“The marketing plan has to have an integrated approach”

Ashutosh Ramgir, Head of Books & Publishing, Sakal Media Group, has spearheaded the publication of over 1,000 books and sold more than 3.5 million copies. His pioneering initiative, #AnyoneCanPublish, is revolutionizing the industry by making book publishing accessible to authors from all walks of life.As the book publishing division of Sakal Media Group, Sakal Publications is dedicated to delivering a diverse and engaging range of literature to readers. Here, Ashutosh shares about their effective marketing plans. Excerpts.

AABP: What is your overall marketing plan for your books?

Ashutosh: The marketing plan has an integrated approach; in which – we, the authors and the channel partners collaborate and play an important role.

Even the booksellers want good titles to run their business, and authors to engage with their customers so they are equally interested. The booksellers and distributors too have to be made aware of the book and their confidence is important.

The authors are the real brand ambassadors of their book. The readers like to engage with authors, we jointly explore every opportunity to build a following. We like to sign the author for life so that we can work without any conflict of interest and for that we build a relationship based on trust and camaraderie. The complete marketing plan is designed around the author and the possibilities they bring through their content and personality on the stage.

Of course digital is important, which has to be integrated with traditional marketing. Use of influencers is more effective for digital marketing, so we encourage and try to see influencers delivering content which match the personality of the authors. In the traditional literary fests, author signing, reviews, book clubs are great opportunities to engage with readers.

Identifying the target customer is important. It is a hard truth in publishing that not every buyer is a reader. Therefore it is important to define them as buyers / customers. It is important for the book to be read, which will help the word of mouth, but at the same time making money is important both for the author and the publisher themselves.

The important part of our marketing plan is to convert interest into purchases. For that, ensuring availability, convenience and reliability is important for every successful call to action.

AABP: How do you plan to position a book in the market and how is the marketing budget calculated and allocated across various channels?

Ashutosh: Positioning influences Product, Price, Promotion, Place, and People for any product and vice versa.

We as publishers first cater to the needs of our loyal customers and readers. The community is built around the brand when it is identified by the promises it delivers. We are publishers of non-fiction books, so we have built a community around the promise that we will keep delivering engaging and inspiring content through biographies, history, spirituality, philosophy, self-help etc.

Then broadly the book is positioned on the genre, this is a bigger community than the brand of the publisher and the author hold. This community has set expectations and we (publisher and author) should strive to deliver to their expectations to be successful even before marketing the book to them.

The marketing budget is defined on the total and the potential available market, the premium the book can demand and how much can we sustain. The secret is that the marketing budget is dynamic. If the author and the publisher keep that mindset where they reinvest in the product it reaps good returns. The major portion of the budget is committed to direct marketing to channel partners, giveaways and POS collaterals and offers, then a certain budget is allocated to events – launch, book signing, and to digital marketing.

AABP: What are the key marketing milestones and timelines leading up to and after the book’s release?

Ashutosh: Pre-orders give a boost to confidence, if we are successful in creating a huge wave, many times the complete print run is paid off even before going to print. Then there are various strategies / tactics to make pre-order successful – Cover reveal, book trailers, advance reader copies, testimonials from influencers, exclusive offers and discounts, events build anticipation for the book.

Before the pre-order and pre-launch marketing these are the important steps – work on a compelling title and subtitle, create an engaging description, author bio, relevant category and keywords are important to optimise listing of the book online. This all information is collated in an advance information sheet for the trade.

Then comes the release – launch event, conduct author interviews, and maximize social media engagement.

When the book reaches the market, leverage on the reviews that the book is receiving, create a site to capture all the data, videos, reviews, news releases, ratings, etc.

Organise book signing at important places like bookstores, organise multiple city launch events. Promote these events locally and through social media.

For Amazon there are various strategies like – Kindle countdown deals and free book promotions, Author page, bundle offers, etc.

AABP: Which marketing channels will you use to promote the book (e.g., social media, email newsletters, book tours, etc.)?

Ashutosh: All the channels have their advantages. First we exploit all organic channels where spend is minimum. Parallelly, we look for opportunities to leverage existing events, planned, unplanned organised by us or someone else, to get an entry for talking engagement, book launch, book signing, panel discussion, interview, etc. Then we identify the gaps and organise book tours, social media campaigns. We closely work with the author and their travel plans to organise events.

AABP: Do you plan to use paid advertising? If so, on which platforms?

