source: http://www.go-publish-yourself.com/articles/self-publishing/tuckerw.php

By Wendy Y. Tucker

Do you have a book in you? We all have life experiences worthy of recording in a book. How then will you bring your message to its appropriate audience? Really, there are only two choices—either find a publisher or publish your book yourself.

Here are 5 reasons you shouldn’t self-publish.
1. You only want to make 5-10% of the proceeds the book generates in the form of an author royalty.
2. You enjoy editors telling you to basically rewrite your entire manuscript in their preferred style, ultimately changing the intended meaning of everything you want to say.
3. You enjoy waiting 1-½ to 2 years for your book to be in print. You’re in no hurry.
4. You’ve spent months or even years writing and researching your book and now want to relinquish your rights to it (such as copyrights, serial rights, foreign rights).
5. You are sadistic and enjoy rejection from literary agents and publishers.

Joking aside, by self-publishing:
1. You may make more money.
2. You will retain control over your work.
3. You can deliver your book to the public faster.
4. You’ll retain all legal ownership rights to your book.
5. You maintain the ultimate decision determining whether or not your book is published.

1. Make More Money
Publishing industry profit margins are quite narrow. Industry statistics indicate that a profitable book will create a 10% profit for the publisher. Add that to your 10% author royalty and you’ve doubled your profit. Also, because you will have control over costs, as a self-publisher you may be able to reduce them to a level that creates an even higher profit margin.

2. Retain Control Over Your Work
Editing and proofreading are crucial to producing a quality book. It is highly recommended that an author have professional, outside help perform editing and proofreading services. It is all too easy for an author to overlook the errors within his or her own work. However, by maintaining control over the editing and proofreading process, you have the ultimate say over what stays in and what goes out, ensuring that what you wish to convey to your audience is what’s actually published.

3. Get Your Book to the Public Faster
The publishing industry typically works on an 18-month or longer cycle from the time of accepting a manuscript to the release of a new book. By self-publishing, you can bring your work to the public within 2 to 9 months after completing your manuscript, significantly reducing the time from pen to print.

4. Retain All Legal Ownership Rights
If your work is published by a traditional publishing company, there is a great chance that the publisher will require the ownership of most, if not all, of the legal rights to it. These rights include electronic, serial, foreign, and copyrights. By self-publishing you retain all rights to your work unless, of course, you choose to sell them.
Suppose your novel can be converted to a screenplay for the next multi-billion dollar movie? When the production companies are ready to buy, if you own the film rights to your work, you get the money. If you don’t, your publishing company does.

5. Maintain the Ultimate Decision Determining Whether or Not Your Book is Published
Perhaps you are a humanitarian of sorts, desiring to disseminate your message to save the world and not necessarily to make a profit? However, the 35 publishing companies you’ve approached are uninterested in your work because they DO want to make a profit. Then, self-publishing may be the only avenue available to bring your work to the world. Also, many traditional publishers won’t work with writers not represented by a literary agent; and many agents won’t work with authors who haven’t been published before. It’s a catch-22.

So, where do you start?
First, do your homework! Read as many books on the subject of self-publishing as you need to feel comfortable with the steps involved in starting such a major project.

Several great books on self-publishing and related subjects are:
The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing by Tom and Marian Ross
A Simple Guide to Self-Publishing by Mark Ortman
1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer
Publishing Basics: A Guide for the Small Press and Independent Self-Publisher by Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr.
Book Printing and Self-Publishing by Gorham Printing

Two great web sites are:
http://publishing.about.com, part of the About.com web portal
http://www.bookmarket.com, maintained by John Kremer, author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books and considered to be one of the nation’s foremost authorities on book marketing.

Secondly, decide who will print your book early in the process. By determining who will print your books, you ensure that you will create files or a physical document that the printer can turn into a great looking book by meeting the printer’s technical specifications. Different printers use different software and hardware for printing. Suppose you type your manuscript in WordPerfect with 1″ margins all around with a document size of 8-½ x 11″. Then, while shopping around for a printer, you find that most want ¾” margins all around, will only accept PDF or Postscript files, and that it’s much cheaper to print on 5-½ x 8-½” paper. You are then stuck with the task of reformatting your entire document.
Finally, decide what you can and will do, and what you can’t or won’t do. If you are able and willing to do your own typesetting, then by all means save the money and do it yourself. However, if you dislike computers and dread the thought of learning yet another complex software application, contract the task out for someone else to do it.
Self-publishing is not for everyone. It requires a significant investment in both time and money. Yet it brings a sense of great accomplishment and is highly rewarding.

Best wishes on your self-publishing journey!
Wendy Y. Tucker may be contacted at http://www.777press.com wendy@777press.com.
Wendy Y. Tucker is a Las Vegas native and is the self-published author of 777 Cheap Eats in Las Vegas (ISBN 0-9710486-0-6, Triple Seven Press, January 2002). The book is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, http://www.amazon.com , http://www.bookch.com or 1–800-431-1579.

