Book Marketing Gazette Marketing Strategies, Tips and Reviews for Authors, Publishers and Book Marketing Experts
From D’vorah’s Desk It has been an amazing month! Thank you to our community of authors, writers, publishers and book marketing experts for your participation D’vorah Lansky and support. Publisher
~ This month we
~ The Book Marketing Conference Online was a huge hit! Our 16 workshop leaders provided amazing content and the feedback and participant involvement was offthe-charts! Over 520 new members attended this event and have become part of our Authors Marketing Circle community. What people are saying:
introduce a new feature: a book
"I am in awe at the information that was provided. Not only was it on your book is a powerful way to share time, impactful and relevant but I walked away with a to do list and your message, build community and how to get it done! It was amazing." sell more books. I have a book blog Michelle Bell, Consultant and Author for each of my books. This allows me Pathway For Purpose www.pathwayforpurpose.com to brand each site to the colors and blog showcase! Having a blog for
feel of the book. If you‘d like to get some book blog ideas you can visit: www.BookMarketingMadeEasy.com In this issue I feature the book blog of Leigh Wilson. Leigh shares with us about his blog. This is a great way for you to get some great hands on tips. See page 14 of this issue for Leigh‘s blog showcase. ~ With the support of the community, my book became an Amazon Bestseller in three categories, in its first week! We celebrated with a 21-day virtual book tour where I was hosted on book marketing blogs
Volume I - Issue 8
"This conference was exceptional. It more than met my high expectations, raised when I read over the list of presenters. It was invaluable for both published authors and those seeking guidance in their book. It was definitely a "not to be missed" event! Many thanks, D'vorah, for this wonderful event." Nancy Ragno, author of Word Savvy: Use the Right Word Every Time, All the Time www.callingallwordwatchers.com You can still access this valuable content in a variety of ways. For details visit: www.BookMarketingConference.com
across the globe. To access the vir-
Here‘s to your book
tual book tour visit:
marketing success! All
www.bookmarketingmadeeasy.com/
the best,
virtual-book-tour-schedule
D’vorah
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Inside this issue: Your Virtual Book Tour * Dana Lynn Smith
2
Jumpstart Your Creativity * Lynne Klippel
3
Is eBook Publishing for Me * Kristen Eckstein
4
Testing Your Book Title * Roger C. Parker
5
Brand Yourself in your Title * Judy Cullins
6
Independence for Writers * Terry Whalin
7
Google Alerts for Authors * Stephanie Chandler
8
Are You Hesitant to Blog * Mia Sherwood Landau
9
7 Book Marketing Goals * Tony Eldridge
10
3 P’s for Book Marketing * Cherry-Ann Carew
11
Your Brand as an Author * Jennifer S. Wilkov
12
Author Interview Series * Featuring Dana Lynn Smith
13
Book Blog Showcase * Leigh Wilson
14
Book Marketing Conference * From our Participants
15
Special Events * Author Summer School
16
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 2
Promote Your Book with a Virtual Book Tour By Dana Lynn Smith Virtual book tours (also called blog tours) typically involve making guest appearances
readers for questions in advance. You can create buzz by giving away a free
and/or forums that are related to the topic
copy of your book or a related item at some
or audience of your book. You can even do
of the tour stops. For example, invite people
teleseminars, podcasts, or live interviews on
to make a comment on your guest blog
Blog Talk Radio as part of your tour.
post, then hold a drawing to give away a
the traditional in-person book tour: It's free (unless you hire someone to organize the tour) and there's time or money
“Virtual book tours (also called blog tours) typically involve making guest appearances on book review sites or on blogs, websites, and/ or forums that are related to the topic or audience of your book.”
questions. Sometimes the host will ask
on book review sites or on blogs, websites,
Virtual tours have several advantages over
Dana Lynn Smith
aging readers to make comments or ask
free copy of your book to someone randomly selected from those who left comments. But the downside of giving away your book during the tour is that some people might wait to see if they win, instead of ordering
spent on travel.
the book. Instead, you might give away a
You can generally reach far more people
free ebook to everyone.
copy of one of your other books or offer a
and reach a more targeted audience.
Virtual book tours are ideal for launching a
A virtual tour provides quality, lasting links
new book, but even if your book has been
to your own author website.
out for a while, a virtual tour can book cre-
Look for tour hosts that are a good fit for
ate buzz and bring in sales.
your book and provide unique content to
Tours typically last 5 to 20 consecutive
each host. Here are some suggestions for
days, with a different tour stop each day or
content:
every other day. If you want to do a long
virtual interviews, where your host asks questions and you respond
how-to articles in your area of expertise
excerpts from your book
articles about how you developed the plot or characters for a novel
tour, you might schedule a 10-day tour and then do a second tour a month or two later. It's never too late to promote your book with a virtual book tour! Excerpted from How to Get Your Book Reviewed, an ebook by Dana Lynn Smith About Dana Lynn Smith Dana Lynn Smith, The Savvy Book Market-
book reviews written by the tour host
podcasts or teleseminars
video or blog radio interviews with you
ing. Get her free Top Book Marketing Tips
book promotion videos
www.BookMarketingNewsletter.com, visit
articles about how you published the book or what you're doing to market it
Make the tour more interactive by encour-
er, helps authors and indie publishers learn how to sell more books through her how-to guides, blog, newsletter, and private coachebooks at her blog at www.TheSavvyBookMarketer.com, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter, and connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 3
A Book Development Exercise to Jumpstart Your Creativity By Lynne Klippel When you are in the process of writing your book, you may be overwhelmed with all the ideas that you could possibly put into your book. You have ideas, stories, illustrations, and quotes flooding your mind, as well as a wealth of blog posts, articles, and other written material to
problem you solve in the book)
Notice how this learning path
so that they can __(the ultimate
follows a logical progression with
benefit of solving the problem).
the information presented in the
For example:
It‘s important that the steps you
ers who hate to hire new staff so
present in your learning path
that they can spot great candi-
follow a logical, step-by-step
dates during the first 10 minutes
progression so that it is easy for
of an interview.
your reader to implement the
My book helps retirees manage
start swirling around in your
their 401K funds so that they
mind and keep you stuck instead
don‘t outlive their money.
ing.
