Featured Book

Love of Two Lands is a memoir of the author’s youth, young adulthood, and experiences in Iran, the land of his birth, and later America, his adopted country. The author is trying to convey the meaning of his book’s title—that his love for these two lands and their people has been the foundation of his life, personally and professionally.

Read more of Love of Two Lands by Habib Eslami on this link: http://www.bookwhirl.com/bookshelf/1.html

Featured Author

This month’s featured author is Donna Labermeier. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature.

Read more about Donna and her book on this link: http://www.bookwhirl.com/Authors-Corner.html

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Source: http://www.millermosaicllc.com/book-marketing-on-twitter/

Here’s an email I got from a book author:

I’m going to look into Twitter but I don’t have a Blackberry or anything mobile I can portably communicate with, other than my laptop — it seems like a good way to broadcast events, readings or online chats or something, but right now I have nothing like that to announce. It seems like it would be more of a constant annoyance than something I’d like, but I could be wrong.

There are several misconceptions in the above email, and I’d like to explain the errors first, then follow with the benefits for book authors being on Twitter.

Correcting the above misconceptions:

1. I do my tweeting from my computer.

You do NOT need a Blackberry or any mobile phone to participate in Twitter, although there are Twitter applications for mobile phones. In fact, Twitter is so popular that there are tons of third-party applications, a couple of which I do use.

2. A book author should NOT get onto Twitter with the plan to “broadcast events.”

In fact, if you continually tweet about your book signings, etc., you probably will discourage people from following you. (Follow is the term on Twitter as opposed to friend on Facebook.)

3. If used correctly, Twitter is NOT a “constant annoyance.”

In fact, it can be quite an enjoyable daily experience and a tremendous learning opportunity.

Presenting the truth about Twitter for book authors:

Twitter provides book authors with several benefits. First, though, let’s go through a few basic points about Twitter. And I mean only a few, because I could go on for pages on just the most important Twitter info.

Step 1
Decide on how you want to present yourself on Twitter.

You can have, for example, as a username (seen next to your photo each time you tweet) your real name, your book title or your series title.

Because Twitter is a very effective branding tool when used correctly, this is an important decision. If you decide to go with a book title or series title, be sure to also get a Twitter account with your real name to protect your identity. You can do this by using a different email address to sign up for a second email account. Then you tweet only with the first username.

Step 2
Twitter has very few options to make decisions about, as opposed to Facebook’s complicated menus of choices regarding privacy, etc.

On the tool bar of Twitter click SETTINGS. Then on the account page is where you put your real name in the first box. (Your username shows up automatically when you tweet.)

You only get to put in one URL, so if you have more than one URL, choose the URL that goes with the book or series you are “promoting” on Twitter.

The one-line bio is only 160 characters, so again you have to strategize about what you want to say about you as an author and about your book(s). You might want to check out other authors’ Twitter bios to get ideas of how you might want to write yours.

And most important, upload a photo immediately before you start following anyone. Many people, me included, are reluctant to follow anyone who doesn’t have a photo, doesn’t include his/her real name, and doesn’t have any bio info.

Also, do a couple of interesting tweets before you start following people, so that when people look at your page to see if they want to follow you back, they get a decent “picture” of who you are.

You could talk about your book in one of those tweets. In another tweet, though, I recommend you share a link to book marketing info that isn’t your own or share a link to someone else’s info on the subject of your book. Sharing info of others is a very valuable strategy on Twitter.

Step 3
You’re brand new to Twitter. Who do you start following and who do you hope starts following you?

First, if you follow someone, that person will probably check you out and possibly start following you. So that’s one way of getting followers.

Another way is to ask for followers. You can put in a blog post or anywhere else your Twitter URL – www.Twitter.com/username – and ask people to follow you.

But what about who you should follow? Decide on the kinds of people you want to follow depending on your book and the conversation topics you might want to follow.

Then go to the search button at the bottom of your Twitter home page. Put keywords in the box to find conversations about these words. Then check out the people whose tweets come up.

Step 4
Of the many third-party applications for Twitter, if you have a blog check out Twitterfeed.com, which you can use to automatically bring in the post feeds from your blogs.

There are some people who advocate NOT doing this and instead tweeting about your most recent blog post with the link to the post. Others, especially people with more than one blog, prefer to have the feeds done automatically.

