Source: http://www.writersdigest.com/qp7-migration-all-articles/qp7-migration-fiction/how-to-set-up-a-preorder-event-for-your-book

Written by: Seth Harwood with Alison Janssen

Online preorder events can be an incredible success. My fellow podcasting authors Scott Sigler, JC Hutchins and Mur Lafferty have all made huge runs up the Amazon charts thanks to this kind of marketing. If you’re dedicated to building an online presence, a preorder event could be a great strategy to try. Here’s how to do it.

1. Affiliate Programs
Instead of asking bloggers and podcasters to post about your book out of kindness, offer them an affiliate code. Their readers can use it to get a discount when they buy your book, and you can give a few dollars back to the affiliate for each referral. Everyone wins!

2. Podcast Marketing
If your books are on Podiobooks.com, you can use dynamic insertion to automatically add short promos to the beginning of your online catalog of content. Since people are always going out and listening to my recorded books (I’ve used podcasting—turning my work into audio files [MP3s]—that I distribute FOR FREE via my blog, iTunes and Podiobooks.com to get my novels out and build an audience) now I can get fresh promotional content to them within these files.

Also, there are a lot of great podcasters who’ll be happy to run a promo or two for you or even have you on for an interview. (See #1 above.) I’ve even lined up live interview shows!

3. Fan Evangelism
Use Twitter and Facebook. Even if you’d rather not maintain a Facebook page or Twitter profile of your own, realize that your readers likely do participate in social media. Ask them to change their profile picture during the week of your online event. Provide easily downloadable avatars for them to use—each time a fan using your avatar sends a tweet, their tweet serves as a reminder of your online event. (For an example of how to offer free avatars, click here.)

4. Point of Sale
Make it as easy and intuitive as possible. Readers are becoming more and more confident with purchasing online, but it’s important that your point of sale works properly, and will keep buyer’s credit card information safe. PayPal is a top choice for online vending, but there are other options. If you’re not confident in your web abilities, ask around. It’s worth the investment in professional help if your point of sale is smooth and appealing.

5. Package Deals
Do you have previously published books? Would your book cover look good on a t-shirt? Don’t be shy about offering package deals as a part of your online presales event.

Related Posts
Book Events That Really Sell
Your Checklist For A 5-Star Book Event

Bookmark and Share:

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

source: http://www.newsletterjournal.com/information/book-marketing/book-signing-fun-and-profit-for-writers-and-readers.html

by: Jo Condrill

Have you ever walked into a bookstore when an author is scheduled to do a book signing and found no one in the audience? Do you shy away from autograph tables, perhaps fearing that someone may ask you to buy a book? Consider the other side of the equation. A book signing is an opportunity to learn about the author and what makes a person undertake the challenge of writing a book. If you’re a reader, you can delve into background information about the book. If you are an aspiring author, you can learn from another author’s experiences. Every book signing is an opportunity to learn-without obligation to buy anything.

Book signings can be held almost anywhere. Is your book about gardening, nutrition, or money? Why not have an event at a large garden supply outlet, a spa, or a banking institution? Are you writing about an exciting period of music or interesting musicians? Then consider one of the big local music stores for the seminar. On the other hand, if you’re a speaker or professional seminar leader, why not sign your books in a nearby bookstore in addition to selling them at the back of the room when you give your next presentation?

To help publicize a book signing, coordinate it with a special day, like Grandparents Day, or some topical holiday that has special meaning in context with the subject matter of your book. Several Internet web sites offer hundreds of dates that you can use for a public relations opportunity. Think of different and innovative ways to connect your book and your ideas to something that is already scheduled to happen in the area. For instance, if your book has anything to do with women’s health, you may tie into a local Race for the Cure event, which supports research on breast cancer. Or, dream up a day of your choice to publicize your book. “Today is national TAKE CHARGE day!” Couple a book signing with seminars or speeches you have already scheduled, a family reunion, or other special event. Where would your target audience likely gather? Find that place and go there!

Provide a mini-seminar on the topic of your book. Some people in your audience may have already read it and want to pose specific questions. Prepare comments, anecdotes, and insights in advance. Greet your public enthusiastically and welcome their questions.

Book signings can be exciting for writers and readers and profitable for everyone.

Jo Condrill is a professional speaker, author, and consultant. She has conducted successful book signings across the US, including one in Rockefeller Center in New York City. “From Book Signing to Best Seller: An Insider’s Guide to Conducting a Successful Low-Cost Book Signing Tour,” which was coauthored by John B. Slack, was named the 2002 Best Writer’s Reference Guide by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. http://www.publishandprosper.com

Related Posts
Your Checklist For A 5-Star Book Event
Book Events That Really Sell

Bookmark and Share:

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

You would always want the best to market your book. Book events are the times when authors expect much for their book’s exposure. Preparing for these events can be tough considering that there is a list of things that need to be checked and finalized. Book events like make every author dreamy and anxious about long customer lines and stuffed cash boxes.

