ABSTRACT

The business of publishing is regularly conducted through meetings at which all functions are represented, whether this is on a departmental or organisational level. Sharing ideas in this way enables their precise description, to gather feedback from others and in the process to both refine and improve them. Most publishing houses brief their key selling staff representatives who call on shops, deal with key accounts or represent the house in other ways at regular sales conferences. A press conference calls together representatives of the relevant media to impart a story or version of events. Literary prizes and awards are hugely important, offering a market overwhelmed with choice a convenient and topical selection. The publisher marketing technique that most debut authors have heard of is the launch party. Promotional tours during which popular or newsworthy authors gave a series of talks, or signed copies of new titles, were once a familiar promotional gambit.