source: http://www.bestsellerauthors.com/blog/
Written by: Joanna Penn, from TheCreativePenn.com:

You might not think soccer has much to do with writing, but authors can learn a lot from the World Cup about marketing, branding and creating multiple streams of income.

• The brand stands even though the players change over time. Each of the national teams in the World Cup have a following from their country, but they also have a character of their own. People debate Brazil, Germany or England as if they are the same team every competition. The brand of the country’s team is what persists. This is key for authors who are concerned about whether to build websites around themselves or their individual books. Think about it. Each of your books will be hyped for a short time and then will fade away and it will become part of your backlist. You do not have the time and energy to build sites around each of the books.Build yourself as the brand and you will persist over time. You do need to market each book but this should feed into your overall author brand.

• Build merchandise around the key product to create multiple streams of income. Soccer fans don’t just pay to watch games. They also buy millions of dollars worth of merchandise to support their team and show their dedication. Let’s face it, unless you sell a blockbuster, authors don’t make a huge income from book sales. What you need is multiple streams of income that sit around your book and provide extra income. Think online courses teaching people valuable information about writing, genre specific tips for fiction writers, or giving additional information about your niche for non-fiction writers. Think speaking and running seminars, live or on the internet. Think audio products, either straight audio versions of your books, or additional information that people are interested in. This is not selling out to commercialism, this is paying the bills!

• Create loyal and fanatical followers. Soccer fans are some of the most loyal and crazy fans in the world. They wear the badge of their team, they travel round the world and they are passionate and even violent in support. You want to create loyal fans for your author brand and your books. These are the people that will buy your book on preorder as soon as it is announced, or will buy the whole backlist to make sure they have read every word you have written. How can you encourage followers like this? Firstly, it is a given that you need to write great books that create a marvelous experience or are packed with information. You also need to create relationships by giving people more than they expect. You can blog and reveal some of your writing practices, create audio interviews so people can find out more about you, do live events, be accessible on social media. The new crop of successful authors are out there connecting with people, selling books by creating fans, one person at a time.

So, keep an eye on the World Cup and learn what you can about marketing, brand building and fanatical followers as you do.

Joanna Penn is the author of 3 books, a speaker and blogger at The Creative Penn.com : Writing, Publishing Options, Internet Sales and Marketing…For Your Book. Click on the following links to get your free article on Author Branding, plus an audio on Book Marketing and theAuthor 2.0 Blueprint: Using Web 2.0 Tools to build your author platform online. Joanna is also on Twitter @thecreativepenn

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source: http://www.sellingbooks.com/becoming-a-bestselling-author-is-hard-work

by Katherine Swarts

Ready to write your first book?

More power to you.

Ready to live in luxury from the royalties?

Time for a reality check.

I won’t waste space with a lot of statistics on how hard it really is to make money writing. That approach is not only boring and negative, it’s futile.

Everyone who conceives the perfect book expects to be the exception to the rule, the one whose genius is immediately recognized and rewarded.

Actually, the apparent “exceptions” are those writers who mix plenty of hard work with their talent—from the beginning onward. No one ever creates a perfect first draft. Don’t take my word for it; ask authors who’ve been selling books for twenty years. And ask those successful authors how many editors rejected their early manuscripts; how many times they rewrote their first books after acceptance; and how much time they still spend sending out press releases and sitting at sparsely visited book-signing tables. No, the publisher won’t “take care of everything.” If a book’s own creator doesn’t care enough to work at popularizing it, why should anyone else?

If you’re not discouraged yet, that in itself is a sign you may have what it takes. There are many resources on the specifics involved (try www.writersdigest.com and www.writing-world.com to start), but here are a few key points for key stages:

• Idea: Research why the public (not just your immediate circle) would read this book.
• Proposal: Read editorial guidelines! An amazing number of writers send fiction manuscripts to nonfiction publishers.
• Writing/editing: Get the first draft down as quickly as you like, but edit the whole thing at least three times: once for consistency of details; once for smooth flow; and once for typo-free text.
• Selling to the public: Send press releases to your local paper, the trade journals, your college’s alumni newsletter. Create a Web site and e-newsletter. Print business cards and bookmarks. Remember: even a published book won’t sell itself.

Unless you’re already famous, in which case thousands of people will buy a collection of breakfast-menu tweets if your name’s on the cover. But in that case, you wouldn’t have to bother reading “how-to” blogs.

Katherine Swarts
Spread the Word Commercial Writing
“Anything Worth Writing Is Worth Writing Right”
http://www.spreadthewordcommercialwriting.com

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BookWhirl.com is giving you the opportunity to receive a 10% discount through the Refer an Author Program.

Who can participate?

All existing and former clients of BookWhirl.com.

How does this work?

