Is Bigger Better?

I’m talking about numbers. More specifically, regarding smutty books. At this point in the game, what should the objective be?

I’ve got eight titles out there available at Amazon and Smashwords. That pretty much covers the main e-book distribution channels. Now, having listened to what the best in the business have to say, coupled with my own instincts as a professional marketer, I’m in a bit of a quandary.

Several smut writers have affirmed that for every ten books released there is a noticeable increase in overall sales. So should I be frantically typing out new material like there’s no tomorrow, to reach ten then twenty titles available? Listening to the voices of experience is never a bad thing.

But wait a moment.

Think of the erotica reading fraternity in quantity terms. If Fifty Shades of Grey and the e-reading factors have had the impact that we’re led to believe they have, that equates to one hell of a large potential readership out there.

So even if only a relatively small proportion of the total smut-buying market downloaded my stories, I’d certainly notice. In fact I’d be cock-a-hoop with the soaring sales figures.

So, the main question is this. With eight titles already on the virtual bookshop shelves, surely the focus should be on raising awareness and driving sales of the products already available rather than developing new ones? If readers do want to go on a mini splurge and download my other books, there’s seven of them. That’s good potential revenue in anyone’s eyes, considering the size of the market.

Interim data from the Erotica Reader Survey (not taken part yet, and love reading erotica? Please do the survey!) strongly suggests that once readers find an author they like, they’ll buy more of their stories. That’s reassuring to all writers. But readers aren’t going crazy and downloading EVERYTHING immediately. There’s a recession happening, remember. I compare it with a bricks and mortar shop, with the stock visible in the window and ready to be bought. It’s just that not enough people are looking at the shop window and coming inside.

What’s the point in writing another twenty books, if there’s still not enough (to my liking, anyway) people sniffing around and buying the first eight?

That’s not a product problem: it’s an awareness and communications issue.

That however, is for another blog post.

Erotica Readers: Your Opinions Count!

Are erotic writers delivering what readers want?
How diverse are readers’ erotic reading habits?


The simple fact is that to a large extent nobody knows! And that’s bad for readers and writers alike.

Hence the reason for the Erotica Reader Survey, aimed at getting to the bottom of what readers of erotic stories really want and how they go about getting it. If you’re a reader of erotica, you now have the perfect opportunity to give your honest opinion on a whole host of areas relating to the writing, content and purchasing of erotic stories.

As erotic story readers, you’ll already have your own feelings about the kinds of story that turn you on – and those that don’t. You’ll have also figured out the number of characters you like in your stories, the mischief they get up to. Your favourite writers – or new ones that are crying out to reach new audiences – may not have a clue about how best to make you aware of their new releases available to you.

You’re here because you love erotic stories. So why not take 10 minutes of your time to make yourself heard?! Grab yourself a glass of wine, get comfy and put your thinking cap on. Let’s talk about smut! 

The survey is COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS – deliberately so – in order that you can be completely candid in your responses. Nothing less than total honesty will do, otherwise it’s a pointless exercise for everyone.

The survey has been designed to the same standards as a professionally commissioned research project, and key findings will be shared on this blogsite (there might even be some nice fancy charts too!). 

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN THE SURVEY (it’s on Survey Monkey, a professional and highly regarded marketing research survey and hosting site).

UPDATE OCTOBER 2013:Please note that the survey will only accept one full survey response per device (ie, laptop, smartphone, etc.  There have been some problems encountered when trying to complete the survey on smartphones,  so if you want to do the survey, it's recommended you use a more stable platform such as a desktop/laptop personal computer. 

If you’ve got any questions about the survey, then be sure to send me a Tweet and I’ll respond ASAP.

Cheers, and have a great weekend!

AB

'Tits & Ass: Where Are They?'

Bright garish fonts.

Short tartan mini-skirts.

Miniscule bikinis failing miserably to conceal a curvy woman’s huge bazookas.

Titles such as “I Rammed the Babysitter” which leave nothing to the imagination.

Is this really what selling erotica is about? 

We’ve all heard about the major increase in erotica sales thanks to both the impact of Fifty Shades of Grey AND mobile ebook reading, whether dedicated readers such as Kindles, or iPads, Tablets and smartphones.

We’re also led to believe that a big factor in erotic ebook sales is the perceived anonymity afforded by these devices. Who needs to blush in Waterstones or Barnes & Noble anymore when buying smut, when it can be downloaded at home to your heart’s content?

But what’s the point in using a Kindle HD or iPad hoping for some inconspicuous smut reading on the train only for the front cover to completely give the game away to anyone in the immediate vicinity? Busted!

Think of the covers used in Fifty Shades... Are there any gratuitous T&A or images of a young lass being trussed up in BDSM gear? No. Nor is there on the plethora of novels released shortly after, such as those from Sylvia Day et al. Funny that. Coincidence?

Search the Erotica titles on Amazon. The subsequent results are awash with covers – and titles – that are less than subtle. Of course, not every cover is exactly the same, but enough similarities exist. 

Is this really what:-

a) appeals to consumers 

b) drives sales 

c) accurately reflects the quality of writing ? 

I don’t think so. 

Again, “Fifty Shades..” easily demonstrated that relatively crude cover designs are not essential for commercial success. Indeed, maybe their very absence is a key selling point, thus increasing the acceptability of the books among an increasingly important market segment.

But not following the herd is a surefire way to generate some attention. In fact, it’s a classic marketing maxim. The smart cookies realise that in a growing – if not already saturated - market the clever money is on seeing what everyone else is doing – and doing the exact opposite.

This was exactly the strategy I chose when launching my first brace of erotic stories. For the ‘Crash! Bang! Wallop!’ stories I wanted not only to make a visual impact on the Amazon search results (And they do! See for yourself.) but I also wanted to create a  recognisable identity for the fictitious London marketing research agency my stories are set in. You could easily imagine a website and the usual company-wide paraphernalia – letterheads, notepads, business cards – all festooned with the black background and multi-coloured logo. And hopefully, help transport you into the world of focus groups, interviews and all the associated office antics – and politics – that sets the scene for the subsequent romps.

Similarly, the first three titles in the London Lovers’ Ground series have a consistent colour-themed background and typeface. And not one pair of buttocks or boobies to be seen. And this is going to remain the case for all subsequent stories published.

Consistency is a HUGE deal in any branding programme. And make no mistake: unless you plan to be a one-book author with no intentions of publishing any more, then there needs to be that consistency. Amongst all the competing books out there, consistent branding is one of your best friends. For authors, it sets their books apart from the relatively disjointed competition, when they have a salvo of books adhering to the same layout principles, typefaces, colours, etc.

For prospective customers it immediately projects professionalism and consistency. In a fast moving, ever changing marketplace like the erotic fiction market, customers appreciate familiarity. They don’t get that if each subsequent title from an author features different people, colours, typefaces.

But wait a moment: is this perhaps just some misguided sense of marketing idealism, or even simple design snobbery?

Well, that’s where I’d like you to come in. I REALLY want to hear YOUR thoughts on this matter. Please post your comments below on this and encourage others to think and participate too.

Hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of the matter once and for all over the next few weeks, with the launching of the Erotica Reader Survey. Cover design is one of the areas in which smut-lovers will be asked for their opinions. Stay close to the blog over the next few days as there will be a posting with full details and survey link appearing shortly.

AB