We get it. In the world of publishing, the deadlines are tight and the timelines are tough. From hitting editorial goals to finalizing cover art, crafting the marketing copy to securing PR and leads and distribution deals, everything feels rushed and the pressure is on to speed through the publishing process in order to reach milestones.
But here’s the problem: all that rushing can lead to poor sales.
In the vast majority of publishing houses, less than 25% of titles reach their first annual revenue budget, while less than one-third earn back their royalty advance within two years. That’s far too many books missing the mark with consumers.
There are all sorts of places where things can go wrong. Maybe the title doesn’t resonate with readers or the back page blurb isn’t compelling, and as a result they buy another book instead. Maybe there are issues with the manuscript itself—blind spots or offensive content missed by the author and editors alike, who are too close to the project and can’t identify all the issues that would turn off target readers.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Data-infused market insights and feedback from target readers can dramatically improve a book’s quality, helping authors, editors, and publishers identify and fix issues and blind spots before they hit the shelves. In short, reader feedback can help publishing pros make better decisions and sell more books.
There’s only one problem: Time.
With such a tight publishing calendar, the perception is that there is simply not enough time to gather audience insights and still make deadlines. Many publishing companies don’t have internal consumer insights teams, and those who do (typically larger houses) are often swamped with a backlog of work and focused on broader trends. They rarely have time to gather and analyze reader responses to a specific book, and editors and publishers don’t have time to wait for them.
That’s where Target Audience Insights comes in. From gauging reader interest in a book’s broad concept (helpful early in the publishing process) to title and cover optimization, TAI can quickly and efficiently deliver quality audience feedback within three days. In just three weeks, we can even provide a comprehensive analysis of a full manuscript, breaking down actionable insights based on target reader criticism and assessments.
In other words, we get quality feedback into your hands, fast, so you don’t have to miss any deadlines.
When getting a book right means the difference between a well-placed investments and hundreds of thousands of wasted dollars and work-hours, publishers don’t have time to not harness the power of data-infused audience insights.