Okay, now we’ve covered some of the most important basics of Twitter, although remember my earlier disclaimer – I could go on for pages and pages about the basics of Twitter.

Book marketing “campaigns”:

Twitter is, in my opinion, the absolute best social networking platform at the moment for establishing online relationships (and people buy books online), including the 140-character limit plus everything is public (no having to open emails to discover they go on and on). By public I mean you have a stream of tweets of the people you have chosen to follow.

The second is that there’s a general “rule” for people who know how to use Twitter effectively: It’s not only about you – the best Twitter users share valuable information (connected to who they are) with their followers. This opportunity to learn is what I especially appreciate on Twitter.

For example, by following other book authors, book agents, book editors, publishers, I have an automatic assistant who screens for me the best book marketing/book publishing info out there on a daily basis. Yes, I have blog feeds that go into my Google reader, but I never look at the reader because I have no time.

Twitter is my personal reader. I simply skim my Twitter stream to see if any of the book people I’m following have recommended a blog post. (The post can be theirs or someone else’s.) And I look at the topic covered in the tweet. If it looks as if I can learn from that post, I’ll quickly click through and see if I think the post is worth my limited time to read it.

If you want to be known as someone worth following in the book world, it behooves you to share worthwhile links with people. Here’s one that I’ve been sharing recently. It’s an ebook by @BookMarketer on how to sell books to libraries — http://www.sellingtolibraries.com/ I bought the ebook, read it, and was very impressed. So I tweeted about the report and included the link.

Tweeting about your book:

Yes, you can tweet about your book when it’s appropriate. And you can do such marketing strategies as what I did with my MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL. I offered a signed copy for each of the top five donors to a fundraising campaign for deployed U.S. soldiers. This offer got extensive publicity for the book without my “broadcasting” promo news about it.

___

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://budurl.com/internetbusiness as well as a book author, and her company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com provides internet marketing information with easy-to-implement solutions to promote your brand, book or business.

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Source: http://adzines.com/Book-Marketing-Articles/Extend-Your-Books-Life-With-a-Sales-Letter/6445

Authors, publishers and business owners are great at getting their books written and launched. But after the initial one-year honeymoon, sales slow down. To counter this, make sure to let your audience know about your book’s benefits and how it can help them in their lives. Keep your book alive and selling well for years when you write a sales letter.

You can write your first sales letter in less than two hours. As you practice, you will be able to write a short one in only one hour.