It’s simple. All you have to do is refer an author friend to BookWhirl.com. Once your friend signs up, you get a 10% discount on your next purchase of any of our marketing services.

But that’s not all. Your author friend also receives 100 Online Directory Listings at no cost.

All these exciting rewards happen for every successful referral.

Get to know more about our Refer an Author Program, visit http://www.bookwhirl.com/Refer-an-Author-Program.html


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source: http://www.sellingbooks.com/six-website-essentials-for-authors

by Corinne Liccketto

A website is a staple of any book publicity campaign. As your publicist works to solicit awareness about you and your project, it is crucial to provide those who are interested with details about your book, background, and purchasing information. When a producer, editor or reporter is contemplating covering you, the first step they take is visiting your website. Then, media coverage will often include a mention of your website to direct potential book buyers.

Here are six essentials of an author website to help you get started:

Corinne Liccketto is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Smith Publicity, Inc.Beginning in 1997, Smith Publicity has evolved from a one-person operation run from a bedroom office to one of the world’s leading promotional firms. Fueled by a passion for making good things happen for clients, we’ve worked with over 900 individuals and companies–from authors and entrepreneurs to publicly-held companies and business representing a wide range of industries. The Smith Publicity reach is international; we’ve effectively worked with clients throughout the United States and Canada, and countries from the U.K. and Australia to Israel and Malta. Offices in New Jersey, New York City, Los Angeles, and London. For more information, please visit www.smithpublicity.com.

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Why Authors Especially Self Publishers, Need Websites

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How should one define triumph in self-publishing? Authors have assorted reasons why they settle on self-publishing. More often than not, a part of the pie chose this nature of publishing because they want the world to read a piece of their mind. There are also others who want to make means out of their writing, while the rest simply want to get their names published. The reasons for self-publishing are broad and varied.

Self-publishing involves monetary investment. That’s the basis why the same kind of concern and importance should be given when you finally get your book out in the market as what you had given during the writing and publishing part because monetary success in self-publishing is accompanied by risk, strategies, and sustainable development plans. Being able to publish your book is definitely not the end of your occupation as a self-published author.

Either two things take place in marketing: failure or success. With the speedy development of technology and the Internet, the art of marketing has become far more complicated than it was. Here are primary and competent marketing strategies that go beyond time and trend.

Take time in getting to know your market. Prosperous marketing campaigns are the result of insightful consumer preferences. When you totally identify the need of your probable readers, it helps you narrow your options on how to convene those needs and build demands. The key is suitable market segmentation. A thoughtfully targeted campaign will definitely enhance the efficiency of your marketing strategies.

Focus on what your book can offer. Often times, we bombard the media with our names and book titles. That’s no way to craft sustainable publicity. Tell the public about what makes your book extraordinary. What does reading your book present that cannot be found elsewhere? You need to creatively tell your market why your book is worth the read.

Integrated marketing works best. You cannot depend on just one form of marketing. What if something goes wrong with your website, what happens then? That is why media mix is critical. Use various media channels to reach out to your market and magnetize feasible readers.

Offer consistent and regular messages. In advertising, redundancy is clarity. Steadiness in your marketing message helps your readers know more about you and your book. Giving your readers an array of messages will only make them confused. Frequency sustains the public’s familiarity.

Conduct initial tests. Perform a dry run your book’s marketing campaign. Testing comes first after everything is laid down. Always accompany Plan A with Plan B. If possible, come up with different versions and test which medium will do best. Tests are necessary to progress your marketing presentation.

Evaluate your campaign. Do in-depth evaluations every after campaign. Evaluations will aid you distinguish your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This will lead to an enhanced marketing campaign the next time you publish a book.

Value author-reader rapport. Besides marketing, focus on building relationships with your reader market. Do not just sell your book, market yourself as an author, too. An example of this is being proactive during book signing events.

Learn more about the dynamics of marketing self-published books, Author Marketing Services, Book Marketing Services, and many other useful tips about online book marketing.

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by: Julie Coan

source: http://www.authorinsider.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1150944182&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7&

Writers often forget to use business cards for book marketing. Although internet marketing is useful, meeting someone and talking to them in person has an even greater impact. You can tell them all about the book you’ve written and get them all excited, but people’s memories are short. If you hand them a business card, it will help them remember. Think of your card as a miniature sales letter for your book.
Here are six tips to help your business cards make a lasting impression when you’re book marketing:

1. Make sure your business card is easy to read. They’re small so you need to make sure that people can read it. Don’t use a font that’s smaller than 10 pt and use a san serif font like Verdana. The color of your text should contrast sharply with the background. Double check to make sure there aren’t any spelling or grammar mistakes. Either of these will leave a bad impression.

2. On the front of your card, place a short, attention-getting phrase that people will remember. Focus on how your book can benefit the reader. If you’re writing non-fiction, you might write, “You can learn ten ways to cure baldness”. If you’re writing fiction, you could write something like, “Follow Detective Smith as she tries to solve the most difficult murder of her career”.