Regardless of the amount of money that you are going to invest on a book event, it should turn out successful. As self-published authors, you have to wear the event coordinator’s hat. This basically means that you have to spearhead every event and look at everything down to the tiniest details.

This article features a smart checklist on how to improve conducting 5-star promotional events for your book.

1. Brainstorm. This is the stage where you squeeze in everything that’s possible. Jot down all your ideas that best suit your event. These ideas should answer the question: What do I want my readers to think about me and my book? Aside from generating ideas, you should also consider the following elements: relevance, consistency, creativity, and strategy.

1. Sit down and plan out. Think of ways and means that’ll help your ideas come to fruition. Think of practical but highly effective strategies. Your strategies will most likely cover: venue, logistics, promotions, and publicity.

1. Budget. This can be very challenging. Money can easily run out when you’re having fun. That’s why you should optimize the use of your budget for every book event.  Consider what things are necessary. Hold off on the fancy things that can wait when there’s more than enough money. Stay loyal to your budget.

1. Advance publicity. Content, medium, and timing make advance publicity effective. For content, you should be creative and relevant to attract attendees. What can your readers learn from reading your book? What makes your event worth the time? Create a simple yet persuasive strategy statement. State a call to action. Mediums can be attractive invitation cards, bookmarks, flyers, posters, button pins, print ads, press releases, websites or video trailers. Timing can be very crucial. It’s best to launch your advance publicity 30 to 60 days prior to your book event.

1. Crowdsourcing. When you let your readers get involve, you don’t only get attention, but you get the opportunity to generate ideas from them. Crowdsourcing can be in many forms. Get the public involve by letting them help you out on creating a video trailer for your book. Offer appealing rewards to entice a lot of participants. You’d be surprised to see how much ideas can be generated to your advantage.

1. Give away good attitude at all times. Criticism, whether you agree or not, is part of success. Always have a polite and courteous attitude especially when facing impossible-to-deal-with customers.Success doesn’t come overnight.

1. Express gratitude in tangible ways. At the end of every book event, it’s always best when you reward the people who took time to attend. If it’s possible, send out personalized ‘thank you’ cards. By doing this, they will most likely look forward to your next book event.

Related Posts
Book Events That Really Sell

Bookmark and Share:

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

by Katherine Swarts

source: http://www.sellingbooks.com/book-events-that-really-sell

You’ve arranged a book signing, or reserved an expo table. You’re counting the days to the big event, dreaming every night of mile-long customer lines and overflowing cash boxes.

Unfortunately, that scenario really is “in your dreams” for most writers. If you aren’t sufficiently popular to draw interest on pure name recognition, you may be lucky to get ten visitors and one sale.

There are ways to improve your chances, though. Here are my candidates for the top five things that attract browsers to a book signing or expo table.

1. Relevance. When considering where to exhibit, don’t stop with bookstores and book expos; hold your health-book signing at a fitness center, or display local-history books at your town’s centennial fair. You may actually sell more at a “non-book” event where attendees are more focused and direct competition less.
2. Advance publicity. Give “save the date” cards to your friends. Post announcements—preferably weekly for a month in advance—on all your blogs and social networking accounts. (Even out-of-state fans have acquaintances and relatives in your area.) For individual signings, send press releases to local media—and be sure the host business announces the event in its newsletters/blogs and on its Web site. Provide posters for hosts to display the month of the event. (Incidentally, minimize time competition—don’t schedule signings when half the town is traveling or at a major local festival!)
3. Visual appeal. For an expo, place an eye-catching ad—with book cover image—in the official program. For any event, use a large, colorful banner sign—preferably set high enough to read from across the room. Arrange about a dozen of your books—not so many that they look cluttered—on the display table. Also to avoid a “cluttered” appearance, use a low-hanging tablecloth (solid-colored, preferably white or pastel) to hide your boxes.
4. Giveaways. A bowl or platter of “sweet nibbles” always draws visitors. Offer something more permanent, too; bookmarks with cover images and lists of additional titles are always good. Or provide a premium related to your topic (fudge for a dessert cookbook, tiny stuffed kittens for a story featuring a cat) and marked with your Web address.
5. Good attitude. The number-one quality of every successful business owner. Make eye contact, with a wave and a smile, whenever someone glances your way; few can resist the implied invitation. Smile even when you think no one is looking; it adds to your table’s visual appeal. Remember that rearranging your display, eating lunch at your booth, and leaving the table unattended are sure ways to miss all but the most determined customers. And even if only two people stop all day (one to raid your candy dish and one to tell you your book should be banned) and the air conditioning fails on the hottest day of August, think happy thoughts and save the pity party until you’re out of the public eye!

For tips from the veterans, click to the following articles: “How to Have a Successful Book Signing” by MaryJanice Davidson; “Selling Your Books at a Booth” by Belea T. Keeney; and “40+ Ways to Make Your Next Book Signing an Event!” by Larry James.

Katherine Swarts is a professional writer specializing in corporate blogs/newsletters and other articles. Her Web address is www.spreadthewordcommercialwriting.com.

Bookmark and Share:

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!