What Every Sales Letter Needs to Pull Orders and Profits

1. Start the letter with a benefit-driven headline and include headlines throughout.
   Example: “Want a Quick and Easy way to Quadruple your Online Income in Four Months?
   If you answered, “Yes” to yourself, the headline succeeds, because you will keep reading. If you said, “No, I don’t believe this, but I’m curious about where this is going,” the headline still succeeds. You win when your headline seduces your potential customer to read on in your sales letter and finally to decide to buy.
2. List the top five benefits of your book with bullets.
   To define your top benefits start with a list of challenges your client or customer wants solutions for. If you are not rock sure of who your audience is and what they need, your sales copy won’t work.
   Essentially, you need to say how your book will make someone’s life easier or richer in time or money; how it will entertain or inspire; how it will make readers be more successful, more attractive, healthier; how it will help them feel better and avoid catastrophe, sickness, or surgery.
   Remember to highlight your book’s ultimate benefit above the others. This could be the opening headline. If you list more than five benefits use the strongest three to five as your bullet points. Sprinkle the rest throughout your copy.
3. Address your potential buyer’s resistance.
   Tell a background story about where your audience is NOW so they will connect emotionally with your solutions. If your book is designed for people who want to write, the sales letter should focus on the fact that many people don’t write books because they doubt that their books will sell well enough to justify all the effort; they worry that a book may not be significant enough, that writing it will take too long and publishing it will cost too much; and besides, they really aren’t writers.” One, by one, a good sales letter will address a potential buyer’s major concerns.
4. Provide a quick overview of the book’s features.
   One client wrote a book on ways to live a successful life. Her top features included *a do-it-yourself” approach, *real-life coaching examples *mastering the art of ‘moseying’ and *practical tips and strategies that can immediately be implemented into your everyday life.
   Example: In this treasure chest you will…
   Impact your letter more when you combine your best benefit with a feature such as “Balance work and home by mastering the joy of moseying.” While benefits sell and features explain, your web or shorter email sales letter needs to mention features so your potential buyer will know what’s inside your book.
5. Sprinkle testimonials throughout your sales letter.
   Since people who learn about your book are more likely to buy it when they think other people already have, it’s important to offer testimonials from experts in your field, relevant celebrities, and satisfied users who have profited from your advice. Don’t send the whole book to people when you ask for testimonials. Just send them a list of the benefits and phrases to make it easy to respond as well as the title and introduction.
6. Offer your potential buyers three or four chances to buy.
   They may have already decided to buy before encountering your sales letter, so put “Buy Now” information near the top and present more buying opportunities along the way after your list of benefits, your summary of the book’s features, and your testimonials.
7. End your sales letter with a 100% money-back guarantee.
   When you offer an ironclad guarantee – “This product comes with a 100% Money Back Guarantee. Read the book cover to cover, and if the strategies don’t work for you within 60 days, we’ll cheerfully refund your money, and you can keep the product too! – people see your book as valuable enough for you to put yourself on the line for it. They will be more likely to buy and be satisfied with their purchase.
8. Share the downside of your book.
   Being up front about your book’s limitations can increase your credibility and create empathy.
   Example: “This e-book won’t write the book for you, or even get it published, but it will show you the steps and resources you need to write compelling copy, finish fully and sell well.”
9. Include your credentials.
   Obviously, expertise is important. One author wrote a book on stress and how it affects relationships. Her sales letter included “I interviewed 30 couples and included their answers to my what do you do daily to keep your relationship alive and joyful? My 20 years background as a marriage and family therapist includes 10 years coaching, consulting and presenting 25 seminars a year.”

Keep your book alive and selling well for years with a sales letter emailed out and on your Web site.

Judy Cullins 2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people’s lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” and “Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz,” she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, “The Book Coach Says…” and “Business Tip of the Month” at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 155 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com.

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GREEN BAY, WI (08/10/11) – BookWhirl.com, one of the leading providers of affordable book marketing services, announces the launch of the Happily Ever After Promo, featuring two of the most effective marketing resource, the E-mail Marketing Campaign and the e-Bookshelf. The Happily Ever After Promo rewards self-published authors permanent 100% royalties.

A self-published book’s web presence is vital to a successful marketing campaign, BookWhirl.com now offers the Happily Ever After to help authors promote their books through e-mail marketing and e-book selling. Clients can enjoy from 1 up to 10 e-books that will have permanent 100% royalties.

The Ever After Promo is basically an Email Advertisement Campaign (EAC) of an author’s book and consists of a designed, customized and web linked book advertisement that connects to online bookstores, authors’ websites, and blog sites making it a very effective marketing tool, and so far has proven to be BookWhirl.com’s most profitable and sought-after book marketing resource.

The service levels of BookWhirl.com’s Happily Ever After Promo are:

v      EAC 500,000 – plus 1 e-book with permanent 100% royalties

v      EAC 1 million – plus 2 e-books with permanent 100% royalties

v      EAC 2 million – plus 3 e-books with permanent 100% royalties

v      EAC 3 million – plus 4 e-books with permanent 100% royalties

v      EAC 4 million – plus 5 e-books with permanent 100% royalties

v      EAC 5 million – plus 6 e-books with permanent 100% royalties

v      EAC 10 million – plus 10 e-books with permanent 100% royalties

The e-book royalties can be used for the present or for a future marketing campaign. The rewards or the number of e-books eligible for permanent 100% royalties has no expiry.

The promo runs up from August 10 to September 10, 2011. For more details about BookWhirl.com and its book marketing services, visit the company’s official website http://www.BookWhirl.com. You may also channel your inquiries through email at Info@BookWhirl.com.

About BookWhirl.com

BookWhirl.com is an online book marketing service company, specializing in providing low-cost, high-quality marketing services for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books. Through its unique, inexpensive book marketing services, BookWhirl.com helps authors promote their published works more effectively and connect to readers in a more effective, more efficient system.

BookWhirl.com employs an experienced team of online marketing strategists, ad copywriters, graphic artists, and web designers, whose combined talents ensure an effective online marketing campaign at easily affordable rates.

