book-marketing: พฤศจิกายน 2008

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 30 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Writers: The Truth About Advertising, Publicity, and PR

Many of us are trying to do business and don't know how to define these words. We read articles and think, this could have just as easily been about me! We wonder why the reporter picked that person instead. We wonder how someone got into magazines and onto radio shows. We attribute big successes with an expensive publicist. We are not sure what a publicist does but since the guy on Entourage has one, they must be a good thing. Some of use have publicist and secretly wonder why they can't get us on the Today Show or Good Morning America. We have written books and wonder why we are not on the Oprah book club/

Advertising is something you pay for. Most of the time you have to come up with the content or copy. You need to hire a copywriter or take some training. There is more to getting people's attention than a goofy picture. Advertising must be effective and have a call to action. You are asking the people to do something and they must be clear on what to do. Advertising has laws on what you can show and say. FCC rules in advertising will not apply to satellite radio, which is why Howard Stern is leaving regular radio. More and more people are choosing to keep out a lot of advertising by using pod casting and personalizing their media intake. Cell phone use to watch TV and communicate with people can make Generation X unreachable. Advertising is also so overbearing that people can tune it out if it does not directly speak to them.

Writers must promote their book, even if they are published by large publishers. They must create a campaign that is book effective and within budget. Publicity and PR stretch those advertising dollars.

Dr. Letitia S. Wright is the host of the Wright Place TV show at <a target="_new" href="http://www.wrightplacetv.com">http://www.wrightplacetv.com</a>. For a free audio interview about Publicity, subscribe to her ezine at <a href="mailto:info1080-89555@autocontactor.com">info1080-89555@autocontactor.com</a>

วันศุกร์ที่ 28 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Book Talks: What to Say and How to Say It

Great! The Chamber of Commerce, or a similar group, has asked you to talk about your latest book. Though words are your business, you may terrified of public speaking. What should you say? How should you say it? These tips will help you to give a five-star book talk.

Confirm arrangements. Mistakes happen and you don't want them to happen to you. One or two days before you're slated to speak, confirm the date, time, place, and your audiovisual needs. Toastmaster's International says you should visit the site beforehand. Make sure books will be available if you're autographing after your talk.

Greet the audience. Arrive early and greet audience members as they enter the room or store. This gives you an instant connection with your audience and makes you an approachable person.

Check the audience. According to the Advanced Public Speaking Institute, males and females respond differently to talks. Females laugh more easiily than males and "an all-male audience is more critical to bond [with] . . . especially if you're a famale speaker." Be prepared to make some last minute changes in your talk if you are female.

Say thank you. Audience members have taken the time to come and hear you, so thank them for coming. Your thank you doesn't have to be long, but it does need to be sincere. Thank the person who invited you and other contact people.

Keep your intro short. Eager as they may be to hear you, audience members don't want to listen to a long lead-in, or what a friend of mine calls the "When grandpa headed West in 1935" introduction. (He's very droll.) Get the audience's attention and cut to the chase - the body of your talk.

Make points clear. Speech writers tell their clients to start by "telling them what you're going to tell them." You need to do the same. State the purpose of your talk and summarize your book in one sentence. (This is harder than it sounds.) As you speak you may wish to number your key points.

Cite benefits. Though they may not say it aloud, every audience member is asking, "Why should I buy your book?" You should be able to answer this question quickly and clearly. Refer to your book by title, not "the book" and repeat the title several times.

Tell stories. The audience won't remember statistics, but they will remember stories. Tell stories about being a writer or stories from your book. Keep in mind that story-telling isn't the same as joke-telling. If you're good at telling jokes include them in your talk. Avoid jokes if you can't remember punch lines.

Keep their attention. The Advanced Public Speaking Institute says you should use an "attention gaining device" every two-to-four minutes. These devices include things like movement, showing a prop, distributing handouts, and delivering one-liners. You may also have a Power Point presentation that goes with your book.

Have a strong ending. You want the audience to remember you and your book. So tell a touching story, or ask the audience to take action, or whisper your last line for impact. A change in approach can also be a strong ending. If you're giving a talk about a serious subject, for example, you could close on a humorous note.

Remember, the audience thinks of your book talk as entertainment.

Eddie Albert, the famous Hollywood actor, was a friend of my father-in-law's. I met Eddie several times and he called me once to thank me for a book I'd sent him. During our conversation Eddie said he was giving a talk about conservation that afternoon. The talk was finished, Eddie said, but he was still working on the entertainment aspect. "You have to entertain to educate," he commented. Good advice for us all.