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source: http://bookpublishingnews.blogspot.com/2010/07/5-book-marketing-dos-and-donts.html

In the realm of book marketing there are as many opinions as published works. Everyone has a set plot line as to how to market your book in a way that results in sales and, most importantly, demand for additional material. The climax for both scams and legitimate schemes is the same: fame and fortune. This article will help you sort through the overwhelming amount of information and break it down into simple Do’s and Don’ts that will get you headed in the right direction.

Do…

* Write quality content:
Nothing can compete with a well-written book. Take the time necessary time to create excellent material and shun the temptation to write mediocre work for a quick, fleeting buck.

* Take book marketing into your own hands:
Do not place your manuscript into the hands of a publisher, receive your check and walk away. Make sure that you know how you can effectively contribute to the book marketing plan they will implement.

* Utilize social media networking sites effectively:
Take advantage of the connectivity allowed via online social networking sites by making sure it is quality content that is driving people to your sites and sticking around.

* Stay informed of new technology that affects the publishing world (e.g. iPad):
The world of publishing is changing and you will only increase in your effectiveness if you are aware of the changes. Do not allow yourself to become outdated with what’s out there in regards to new technology for print media.

* Create an author’s business plan:
Those of a more creative bent tend to overlook the idea of a business plan. Take time to consider how what you are writing fits into the long-term income and vision that you have for your career.

Don’t…

* Rely solely on publishers for all of your book marketing practices:
Consider going the self-publishing route for greater control of the marketing of your book. If you decide to go with an established publisher, let it be known that you desire a say in the book marketing plan.

* Inflate your followers on social networking sites:
Yes, we all know of celebrities who have over one million followers on Twitter but an author needs more than a pretty face to generate sales. Make sure that you are connecting with people on social media sites that are potential readers, not faceless followers.

* Skip over cover design:
An effective cover is an excellent tool in creating buzz for your book. Find a creative designer who will help you create a cover that pops in the eyes of a reader. How many times have you picked up a book simply because the cover was interesting? How often have you overlooked a book because the cover failed to impress?

* Assume your book will sell:
Authors cannot be passive in their book marketing strategy. Do not wait until after your work is finished to think about how you will sell your book. Throughout the writing process be jotting down thoughts and ideas that will eventually help create your marketing plan.

* Rely on cheesy viral marketing plans:
This once again comes back to the idea of quality. If you have a publisher who insists on viral marketing to market your book, aim for videos that do not discredit the value of what you have written. Aim for inanity but instead of insane gimmicks focus on creativity, humor, emotion and interesting confrontation to generate buzz.

These are just a few Do’s and Don’ts to get you started and help you sustain your career as a published author.

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This audio-visual presentation enumerates the many advantages of setting publicity and promotions on a higher level—international! Through the Newswire Service, journalists receive the author’s press release as a subscription. The Newswire Service can undeniably raise any self-published author’s book marketing campaign on a stronger and wider scope.

Produced by and for BookWhirl.com, the video was conceptualized and edited by its own video marketing team.

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source: http://articlescollections.com/shoestring-book-marketing-for-the-savvy-self-publisher/

Alright, so your book has just been printed has it, and you’re looking for an affordable option of marketing your book to the online
and offline community, without spending too much of that hard earned
cash all in 1 place? Well if thats the case, this article just may be
of some use to you.

The best way of marketing your book, is the tried and tested, good old fashioned press release method. Whether it be sending out press
releases to newspapers/magazines or sending out press releases on the
internet, press releases can send your book sales sky-rocketing through
the roof in absolutely no time at all, increasing your return of
investment and turning you into 1 exceptionally happy human being when
you see those book sales go through the roof!

When writing your press release you need to take into consideration the person that is going to be reading it, do not, and I mean do not,
write this press release as it is a sales letter because if you do, its
going to be a waste of your precious writing time as the person who
will be reading your press release is just going to disregard it as
they see thousands of book sales letters, each and every year. Don’t
make yours one of them. And make sure you write about fact in your
press release and not fiction.

After you have written your mind-blowing, absolutely incredible press release that is hopefully going to super size your bank balance
because every major newspaper editor wants to do an article about you
and your book, you are going to need to get your press release to the
people who can make this happen.

How? Well..

Research, research, research and when you think you’ve done enough research do some more. Make sure you’re up every night with matchsticks
keeping your eyes open and regular intakes of that ever so addictive
coffee everyone’s talking about that keeps you awake when nothing else
can!

Research what you may ask, well you need to get on the internet and find a list of newspapers which you want to submit your press releases
to, the more the better. Then try and find out who the editor of that
newspaper is because its the editor who accepts the press releases. To
find out who the editor is, is pretty simple because it is usually in
the contact us section of the site, if its not their just take the
phone number of the paper off their website, call the paper and ask if
you can speak to the editor.