3. You should always write on both sides. It costs a little more, but gives you a chance to add a lot more book marketing for only a little more money. What do you put on the back? Write a short sales pitch. If you get a book review or a testimonial from someone who has read the book, you can use that as your sales pitch.

4. Place a free offer on the card. People love free stuff. You want people to go to your website and buy your book. By offering something free, you might just get someone go to your website that would not have bothered otherwise. If you’re writing fiction, you can offer a free short story or a free chapter of your book. If you’re writing nonfiction, you can write a short report or a short ebook and offer them for free.

5. Never giving out just one card. Giving out multiple cards can help spread the word about your book. If you give a business card to someone who’s interested in your book, there’s a good chance that she has friends that will be interested also. If you hand her five or six cards, the next time she’s talking to her friends, she can pull out your cards and pass them around.

6. Don’t purchase cards that look cheap. People believe that a cheap-looking business card means a low-quality book. Business cards are don’t put that big of a dent in your budget, so pay a little more and get glossy ones that people will pay attention to. Put a memorable picture or graphic on it that’s related to your book. Please don’t put your face on it!

These tips should help you use your business cards as a very effective book marketing tool. Carry them with you every where you go. Give them to everyone you meet including the waitress at the restaurant, the cab driver, and everyone at your office. Soon everyone will want to buy your book.

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source: http://www.authorinsider.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1150944182&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7&

source: http://bookmarketing.phoenix-blogs.com/marketing-your-book-things-you-must-know/

Author: phoenix

Once your book has been written and published, you want to find a way to promote your book that is going to reach as many people in your target audience as possible. There are some things you must know in order to get your books across to readers.

Here are the things you must know when marketing your book, particularly if you are on a stiff budget.

1. To whom you are selling your books?

You need to know who your target audience are, because there is absolutely no point trying to sell your book to people who are basically not interested in reading any book in the first place. If your book is about “How to tell your man is lying in 3 easy ways”, then you market your book on websites where female traffic is heavy.

2. Leave your Mark

Make sure you leave a link to where interested readers can purchase your book in your signature line. You should never send an email without it because it very important. You should also leave a link to your blog, website, newsletter etc. if you don not have a website, this is the perfect time to get one!

3. Use the Magic Word

This might sound crazy but how many people do you know, who do not like this enchanting word – FREE? Yes, make sure you provide a free PDF download of the first few chapters of your book. This is a sure fire way to awaken your readers’ appetite so that they will buy and read the rest of your book. When you use the word ‘free’, you will no doubt interest many people.

4. Start Blogging!

You need to develop a relationship with book bloggers, they will promote your book especially if they find it very interesting, and this of course is not a bad idea. WordPress and Blogger are good starting platform. Blog about yourself, your interests, and what drives you to write your book.

5. Create a Book Trailer

Do not forget to use YouTube to promote your book! Create a captivating video trailer about your book, and do not forget to show your actual book cover design so people can make out what it looks like. Often people will keep in mind what a cover looks like even when they can’t remember the title. So be creative and see what happens.

6. Don’t forget your hometown

While it is true that the internet is an incredible way to reach readers, it should not be the only way! Do not undervalue the power of your hometown. People are thrilled when someone from their hometown writes and publishes a novel; they sure want to be a part of the process of making the book successful. These people can be your best form of advertising. Give a way few signed copies and ask them to pass it on, or to let others know about your book and where they can find it.

7. Sponsor Book Signings

Book signings are another great way to endorse your book and boost sales. Bear in mind it does not simply have to be at the bookstore but perhaps at the local library, community centers or coffee shops in your neighbourhood. Expand to neighbouring towns and cities in your area, which enhances the chance of reaching wider audience and readers.

Remember there are lots of writers out there and it is your job to make sure your book stands out. One thing to keep in mind is when you are trying to reach readers, do not to limit yourself to one venue. Keep exploring the broader possibilities in promoting and marketing your book.

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source: http://websitemakeoverworkshop.com/2009/07/5-ways-to-improve-sales-through-your-website/

by C.F. Jackson

Almost everyone who has been marketing online knows that the lifeblood of book marketing and internet marketing is the traffic of a site. More visitors equal more sales. However, here are some ways that you can tweak your sites with to improve sales as you continue to strive to get more visitors.

The first method is to weave in your personal touch in your sales message. Nobody wants to be sold to by a total stranger, but many people will buy what their close friends recommend to them. If you can convince your audience that you are a personal friend who has their best interest at heart, they will be convinced to buy your books, products, or services. Remember to speak to an individual in your salesletter, not to your whole audience.