My book helps new gardeners grow beautiful roses so that they
When this happens, you need to
can be the envy of the neighbor-
create a container to corral all
hood.
those ideas into a logical order.
use to prepare for an interview.
My book helps corporate manag-
pull from. All these ideas can
of moving forward in your writ-
same sequence someone would
steps. A confused reader won‘t finish your book. Your problem statement and learning path should fit easily on one piece of paper. It is designed to be a visual guide to help you stay true to the purpose of your book while you are
Once you have a clear idea of
writing it.
Use this exercise to help you
what problem your book solves
clarify and simply your ideas.
for your readers, write down the
Then, the next time you are
Set aside 30 minutes of time when you will not be interrupted. Turn off your phone, don‘t check your email, and close your door. Or, if you are able, go outdoors. Grab a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. This exercise works
steps you will teach in your book. Then put them in a logical order for the reader from easy to more difficult or from start to finish.
overwhelmed with a myriad of ideas for your book, you can compare each idea to the learning path and see if that idea belongs in the book or if you want to save it for another pur-
This sequence is the learning
pose.
path you will share with your
When you have a clearly deline-
readers in your book.
best when done by hand, not on
For example, for the book on
a computer.
interviewing skills for managers,
Close your eyes and think of
the learning path could look like
ated learning path for your book, you‘ll have a road map for its completion as well as a guide that will help you sort all your
this:
ideas quickly and easily.
her sitting at your kitchen table
How to screen applications so
**************
with you, asking for your help.
you select the top candidates for
Spend a couple of minutes
interviews
your ideal reader. See him or
bringing that vision into sharp focus. Then, open your eyes and fill in
Klippel has been an author, publisher, ghost writer, and
questions before the interview
book coach since 2004. Her
How to read applicant‘s body
My book helps ___describe your
attitude
specific problem your book addresses). For example:
Best-selling Author Lynne
Preparing a set of standard
this sentence starter:
ideal reader) to ___(describe a
Lynne Klippel
language for clues about their
business, BusinessBuildingBooks.com, serves entrepreneurial authors writing nonfiction books. Are YOU ready
Asking follow-up questions to
to write your book? Take
probe for initiative and responsi-
Lynne‘s FREE assessment and
bility
find out if you have the re-
Checking references to get the
My book helps ____(describe
real scoop on workplace behav-
your ideal reader) to ______(list
ior
quirements for author success at www.AmIReadytoWrite.com
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
“It’s important that the steps you present in your learning path follow a logical, step-by -step progression so that it is easy for your reader to implement the steps.”
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 4
Is eBook Publishing for Me? By Kristen Eckstein, UltimateBookCoach.com loaded current, traditionally published titles A PDF eBook (about 30 pages) is an excellent way to quickly become an author. You can also create your book as you would a print book, but have it distributed in eBook format. An eBook has the same cost of development as a print book, including editing, design,
Kristen Eckstein “You can write
typesetting, etc., but its production costs are much lower. In fact, other than the required discount to online retailers, an eBook costs nothing to produce.
to my Kindle and found that almost every page had typos, words stuck on other words, random spacing or hyphens breaking words apart, etc., which made it frustrating and difficult to read. The tried-and-true Adobe eBook format (readable by any eBook reader, including the Kindle) retains all the formatting of the original book, eliminating this problem. Unfortunately for authors, the Kindle Store on Amazon.com has chosen to stop selling Adobe eBooks. That means additional formatting to
You can write a book, distribute it quickly
―pretty up‖ the interior of your book can cost
and easily as an eBook, and have the price
a small fortune—with the only benefit being
point lower than a print book so you sell
a listing in the Kindle Store. For more on this
more copies. You also make more money in
discussion, check out my blog post at:
an eBook, and
the process.
www.KristenEckstein.com/2011/02/the-
have the price
One downfall to the eBook craze is it still
a book, distribute it quickly and easily as
point lower than a print book so you sell more copies.”
kindle-store-problem.
does not give you the same credibility as a
Since the setup and creation of the Adobe
print book. That added cost of paper, plus
eBook format is the same as a print book,
the feel of a "real" book in your hands, is still my question is, why not do both and have a major selling point. If your goal is to get
the best of both the print and online worlds?
published quickly and somewhat easily,
Then if you wish to sell the book in the Kin-
eBooks are for you. But if your goal is to
dle Store, the option is always available to
establish credibility, have a nice promotional
have it re-formatted to fit their guidelines.
item, or increase the cost of workshops and seminars with a free copy of your book as a bonus, then publishing it only as an eBook is
About Kristen: If you plan to only write one poetry book, memoire, or one book of short stories, vanity may be a good option for you.
not for you.
But if you intend to write non-fiction, epic or fantasy fiction, or more than one book, vani-
Another downfall to eBooks is an issue with
ty is probably not a good option.
various eBook retailers. Ingram Digital, the main wholesaler/distributor of eBooks, only issues Adobe Digital Editions format. In an
Through the course of her publishing life, including managing a vanity publishing company, Marketing Director for a traditional
effort to force publishers to use new technol- publishing company, and running her own independent publishing company, Kristen ogy, major eBook retailers such as Amazon.com refuse to recognize the longtime standard Adobe eBook format, or sell it. But the technology is flawed. I recently down-
Eckstein has helped dozens of authors get published since 2003. Find out your publishing options free at http:// www.ArtOfPublishing.com/
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 5
Tips for Testing Your Proposed Book Title Before It’s Too Late Part 2: Putting social marketing and free online surveys to work By Roger C. Parker
www.helpareporterout.com to attract others
In Part 1, we looked at the important role that
interested in your topic. Use www.Twitter.com
titles play in the success of your book. Now,
using hashtags (#) to attract participation,
it‘s time to make sure we‘ve chosen the right
plus similar features on Facebook and
book title.
