Archive | Book Marketing
10 Hot Book Marketing Ideas
There’s an endless supply of marketing ideas and suggestions for promoting your book. Some of them work and others, not so much. No matter what marketing strategy you choose to implement, the success of your endeavor boils down to execution. Without proper execution, many wonderful ideas end up dead in the water. Keep this in mind before your jump head first into the marketing ideas below. Careful planning can transform these tips into amazing marketing techniques that have the potential to catapult your book sales.
1. Make a Video
Selling your book means you need to connect to your audience. When people see you and hear you they can make an instant connection. As it stands, video searches are growing by leaps and bounds and word on the street is that Google is developing voice recognition and auto-captioning, which means that videos will soon be searchable by text.
2. Short Story Teasers
Create a story about your story. Many authors are finding that these separate mini-versions work like trailers for a movie. They’re hooking the audience and leaving them wanting more. Offer the story for free, keep it short and simple and watch the interest grow.
3. Contests
Life is one big carnival and people love it when they win a prize. Create a contest and give-away an autographed copy of your book.
4. Gather Reviews
There’s no escaping the power of a good review. Even though readers don’t hang out on book review sites, getting the websites where they do hang-out to read and post a review offers instant appeal and credibility.
5. Build a Website
Don’t build a website about yourself. Make it about your book. Turn the book into an online character and put it in the limelight. Integrate a strong advertising and promotion campaign on each page within the site. Include links to the media attention and book reviews that you’re receiving.
6. Virtual Reader Communities
There are a ton of these sites out there and they’re a goldmine full of book marketing opportunities. Visit Goodreads.com, LibraryThing.com, AuthorsDen.com and RedRoom.com for tips and inspiration.
7. Book Competitions
Check your ego at the door for this one. Entering author competitions is a super hot way to network, promote your book and, quite possibly, win the whole kit and kaboodle. Join a local or national author society to learn more about scheduled competitions.
8. Be Like Vaynerchuk
Read up on Gary V. and use him as a case study to market your book. Visit his site at: www.garyvaynerchuk.com
9. Compilations
Be a team player and submit your writings into a compilation book. Not only do you promote yourself, but others promote you too. It also lets you step outside your genre and broaden your audience reach.
10. Blog
Write about your book each and every chance that you get.
eBook Marketing Plan
You’ve written your eBook. You’re ready to share it with readers. What is your next step? Promoting your ebook requires some marketing creativity and tenacity. Roll up your sleeves and put on your marketing cap. These marketing basics will get things moving in the right direction. You can always customize and build on them once they’re in place.
Start with an ebook mini-marketing plan. It doesn’t have to be fancy or deeply detailed to start. Just a nice, tidy outline that answers some key questions and lists some of your primary objectives with your ebook. For instance, who is your audience? Where is your audience? How many downloads are you aiming for per month? You can easily outline this in a simple one-sheet, but make sure to put some thought and consideration into your questions and answers, as well as realistic and attainable objectives.
Use what you’ve got. Take the resources and tools that are already available to you and use them to your advantage. For instance, if you have a blog, use it as a vehicle to build a marketing campaign for your ebook. Create an editorial calendar and start planning your blog posts around themes directly related to your ebook. Tie in a link to your ebook and a call-to-action for ebook downloads in each and every post. Make sense?
Here’s where your social media profiles come in handy. Update your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts with ebook mentions and links. Get the word out that your ebook has arrived and that you’re ready to share it. Consider putting together a download contest and challenge fans and followers to try and be the 100th person to download. Award the winner with a prize like an iPod that includes an audio version of your ebook.
Make your ebook front and center on your website. Feature it prominently on your homepage and use starbursts and call-outs on subsequent pages to remind visitors to download a copy of the ebook. You’ll also need to drive traffic to your website. Write articles and press releases announcing the launch of your ebook and start posting and distributing them on ezine sites.
With a little effort, you can create momentum and generate buzz about your ebook and do it all with out breaking your bank.
Book Marketing Strategy: Best Websites For Authors
Online is where it’s at, especially when it comes to the marketing strategy for your newly published book. Creating buzz and generating sales can be accomplished more easily than you think with the assistance of a few online sites geared toward authors. We’ve gathered some of the stand outs and are sharing them with you below.
FiledBy. Hands down this is the most comprehensive online marketing platform for authors. It provides simple to use tools that can be used to link, host and organize marketing activities and connect to online booksellers. The service is free to use and authors can claim their site immediately. Additional features are available through affordably priced premium services and include, additional links, multimedia uploads, blogging, customized graphics, event calendars and much more. Whether you have an author website or not, FiledBy can help expand your social media presence and is absolutely worth joining to claim a name for a basic site set-up.
Red Room. This is a social hub that focuses on writers and book lovers. It’s a full-service site that allows authors to express themselves, promote their writing and connect with other like-minded people. Well-known and undiscovered talent utilize this site to network with publishing agents, interact with literary icons and showcase samples of your work. Membership is free, but if you’re an author you’ll need a Premium Membership to market and sell your books. Current price plan is listed at $30 per month or $250 per year.