The second method is to publish testimonials and comments from your customers. A good idea would be to publish both good and bad comments; that way potential customers will be really convinced that these testimonials are real. When potential customers see testimonials on your website, they will have the confidence to buy from you because human beings follow the herd mentality; when others have bought and proven it authentic, they will jump on the bandwagon and buy too.

Use visual representations for the problems and solutions that your product offers. Not everyone will read your text copy from the head to the tail, but most people will pay attention to images, video and audio on your website.

Offer quality bonuses to accompany the product. When you offer bonuses that complement your product, your potential customers will feel it’s a very good deal and it would be stupid to miss it. Be sure to state the monetary value of your bonuses so that people will be even more compelled to grab your good bargain.

Lastly, ask for the sale! Many people entice their potential customers with the benefits of their product, sell to them with stories of how it has solved many problems, even offered killer bonuses but forget to ask for the sale. Give a clear instruction on how to buy your product (e.g. “click the button to buy now!”).

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About The Author
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And to help you improve sales through your website I’m inviting you to claim your free 30 seconds book trailer/product video when you visit http://www.Video.WebsiteMakeoverWorkshop.com. [Only 27 Available]

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source: http://www.articlesisland.com/writing-and-speaking/book-marketing/book-publishers-best-marketing-tips.html

Today more than ever, consumers are overwhelmed with choices, and distractions. The cost of attracting users to your website continues to increase and keeping them engaged is more important than ever.

Engagement doesn’t end with an individual browser reading content or clicking on an ad. Rather, engagement is an ongoing process that results in loyal customers who come back again and again, becoming more vested in your web site.

How can you make sure you’re engaging and keeping customers?

In order to create a loyal following, there are some basic principles you need to consider. From first impressions to life-long membership, put yourself in the shoes of your browsers and make their experience a valuable one.

1. Reduce Clutter. How many times have you visited a website only to be overwhelmed and confused? What is this site about you may have asked yourself. Or perhaps you found yourself asking, ‘Where is the information I’m looking for?’Don’t ask your browsers or potential customers to figure this out. Make your site clutter free and create a visual priority that emphasizes the information, resources, or actions your browsers want. By reducing obstacles you build trust among new web site visitors and allow for simple decision making – which benefits everyone.
2. Make Navigation Intuitive. There are many ways to navigate a web page but intuition rules the day. Don’t try to get fancy with your navigation or overuse java script. Basic navigation that follows current convention is the best way to lead individuals through your web site to the information they’re looking for.

1. Make The Initial Site Interaction Relevant. When a browser reaches your web site, you have less than seven seconds to get them engaged. Making your initial site interaction relevant to what individuals are looking for is essential for keeping them interacting long term.If you are promoting your web site with Google Adwords, or any pay per click advertising for that matter, be sure to create customer landing pages that are truly relevant to the individual who clicks-through your ad. Once you’ve established relevancy, you can move them deeper into your content, tools, and resources.
2. Ensure That Your Content Is Up-to-date. Web site content that isn’t up to date does not serve your audience and browsers are likely to move on. One way to ensure that information is timely is by providing a feed of relevant news or information. If including static text on your web pages, try not to include specific dates. However, if you must publish dates, be sure to update this information on a regular basis.
3. Start An Interaction With Your Users. Each time a browser views your web page, you have an opportunity to interact with them. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. One great way to interact is to offer something of value at no cost. This can be a white paper, access to an exclusive list, or simply a 30 day free trial. Be sure to capture an individual’s valid email address and include them on your mailing list. An auto-responder is best if you wish to engage these individuals on an ongoing basis.
4. Provide Plenty Of Support. Don’t hesitate to offer support right from your home page. Prominently display your 800 number, support email address, and additional information for your prospects and customers such as mailing address. This information is viewed favorably by search engines and also creates a sense of legitimacy. Contact information builds trust among prospects and elicits interest in your company.
5. Make Sharing Easy. Once you’ve made your web site easy to use, don’t hesitate to offer browsers the ability to share your web site with others. This can be in the form of a simple widget that allows users to bookmark your page, subscribe to an Rss feed, or submit your content to popular news sites like Digg.com.Individuals are much more likely to visit a web site based on a friend’s recommendation versus some other type of marketing initiative. Leverage the power of viral marketing with easy sharing tools.

Your web site can be your greatest asset. Unfortunately, many marketers and website owners are so focused on increasing traffic that they lose site of the audience that’s already visiting their web pages but are simply not converting.

Don’t make the same mistake. Improve the quality of you site through relevant content that is up-to-date and easy to find. Once you’ve engaged users, encourage them to share. Doing so will make your site perform better, increase conversions, and deliver value for all involved.

Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert and the President of MarketingScoop.com. He has more than 12 years of marketing experience and had appeared on The TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. Visit MarketingScoop.com for further details and more marketing articles including tips on how to improve search engine rankings for your web site.

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