New Effort to Reach Black Readers
by Calvin Reid -- Publishers Weekly, 7/26/2004
Looking to find an economical way to market African-American–oriented titles directly to consumers, Earl Cox, an independent book marketer who formerly worked for John Wiley, has launched Books That Click, a quarterly book brochure and a Web site, both listing popular forthcoming titles of interest to African-American readers.
Books That Click provides consumers (as well as retailers and librarians) with condensed information about forthcoming titles and distributes the brochure to a variety of venues that attract African-Americans. Cox said he distributes about 50,000 copies of the brochure to hair salons, barbershops, churches, libraries, historically black colleges, book clubs, street book vendors, and black bookstores and retailers. Books That Click's Web site (www.booksthatclick.com) offers the same information online that the brochure does. Cox also has partnerships with such African-American online book sites as www.aalbc.com and www.mosaicbooks.com.
The first BTC was unveiled at BEA. The next BTC brochure, which will be published in September, will feature 21 nonfiction and fiction titles from such publishers as John Wiley, Harper/Amistad, Amber Communication, Urban Books, Hylas and Triple Crown Publications. Many publishers also provide sample books, galleys and promotional materials that Cox offers to retailers. Listings cost $600 per title, but Cox is planning to offer a rate to list multiple titles. If the interest in BTC continues, Cox has plans for specialty lists for African-American Christian fiction and children's books.
Cox works with established book publishers as well as self-publishers and street book vendors. Indeed, so much urban fiction is sold through small black bookstores, street vendors and word of mouth, said Cox, that publishers realize they need to have a presence at nontraditional retail venues. "I know BTC is working," said Cox. "I have a cab driver with a mailing list of 150 readers who sells books out of his cab. He picked up the brochure at a wholesaler."