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Her latest book, Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief, written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available on <a target="_new" href="http://www.amazon.com.">http://www.amazon.com.</a> To learn more about her work go to <a target="_new" href="http://www.harriethodgson.com">http://www.harriethodgson.com</a>

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 27 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Your Book Marketing Plan - Winning Strategies and Tips

Many authors hit a roadblock when it comes to putting together and implementing a book marketing plan. You know you need to have one, you have a vague idea of what it needs to include, but pulling it all together into a step-by-step plan of attack is not nearly as easy as it sounds.

A good starting point is to break your plan up into major categories. From there, you can further define and set up strategies for each area of your book marketing plan.

The first thing that comes to mind for most authors and self publishers is book store sales. Makes sense doesn't it? That's where people buy books don't they? It's true that making your book available to the general public through bookstores is a very vital component of your marketing plan.

However, it is just that -- one single component of your plan. There are many elements that will make up your book marketing plan and arranging to have your book available in bookstores is just one of them. Let's call that component #1:

Book Marketing Plan Component #1

Making Books Available in Bookstores

Now, it's one thing to secure placement for your book on the bookstore shelves, but now how are people going to know it's there? Customers can't (and won't) buy something they've never heard of. This is where the publicity component of your Book Marketing Plan comes into play. Setting up and ongoing publicity campaign is the number one way to drive customers to the bookstore to buy your book. We'll call this component #2:

Book Marketing Plan Component #2

Setting up and Implementing a Successful Publicity Campaign

Besides book stores, you can also sell your books to nontraditional book buyers like display retailers, book clubs, catalogs, gift retailers, volume buyers (think Costco and Price Club), corporations, foundations and foreign markets. We sell thousands of self published books to buyers like these all the time and targeting these buyers should make up a good portion of your book marketing plan. This will be component #3:

Book Marketing Plan Component #3

Non-traditional Markets

In this day and age, you would be making a big mistake if you didn't include the internet as a vital component of your Book Marketing Plan. The internet is the best way to directly reach your target customers. It is also the best way to sell to them since you cut out any third parties and retain 100% of the profits. There are many ways to research the internet to ensure that there is a demand for your book and the best ways to fill that demand.

Book Marketing Plan Component #4

The Internet - Your Book Website

These are the four most important components of your Book Marketing Plan. Now you must research each component individually to customize the approach you take for your book.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. We have all the tools you need to succeed in book marketing and book promotion. Let us help you make your book a success. <a target="_new" href="http://www.inktreemarketing.com/BookMarketingKit.htm">http://www.inktreemarketing.com/BookMarketingKit.htm</a>

Why Testimonials are Number One in Selling your Book or Service

Even if your book or service is excellent, they won't sell well unless you give your potential customers a reason to buy. Testimonials work harder than other promotional words, so be sure to start early collecting them.

Back Cover Testimonials

Here, you will need three testimonials-- one from a celebrity or leader in your field, and the others the man or woman on the street--thrilled readers. These testimonials are the most important thing to include on your back cover--better than benefits, better than your bio, because your prospective buyers trust your book more when others recommend it.

Collect many more testimonials each time you email or meet someone interested in your topic. Put these in your front pages of your book.

Web and email Sales Letters Testimonials

Once you collect 5 - 10 testimonials loaded with specific benefits, keep them in your Word folder "Book Testimonials" and "Web Testimonials." Organizing your files and folders make it so much faster to retrieve these gems that help your sales grow.

Sprinkle your testimonials throughout your web site and email sales letter. If you don't have a Web site, check out with a good book and marketing coach how to sell via email. Ecommerce succeeds without investing a lot of money--a number one way to market Online.

Without a short or long sales letter, you have little chance of consistent monthly sales.

You Don't Have to Finish your Book to Get Testimonials

Think about the people you ask. Are they busy with their business and personal life? Know that they probably won't want to read the whole book. You need to make it easy for them to "buy."

In your first email or letter, include your chapter titles, your "tell and sell," a page or two from your best chapter. Say you know how busy they are and include a list of benefit words and phrase they can choose from to make it easier. Dan Poynter, self publishing guru, gave this testimonial for "How to Write your Print and eBook at the Same Time."

"This is not a book on how to write. It is a book on how to get it written. It is full of the shortcuts, experiences and tips only an insider could know. Whether you are working on an eBook or a pBook, you will find Judy Cullins' wisdom invaluable." Dan Poynter, author of The Self Publishing Manual and Writing Non-Fiction If you are writing fiction, include a few of your best scenes from a chapter or two

Tip: Offer to email more of the book if your testimonial giver wants.

Write a List of 5-10 Benefits and 5-10 Features.

Know that benefits sell, features describe.