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Source: http://adzines.com/Book-Marketing-Articles/Book-Signings-Are-Pure-Gold/6436

So you’ve written a book, had it published by a publishing company and you are now facing the dreaded book signing or book launch. Your palms sweat at the thought of facing droves of people and actually having to talk to them. You are a writer, not a salesperson, right? Wrong! If you do not have the guts and determination to sell your own work, then why should anyone else do it for you?

Book signings are your lifeline – your best friend – and they are pure gold.

Before you step out into virgin territory and cross that boundary that is called a book signing, endless questions will bombard your brain. How many books should you expect to sell? What if you don’t sell any books? And what if someone should ask that one little question that makes you quiver and shake in your shoes: “What’s your book about?”

In Canada, according to many of the managers at Coles, Indigo and Chapters bookstores, an average book signing is approximately $100.00 in retail sales. So if your book retails for $20.00, then selling 5 books would be considered okay. However, many authors have gone home without even one sale. Approximately 80% of authors will sell $100.00 or less; 15% will achieve $100 – $300.00 in sales; and only 5% of Canadian authors will see more than $300.00 in consistent sales. So where are the hundreds of book sales that you hear about in the news, and the long lines of people anxiously waiting all night? Unless you are J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, Nora Roberts or you are on the New York Times Best Selling list, the reality is there won’t be a lineup longer than a family of four, and $100.00 in sales represents a good Canadian book signing event. Now that is not to say that you can’t sell more.

What makes a good book signing? YOU DO! You set the tone by how you lay out your display on the table, how you dress and stand, how you think about signings, how you approach people, and how excited you are about your book. You represent your craft, your talent and your product. So how can you achieve sensational sales?

Follow these simple guidelines and watch your sales soar:

• Tables should be covered with clean tablecloths. Books should be displayed in stands and not left in stacks on the table. Signage should clearly state why you are there and who you are. Posters with your book covers, book reviews and excerpts can be displayed if you have the use of a wall or a tabletop easel. Draw people in by giving away a prize. Have them fill out their email address on the entry form so that you can invite them to sign up for your e-newsletter. And NEVER, EVER GIVE AWAY YOUR BOOK. If the prize is your book, do not be surprised when your sales are non-existent. Why should they buy when they can win it?
• Present yourself in a friendly, approachable but professional manner by dressing accordingly. It is also important to dress according to the image you present as a genre or expert writer. For example, if you’re writing a book on riding with the Hell’s Angels and the photo on the back of your book is of you in black leather pants, don’t show up in a three-piece suit. However if you’re writing steamy romance novels, don’t expect to show up wearing a dress with a ripped bodice. Professionalism is key. Dressy casual always works. And during Christmas time, glitter attracts attention. If nothing else, people will stop by just to see what all the sparkle is about.
• Body language can make or break a sale. If you stand with your arms crossed, no matter how comfortable you are, people will assume you don’t want to be bothered. They will think you are unapproachable and will steer clear. You will get the same reaction if you turn your back. NEVER turn your back to talk to someone behind your table. Many sales have been lost by this thoughtless gesture. Stand with your arms loose by your sides or clasped loosely in front or behind your back. This shows that you are relaxed and easygoing. Monitor the crowd by sitting for short durations. Every crowd is different. Some prefer to check out your table while you sit. But never hide behind your table! Once you or they initiate conversation, stand up, smile and sell them on your personality.
• When you are preparing for an event, make sure your attitude is turned UP! Attitude is contagious! If you are excited about your signing, everyone you meet will be excited. If you are dreading it or telling yourself you hate book signings, everyone will see that and your sales will take a nosedive. Love those book signing events! They are pure gold! There are golden opportunities at every event. Media will often contact an author they have seen at a signing. I have personally had four interviews within two months because of a chance encounter at a signing. And there is no better way to become known than by public exposure.
• Everyone you meet should be approached with respect. Treat them as if they are the President of your Fan Club. Have a handout ready to give to anyone who passes by, but do not be the pushy credit card salesperson. Look for eye contact. Smile and greet them. Then offer something to draw this potential fan to your table. Business cards, brochures and entry forms for a contest work wonders. Talk to them while they fill out the form and tell them: Who you are, What you are doing, Where you’ll be next, When you’ll be there and Why they should buy your book now.
• Know exactly what to say when someone asks: “What is your book about?” Think of a movie trailer for your book. How would the announcer describe it? Be prepared by writing down a script and practicing it before your signing. Be enthusiastic, positive and animated, and your audience will be intrigued. When the opportunity presents itself, hand them a copy of your book to feel and look at. The action of placing that book in their hands will dramatically increase your sales. Invite them to read the first page or chapter. Then let them know that you would be happy to autograph the book for them.
• High, consistent sales depend on three things: a good product, knowing your target audience and having a great attitude. If your product is full of obvious typos and glaring errors (especially on the back cover), you’ve wasted your money and your potential fan’s time. Make sure your books have been edited by three pair of unbiased eyes before you self-publish. Nothing will turn off a sale faster than improper use of punctuation and spelling missteaks. Know your target audience. Know exactly who would buy your book for themselves and who would buy it as a gift. And always monitor your attitude, reminding yourself throughout the day that every person you meet is a potential sale.