Do not underestimate the absolutely imperative value of a great press release for driving your book sales through the roof.

By:
Michael Johnson Self Publishing

This has been written by Michael Johnson from Regent Street Press. Regent Street Press offer an affordable complete self publishing
package for aspiring authors. Please visit their website
www.regentstreetpress.com

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This audio-visual presentation enumerates how the Online Directory Listing can work as a powerful reinforcement tool in doing book marketing campaigns. The service may not work as a stand alone, but it can efficiently increase awareness among the general readers.

Produced by and for BookWhirl.com, the video was conceptualized and edited by its own video marketing team.

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The effectiveness of your book marketing campaign lies on good planning and timely performance. The things you carry out, from writing the manuscript to launching your book could affect sales. Although there are other millions of reasons that could affect sales, not doing pre-marketing routines can bring down a campaign that has the potential of being successful.

This article will talk about the importance of strategically planned pre-publishing activities.

We can observe how free sampling booths make people fall in line (even long lines) at the supermarket. This is because introductions make people involved. Advancer treats make people long more for something that they have just experienced in small quantities.

The following information will help you plan and conduct broad publicity campaigns before and after your book is launched:

Formulate Small and Big Sparks. Getting the attention of the media is not about quantity. It doesn’t really matter how frequent you bug them to publish your book’s press release. The main point is to create win-win press relations. Let the media experience that they have the edge over others. Send them advance reading copies of your book. Simply tell the media what you can offer and what makes you extraordinary among the other millions of books that are being published. Moreover, separate yourself from your book. Create professional relations with bookstores, editors, reviewers, and the like.

Speak in Front of a Crowd. Doing speaking engagements will give you the opportunity to share personal insights that can persuade and inspire. It increases your visibility towards potential readers. Getting in front of your market will breed benefits for years to come.

Learn that Criticism is Normal. The act of marketing inevitably invites criticism. However, the fear of being critiqued should not stop you from marketing your books. You should not take criticisms personally. Learn to pick out constructive criticism from nonsense.

Get Your Right Mix of Marketing Options. Do not just focus on one media. A successful campaign is always a combination of a good media mix. Offer different kinds of marketing components. Remember that response rates from media outlets differ. That’s why it is equally significant for you to multitask. You cannot waste time. Keep a lot of things brewing, and in the end, you will realize how much you have accomplished.

Don’t impulsively Over-extend Publicity. Learn to pace yourself and stick to your financial plan. Cramming does not give long term results. Preparation and what you do in the first few months of your campaign are what really matters. Make sure you don’t blow up and go beyond your entire budget on the first six months of your marketing stint. Leave a budget to finance and sustain the first half of your campaign.

Premature Publicity is a Risk. Timing is a very significant part when doing publicity. If you get the media drawn in too early, like even before the book is finished, it will create high demand for something that is not even there yet. Should you consider advance publicity, you may want to have an author website to direct the media to for updates. Make sure that you do often update your author website though.

A self-published author should leave no room for inactive time once he decides to step up and cut through the reading market. Remember, you are not the only entity who is fishing for attention. For a successful book marketing campaign, it’s only important to plan out ahead, even before your book is launched. Advanced planning and alternative options always make it much easier.

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This audio-visual presentation recognizes the need for publicity and promotions to achieve success on getting the attention of prospective readers. It also enumerates how the media, through sending out well-written press releases, can help self-published authors in achieving increased awareness for their books.

Produced by and for BookWhirl.com, the video was conceptualized and edited by its own video marketing team.

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This audio-visual presentation convinces every self-published author that a website is a pre-requisite for book marketing campaigns. It rallies on the idea that author websites serve as an online bookstore, that’s open for prospective readers, even the ones across the globe, for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Produced by and for BookWhirl.com, the video was conceptualized and edited by its own video marketing team.

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source: http://www.marketingscoop.com/effectively-promote-book.htm

Your published novel or ebook? Generate sales with proven online marketing strategies.

If you’re looking to market your personally authored book or ebook, learn from the Internet marketing experts. Selling books online is a great way to promote your product and increase sales. Although many marketing methods are available, there are some in particular that have proven to generate above average results for selling books – printed and electronic.

Learn more about each of the following if you’re ready to start selling and be sure to seek guidance from those who have already successfully marketed online.

1. Develop a Website or Blog.

Thinking that it’s not worth developing a website or blog for a single publication? Think again. Today, acquiring a domain name is easier than ever – and it costs less than $10. Additionally, you can buy a website or a website template for about $75. If you know some very basic HTML, you can develop a website for less than a hundred dollars. Having a website that is only focused on a single publication can work wonders for promoting your product.