LinkedIn.
Why is testing so important?
Pay-per-click advertising. Timothy Ferris tested titles for The 4-Hour Workweek and
Testing is necessary because authors can‘t
The 4-Hour Body by setting up landing pages
trust their own instincts, nor can they trust
for each of the titles he was considering, and
the opinions of family, friends, and co-
used pay-per-click search engine advertising
workers.
to drive traffic to them. By monitoring traffic,
For example, one of my first Published & Profitable interviews was with Paul B. Brown, coauthor of Customers for Life: How to Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer, a perennially popular business book. Paul recounted how everyone involved with the project—including the publisher‘s editors and sales staff-- loved the original title, The $332,000 Customer.
he got a fast reading of each title‘s popularity. Explain yourself. Begin your surveys with a brief explanation of the type of book you‘re writing, the information you‘re going to offer, and how readers will benefit from it. This provides a context for participants to judge your proposed titles. Options. Don‘t just present one title and ask, “What do you think?” Offer a choice of titles.
However, a focus group of business book readers revealed that readers hated the original title; it was confusing, misleading, and didn‘t reflect the book‘s contents!
Invite participants to choose their favorite, or to rate each title on a scale of 1-5. Separate titles and subtitles. Don‘t lock
It used to costs tens of thousands of dollars to conduct focus groups. Now, however, you can do the same thing for free, using online survey resources like www.surveymonkey.com,
title and subtitles together. Instead, offer a 2 or 3 titles in one question, and 2 or 3 subtitles in another question. Let participants mix-andmatch.
www.zoomerang.com,
Invite comments. Include a text box inviting
www.freeonlinesurveys.com, and
survey participants to suggest other title ide-
www.surveygizmo.com.
as. Often, participants will suggest a better title than the ones you‘ve offered!
Best practices for title surveys Here are some tips for testing book titles before you commit to them:
Keep it simple. Don‘t overcomplicate things. The faster you create your survey, the more time you‘ll have to promote it.
Set up an online survey. You can‘t just send an e-mail and say, “Tell me what you think of this title, and hit reply.” A better approach is to set up an online survey and promote your survey to your mailing list. This can increase response by promising anonymity.
Don’t be discouraged if prospective readers don’t share your enthusiasm for your favorite title and subtitle! By surveying your market, you‘ve avoided what might have been an expensive mistake. Listen to your market, and let them help you choose the right title for
Expand your survey audience. Announce
Roger C. Parker
your book!
your survey to news and press sites like
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
“Testing is necessary because authors can’t trust their own instincts, nor can they trust the opinions of family, friends, and co-workers.”
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 6
Brand Yourself in Your Book Title and Book Chapters By Judy Cullins Branding in your book sets you and your book apart from all the others. That makes selling
Judy Cullins
That may be tips, headings, cli-
we brainstormed the branded
ent problems, stories, quotes,
chapter titles and the branded
charts, or a side bar of facts.
headings.
Your readers love these kinds of
books easy. Notice famous au-
Her working title, ―Yoga for
thors such as Trump, whose
Stress Management-A Practical
name is bigger than his ti-
Guide for Working Women‖ was
things in the middle part of your chapter. They look for relief from reading long copy.
tle. Besides your book title, you also her thesis.
Preplanning your book chapters
can also brand parts of your
by expanding the thesis makes
book such as your chapter titles, headings within the chapter, tips, facts, case studies, or
“Preplanning your book chapters by expanding the thesis makes your book memorable and easy to read too.”
less stressful. In each session,
quotes. For a book titled, "Passion at Any Age" the author rewrote each chapter title to mention a form of the word, "passion,"
Here‘s a sample heading from one chapter: Top Three Ways Yoga Releases Anxiety And Boosts Your Energy Another heading: Five Gentle Yoga –in--Bed Stretches To Ease You Into Your Day
In her annotated table of con-
to read too. Like all the famous authors, your book brands you, and your business, and its branded parts make you look like the expert— and this brings you multiplied
Here‘s a sample tip: Stress-free contacts, contracts, and book sales.
thus branding with ―passion‖ to Yoga Tip: Learning to recognize stress and anxiety in your set her passion coaching business apart from others.
your book memorable and easy
life helps you feel more in control and on-top of things.
Want more details on branding in a book? See Judy‘s most popular best selling book, ‖Write
tents Instead of a chapter title
Her book brands her as the go
your eBook or Other Short Book
like ―Expand Fulfillment,‖ she
to person for great stress relief
-- Fast!‖ at
renamed Chapter 1 "Attracting
through yoga and meditation
www.authorsmarketingcircle.co
Passion," to again brand her as
practices.
m/fastebook. Or, if you aren‘t
her book title of ―Passion at Any Age‖ did.
You can brand your business with your book like one business
After the title in the table of
client of mine. He changed his
contents, she included such
book title many times, but final-
benefits as "Expand fulfillment,
ly he used "The Smiling Owner-
sure, check out Judy‘s fresh writing and marketing blog posts at www.bookcoaching.com Book Coach Judy Cullins helps you transform your book idea
Overcome resistance, Communi- How to Build a Great Small Busi- into a helpful, entertaining, and engaging book. Now you can get cate clearly, and Come from the ness." He added a visual every heart," so readers would know businessperson can connect to. far more visibility and credibility the benefits of each chapter-a
He worked the "Smiling Owner"
for your business. Author of 13
great motivation!
metaphor into his how to's and
business books include "How to
tips throughout his chapters.
Write your eBook or Other Short
Within each chapter she brand-
Book-Fast!," and "LinkedIn Mared her tips as "Passion Hot Line Think about your book title. keting: 8 Best Tactics to Build What key words and thesis does Tips" and her PASSION FACTS Book and Business Sales." as well as "Passion Quotes." All it contain? Take that key word to support the book's title, and
or phrase and then think about
brand her.
each chapter title. Incorporate
One UK client coached with me on a yoga book, filled with yoga postures and tips to make a working woman‘s life easier and
the key word into each chapter title.