Follow the guidelines above and remember that the most important aspect of any event can be summed up by two words: HAVE FUN! Relax and enjoy the fact that you are a published author and that you have a book that is worthy of public adoration. If you have an exceptional product, are positive and lively, know your target audience and follow these steps, then you will be one of the few authors in Canada who will consistently sell more than $300.00 per book signing. You must BELIEVE in your book in order to effectively sell it. You must also believe in yourself, in your skills as a writer. You must become a shameless promoter. Why should you feel shame? Your book is worth promoting, right? Enjoy every opportunity you have of turning a book signing into pure gold.

“Fear is contagious. So is courage. Courage can’t help you, unless you allow it to.” – Cheryl Kaye Tardif

© 2005 Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the author of Whale Song, Divine Intervention and upcoming new release, The River. She has appeared on television and radio, and has been featured in newspapers and magazines across Canada and the US. A former motivational speaker for a well-known international company, she has inspired people to achieve goals they thought were impossible, and she uses her motivational skills to encourage others. According to bookstore managers, Cheryl has the highest and most consistent book signing sales in Edmonton, and has often surpassed $500.00 in sales for one signing. She is also the owner of http://www.BookAdz.com, a site that promotes Canadian and American authors, and she is the creator of A.F.T.E.R. – Authors For Tragic Event Relief, http://www.aftercanada.com.

For more information, email Cheryl at cherylktardif@shaw.ca or visit her website: http://www.cherylktardif.com.

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Source: http://www.millermosaicllc.com/books-as-basis-for-internet-business/

Whether you have a fiction or nonfiction book, there’s a lot more gold in that tome than you may realize.

Let me show you what I mean:

We’ll start with a nonfiction book we’ll call 15 WAYS TO START AN ONLINE BUSINESS.  And we’ll agree that:

•    The book has been published (whether from a traditional publisher or self-published doesn’t matter).

•    Each of the 15 ways has an individual chapter.

•    You have a website for your book.

Now you take those 15 chapters – and you plan and record a one-hour teleseminar around each one.  Voila!  You now have 15 teleseminars that you can sell off your website.  And as easy as this you now have an internet business.

Of course, as your mindset focuses on having an internet business based on your nonfiction book, you’ll begin to see other opportunities.  Perhaps there’s an expert in a related area who you would like to interview and then sell that interview.  Or perhaps you’d like to offer one-on-one coaching through the internet or telephone.

Once you’ve done all the heavy lifting of creating a good book, don’t stop there.  Keep looking for how you can build on that basis.

And what if you have a fiction book?  Yes, it isn’t quite as easy as a nonfiction book to use as a basis for an online business, but we’re writers – let’s use our imagination to think of a possible scenario for this endeavor:

Let’s say your novel, like my novel MRS. LIEUTENANT, takes place during the Vietnam War.  There are many people alive today who are too young to have any knowledge about this war.  What if you wrote ebooks about the war from the point of view of the people in the different countries involved in the fighting?

You could do research and write an ebook about the United States’ role in the Vietnam War and include the U.S. military point of view as well as that of the U.S. war protestors’ point of view.  And then you could do research and write an ebook about Australia’s role in the Vietnam War and include the Australians’ opposing viewpoints.