Ashutosh: We mostly use Amazon Marketing Services and Insta for paid campaigns. In some cases we also use telegram and whatsapp communities / groups for marketing.

AABP: How do you engage with book bloggers and reviewers?

Ashutosh: We send advance copies for reviews along with the introduction of the author and amplify the reviews wherever possible. Offer exclusive trailers. Request them to review on Goodreads.

AABP: What about organizing book signings, readings, or virtual events?

Ashutosh: We have used virtual events in 2021-22 when it was a need. Our focus is on in-person events with literary / book festivals, bookstores, universities / institutions, and maintaining a books stall for sale of books. We organise exhibitions and book launch events, panel discussion, workshops, author meets, wherever required and possible.

AABP: What are your distribution channels?

Ashutosh: The distribution channels are – books distributors, book retailers (individual / chain), online sellers (aggregators), library suppliers, exhibitors and bulk buyers.

AABP: How will you ensure the book is available in key markets?

Ashutosh: Partnership with major distributors is the key to ensure reach and availability of books in the market. Use print-on-demand to reach inaccessible markets or address the low volume inefficiencies. Ensure print planning, correct print estimation, stocking of books are strategic locations and timely fulfilment and no loss of sale.

AABP: What types of promotional materials do you create & how do you distribute them?

Ashutosh: Posters, book marks are distributed along with the initial order of the books. Later the posters are updated with the achievements (Bestselling/Award, etc), change of editions, etc. Book trailers are created for distribution on social media and online.

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Success story revealed!

In recent times, the Marathi book “Goshta Paishapanayachi” by young entrepreneur Prafulla Wankhede has become a significant talking point across a broad spectrum of readers in Maharashtra and channel partners. From metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, and Nagpur to rural areas, this book has generated widespread discussion. The book has sold more than 1 lakh copies.

The book was officially launched on October 9th at Mumbai’s Ravindra Natya Mandir, with a grand event that extended late into the night. The launch was notable for its scale, akin to those typically reserved for political figures rather than authors. This grand opening set the stage for the book’s unprecedented success.

“Goshta Paishapanayachi” quickly became a bestseller, achieving remarkable milestones:

Within the first 24 hours of release, the book sold over 1,000 copies. By the second day, it was listed among Amazon’s top ten bestselling books (all categories and languages), an achievement unparalleled by any other Marathi book.

The book maintained its position in Amazon’s bestsellers list for weeks, often reaching the number one spot. It was the only Marathi book in the top ten, competing with renowned English titles such as “Atomic Habits” by James Clear and “Ikigai.”

The book’s success is attributed to several key factors. The book’s marketing strategy involved aggressive and innovative promotions through Twitter and other online platforms. The “Let’s Read India” campaign effectively engaged readers by asking them to share their favorite books and reading habits, thereby creating a buzz around Wankhede’s work.

The initial print run of 30,000 copies was a significant achievement for Marathi publishing. Within a month, the book’s sales surpassed 60,000 copies, setting new records in Marathi book publishing.

Unlike many books that appeal to specific age groups or professions, “Goshta Paishapanayachi” resonated with a diverse audience, including students, professionals, and senior citizens. It reached readers across various pin codes in Maharashtra, from urban centers to remote villages.

The author Prafulla Wankhede, an established entrepreneur in the energy sector, used the COVID-19 lockdown period to pivot towards a new challenge: promoting reading and financial literacy. His background in engineering and success in business provided a strong foundation for his insights into financial planning, which he shared through his book. The language used by the author was simple and touched hearts.

The book has been well-received by prominent publishers and bookstores. Ramdas Bhatkal, head of Popular Publications, highlighted the book’s unprecedented response for a debut work, noting that such a reception was rare for new authors.

Iconic bookstores like Kitabkhana in Mumbai reported record-breaking sales of the book, with over 700 copies ordered, marking it as one of the best-selling Marathi books in their history.

The impact of “Goshta Paishapanayachi” on readers is profound. Readers have shared testimonials about how the book helped them reduce unnecessary expenses and manage their finances better.Many readers have reported making significant lifestyle changes, such as avoiding extravagant expenses and making more informed financial decisions.

Sakal played also played a major role in the success. Sakal organised events in major towns even before the book was published. But even before that the articles were published and popularised in Sakal newspaper over a year which gave the writing and the author the due recognition. These articles went viral every week on WhatsApp and social media a community started forming and growing day by day.