Get fresh, useful free weekly publications on book writing, self publishing, and online marketing at
In each chapter, develop format www.bookcoaching.com/helpwriting-a-book.php parts that are in each chapter.
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 7
Independence for Every Writer By Terry Whalin
From working on this Ebook, I‘ve got a list of small reports that I‘m actively working to
For many years, I‘ve been working within
put together and get online.
the publishing community whether as a magazine writer, a book author, a maga-
Just stop for a few minutes and think about
zine editor, a book editor, a literary agent
it. What information product can you create
and now a book publisher. I‘ve developed
that would be a help to others? Take a few
products and books to train others to easily minutes and write down some ideas. Maybe enter the publishing community, work with you already have the content in your blog others and achieve their publishing dreams. entries or in answers that you give on a This entry may seem a bit contrary to this specific forum or for a group. You‘ve infocus. I continue to be a strong advocate
vested the time and energy to learn this
for working with others. It is through the
unique skill and with a little bit of effort on
team approach that your writing improves
your part to rewrite it, you can create this
and you can do much more than you ever
small report. Then you can sell this small
could on your own.
report and help others.
Yet I also encourage you to start something Also in selling this small report online you independent of the magazines or book pub- also create your own independent business lishers.
effort. Imagine how much more attractive you will be to book publishers if you have
Why?
already established a connection to your
While I believe it is good to work with others and the strength of the team process, creating independent products and services also has value for every writer and should not be ignored.
audience or readers? The process is not complicated or difficult. Each writer can do it. I recommend that you create your own plan of independence. It might start with reading my risk-free
For example, some publications pay on
small report. As I wrote toward the bottom
publication or months after they have ac-
of the sales page, you can buy this report
cepted your article. While many beginning
with my 100% money back guarantee. You
writers don‘t think about it, often tradition-
have nothing to lose and your independ-
al publishers pay once a year or the best
ence to gain.
they do is to pay quarterly or four times a year.
W. Terry Whalin is a former magazine editor, book editor and literary agent. He is
If you create the products yourself use a
the author of more than 60 books including
tool to collect the payment, then you im-
Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams: Insider
mediately receive the payment for selling
Secrets to Skyrocket Your Success and a
the product or service.
Publisher at Intermedia Publishing
Many writers are struggling to wonder how to earn a living at their writing. One answer
Group. Get his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author.
is to begin writing and selling small reports. My 84-page Ebook, The 31-Day Guide to Making Money Writing Small Reports gives step-by-step instructions. www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Terry Whalin
“While I believe it is good to work with others and the strength of the team process, creating independent products and services also has value for every writer and should not be ignored.”
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 8
8 Ways Nonfiction Authors Can Use Google Alerts
Stephanie Chandler “One of my favorite free services is Google Alerts, an internet monitoring service that sends email notification when keywords or phrases you identify appear online. This service is a goldmine for authors because it allows you to track mentions of your work, competition, and more.”
By Stephanie Chandler
amarketers.com, or any other content
One of my favorite free services is Google
distribution service, create an alert for the
Alerts, an internet monitoring service that
title of each article to find out where it
sends e-mail notification when keywords
appears online.
or phrases you identify appear online. This
7. Speaking Opportunities – If you
service is a goldmine for authors because
speak on the topic of healthy living, create
it allows you to track mentions of your
an alert for ―call for speakers health‖ or
work, competition, and more. Here are
―health conference‖ or ―healthy living
some Google Alerts you should be sure to
event.‖ Use Google Alerts to uncover new
create:
opportunities for speaking, contributing
1. Author Name – Track your name so
articles, etc. This takes some creative
you see when it‘s mentioned online.
testing, but can bring you some fantastic
2. Website URLs – Create alerts for your
opportunities.
website(s) and/or blog(s). Note that you
8. Blogs and News – Staying on top of
can leave off ―www‖ or ―http‖ and simply
news for your industry is a great way to
create the alert for ―mywebsite.com.‖
learn and get engaged with your target
3. Book Titles – Whether you have one
audience. Create alerts that lead you to
book or twenty, track mentions of your
news stories, whether from major media
book online with an alert. This gives you
sites or blogs. Then, take time to com-
the opportunity to thank reviewers and
ment on related stories. And don‘t just
others who mention your book. You may
say, ―Nice article!‖ Instead, demonstrate
also want to write a blog post for your
your expertise and contribute to the con-
own blog and link back to any major me-
versation. Add a missing tip that the writ-
dia mentions.
er didn‘t include. Make it interesting and
4. Industry Statistics – Depending on
valuable and readers will notice.
the subject matter of your book, create alerts to track what‘s happening in the
Stephanie Chandler is the author of
industry. For example, if your book is
several books including Booked Up! How
about small business financing, you might
to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book to
have alerts for ―business loans statistics,‖
Grow Your Business, LEAP! 101 Ways to
―angel investing,‖ etc. When you‘re alert-
Grow Your Business, From Entrepreneur
ed to new statistics, you can use them to
to Infopreneur: Make Money with Books,
write a relevant blog post, share on social
eBooks and Information Products, and The
media, or as fodder to create a new PR
Author’s Guide to Building an Online Plat-
campaign. Sharing statistics and then
form: Leveraging the Internet to Sell More
providing supporting data or tips can be a
Books. Stephanie is also founder and CEO
great way to capture media attention.
of http://AuthorityPublishing.com, which
5. Competing Titles/Authors – If
specializes in custom publishing for non-
you‘re serious about book promotion, it
fiction books, and http://
never hurts to keep an eye on the compe-
BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of re-
tition. If a competing author lands an in-
sources for entrepreneurs. A frequent
terview with a major media outlet, see if
speaker at business events and on the
you can follow up on that with a slightly
radio, she has been featured in Entrepre-
different perspective.
neur Magazine, BusinessWeek, Inc.com,
6. Article Titles – If you distribute arti-
Wired magazine, and many other media
cles to sites like ezinearticles.com, ide-
outlets.