Okay, maybe this isn’t an exciting example.  How about – if you’ve written a romance novel – doing research and writing ebooks about dating relationships?

One ebook might be “The 7 Ways You Can Blow a Relationship in Only 10 Minutes.”  Would people buy that ebook?  I think so.  And I also think people might buy a series of teleseminars that you host with different dating experts.

Now does this romance/dating example get your thinking cap fired up?  It does mine – if only I could write a good romance novel ….

Step back from being the author of your published book and instead think about how you can develop your book’s “brand” into an online business.  You’ll probably be surprised how many good ideas you can come up with. – P.Z.M.
___

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://www.InternetBizBlogger.com as well as a book author, and her power marketing company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles and Internet marketing strategies to put power in your hands.

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Source: http://adzines.com/Book-Marketing-Articles/Marketing-for-Writers-When-Writing-Just-Isnt-Enough/6434

Many writers write for the experience. Others dream of having a number one best seller. Both are wonderful reasons for writing. What many fail to realize is that these two do not have to be mutually exclusive. With a little research, you can enjoy writing incredible stories and see to it that they generate a profit.

The first thing that is needed is a business like attitude toward the process. From day one you must:

1) Know your niche.

Research which books are popular in your genre. Go to bookstores and start reading popular authors in your field. Also pick up writing magazines and see what publishers are looking for today.

2) Know your audience. If you are writing for children, for example, know the developmental stage that a child reading your book needs to be and cater to them.

Ex. A five year old would not be a good candidate for a chapter book.

You can also talk to your future readers and find out what really sparks their interest.

Ex. If you are a sci-fi writer, you can go into sci-fi chat rooms and ask what books are the most popular and why. Also ask what they feel is missing in this field. Do they want a return to some of the earlier styles of sci-fi books are an even more futuristic approach?

3) Write from this knowledge.

Once you know what your audience wants, create your story and characters around that theme. Give them what they want, what they crave and you have a better chance of creating a book that they and publishers will love.

4) Pre – market. If you are self-publishing, you can give away a free chapter of your book on hundreds of sites to spark an interest and get feedback. You can also send out press releases right before your book is about to be releases. Prweb.com is a great place to send out free press releases.

5) Network – Contact the webmasters of writing sites online. Submit your book for pre-review. Go to writing chat rooms and offer to answer other writer’s questions about your book or writing in general. Do book readings at your local library or bookstore. The more people that are exposed to you and your book, the better the chance of it being a success.

Those are just a few examples of pre – marketing. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of other free ways to gather interest and get feed back.

The more information that you have before you write, before you market and before you go to press, will determine your chances of creating an enjoyable and profitable book. Remember you can be creative and profitable. Just start from a place of knowledge and the rest will follow.

About The Author

Caterina Christakos is the author of How to Write a Children’s Book in 30 Days or Less. For more writing tips and articles go to: http://www.howtowriteachildrensbook.com

CChrist896@aol.com

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Source: http://adzines.com/Book-Marketing-Articles/Media-Events-for-Book-Promotion/6439

“How do I set up a media event?” – As a publisher, that’s a good question to have an answer for.

Media events and public appearances can fall into any number of categories and include any number of venues (book stores, radio interviews, television interviews, writing group speeches, presentations, chat room interviews, online book tours, public forums, and more).

A good place to identify possible media event locations is through local bookstore. Most bookstores carry event calendars or maintain a list of contact people who hold that information.

Browse the calendar listings and see if a certain book promotion fits with their plans. Sometimes it might be necessary to tailor a planned event for a particular occasion or holiday. If there is contact information available, make a note of it so you can pitch the appropriate person about your event.

Follow-up with prospective contacts who have not confirmed dates. Selling yourself and your book is a numbers game, and as any salesperson will tell you, the amount of contact is directly proportional to the amount of sales.

Be persistent without being annoying. If, after three or four attempts with a particular media contact, you are still unsuccessful move on to another prospect.

Once you secure an event, prepare it thoroughly in advance. People who attend or listen to your events are participating because the advertisement or announcement struck a chord with them, so be sure to deliver what they came to see or hear. Don’t be shy about letting them know how to order your book. After all, that’s the reason you’re involved in the event in the first place.

