Tag: selling to publishers

Sales And Product Development

Yesterday,
I talked about
how I pitch story ideas
to my agent.

I do this
BEFORE I start writing the story.

It makes no sense
to spend months
on a story idea
my agent (salesperson) can’t sell.

It also makes no sense
to not include
my agent’s inputs.
Those inputs
should help her
sell the story.

Sales should
ALWAYS
be included
in new product development.

They are on
the front lines.
They talk with customers.
They know what customers like.

Involve salespeople
in the product development
process.

Can You Sell This?

I pitched a story idea
to my agent.

An agent,
in the publishing industry,
is a salesperson

She sells stories
or ideas for stories
to publishers,
movie studios,
other interested parties.

And that is
the feedback
I truly want from her.

I don’t need to know
if the idea is ‘good.’
I have an editor
for that purpose.

I want to know
if she can sell my idea,
if there is an interest
or a market
for that type of story.

If the answer is…
maybe,
I then want to know
how I can turn
the maybe into a yes.

What do I have to change
in the pitch to do that?

If the answer is no,
I discard the idea
and I work on another one.

Great salespeople are the experts
on what sells or doesn’t sell.

Business builders need their advice.
And we should listen to it.