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 9
Are You Hesitant To Blog? By Mia Sherwood Landau
working for you on the web 24/7,
Are you hesitant to blog because
I‘d like to invite you to take a little
you think it might become a forum
trip into your imagination now.
for nasty comments? Are you hesi-
Let‘s take a short mind trip, be-
tant to blog because you think it‘s
cause you‘re a writer, so it won‘t be
one more task that you: 1) don‘t
difficult for you to imagine this:
know how to, or 2) don‘t have time to do?
―Oh, look at this photo of the au-
OK, just one more question – do
thor as a little toddler, standing up
you ever visit a website and click
on a chair in her grandma‘s kitch-
on their blog first thing?
en, licking frosting off a big spoon. That‘s so darling… And here she is
This is not a quiz, it‘s an invitation.
winning a blue ribbon at the county
Your own blog can be a photo al-
fair for her strawberry jam when
bum designed to inspire you and
she was 10 yrs old. And here she
your clients. It can be a journal for
is teaching her son how to peel and
your inner thoughts and feelings
core Granny Smith apples to make
about your business. And, it can
a pie. Adorable.
truly be both, cheaply and easily.
Mia Sherwood Landau
************** Wow, look at all these photos other
Search engines love blogs because
people sent her. It looks like doz-
Mia Sherwood Landau is a blogger
each blog post has a date, which
ens of family snapshots with reci-
and article marketer for authors,
means your content is recent and
pes and stories, too. Everybody
businesses and non-profit organiza-
relevant, exactly what search en-
wants to get in on the act. No won-
tions. She offers a free intro ses-
gines crave. Static web pages do
der she‘s so successful. She makes
sion to listen and to advise you how
not have that dateline advantage.
it about her readers, not just about
to blog for your book and your
herself. That is so smart. I wonder
business, she teaches you to blog
Human beings love blogs because
if anybody would read my blog,
for yourself, or she does all the
they are full of photos and juicy
too?
work for you. From her cabin in
inside info, making a blog much
the woods, Mia blogs and writes
more inviting and friendly than
I‘m ordering her cookbook with this
articles that work 24/7 for her in-
most websites.
link right now. No, I‘m ordering
ternational clientele. Contact
two, one for me, one for Mom.‖
www.mia-sherwood-landau.com to
Best of all, blog platforms (the
start a charming blog that works
place where you post photos and
If you‘d like to see how easily a
for you, too. Or, stop by to get
type words) are very easy and of-
blog can lure clients and clients-to-
some quick inspiration here.
ten free.
be into your business, let me know by email and I‘ll get in touch with
Yes, I said FREE, meaning no set-
you right away. I want to hear your
up fee and no monthly fee. I mean
story and help you translate it into
completely free of charge, and free
pictures and words that work for
of advertising as well.
you.
Assuming you might be slightly curious, maybe even excited about seeing your own photo/journal www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 10
7 Weekly Book Marketing Goals You Can Adopt Today By Tony Eldridge When you're an author, it can become overwhelming when you realize you are responsible for marketing your
Tony Eldridge
book. You read a lot of blogs, books, and newsletters giving you advice
to do this and do that; but the choices can be confusing. Knowing what to do and how to do it can be two different things. As you develop your book marketing plan, I invite you to consider the following weekly goals to incorporate into your routine. They are simple activities but they will help you expand your platform, extend the visibility of your book, deepen your network, and keep you constantly moving forward with your plan. These are by no means all the things you should be doing, but they will help you get started with productive activities. 1. Have a guest on your blog or be a guest on another blog- To help you get in front of new people, there are few things easier or more effective than having a guest on your blog or by writing a post for someone else. Each week, look for one way you can expand your visibility through guest blogging. 2. Comment on 10 blog post- Start off by committing to comment on two posts per day. This is a great way to get your name out there while building relationships and establishing your own expertise.
3. Subscribe to 1 new blog- A real danger when trying to market your book is remaining stagnant. If you make it your weekly goal to find a new blog to subscribe to, you'll help ensure that you are constantly learning new things. But the strength of this goal is in the research process itself. Just by looking for new blogs you want to subscribe to, you'll expand your knowledge base. 4. Implement 1 SEO strategy into your blog or website- Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is important to make sure you are giving your blog or website the best chances at feeding the search engines. This is important to make sure searchers find your site when they are using keywords. You don't have to be a technical expert to implement simple SEO techniques and a quick visit to Google, YouTube, or even the search feature on my blog will give you easy things you can do each
book- We all love to hear great things about our book from readers. Make sure you keep your ears open for these golden tidbits. And if someone tells you they love your book, let them know how much that means to you and ask if they would mind shooting you an email or doing an Amazon review for you. These seven weekly book marketing goals really are simple to execute and they can make an impact in your attempts to find readers for your book.
week for SEO.
But beyond that, they help you steadily
5. Help 1 author promote his or her
you'll be able to do bigger and greater
book- As you create your network, you will realize how important it is for others to help promote you and your book. In this spirit, set a goal each week to find another author for you to help. Call it karma, "what goes around, comes around," "the golden rule," or whatever you wish. The truth is, you will only get so much help without being willing to help others. 6. Introduce yourself to 1 new leader in your book's niche topicEach week, identify at least one new influencer and introduce yourself. If you do, you will be surprised at how quickly and deeply your network can grow. 7. Find 1 new testimonial for your
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
build your book marketing muscles so things in the future. By Tony Eldridge, creator of Marketing Tips For Authors. http:// blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com/ Tony Eldridge is the author of the award winning action/adventure novel, The Samson Effect, which Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the creator of Marketing Tips for Authors, a site that publishes free tips and videos to help authors learn marketing techniques for their books. You can read the serial release of The Samson Effect at www.samsoneffect.marketingtipsforaut hors.com/
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 11
3 Ps To Marketing Your Book - Predetermine, Prepare and Promote By Cherry-Ann Carew
own. Get a team in place. Multiply your time and effort with others who can help
As authors, it‘s our responsibility to build a platform and cultivate a following whether publishing via traditional means, or self-publishing. To do that, you need to set an action plan in place in preparation to get your book out into the world, because your book‘s success is ultimately up to you. In addition, you need to have an intimate knowledge about the book‘s outset and outcome. I focused on three main topics that I call the 3 Ps. They are: ‗Predetermine, Prepare and Promote.’ Many areas overlap, but in essence, Predetermine means understanding what your message/story is about. As obvious as this sounds many writers start out wanting to write information that they feel will answer society‘s problems, if writing non-fiction. If fiction, many do not know, or understand the overall story through line. It‘s important to be as specific as you can so the pur-
you. Where will you prepare? Your kitchen table, a weekend away, Starbucks, the park? This aspect too, may seem simplistic, but treat preparing to put your plan together as if you are writing your book – map it out. The process will be better structured. Find a place where you won‘t be easily distracted. When will you prepare? Evenings, Weekend, lunch hour? Dedicate a certain time when you can fully focus on your plan.