Promote your media event aggressively. Invite your friends and family, and if it’s within the scope of your marketing budget, advertise in the local paper. Neighborhood papers may even promote your event for free within their “Events” pages. You may even be able to tie it into a book review.

The store is sponsoring the event to attract more customers; the station is sponsoring the event to attract more listeners or viewers. Whatever the venue, it is your responsibility to attract the crowd. The venue is just that – a venue.

Brent Sampson is the President & CEO of Outskirts Press Publishing at OutskirtsPress.com and author of Publishing Gems: Insider Information for the Self-Publishing Writer. Information at http://outskirtspress.com/publishinggems

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How to Easily Set-Up a Blog to Promote Your Book
Book Promotion Woes?

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Source: http://adzines.com/Book-Marketing-Articles/BuzzBased-Book-Marketing/6424

Once upon a time, people went to bookstores when they wanted to buy a book. Or at least, that was the theory. Actually, non-bookstore channels have been a big part of book sales for decades-at least since people like Joe Karbo (“The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches”) back in the 1960s. For my own books, whether they were self-published, done with a small commercial house, or by a New York conglomerate, I’ve found that selling direct is more secure, more financially rewarding, and far less hassle than sweating out the returns game with the bookstore channel.

All along, I’ve sold through speeches (I love getting paid to do my own marketing), over the Web (the first of my four websites went live in 1996), to clients at my office, who stare at a rack of my work throughout their entire appointment, and through an extensive effort to create “buzz.” The great thing is that *anyone* can generate buzz. Three of my techniques:

1. Be a source or guest for conventional media. I’ve been quoted in Reader’s Digest, the New York Times, Woman’s Day, Bottom Line, the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Inc, and dozens of other well-known and obscure publications (see a detailed list at http://www.principledprofits.com/pressroom.html). I’m also a call-in guest on at least a dozen radio shows per year. Whether or not I sell a lot of books directly through these interviews, I definitely create a lot of buzz (search for my name at Google and see for yourself)- and the best interviews sell a number of books through my websites or toll-free numbers. Here’s my “secret weapon” for getting coverage: a service that sends source queries from journalist s working on stories.(Find out more at http://www.frugalmarketing.com/prleads.shtml)
2. Find your niche on line, and participate actively. There are literally hundreds of thousands of “communities” online: virtual watercoolers where people gather to talk shop: mystery, historical novel reading groups, professionals in every line of work. Find a group whose audience is the same as your book, and participate often. I currently participate in three groups for small press publishers (a primary market not only for my books but for my copywriting services, a group for Internet marketing professionals, three for professional PR and copywriters, and several others. Yes,I spend an hour or two per day keeping up with – and participating on – these lists, but the impact on my business is huge.
3. Distribute content. Articles, book excerpts, blogs…if you write often enough about a subject, you become an expert. And you can find dozens of websites, discussion groups, print newsletters, ‘zines, even radio shows – all hungry for well-written, informative material. You get “paid” with a few lines of blurb and contact info. For my new book, “Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First,” I am adding two things to the mix: a network of independent representatives who will sell my book on commission – thus reaching new networks I’ve not been able to reach on my own – and aggressive pursuit of corporate sales. I’ve had my first success with the latter: 1000 copies to a prominent airline. And that means the book was already profitable before it rolled off the press! Shel Horowitz, author of *Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First,* *Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World,* and four other books, offers affordable, effective copywriting and strategic marketing planning to clients on three continents. He is the originator of the Ethical Business Pledge Campaign to change the World at http://www.principledprofits.com/25000influencers.html. His sites at http://www.frugalmarketing.com and http://www.principledprofits.com offer hundreds of useful articles for entrepreneurs and marketers, including the complete back issues of his FREE Monthly Frugal Marketing Tips. Shel will be glad to help you create your next press release, sell sheet, web site, or other marketing material. He can be reached at shel@principledprofits.com, 800-683-WORD.

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Source: http://adzines.com/Book-Marketing-Articles/Looking-to-Sell-Your-Book-for-a-Good-Price/6450

Many self-publishing authors plan on eventually selling their book to a large publisher at a good price. The fast track way toachieve this goal is to push up the market value of a book with a push v. pull strategy. This article shows you how to do exactlythat, using a simple Internet strategy that any self-publisher can afford.