Boost your Book or Product Sales Beyond you Wildest Dreams With Simple Testimonial Steps in the eBook "How to Get Testimonials from the Rich and Famous."

This headline gives the benefit of boosting sales first, and then explains how to. Without letting your audience know the benefits, most will drop interest.

Notes: Testimonials help ease doubts of first-time buyers, and they're especially useful for credibly conveying subjective strengths that distinguish your company from competitors. Imagine that you're sticklers for quality, for instance, and have a quote from someone describing the devastating flaws they received before switching to you.

You can deliberately collect testimonials with such an impact in mind. Here's how.

First, brainstorm a list of characteristics that separate you from competitors. Also list catastrophes that could occur when someone bought from vendors who fall short in respects where you excel.

Second, institute a routine of surveying new customers after you complete their first project. Besides making sure they were delighted with what you did, ask if they previously bought this sort of thing from someone else. If so, why did they switch?

Stay on the lookout for disaster stories, the more dramatic the better. There's no need to name the competitor involved. Get your customer's permission to encapsulate their tale of woe and rescue in a signed testimonial.

Gradually collect one blurb per distinguishing quality on your list and sprinkle them where shoppers will see them.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at <A target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml">http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml</a> and over 140 free articles. Email her at <a target="_new" href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com</a>

28 Reasons Why Publishers Will Buy Your Book

Editors will buy a book for one or more of the following reasons. By knowing what these reasons are, you can then design a marketing plan with those features in mind.

1. The author's previous books have sold well.

2. They love a book and think it will sell.

3. They think a book will sell.

4. They love it enough to publish, regardless of its commercial potential.

5. It's a book that deserves to be published because of its value to a cause or the country.

6. An editor is passionate enough about it to overcome any doubts the house may have about the book.

7. A new editor has arrived from another house and its building a list.

8. The publisher has the opportunity to reflag a successful author from another house.

9. The book will be the first in a series with strong growth potential.

10. The idea for the book is brilliant.

11. The idea for the book is timely.

12. The writing is superb.

13. The title alone will sell books.

14. An author's promotion plan guarantees a book's success.

15. The author is a media magnet who can guarantee enough publicity to make a book successful.

16. The author has a national platform such as a column or a radio or television show that will guarantee continuing exposure for the book.

17. The publisher thinks that a book will back list and become an evergreen (like evergreen tree -- sells for long long time).

18. The book has subsidiary rights potential including book clubs, audio cassettes or foreign, electronic or movie rights.

19. The book has adoption potential in schools or universities.

20. The house has published similar books with success.

21. The book is on a subject that the house has or wants to build a list in.

22. Overcome by auction fever, publishers convince themselves that, despite the profit-and-loss statement rated to determine a book's value, they pay whatever it takes to outbid their rivals.

23. The author wants to switch houses.

24. The editor discovers a book on a trip to a book fair and thinks it will sell, or is caught up in the excitement surrounding a book, or wants to justify the trip.

25. The publisher is sending the industry the message that because of new management or despite changes in the house, the houses a player.

26. The book being sold may not be a big one, but future books will have bestseller potential.

27. The author has a personal connection with someone in the house with the power to buy the book.

28. Publishing the book will enhance the house's prestige.

This is not a definitive list. John Saul, a novelist, observed if publishers don't want to buy a book, they say "It's been done to death." If they do want to buy that book, they'll say, "Always works."

(c) copyright 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.abundancecenter.com">http://www.abundancecenter.com</a> blog: <a target="_new" href="http://abundance.blogs.com">http://abundance.blogs.com</a>

Sell Your Book At Book Fairs, Festivals & Trade Shows

Play a bigger game with your book sales by expanding your audiences at local or nonlocal book fairs, festivals or trade shows. Can't afford a booth or table, rent a space on someone else's table and volunteer to be back for their book. In fact, rent a corner at various different tables in the same fair or show and triple your exposure.

The place on the net to go to find out what's upcoming in your area, or an area you want to travel to, is at the Library of Congress' website: <a target="_new" href="http://www.loc.gov.loc/cfbook/bookfair.html">http://www.loc.gov.loc/cfbook/bookfair.html</a>. When you visit, the listings are in alphabetical order or by state. You will find shows for other countries, including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. International events, including Canada, listings available. Travel for a month, write it off for your taxes, and include several different fairs and shows while you there.

Since I live in Virginia and travel frequently to Washington State, I plan my travel and schedule around these two areas to start.