Concentrate on being consistent in your marketing and
How will you prepare? Will you write long-
promotional efforts.
hand using different colour pens, pencils
Promote every day
or high-lighters? Will you use Microsoft
even if it is a Tweet
Word, Excel Spreadsheet or PowerPoint?
relative to your
Much like you can‘t start cooking without
book. Little and of-
utensils, apply the same procedure and
ten will lead to you
have all the tools you will use at hand.
not feeling over-
The intent is to have a blue-print at arms-
whelmed. This is
reach to remind you of what needs to be
why it is so important to start as early as
pose of your message resonates with your done. Having your strategy in your face not only serves as a reminder, but you readers.
possible.
The other thing is to define which mem-
you on track. Irrespective of whichever
bers of society your message is aimed at.
can tick off each task as you go along during your promotion.
Set things up in a systematic way to keep combination strategy you use, it will serve
After you have Predetermined and Pre-
as a vehicle to gain visibility for you and
helps you to establish your niche market.
pared, you thereafter need to determine
your book. Continuously promoting is a
When do you want your message to be
which tactics are right for your Promotion.
commitment. There's no getting around it
With the array of options that are availa-
if you want your book to be successful.
ble, I suggest you select 2 or 3 aspects
It‘s a given. If you don‘t keep up with
from your list at the outset. This could be
promotion you will get lost in the crowd.
Knowing who your intended audience is
heard? What is your time line to get your book out? Will it coincide with a special occasion or event, for instance, Thanksgiving, Gay Parade, Valentine, during a political campaign, Christmas, a sporting event such as the Olympics or World Cup? How will you get your message out? What method(s) tools and resources are you going to use? Will you use business cards, flyers, social media, word of mouth and, or, traditional media? Once you have Predetermined the above, who will help you prepare? It‘s a good idea to get help in preparing your plan, as you can brainstorm which is the best avenue to take and what tools may best suit your marketing and promotional cam-
anything from social mediums – Facebook, Twitter etc. blogging, virtual book tour, video, audio, traditional mass media – radio and TV interviews, print media -
If you remember nothing else, remember this: implement your marketing and promotion strategies and you will sell books.
magazine and newspapers, Internet radio, Write It, Work It, Publish it! email newsletter, articles, teleseminars, © 2011 Cherry-Ann Carew workshops, tool kits, special reports, word of mouth, etc. Let‘s say social media is one of the choices, focus on gaining attention by making connections to the run up of the book‘s publication. Some call this creating a buzz. In so doing, by the time you launch your book, readers will be eager to purchase a copy.
paign. You don‘t need to do it all on your
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Cherry-Ann Carew, aka The Power Writing Coach, Editor, Founder of Writetastic Solutions and best-selling author, helps fiction and non-fiction writers with their creative expression to add value to their books. Learn how her coaching and editing services can help you with your book at www.writetasticsolutions.com.
Page 12
Book Marketing Gazette Your Brand As An Author By Jennifer S. Wilkov, Radio Show Host, Book Consultant, The Literary Agent Matchmaker™ www.YourBookIsYourHook.com
Jennifer S. Wilkov
“As a writer, when you plan your marketing and promotional strategy, it is essential that you brand yourself along with your books..”
Debbie Macomber – whose slogan clearly states, ―Wherever you are, Debbie takes you home….‖ Here you‘ll learn all about Debbie and her great writing career. Along with her great books, you can also find her recipes and knitters‘ club which give her readers additional ways to enjoy Debbie‘s interests and work.
As authors and writers, we‘re always learning about resources and industry tools that we can use to improve our book project performance and the enjoyment of our writing and marketing Stephen King – Here you‘ll find out more about experiences. Today let‘s talk about your brand Stephen himself. You‘ll also tap into his writing, as an author. multimedia, comics and message board as well as his ski merchandise. You can also learn more Many writers start out by branding themselves about The Haven Foundation, a national, nonwith their first book or series. They become profit organization making grants to freelance known for it and feel as though that‘s their writers and artists experiencing careerbrand. threatening illness, accident, natural disaster or other emergency or personal catastrophe. They invest their precious promotional time and money into building their marketing platforms James Patterson – James has established name around their books. recognition through his popular books. On his website, you can also find a whole community, Too often, and some sooner than later, discover newsletters and a sweepstakes. James is also a that as the writer, they are the brand. It‘s sort lifelong champion of books. You can see his of like being Nabisco and having lots of proddedication to making kids readers for life ucts that carry your name. Nabisco, for examthrough his ReadKiddoRead.com site, his reguple, has recognizable products and brands that lar donations to troops overseas and his James span a variety of tastes in cookies and crackers. Patterson Pageturner Awards which rewarded Nabisco is the overall brand, one that is recoggroups and individuals for creative and effective nizable. Oreo® cookies and Ritz® crackers are ways of spreading the joy of reading. also recognizable brands that are associated with Nabisco. Nora Roberts – Nora has been writing for 30 years and her name has equal clout to her As a writer, when you plan your marketing and books and films. Her platform includes a wide promotional strategy, it is essential that you array of opportunities for readers and profesbrand yourself along with your books. Many sionals to find out about her along with her sewriters make this mistake and find they have to ries of books, Lifetime television series and fearetool or even overhaul their whole marketing ture films. approach when they discover that they really needed to brand themselves and make their So how will you set yourself up as a writer? Will name known in conjunction with their books you painstakingly set up your platform to perand series. form for your books…or you and your books? In May, I attended a limited attendance event through Publishing Point that featured a conversation with David Young, the Chairman and CEO of Hachette Book Group. During this discussion, even he stated that at Hachette, the authors are their brand. Many people may not recognize the name Hachette when you ask them about it, but they certainly know who James Patterson, Stephenie Meyer and Nicholas Sparks are. To successfully brand yourself, get out of your own way, get comfortable with being the focus of all of the attention and provide a strong platform for yourself and your writing.