PUSH v. PULL EXPLAINED

Books with push like Harry Potter push customers through the doors, and the registers go kachink, kachink. With self-published titles, booksellers must pull customers through the door and that costs money. Put yourself in their shoes. Giving preference to books with built-in push makes sense.

Remember this formula: push stacks chips on your side of the bargaining table and pull sweeps them away. With a transferable Internet presence strategy, you can stack chips to the ceiling just like the big boys do.

WHAT THE BIG BOYS ARE DOING

The push is on with major publishers to build market value for their intellectual properties with the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) system.

A DOI is a permanent Internet address for your book. No matter how many times ownership of a book changes hands, the DOI Internet address is permanently bound to the book, just as tightly as the binding. This is why hundreds of big publishers have registered over 16 million intellectual properties with the DOI system with millions more on the way.

Who fueled the creation of the DOI system? Computer experts?No. From a market asset valuation standpoint, that makes as much as sense as going to a Sushi Chef for a vasectomy. (Better idea- get the Sushi afterwards!)

Rather, it was senior publishing executives and their financial gurus who pushed for the creation of the DOI system.

When yo usit down at the bargaining table with a DOI, you’ll be talking their language.

PLAYING WITH THE BIG BOYS

The Internet is like an elephant, it remembers everything and it can remember a lot! You can always include your email address or your web site address but these things point to a business identity – not the work, itself.

Use the same DOI on every web page, ezine article, review, blogpost, etc. and it becomes a 24/7 market value builder that follows the work. If something changes, like your email or website address, one simple update is all it takes. No more annoying “page not found” or “no such e-mail recipient” errors.

Use your DOI the right way, and every little stitch of web presence marketing you’ve done becomes one more chip on bargaining table. Remember, the big guys speak DOI.

DOI BENEFITS ARE IMMEDIATE

Getting good book reviews is so miserably hard these days,especially for self-published authors. What if your book finally gets that fabulous review you’ve hoped for long after publication? Will it be orphaned from the book marketing information you’ve already published on the Internet? No.

One quick update of your DOI and everything that it references on the Internet will immediately begin broadcasting your fabulous review to the online world.

START ADDING MARKET VALUE TODAY

Each day, try to add more market value to your book. A blog post here, an ezine article there. These things cost nothing, and yet they can push huge amounts of sales-generating traffic at your book.

As a self-published author, you’ve got to keep your eyes on what the big guys are doing, and when you can emulate them on the cheap, you do it!

WHEN TO GET YOUR DOI

The best time to register your DOI is after your books are available for purchase on Amazon.com and other online bookseller sites. This way, you can create menu options in your DOI that link to online bookseller pages for immediate sales results.

Be sure to ask your publisher or vanity press if they offer a DOIservice. One that does is Your Own World Books (Yowbooks.com).Their Author Advantage program includes a transferable DOI.

If your publisher does not offer a DOI service, that’s OK. Ask the copyright holder, you can register your DOI with an independent DOI hosting service like DOIeasylink.NET. The annual cost of a DOI is comparable to one-month web site hosting fee.Plus, you get a 1-page Internet response page and descriptive menus with multiple Internet links.

USE A DOI TO HIT CRITICAL MASS

If you remember only one thing from this article, let it be this.Think like the big boys. Use this strategy to add more market value by continually broadcasting information on the Internet with your DOI. Eventually, you’ll hit critical mass. People will buy your book, and large publishers will see this and be impressed!

Free Publishing Guidelines: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

DOIeasylink.NET: We Add Value to Your Book- Learn More: http://doieasylink.net- http://dx.doi.org/10.2122/doieasylink- Marshall Masters, President- http://dx.doi.org/10.1572/marshall.masters

Marshall Masters is a publisher, self-published author, radio personality and Internet technologist. His published titles include Godschild Covenant: Return of Nibiru, Gold Fever, Indigo-E.T. Connection, and Orange Blossom. He founded DOIeasylink.NETto make the DOI system available to self-publishers and small presses. Drawing upon his decades of consulting experience with notable firms such as AT&T, Oracle, HP, Lockheed and SunMicrosystems, he created a simple, affordable DOI solution for self-publishers and small presses.

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http://self-publishingresources.com/2011/07/14/how-to-have-a-book-website-that-effectively-sells-your-book/

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