Goodreads. This is a great site that promotes book-sharing, reviewing and other various ways to showcase your book. Goodreads claims to be the largest site with 1.8 million members who have added 41 million books. Authors enjoy having their own profile pages that feature a short biography, background, pages for your books, review and interview links, comments and other social media aspects. What make the site unique? It has an online advertising program for authors who are interested in ramping up their marketing efforts.
LibraryThing. Geared more toward the reader, the site does allow authors to become members and highlights them as such. A total of 35 million books have been cataloged by 600,000 readers so why not add yours to the list. As a LibraryThing author, you can promote readings, events and participate in author chats, provide review copies and include photos and other information on your author profile page.
Author’s Den. Your book is bound and ready to for reading, now what? The first step is finding an audience. At the Author’s Den, readers and authors are brought together through book reviews, blogs, news, events and more. More than 1.4 million readers each month have access to 62 literary categories. Not only is site is free to join, but it’s evolving. Coming soon is a market place that will permit authors to go a step beyond the site’s current features, including public relations, marketing and publishing.
Other author websites worth taking a peek at:
Shelfari. An Amazon.com owned site that has become very popular among Facebook users. A great way to tap into your social media audience.
Nothing Binding. Directed toward emerging writers and authors.
Scribd. Known as the ‘YouTube for documents’, authors can upload excerpts, pages, reviews and other material to share with people to view.
Social Media Networks Built For Authors and Writers
Ning helps authors connect, and writers craft their work
Despite all the information, resources and data available on the Internet today, there are instances when you just can’t seem to find what you’re looking for. This is especially true for people who are are trying to connect exclusively with other like-minded individuals. In our case, this would be authors and writers.
Fortunately, some amazingly tech-savvy person recognized this and created a brilliant social media tool called Ning. Ning is a free social platform that lets you socialize your brand, amplify a cause that you’re passionate about or create a hub for people to gather with common interests. It allows users to develop and design their own customized social pages with rich-feature capabilities, such as personal blogs, chats and forums.
Similar to the information super-highway, Ning has a tremendous amount of social networks and millions of active members on each of them. The nice thing about Ning is that whatever you can’t find, you can build yourself. For example, if you’re someone who enjoys building styrofoam pink bunnies out or recyclable materials and setting them on fire whenever there’s a full moon and you want to meet other people just like you – you can set-up your own Ning network for that specific purpose.
Because it’s always nice to meet other writers and exchange successes, challenges and knowledge, we looked at what Ning had to offer in author/writer genre and discovered that there are some great Ning networks available for to join.
Writer’s Digest Community (WDC). Hands down, this is one of the most comprehensive Ning networks available for authors and writers alike. Presently, it’s 4,011 members strong and growing. The WDC features online events and competitions to get your creative writing juices flowing, a guide to literary agents, an online store and a WDC badge to proudly display to show your support on your website’s home page.
Independent Writer’s Network (IWN). This Ning destination is a place that describes itself as being a place where writers can promote their works, share ideas and encourage others. Through this network, members can build their own sub-network page or create their own sub-groups. What makes IWN a stand-out is that content is fresh and relevant to the network’s focus. Definitely worth checking out.
The Writer’s Network (TWN) (affiliated with OnceWritten.com). On TWN you’ll find a wealth of information relating to all things author and writer. Members and OnceWritten.com have compiled a plethora of excellent tips, how-tos and resources that make starting out for a newbie or enhancing what you’ve got for the seasoned pro a complete breeze. Well-supported and updated hourly to daily, TWN is an excellent Ning network.
Other mention-worthy Ning networks include:
World Poets & Writers Registry
Take a moment to explore Ning on your own and you’ll find that there are many niche writing networks, including crime, horror, afro-punk and countless others. There’s truly something for everyone.
Press Release Writing Tips For Authors
All the talented writers in the world aren’t worth a penny put together unless they can get their written works published and get people to purchase them. The best way to get exposure and create awareness is through publicity. Generating buzz about a book and attracting the attention of publishers and the media can be accomplished with a press release. Make sure your press release gets read with these helpful tips:
- Single page. Unfortunate, but true, we live in a world of sound bytes and ‘want-it-yesterdays’. Publishers and media contacts are busy people who have little time to comb through hundreds of multiple page press releases. Limit your press release to one page to gain a better chance of it being read.
- Catchy headline. All press releases have a headline that sums up the entire release in a few well chosen words. This is an opportunity to shine and show off your creative side. Think about headlines that you see in newspapers and make your headline count. Get their attention and they’ll want to read more and know more.
- No first person. Your press release needs to read as if it came from an objective third-party. Write in in the present tense and stay away from jargon and slang.
- Dynamic first paragraph. Here’s where the magic happens. Hook your reader’s attention by highlighting what the book is about in a sentence or two and including a few chapter titles. This is the paragraph that readers will use to determine whether they’re interested in pursuing you and your book and giving you the coverage that you want.
- Author’s bio. This is where having a short and sweet bio come in handy. If you’ve created a book jacket bio for yourself, this is an ideal place for you to use it. In fact, you may need to apply additional edits to keep it no longer than a paragraph. It’s extremely important to include your phone number and email address in this section for contact information. This is how you’ll be reached schedule interviews or for clarification of your press release.