Blogs are even easier to create. Already have a website but need a blog? Visit Blogger.com, WordPress.com, or simply type in “free blog” into Google. You’ll quickly find a whole host of free blog sites that help you set up a blog in less than five minutes. Once you’ve created your blog, enter a post about your ebook and provide a link to your online store or order form.

If you’re looking for a way to process online transactions, visit Paypal.com. For about twelve dollars per month, you can process transactions for those wishing to purchase your book online. There are other online transaction management tools you can use, but Paypal is one of the easiest I’ve used to set up and accept online transactions.

2. Use Online Marketing (PPC) Programs.

By now you’ve heard of Google Adwords. Other providers such as Yahoo! and MSN also offer pay-per-click programs. These online marketing programs allow you to promote your book or e-book to a very targeted audience. For example, if your book is about “antique lamp shades”, you can purchase the keyword phrase, “antique lamp shades” to display on sites that offer related content. As a result, those seeing your ad can click through to your website or Jump Page.

The best part about pay-per-click advertising is that you only pay when someone clicks on your advertisement. Be careful though, you could end up with a lot of clicks and only a few conversions. Test multiple campaigns and evaluate their effectiveness on a daily basis. Google offers you free tools that can help you evaluate the results of your campaign in greater detail such as Google Analytics.

3. Develop a Specific Jump Page.

Short of building an entire website or starting a blog, you could simply build a single jump page. A jump page is a promotional page that pitches your product or service. There are tons of successful jump pages out there that you can reproduce with your own content.

The most successful jump pages are those that are easy to read and include testimonials. Testimonials from book reviewers are very influential. To make your jump page even more compelling, offer print and audio testimonials. A good site to follow is SEO Elite.

4. Give Samples.

One of the most effective marketing strategies on the planet is sampling. You see companies offering samples to invite users to try their products or services. The same can be true for book purchasers. Share a summary, a chapter, or let them peruse your book. Just spend some time on Amazon.com and you’ll quickly see how promotion and access can play a major role in the purchase decision.

One great technique is to offer a small sample for free. Offer additional access (perhaps to a full chapter), after users provide you with their name and email address. This allows you to touch prospective purchasers via email after they’ve contacted you, keeping their interest high and continuing to promote your publication.

5. Email marketing.

With the 2003 introduction of CAN-SPAM legislation, email marketers must be very careful about who they email and how. Learn CAN-SPAM basics before you begin emailing people. A couple of things to keep in mind from an email marketing perspective is that your own list (of emails collected via your website) will almost always perform better than a purchased list. Think about ways you can collect the names of individuals visiting your website such as offering a free summary or excerpt in exchange for their name and email address.

From a CAN-SPAM perspective, make sure your physical address is included on each email and offer an opt-out. If a recipient asks to be taken off your list, remove him/her within 10 days. You can also use an online service to help manage your email marketing. Online email providers are very careful about conforming to email marketing standards and will lead you through the process step-by-step.

6. Refer a friend

Your current customers can be your best marketers. Once an individual has purchased your book, be sure to give them a reason to refer others. Perhaps you can offer them a special promotion on a different product or perhaps additional content that wasn’t available with their first purchase.

Offering a friends and family coupon is another great way to generate additional sales. Something as simple as a $5 off coupon is a great way to promote your product and create buzz. Whatever tactic you use in your email, be sure to encourage customers to refer others.

7. Leverage an affiliate program.

Are there other websites that attract the audience that would be perfect for your book? If so, contact them via phone or email and see if they’d be willing to sell your publication in exchange for a commission. This is a great way to reach an audience in an affordable way and is considered an affiliate program.

Most of the successful products being sold online today are not being promoted from a single website. Rather, many sites are promoting a given product or service. These sites are often referred to as niche sites as they cater to specific audience or segment. In addition to doing some research on your own, you can also investigate affiliate program sites that you can use to promote your product.

Affiliate sites bring together advertisers and publishers. The publishers provide the content, software, or resources, and the advertisers promote these products in exchange for a sales commission. A common type of affiliate site uses coupons to encorage purchase. Everyone knows that shoppers nowadays use web coupons and promo codes to buy the stuff they want on the internet. This is the perfect way to leverage the power of affiliate marketing.

Marketing your book or ebook takes time but can have significant pay-off. Utilize some or all of the marketing methods described above to sell you book online. These methods have been used by some of the most successful internet marketers promoting print and electronic book products online. Internet marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. Learn from the experts and follow internet marketing strategies like those above which have already proven successful.

*Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert, search engine optimization specialist, 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 free marketing articles.

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This audio-visual presentation is about the importance of using the Email Advertisement Campaign to reach millions of readers around the globe. It enumerates significant points on how a self-published author can benefit through the efficiency and the convenience of the service.

Produced by and for BookWhirl.com, the video was conceptualized and edited by its own video marketing team.



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