Another learning experience came from dealing with retailers. Then there is the challenge of promoting books. As an author I remember thinking that if my publisher only bought a small ad in the Globe and Mail and advertised more, sales would be great. To my surprise, I found that unless you can afford a lot of large flashy ads, advertising is a very ineffective tool for promoting books. Even advertisements in specialized publications often produce limited results.
Direct mail means quick payment and few returns.
And a well prepared mail piece, sent to the right person, is far more effective than a small ad or even a media mention. I have also found plenty of irony in the various government funding programs supposedly designed to promote publishing. In my opinion, such programs both at the provincial and federal level tend to support the status quo. In essence, this means an established literary press has a good chance of getting money. However, the need for assistance is probably greatest in the early days of a publishing venture.