Don’t forget to follow-up with your contacts a few days after you deliver the press release to ensure that they’ve received it. Using these press release tips will help you construct a newsworthy piece that is concise, relevant and ready for media coverage.
How To Write Different Types of Author Biographies
Just like there are many different types of writing, such as academic, creative and business, there are also different types of author’s bios. Depending on what medium is being used, the bio will reflect certain elements and bits of information. What makes them differ from one another is the amount of detail included and the overall tone and style.
When you consider a book jacket bio, think about how it will be used and about the space that is available. A book jacket bio should be a short paragraph or two that gives a brief overview about about the author. If the book is non-fiction, the bio should talk about qualifications and what inspired the writing and initiated its perspective. For a fictional book, mention what prompted you to become a writer or how many books you’ve published previously.
What’s most important about a book jacket bio is that it’s often used to serve many different purposes. As previously mentioned, there’s a limited amount of room so the bio should be kept relatively short. Additionally, this bio has multiple functions and will be used for publicity material, such as flyers, and to accompany photos for book tours. For the most part, a book jacket bio is permanent, meaning once it’s printed it’s not easily edited without cost for reprint. For this reason, keeping the book jacket bio professional and succinct should be your ultimate goal.
On the other hand, an online bio has quite a bit more flexibility. It doesn’t have spacial constraints, which allows for more detailed information to be shared, and it can be updated and changed freely without incurring any costs. An online bio is exposed to a wider audience and a more conversational approach should be incorporated into the bio’s overall language. The accessibility of the bio gives it global exposure to people from different nationalities, different educational backgrounds and different social sectors. Therefore, a simple online bio will allow more readers to connect with the author because they can easily read and relate to the author.
So when you’re getting ready to begin writing your bio think about where it will be used, how it will be used and who will be reading it. Think like a member of your audience and write a bio that will appeal to him/her. Take a step back from what you’ve created and revisit it to see if it satisfies the basic criteria of an online or book jacket version. The time invested to develop an audience appropriate bio will pay off moving forward.
Want more help? See my video tutorial HELP REWRITE MY BORING BIO
Elements Of Great Bios For Authors
Unfortunately, the vast majority of bios are poorly written and terribly mind numbing. Crammed with unnecessary details that spill over countless pages will have your reading audience running toward the hills. Contemplating your experiences on the playground while attending grammar school isn’t the best place to begin sharing your educational achievements. Expounding on your love for unicorns and passion for rainbows isn’t going to win over any one either. Simply put, great bios are few and far between, but what makes them stand out is what they share in common.
To this day it remains a mystery as to why so many bios choose uninteresting over compelling content. Great bios stand out because they’re enjoyable to read and memorable afterward. For instance, some great bios use humor, which shows that the author doesn’t take himself/herself too seriously. It also demonstrates that the individual enjoys what he/she does. A bio isn’t an application for a job with the Federal Government, it’s an opportunity to let your personality shine through. Need some inspiration? Read attorney Kevin Gliwa’s bio for a chuckle.
A great bio will highlight a single defining moment that changed, shaped or inspired a life decision for the author. Rather than discussing countless and irrelevant details, choosing one key moment to elaborate on is like having a mini-thriller built into a bio. It captivates a readers attention and gives them insight and perspective regarding the author at the same time. Great bios that choose a significant event to share will be clear stand outs.
Great bios avoid using hyperbole. Exaggerations discredit the author, appear as misleading and read like statements made by the guy from the used car lot. When a bio is well written, it doesn’t need to rely on claims like ‘the best writer in the world’ and ‘the queen of the most self-published books’. The best bios will stick with the facts and leave embellishments at the craft store. A great bio delivers information concisely, but with a touch of personal creativity.
Take the time to gain a better understanding of the characteristics that make a bio good and those that make them bad. The Internet is an excellent place to start your hunt. You may end up finding motivation in unexpected places, as well as learn a trick or two along the way.
Want more help? See my video tutorial HELP REWRITE MY BORING BIO
To Self Publish or Not To Self Publish? What you should ask to know the right answer for you.
Self-publishing scams abound right now. How do you know who is legitimate? Who has the best deal for the author? Here is a podcast to help you decide if you should self-publish or not, and if you do, how to find the right company to work with.
In my interview with Shelley Lieber, we cover what is happening right now in the self publishing industry and how to figure out who has the best deal for today’s authors. We also uncover what the top questions are that you need to ask every self publishing house before you sign anything! It’s your money and your time, so spend it wisely.
Shelley Lieber is author of 4Ps to Publishing Success. She is also known as The Wordy Woman, a title she has earned by becoming a sought after publishing coach.
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Book Marketing Using Social Media: An interview with Author Brian Moreland
Award Winning Horror Author Brain Moreland tells how he made his book an overnight success using social media.
A few highlights:
He started with a self published book and gained such a wide audience using social media, that a publisher picked up his book. He now has a mass paperback deal.
His book won a gold medal. Learn what specific steps he took to ensure that his book would be considered.
He shares his tips for authors who are also using social media for book marketing.
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