Virginia

Fall for the Book | Fairfax | Sept <a target="_new" href="http://www.fallforthebook.org/">http://www.fallforthebook.org/</a>

Hollins University Annual Literary Festival | Roanoke | Mar <a target="_new" href="http://www.hollins.edu/news-events/litfest/litfest.htm">http://www.hollins.edu/news-events/litfest/litfest.htm</a>

LAUGHS: Loudon's Annual Unforgettable Gigantic Hilarious Storyfest <a target="_new" href="http://www.laughsfestival.org/">http://www.laughsfestival.org/</a> | Sterling | June

Newport News Celebrates the Book | Newport News | Oct <a target="_new" href="http://www.newport-news.va.us/library/">http://www.newport-news.va.us/library/</a>

Virginia Book Festival <a target="_new" href="http://www.vabook.org/">http://www.vabook.org/</a> | Charlottsville | Mar

Virginia Storytelling Alliance Gathering | Glen Allen | Mar <a target="_new" href="http://vasa.communitypoint.org/archives/events/vasa_gathering_2004_call.html">http://vasa.communitypoint.org/archives/events/vasa_gathering_2004_call.html</a>

Washington

Bellingham Storytelling Festival | Bellingham | Nov <a target="_new" href="http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~rvohs/storyfestival2001.html">http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~rvohs/storyfestival2001.html</a>

Bumbershoot <a target="_new" href="http://www.bumbershoot.org/">http://www.bumbershoot.org/</a> | Seattle | Sept

Forest Storytelling Festival | Port Angeles | Sept <a target="_new" href="http://www.dancingleaves.com/storypeople/forestfestival/index.html">http://www.dancingleaves.com/storypeople/forestfestival/index.html</a>

Northwest Bookfest | Seattle | Oct/Nov <a target="_new" href="http://www.nwbookfest.org/">http://www.nwbookfest.org/</a>

If you prefer to view the list by date, visit: <a target="_new" href="http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/bkevents.html">http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/bkevents.html</a>.

The National Book Festival, Washington DC, an extremely large event, held every October on The Mall. For more information: <a target="_new" href="http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/natl.bk.fest.html">http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/natl.bk.fest.html</a>.

Take a few minutes, visit the Library of Congress' web site, and find the ones that fit into your schedule and location. Get bold and stand out, do book signings at Wine Festivals too (no matter what your topic).

You can even contact table renters in other locations and offer a commission for selling the books and you don't even need to be there. Look for people with integrity and give them a complimentary copy of your book. Write a "dedication" to them in the front.

For other possibilities to expand your book sales, visit your local and state government web sites for events, libraries, school district events, business organizations, civic or private clubs, bookstores at museums (private or public). Also, consider the arts and craft festivals and fun fairs.

Nonfiction Author Natalie Goldberg used to write instant poetry at booths at New Mexico area carnivals -- including the school carnivals.

If you are a technical writer look for Technology fairs and exhibits. Business Expos are the place to be if you are business writer. Are you a children's author, ask to sell your books at Parent Day events at the local schools. Christmas shows are great for children books too. Did you write a historical book? Include all the history events on your tour for 2004.

Well, we shared some new places to find events to sell your books at in 2004. Don't stop here, be creative, and try anything at least once, if it is financially conducive. Stretch your imagination and your opportunities and watch your book sales soar. Most important -- have fun doing it. In addition, don't forget to write a book about it!

Catherine Franz, a Business Coach, specialized in writing, marketing and product development. Newsletters and additional articles: <a target="_new" href="http://www.abundancecenter.com">http://www.abundancecenter.com</a> blog: <a target="_new" href="http://abundance.blogs.com">http://abundance.blogs.com</a>

วันพุธที่ 26 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Interview with Book and Marketing Coach-Judy Cullins - Part 1

To know what to do at the right time in book writing, publishing, or Internet marketing, consult a coaching expert who has lived it all for 20 years--Judy Cullins.

Q 1- Would you say there is a difference in marketing tactics for different genres? If so, what kind of promotion would you suggest for, say, authors of children's books, mystery/romance, or non-fiction? If there is no discernible difference, what do you see as the best method of book promotion?

A 1- The best promotion is a natural promotion--that authors will actually do. They can either write or speak. 20 years ago I was a speaker, thinking I didn't know how to write. When the demand came for my health and personal growth how to books, I stepped up and started writing. Dan Poynter inspired me with his idea we can all write non-fiction by reframing the ideas around us in our own unique format. Since then, I have put out 10 print and eBooks on writing, self-publishing and marketing, especially online.

Do you like to speak? Then schedule at least 4 talks a month. When you speak for organizations, you will get paid and may sell books too. Consider no charge talks such as with libraries, service or business organizations.

