Building a Platform for a Cookbook: The Right Size and Focus

As an aspiring cookbook author, you might wonder, "How big should my platform be for a cookbook?" This article aims to provide insights into the necessary steps and considerations to build a strong platform, whether you plan to publish traditionally or self-publish.

Understanding Your Platform

According to Gayle Laakmann McDowell, the size of your platform is crucial, but it's not the only factor. You need to model your revenue goals and work backwards to determine the traffic you need to achieve those goals. However, a large platform does not guarantee success. Celebrities with vast followings can still see their book ideas fizzle, as mentioned in the example of big celebrities whose cookbook publications didn't thrive.

Focus and Intended Audience

Your platform's focus is equally important, as is the intended audience of your cookbook. As mentioned in a related example, the The Cultural Revolution Cookbook by Sasha Gong and Scott D. Seligman, this book received significant recognition and was well-received despite not being published by the author. This example underscores the importance of having a strong and clear focus in your cookbook.

Platform Strength and Publisher Relations

To attract a traditional publisher, you need to have a strong platform that can move books independently. A publisher will want to see that you already have a record of selling books through your platform. Show them that you are selling between 2 to 6 books a day at a non-trivial amount—around $10 to $30 each. This data will help the publisher understand the potential of your book without them having to guess.

Real Numbers for a Platform

When it comes to quantifying your platform, here are some real-life numbers based on the author's experience in selling self-published cookbooks:

Twitter Audience

A Twitter audience is useful, but not absolutely necessary. While it's difficult to pinpoint an exact number of followers needed to sell books, a constant and active presence on the platform can be beneficial.

Facebook Audience

A Facebook audience, through Fan Pages and profile followers, can be more effective than Twitter. However, it still isn't the most efficient way to sell books.

Advertising

Advertising can generate sales, but the per-ad royalty generally doesn't cover the cost. This makes it a less effective strategy for building a platform to negotiate with publishers.

Website Traffic and Sales

For a self-published cookbook with an interactive website/forum, the author found a ratio of 7500 visits per sale. To maintain this level of sales, about 30,000 visits per day would be needed. However, this number might vary depending on your market and the specific niche of your cookbook.

Conclusion

In conclusion, building a strong and focused platform is crucial for both traditional and self-publishing a cookbook. The size of your platform is important, but so are the sales numbers you can demonstrate. By understanding your target audience, maintaining a strong website, and actively engaging with your readers, you can build a platform that will make negotiating with publishers or self-publishing your cookbook a more viable option.

Key Takeaways

Model your revenue goals and work backwards to determine your platform needs. Focus on your intended audience and provide a clear and compelling focus for your cookbook. Show a proven record of sales, selling at least 2-6 books a day through your platform.

With the right platform and focused audience, you can increase your chances of success when pitching your cookbook to publishers or going the self-publishing route.