Funnel for a novel: my first test

[mauri80]

I would like to share here the marketing strategy for my first business.

Just a short introduction: I work as freelancer and few months ago I started studying marketing to improve my role. In my spare time I like drawing and in the past years I designed a graphic novel that I thought to publish somewhere as download for free. Therefore, I decided in the end to use this novel as exercise to improve my knowledge in marketing.

In few words, I want to try to sell the novel applying the marketing theories I've studied.
The goal, now, is having back the money I spent for draw it (let's say 1500$) and reach at least smth like 100 readers. Too high goal? Probably, I consider this activity a mere training.

Here the draft of my strategy (so far, I did nothing)
1- Positioning
As the novel is already completed, my business can't be really marketing first. I tried, anyway, to underline why my novel is different from others: for example, is "not the usual hero story". I am going to stress this point in the funnel's copywriting.

2- Product and pricing
The novel could be sold in two versions: printed and digital. The print version should cost at least 70$ (40-50$ cost of print, plus the delivery and my earning). It's very expensive, I think nobody will buy it. At the same time, I am afraid the sales page without a print version could be seen as "cheap". I was thinking to provide it anyway, or introducing it with a "coming soon". What do you think?

For the digital version is much easier. Looking at online shops, I've seen the amount of 10-12$ as the highest price for ebooks, doesn't matter how many pages they have. The novel consists of 450 pages: my idea is dividing it in 3 volumes. The first one is for free, the second and the third with a price of 5.50$ each (or, better, 5.20$ the second and 5.80$ the third, as the last one is a bit longer). There is a preview of 10 pages for every book, and it's possible buying the whole novel with a little discount (3 volumes: 9.80$). I applied here 3 different pricing strategies: promotion, psychological, bundle.
What about illegal copies? There is no protection for ebooks. I decided to not care about it. If my novel is spreaded around illegaly, it means I will be famous.

3- Funnel
I designed my personal funnel. The novel will be sold on its shop online: a small web site with sales page, character and plot sections, intro video. It will be possible leaving a review.

Speaking about ads, I started with Google but I've seen there are almost no researches: I guess people don't look for "generic novel to read". I found people seeking for specific novels or specific sites where to read them, but nothing like "online novels" or "gothic novels (whatever genre, doesn't matter)". I moved then to Meta (FB+IG) : as my product covers a "not expressed need" and is entertainment, maybe is a better solution. The ads links to the landing page: the preview of the first chapter of the first book, free to read. At the end of the first chapter, the user can download for free the first book, or go to the sales page.

That's, basically, my idea. Please feel free to comment

 

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[Edgar King]

I would like to share here the marketing strategy for my first business.

Just a short introduction: I work as freelancer and few months ago I started studying marketing to improve my role. In my spare time I like drawing and in the past years I designed a graphic novel that I thought to publish somewhere as download for free. Therefore, I decided in the end to use this novel as exercise to improve my knowledge in marketing.

In few words, I want to try to sell the novel applying the marketing theories I've studied.
The goal, now, is having back the money I spent for draw it (let's say 1500$) and reach at least smth like 100 readers. Too high goal? Probably, I consider this activity a mere training.

Here the draft of my strategy (so far, I did nothing)
1- Positioning
As the novel is already completed, my business can't be really marketing first. I tried, anyway, to underline why my novel is different from others: for example, is "not the usual hero story". I am going to stress this point in the funnel's copywriting.

2- Product and pricing
The novel could be sold in two versions: printed and digital. The print version should cost at least 70$ (40-50$ cost of print, plus the delivery and my earning). It's very expensive, I think nobody will buy it. At the same time, I am afraid the sales page without a print version could be seen as "cheap". I was thinking to provide it anyway, or introducing it with a "coming soon". What do you think?

For the digital version is much easier. Looking at online shops, I've seen the amount of 10-12$ as the highest price for ebooks, doesn't matter how many pages they have. The novel consists of 450 pages: my idea is dividing it in 3 volumes. The first one is for free, the second and the third with a price of 5.50$ each (or, better, 5.20$ the second and 5.80$ the third, as the last one is a bit longer). There is a preview of 10 pages for every book, and it's possible buying the whole novel with a little discount (3 volumes: 9.80$). I applied here 3 different pricing strategies: promotion, psychological, bundle.
What about illegal copies? There is no protection for ebooks. I decided to not care about it. If my novel is spreaded around illegaly, it means I will be famous.

3- Funnel
I designed my personal funnel. The novel will be sold on its shop online: a small web site with sales page, character and plot sections, intro video. It will be possible leaving a review.

Speaking about ads, I started with Google but I've seen there are almost no researches: I guess people don't look for "generic novel to read". I found people seeking for specific novels or specific sites where to read them, but nothing like "online novels" or "gothic novels (whatever genre, doesn't matter)". I moved then to Meta (FB+IG) : as my product covers a "not expressed need" and is entertainment, maybe is a better solution. The ads links to the landing page: the preview of the first chapter of the first book, free to read. At the end of the first chapter, the user can download for free the first book, or go to the sales page.

That's, basically, my idea. Please feel free to comment

Perhaps you can hone down on the problems your novel solves that others don't? Like maybe you've heard others complain about about the way certain heroes are and your novel addresses that need?

Why should someone pick up your novel above others? I think clarifying on this will help with the marketing.

 

[mauri80]

Perhaps you can hone down on the problems your novel solves that others don't? Like maybe you've heard others complain about about the way certain heroes are and your novel addresses that need?

Hi Edgar King, thank you so much for your reply.

The positioning is definitively the trickiest point.
So far, I basically focused on the style and the plot (why my story is different from other stories) , but if I got you, you are suggesting to move the focus on the upper layer: which need my novel satisfies? Which need pushes a reader to download a novel, my novel?

not "what makes my product (novel) different", but what client's need.

Correct?

 

[Edgar King]

which need my novel satisfies? Which need pushes a reader to download a novel, my novel?

Yes, which need pushes them to download your novel over others (relative value)? Or to download it at all?

If the book store was like a small village where everyone sold apples, why should they buy from your stand rather than the others?

For example. I read a sci fi book called Artemis Fowl and found it to be an interesting read. More so because the hero was a little different in a good way (He was more an anti hero than normal protagonists usually are).

 

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[mauri80]

I see now how in my mind was not clear how positioning my product. According to Al Ries theory, that I like very much, the first step is creating a new specific category with a strong verbal nail.
The new category should be clear, well explained and underline the difference from competitors. A valid example could be an example Ries made, an American coffee brand focused on breakfast coffee ("I sell coffee but not like others, mine is much better for your breakfast").

Coming back to my product:
- category: graphic novel
- genre/storytelling: thriller, or
- genre/environment: sci fantasy (something like between fantasy and sci-fi)
-focus: strong psychological meaning.

The idea I have now is trying to associate a genre to the macro-category pointed on the focus.
In other words: is a sci-fantasy/thriller novel but not like others: is more mature and has strong psychological meaning. Not for kids or teenagers. Don't expect heroes here.

I looked at Google trends and surveys to understand what are the strongest keywords (generic keywords, not related to comics). That's the list, in order of volume of researches. From top to bottom: mystery, thriller, sci-fi, dark fantasy, science fantasy, neo medieval.
In France (a big market for comics) sci-fi is more popular than fantasy among adult readers.

The category can be therefore defined as:
- mind blowing fantasy
- psycho distopian fantasy
-psycho dark fantasy

I got the tip to communicate the category in the ads with a metaphor, like: "What if David Lynch [psycho element] would run The Lord Of the Ring [fantasy element?]"

Any tip or impression?
Thank you!