But, if you are bashful or don't like to speak to groups, then promote by writing. Write short excerpts from your fiction or mystery, or write short articles to post Online in spam-free opt-in ezines with thousands of ready-made subscribers you don't have to hunt for. If you don't know how and want a first step, try out one of the over 125 free articles on my site <A target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com">www.bookcoaching.com</A>. Take a teleclass to update your skills. If I can learn the online promotion game, so can you. Three years ago, I knew nothing with low sales of around $200 a month. After a web site face-lift, my sales went from $75 a month to over $4000 consistently.

Q 2- As a book coach for 20 years, guest speaker, and leader at workshops and teleclasses, what do published authors most want to know about promoting their books?

A 3-They want someone else to promote for them.

That's not a reality unless they have a huge budget for a publicist. But, I can offer them hope because I recommend they hire a part time computer assistant who knows the Internet from their local high school. I pay my assistant $9.50 an hour. She comes after school from 3:20-4:50PM three or four days a week. Delegating this work is the reason my books sell so well. When I didn't put promotion time and a little money out, nothing happened.

Q 4- In an article entitled "Book Promotion Myths," you state that bookstores sell only 45% of all books, and you question the "big push" to get a wholesaler or distributor into the bookstores when they represent so many other authors and exact about a 55% fee. You cite libraries, the Internet, foreign markets, seminars, back of the room sales and specialty markets as some non-traditional markets. But with the loss of so many mom and pop shops that carry books, there are fewer venues to carry books. Do you have any suggestions for getting books into large chains - such as Walmart or Petco ? or airport shops?

A 4- I think authors are on the right track to get their books into Walmart, Costco or Petco. If, they are patient, persistent, and willing to wait for their sales. They must do this through a distributor though. One of my associates gets her Bargains in San Diego book into Costco each year. She had to go through many hoops and when she does sell books there, she has to wait always over 90 days, but often up to a year to get paid. That's the way of the bookstores, wholesalers, and chains.

Q 5? You state that if an author doesn't like to travel or speak before groups, then writing articles to promote one's book is the way to go. You mention that this method catapulted you to #1 on Google and 35 other search engines with the key word "Bookcoaching." What does this mean? What are the criteria used and where is it stated that you are #? A 5- The internet changes every day, but even with changes, I'm still on top. You can check by inserting "book coaching" To prove my web site address is listed on 3140 other sites, just put in the two words, "Judy Cullins." The first year I submitted articles I was on 900 sites. Two years later, I'm on 3140 plus. Search engines sweep our web sites looking for key words. The more appropriate key words you have in your articles up on your site, the headlines for your book's sales letter, and the copy on your home page and others, the higher you rank. For help, contact an Internet marketing coach who has done it all.

On the top ten sites, your site will get a lot of traffic. You must set your web site up to sell your book or service. That means creating a powerful sales letter for each book. Check out my book "Create your Web Site with Marketing Pizzazz" and apply before you contact a Web designer. Multiply contacts and sales when you submit articles to the opt-in ezines. If you have an ezine, you will boost subscribers 10-25 each time you submit an article. This is viral marketing at its best.

Getting your questions answered by a pro will save you weeks and months of wasted time going in the wrong direction. Use these answers to catapult your book and business sales. Part two of this article is available at <A target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-128.shtml">http://www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-128.shtml</A>.

Speaking for a Publication

Why write a book and get attention and loads of contacts?

Expertise can sometimes be defined by the articles, columns, responses and books you write. It does not take a lot of effort to write the articles and columns but it does take effort to write a book. Having a book behind your name shows your expertise. After all, you were able to write 300 pages on what it is you do and make references to your work through examples. What a good way to make cold calls and get people to attend your speaking engagements. Your sales efforts will be much easier once you are defined as the expert in the field. You will have something to refer to when speaking or going to a customer (or a potential customer) site.

You can readily quote the information from the book and use charts and graphs that are relevant to your topic. The audience will have an easier time believing what you say and will also likely want to meet with you for further business. You will not only sell books at the back of the room, you will also be selling your services (or that of your company) to a willing audience. Just think back to all the talks that you have attended and also think of those that made the biggest impact on you. You will find that it is likely the ones that had a book for sale. I recently attended a talk by Jack Canfield and enjoyed his presentation and bought his book "Chicken Soup for the Soul". Before purchasing the book, I would have said "Jack Who?"