If you plan to be writing for a very long time and if this is your career, then don‘t only make your books your hook, make yourself a prominent part of the total package. Jennifer’s show can be heard every week on Tuesday mornings at 9am when it is broadcast on WomensRadio.com and syndicated on Google News & Live365.com. Each show is archived for replay listeners in different time zones and countries.
Ms. Wilkov is a private book consultant and Literary Agent Matchmaker™ as well as a bestselling, award-winning author, an awardSome great examples of author branding can be winning freelance writer, and a speaker and trainer who focuses on supporting first-time and found in the following fellow writers: seasoned writers with the essentials to become a bestseller: a great project, a strong platform Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman – Here you‘ll learn all about Ree and her family as well and a well-polished pitch, presentation and as her cooking, photography, home and garden, hook for their books. www.YourBookIsYourHook.com and homeschooling interests—and books. www.JenniferSWilkov.com
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Book Marketing Gazette
Page 13
Author Interview Series - Dana Lynn Smith This month I interview Dana Lynn Smith, author of How to Get Your Book Reviewed
Book reviews, testimonials and endorsements can have a huge impact on sales, but many authors aren't sure how to go
Tell us a bit about you
about obtaining them or how to use them
and your journey.
for maximum effectiveness. How to Get
My first career was in convention and
D’vorah Lansky
What inspired you to write this book?
tradeshow management, then I worked for a busi-
Your Book Reviewed is designed to give authors the skills they need to take maxitional tools. What advice can you offer to authors
13 years, overseeing
wanting to write their first or next
fulfillment. When I left that job, I did some freelance writing and then started a business supporting authors and indie publishers in selling more books. Most authors don't have a background in publishing or marketing, and I think there's a real need for them to learn the skills to be successful in publishing. What is the title of the book you'll be speaking about today?
mote your book and move you toward your goals, and momentum will build over time. Are you current-
mum advantage of these powerful promo- ly writing your
ness book publisher for
book production, marketing and order
every day to pro-
book? Think about marketing before you start writing! Novelists and children's authors should study the bestselling books in their genre, think about why those books are top sellers and what they can learn from
next book? What can you tell us about it?
Dana Lynn Smith
I am going to release a new series of short ebooks focused on very niche book promotion topics and I'm also working on some educational teleseminars for authors. Do you have a program or product
those books and authors. It's important to available to help authors in any phase study and practice the craft of writing so
of the writing, publishing, or market-
you can produce a high quality book that
ing of their books? If so, please tell
people will want to buy and read.
us about it.
Also, find ways to work "marketing hooks" In addition to my book marketing guides
The newest title in my Savvy Book Mar-
into your story and consider constructing
and teleseminars, I offer individual coach-
keter Guide series is How to Get Your
the book so that it can become a series.
ing and marketing services. I usually rec-
Book Reviewed.
The book's setting, time frame, plot, and
ommend starting with a Book Marketing
characteristics of the characters can all
Strategy Session, and beyond that au-
yield promotional themes for the book.
thors can hire me to help develop their
Please share with us a synopsis of your book.
For example, if the main character in your marketing plan, answer questions by
Authors will gain in-depth understanding
book is a horse trainer, you can promote
email or phone, or assist with implement-
of the book review process, and learn
the book to horse lovers.
ing book promotions.
For nonfiction books, research competing
Dana, what is the best way for people
books on the topic and figure out how to
to find out more about you, your book
make yours different or better. Find out
and your work?
about various venues to get books reviewed, how to get endorsements and testimonials, how to conduct virtual book tours, how to avoid common mistakes, how capitalize on Amazon reviews, how to use book reviews for promotional purposes, and more. All of my book marketing guides are de-
what your readers REALLY need or want and deliver it to them.
In the sidebar of my blog at www.TheSavvyBookMarketer.com are
What advice can you offer to authors
links to my social networks and media
wanting to sell more books?
page, and also a link to contact me by
signed to provide detailed, how-to infor-
A written book marketing plan is essential
mation, so I include a lot of step-by-step
to successful promotion. Without a plan,
instructions, hyperlinks and screenshots.
authors tend to drift from one promotion-
The books are available in PDF format and al tactic to another and they may not I'm also publishing versions for Kindle,
make the best use of their time or use the
Nook and other ebook readers.
most effective tactics. It's also important to consider book promotion a long term job – do something
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
email. You can find links to my book marketing guides here.
Book Marketing Gazette
Page 14
Book Blog Showcase—Leigh Wilson (Enjoy this new Gazette
Please describe your
at have done the rest my-
feature! If you have a
blog layout and func-
self.
book or author blog that
tionality.
you‘d like to share in our
like to share about
it, changing it over to the
your book/author blog
Headway theme, and so it
or how it has benefited
The owner of this month‘s
is not quite in its final
you to have this blog?
showcased book blog is
form at the moment.
showcase, contact D‘vorah.)
