven books authored by me and four authored by him. I wasn't even present.
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