By the way, Jack Canfield is an inspiration and his speeches are fantastic. He makes you realize that luck is a result of hard work and persistence! He is truly an expert in his field. His talks are also very informative.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.BlueprintBooks.com">http://www.BlueprintBooks.com</a>

วันอังคารที่ 25 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Plain Speaking ? 4 Secrets For Getting Your Book Purchased

What can be more infuriating to a potential purchaser of a non-fiction book than chapter headings which give no clue as to their contents? After all, if someone is looking in the non-fiction section of a book store, it implies they want facts, not a fancy and "clever" table of contents! Here are 4 sure-fire ways to make your text grab the reader's attention:

1. Make sure the text on the front and back covers is compelling. It should state plainly and simply what the book is about. For example: "Buy this book, and learn how to master the craft of teaching in 15 lessons".

2. Why should anyone buy the book from YOU? Don't waste limited space on the back cover telling the potential reader about your 3 cats ? unless it's a book about cats, of course! Write something like: "The author has been a practising teacher for 13 years, and writes regularly for the Teaching Times."

3. Organise the table of contents so that the chapters fall into easily-identifiable sections. For example: "Section 1: Before you face your first class; Section 2: The first year" and so on.

4. Make sure that the chapter headings actually MEAN something. You may think it's great to have chapters like "All that glitters" and "Every cloud has a silver lining", but I' have news for you: nobody else is impressed! When people are browsing they want to know right away what they will get for their money if they buy the book. They don't have time to look at each chapter to find out what it's about. The chapter headings should tell them everything they need to know. For example, have chapters like: "Chapter 3: Maintaining order in your classroom; Chapter 4: Where to find excellent resources for your lessons", and so on.

You have just a few seconds to impress a potential buyer. Don't waste them!

Terry Freedman has nearly thirty years experience in education, and nearly 20 years experience as a writer. A member of the UK's Society of Authors, Terry has had around a dozen books published, and over 800 specialist articles in leading newspapers and magazines. His website provides free access to many of his articles, a free newsletter and more, or visit his blog.

Increase Book Sales: When a Sale Is No Longer Just a Sale

Do you have books sitting in your garage that you haven't sold yet and looking for ways to move them? Then you will want to know about these five outrageous ideas that aren't difficult and can be just plain out fun.

Dede Hall, author of The Starving Student's Cookbook had very poor sales for her books. Then one day an outrageously light bulb moment appeared. She added an inexpensive skillet with the book and shrink-wrapped them. Then she took 150 of them to two stores that she thought wouldn't sell them. Yes, to her surprise, all 150 sold in two days. Dede stumbled on an outrageous idea and it worked out big time. She sold over 100,000 copies in a few months. Where did she sell them? Thought you would never ask. Price Clubs and Kmarts.

Do you have a book that could be packaged with something else and create outrageous sales for yourself? It's Christmas time and no it isn't too late. But before you dart off to come up with an outrageous idea for your book, continue reading so that you can get all the facts.

Another cookbook was repackaged with a scarlet ribbon and some imported cinnamon sticks and then sold at department stores in the housewares and gift sections. The book couldn't sell at $5.95 but flew off the shelves at $10 and went into second printing in 30 days.

Would your book sell well in a three-ring shrink-wrapped binder? Why not create and audio or CD version of the material. Just read directly from the material. You do not have to be fancy. Add "read by the author" language to the outside in big letters. Or maybe "F*R*E*E Bonus, Limited Time Offer, Free Audio read by the author" in big letters.

Another key is to look for an item that makes the package larger than the book. This requires a larger space and then bigger visibility.

What about a book on money? Add a mug labeled, "Millionaire" and watch it fly off the shelf. Do not forget the second part of the formula -- the place you are going to sell it. When you add the mug, it is now considered a gift item. This opens the doors to more stores and places.

Try all the independent gift shops, especially at the airport. They are always looking for these type of unique combinations.

Have an exercise book? Add a "walking meter" with it. The one that measures how many miles you are walking. Have no clue what they call those things but I have bought three over the past few years. Again, now it is a gift item. How about contacting a sports equipment vendor and selling them copies of your book that would be a freebie for a limited period with a purchase.

Get the store to add a sign, "limited quantity and watch them go even faster. What is great about this angle is that gift stores, department stores and similar stores are much more open to add things to their shelf. They will work with you much better than a bookstore.

Now that you brain is going a mile a minute with ideas, best wishes for selling many more books!

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: <A target="_new" href="http://www.abundancecenter.com">http://www.abundancecenter.com</A> blog: <A target="_new" href="http://abundance.blogs.com">http://abundance.blogs.com</A>

วันจันทร์ที่ 24 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

How To Market A Suspense Novel In An Online Multimedia Format

If you haven't heard of the author C.F. Jackson or the novel Won't Be Denied, you soon will. This author has taken marketing to a new multimedia level with the release of an online commercial.

The three minute commercial is an innovative way to walk in the world of Mar? Alexander, the main character, who greets the viewer and provides the viewer a synopsis of her story.