Leigh Wilson
What else would you
I am currently working on
Leigh D Wilson
As I understand it, it is
Basically there is a two
really important to be us-
Blog Address: http://
column layout, the left-
ing the right thing theme
survivingfinancialmelt-
hand column being far
so that you do not have
down.com/blog/
wider than the one on the
to work with the bare
right. The left-hand col-
WordPress functionality.
umn contains my blog
My blog is still in its infan-
posts, and the right-hand
cy and I'm sure that I will
column contains links to
learn much more about it
enable people to purchase
as I progress.
Title of Featured Book: Surviving Financial Meltdown: How to Triumph over Personal Financial Hardship and Unleash Your True Potential” Leigh, what do you enjoy most about having a book blog or author blog?
my book or to navigate to other parts of my website.
that I find helpful, whether from the works of others or from my own life experience, and expressing them in my own terms to the benefit of others. It gives me a wonderful forum for the thoughts that rattle around inside my mind.
book that you’d like to
portant for authors to
share with us?
have a book blog or why? Yes I do think it is important as it gives readers a chance to learn more about the author and to gain benefit of new material. It also is helpful for prospective purchasers as they weigh up whether to buy the book and supporting material or not.
What functionality does your book/author blog serve for you? It is part of my authors‘ platform and provides continuing material for those who follow it.
video that about your
Do you feel it is im-
author blog and if so,
I enjoy discovering things
Leigh, do you have a
Did you have help creating your blog or did you design it and set it up yourself? I had help with the graphics etc. on my blog
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Yes, people can view the videos at: http://youtu.be/ DCA63eKttfw And at: http:// youtu.be/8ArOvgYjgOY
Book Marketing Conference Online Book Marketing Conference Online was a huge hit!
Page 15
It’s not too late to access
Together we reached many, many authors, writers, pub- this powerful content! lishers, marketers, and others, interested in learning
All of the Audio Recordings
more about book marketing and sharing their message
and Transcripts are still
with the world. Here‘s a bulleted recap:
available.
16 amazing presenters
16 action-packed workshops
520 participants
becoming a member of our
5 contest winners
Authors Marketing Circle community.
Community interaction
Lots of ―happy campers‖
For ongoing access to this valuable content consider
For details visit: www.BookMarketingConference.com
In Praise of the Event in the Words of Our Participants "What a fantas-
"If you are an author, have a book-
"I am new to the marketing realm
tic experience!
in-progress, or if you have a book
and am always looking to increase
This was my first online conference.
idea, I would highly recommend
my knowledge in this area. This
I appreciated the convenience of
enrolling in the Book Marketing
conference has been a great help to
attending from my home, the gen-
Conference Online. I have gleaned
not only learn about ways to market
erous experts sharing ways to sup-
so many tips from the presenters
our books, but to learn about new
port our marketing efforts, and the
that will help me with writing and
technologies and resources. I also
comfortable access to sessions and
marketing my current book. Thank
have enjoyed getting to know some
attendees.‖
you from the bottom of my heart."
of your speakers better."
Mary Martsching
mmartsching@mchsi.com
Carol Round, author of A Matter of Faith www.carolaround.com "All the speakers seemed happy to
"Four great days of insightful and
be here and brought a wealth of
engaging information. I can write
"This conference has showed me
information with them. The
and I can publish. Now I have been
that it is very important to build an
handouts were fabulous. This was
given a trail guide for marketing. As author platform in order to be pub-
one of the best teleseminar's I've
soon as I get my backpack back on,
lished and SELL your books. I plan
attended."
I'm gonna hit the trail!"
on working on that part. I have also
Grady Brown, author of That's
learned many other ways to pro-
What I Have...That's Who I Am!
mote my book and future fiction
"You saved hours of time and frus-
and non fiction books. Thanks so
tration in chasing down rabbit holes
much for the conference."
that lead to dead ends. Easy to fol-
"I enjoyed the conference a lot. I
Kitty Palmer, author of Children's
low tips to publishing and marketing
was very impressed by all the
Ministry: Laying the Foundation
success for authors and business
speakers and their willingness to
owners that can be done today. If
share information. As a new author it is really rewarding to join in with
you have a book, are writing a "The Book Marketing Conference
book, or got stuck marketing your
a group of people who are so willing Online exceeded my expectations. I
book, I highly recommend every-
to help others."
am so glad I chose the platinum
thing D'vorah puts together - she
Deborah H. Bateman
level so I can access this content
over delivers value with excellence."
www.christiandailyresources.com
again."
www.BookMarketingGazette.com
Upcoming Events
Important info for future best-selling authors! My friend and colleague, Trissa Tismal, is putting on an amazing telesummit this summer that I really thought you should know about. Learn what you can do — to write, publish and sell millions of books in a special ―Author Summer School‖ Only THIS summer school is taught by experts who will cover only what authors and aspiring authors need to know and leave out the fluff. That‘s right! School‘s in for summer. And the good news is that tuition is free! Meet your Professors… Dan Poynter, Arielle Ford , Matthew Bennett, Peggy McColl and the rest of the top-notch faculty at: www.authorsmarketingcircle.co m/authorsummerschool
Curriculum covers… • How to make your manuscript speak to a publisher who receives 10,000 of them a year. • How do you get your book onto the shelves of libraries and bookstores? • With millions of books published each year, how do you stand out? • How do you leverage your LinkedIn and Facebook accounts to promote your book? • What are media outlets looking for and how do you get free publicity? • How you can sell millions of books Whether you‘re just at the idea stage of writing your bestseller, you‘ve got a book half written that you‘re finding impossible to www.BookMarketingGazette.com
finish, or you‘re one of those rare people who has actually written a book (good for you!) except you couldn‘t sell more than a few to save your life, you‘re stuck and you realize you can‘t go anywhere without a little help. Learn what you can do — to write, publish and sell millions of books in a special “Author Summer School” Only THIS summer school is taught by experts who will cover only what authors and aspiring authors need to know and leave out the fluff. And the good news is that tuition is free! Hope to ―see‖ you at school! PS: Don‘t miss your chance to claim your full scholarship now and enroll for FREE at: www.authorsmarketingcircle.co m/authorsummerschool