2010 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring

Ramada Mall of America Minneapolis, Minnesota

June 24-26, 2010

Textbook Track Session:

Robert Christopherson

A Dozen Strategies for Successfully Marketing Your Textbook

Day/Time: Friday, 2:15 - 3:15 p.m.

Presenter: Robert Christopherson, Professor Emeritus of Geography, American River College (1970-2000), and author of the leading physical geography texts in the US and Canada

It should go without saying that when authors go to all the dedicated time and effort to produce a textbook that they do it with a goal that it will be adopted, read, and provoke learning — a change in behavior in the reader. This requires thought throughout the creative process about sales features, and the author's involvement in marketing and the post-production/sales period. These are areas of publisher responsibility for sure, however, the marketing process requires proactive and aggressive effort on the author's part for complete success. This session will describe some of the strategies authors can use to successfully market their textbook, including sales manual copy, lists of new features, participation in national sales meeting with PowerPoint presentations, an author's blog linked to the text, an interactive web site, listing of author's e-mail address in the Preface, contact with sales reps, copy for ads and fliers, a calendar project, and more.

Read an article about a promotional calendar Christopherson created as a supplement to the seventh edition of Geosystems: Click here

About the Presenter:

Robert W. Christopherson is Professor Emeritus of Geography, American River College (1970-2000). He was selected by American River College students as "Teacher of the Year" and received the ARC Patrons Award. He is the author of the leading physical geography texts in the US and Canada all published by Pearson Prentice Hall: He and his nature photographer wife Bobbe have completed nine expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions since 2003 gathering information and photos for his books: Geosystems, 7/e, © 2009 [Texty winner 1998]; Elemental Geosystems, 5/e, © 2007 [Texty winner 2005]; Geosystems Canadian Edition, 2/e, © 2009; and Applied Geography, 7/e, © 2009. He attended Cal State University-Chico, and Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. His first textbook was published in 1992. His textbooks have received several national textbook awards. Also, he was recognized for excellence in teaching with the 1999 Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award from the National Council for Geographic Education and the Outstanding Educator Award from the California Geographical Society in 1997. TAA presented him with its Presidents' Award in 2005. He has spoken across the US and Canada to hundreds of colleges, groups, and professional meetings.