Filtered in the commercial are a few reviews from readers. The movement and the music demand one's attention immediately.

In its brief runtime, Won't Be Denied the commercial has captured many viewers on a daily bases, just like the novel itself.

Author, C. F. Jackson has taken a path of developing a media format that is a first of its kind, when it comes to bringing readers to this new, true suspense, without any obvious twists.

To captivate the avid reader, Organized Thoughts Publishing produced a commercial just for those who are intrigued with suspense stories and to capture those who are not, as of yet.

Marketing and promoting is to be a fun, adventurous, and out-of-the-box mindset. That is something C.F. Jackson has truthfully achieved.

If this author's creative marketing scheme is this unique, one can only imagine the creative storyline between the pages of the novel itself, Won't Be Denied.

Traditional promoting tactics are close at hand, with a book signing at Nubain Bookstore in Morrow, GA, on May 28, 2005 at 1:00 pm. For information, visit the author's website at www.cfjackson.us.

Won't Be Denied, a 226-page novel, shines a light into an obsessed, single African American female. In the well-crafted suspense novel, author C.F. Jackson, graduate from Georgia Southern University with a BS degree in Criminal Justice, lays out the story in two sentences: Love won't be denied. Mar? comes to value it more than life. The story is set in Atlanta, Georgia. It is an easy, suspenseful read. The character-driven plot is a page-turner.

For more information, or to purchase Won't Be Denied (ISBN 0-9762230-0-7), contact the publisher, Organized Thoughts Publishing: Post Office Box 920622, Norcross, GA 30010 or www.cfjackson.us. Bookstores and libraries in the U.S. can order Won't Be Denied through Baker & Taylor database or directly from publisher.

C.F. Jackson is available for television, radio, and print interviews.

-30-

C.F Jackson is an author, poet, and mentor, who obtain a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice. This author has been featured on one Atlanta's largest radio station, WVEE 103.3 FM. All forms of mass media interest, please contact C.F. Jackson at <a target="_new" href="http://www.cfjackson.us">http://www.cfjackson.us</a>.

Book Talks: What to Say and How to Say It

Greet the audience. Arrive early and greet audience members as they enter the room or store. This gives you an instant connection with your audience and makes you an approachable person.

Remember, the audience thinks of your book talk as entertainment.

Increase Book Sales: When a Sale Is No Longer Just a Sale

Never Pay Full Price for a Book!

Are you an avid reader? Are you trying to instill a love of reading in your children?

My whole family loves to read! Right before bedtime every night, every one of us can be found with our nose in a book!

It would be very easy for us to spend a fortune every month on books. But, since we don't have a fortune to spend every month, over the years I've found several ways to get good books and never pay full price!

1. Garage and yard sales are a prime source for both hardback and paperback books. There are people who will buy a book, read it once, and they're ready to get rid of it. I pick up lots of books at yard sales and never pay more than 50 cents each.

2. Used bookstores are another place to find good reading material. Store policies differ but most do something like sell the books at half the cover price. If you bring in books to trade, a store will usually give you credit for one-fourth of the original purchase price. I sometimes buy books at garage sales for 50 cents, read the book, and take it to the used book store where I get more than my 50 cents in credit.

If I find a book in very good condition at a yard sale for less than 50 cents, I will buy it even if I don't want to read it because I can trade it in for credit at the used bookstore.

3. Trading with friends and family is yet another way to get good reading material. My mom and I live 200 miles apart, but we always have a bag of books to trade whenever we visit each other. After we've both read a book, then it goes to the used bookstore.

4. I have recently discovered that the Dollar Stores in our area (and probably in yours, too) have books, hardback and paperback, for $1.00 each. The selection is not very large, but they have fiction and non-fiction and books for grown-ups and children, too. A book can make a great gift and at a $1.00 price it makes great economic sense, too.

5. Bookstore chain stores, like Hastings, have clearance tables somewhere in the store all the time. It takes some time to look through them, but I have bought many gifts from these clearance tables.

6. If you know of a book you'd really like to have, why not just let your family know? Your mom or your sister or husband would probably love to give you a gift for Christmas or your birthday that is something that they know you really want.

7. And don't forget your local library! The library is a wonderful place to get a book you've been wanting to read without having to buy it. You can also read the latest issues of most magazines at the library. I consider public libraries to be one of the "finer things in life"!

So, if you, too, are an avid reader, or if you're guiding your children to a lifetime love of reading, there are lots of ways to "read on the cheap"!

About The Author

Cyndi Roberts' website, "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" will show you ways to save money everyday. Receive a Free e-course on saving money at the supermarket! To learn more, visit <a href="http://www.cynroberts.com" target="_new">http://www.cynroberts.com</a>

<a href="mailto:editor@cynroberts.com">editor@cynroberts.com</a>

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 23 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Publicity for Buzz Marketing for Authors

Congratulations, you've written a book and even gotten it published! Now, all you have to do is get people to buy it. Getting people to actually enter a bookstore with the purpose of buying your book is not easy because you're not a "brand name" yet. But you do have a potent weapon at your command-- the telephone. Use it.

Call the editor of the books section of your paper. Say you'd like to send a copy to him or her. Ask if he has a few minutes so you can briefly tell him about the book on the phone. After you send the book, give her a chance to read or at least glance at it, then call again.

If you can possibly tie the book to something in the news, that's great. Let's say you wrote Cooking with Chocolate and the health section of your paper has an article on the health benefits of chocolate. Call editors and reporters in the health, food and book sections.

If there's a human interest reporter or columnist, call and then send them a copy of the book. Human interest reporters can usually write on anything that interests them. Try to interest them in you. What did you do before you wrote the book and why did you write it? Do you have eight children and wrote it at your kitchen table every morning between 2:00 and 5:00 am? Did you gain 20 pounds writing the book? Or, did you lose 20--proving that chocolate really isn't fattening?

Call the assignment editors at television news programs. Frequently, if there's an interesting hook, they will interview you. Track down book shows on radio and television and call the producers.

Don't be afraid to make the phone calls and don't believe someone when he says he'll get back to you. He won't. The person who has the most to gain (you, in this case) has to make the call. Too often people are afraid to call. Ask yourself what's the worst that can happen. They'll say no, right? Editors are not going to gather menacingly on your doorstep or come after you with garlic and torches. They'll say no. Can you live with that? Of course, you can, so call.

Put on a comfortable pair of shoes, gather up copies of the book and hit the pavement. Stop in at every small bookstore and beg to leave copies. I assume you've already called the biggies. Offer to appear to talk bout and read from your book 9or doi a mini-seminar.

You've got to do things to create a buzz. The author of the aforementioned book on chocolate could give away chocolate bars with each copy. Or slices of cake she made (recipe in the book) during her appearance in the bookstore. It wouldn't be a bad idea to drop off a cake with the book in the newsrooms.

Don't forget retailers. They might agree to do a window around your book. I once got a prominent jeweler to do a window with diamonds falling out of toe shoes and copies of the book, written by a dancer, displayed.

Miriam Silverberg is president of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a publicity firem in New York City. Listed in Who's Who of American Women, she has publicized authors, restaurants, hotels, New York City Ballet and people in the fashion, beauty and medical fields. She is a guest on the publicity panel at Marymount Manhattan College's seminar for writers.

She may be reached at <a href="mailto:silverbergm@iopener.net">silverbergm@iopener.net</a>.

How to Get More Readers For Your Book

Marketing your own book can seem like a scary task. You poured your heart and soul into the writing of it, and now when you think about marketing your masterpiece, you think, "I'm a writer, not a salesperson!"

But there is a simple way you can get the word out about your book. It takes a little time, but the effort pays huge dividends.

More people will be interested in your book when they are interested in you. Readers become interested in you when they can read some of your writing...for free. You can build your credibility, find readers, and establish yourself as an expert in your field by writing and distributing articles.

(This method works even for fiction writers.)

You accomplish this by these means:

- by publishing articles on your website

- by creating an ecourse or ebook

- by publishing your own ezine or newsletter

- by publishing your articles in someone else's ezine

Think about that last idea for a minute. Publishing articles in other people's ezines (or on their websites) is the key, the secret, to creating a viral lead-generating machine.

The popularity of your book website is actually improved when other sites link you to. But Google only likes high-content links. Your articles provide this.

Not to mention that when you have your articles on more and more websites there is a greater possibility that someone will read your articles and do business with you.

The simple system that will market your book for you contains only three steps:

Step 1: Write and Publish Articles

This really is the best way for you to promote your book.

The key is to write a useful, high-content article, and send it to your newsletter and publish it on your website. If you write fiction, write simple short stories or poems, or provide excerpts from your novel.

(For a more information on marketing this way, please read another of my articles, "Online Book Marketing," at http://ezinearticles.com/?id=45696.)

Step 2: Distribute Your Articles

Send your articles or stories to article distribution lists and ezine directories. These directories exist for ezine owners and website owners to pick up free reprintable content to use in their ezine or on their website. You can find a list of these sites by searching for "articles sites."

This helps you, because if your article is picked up and distributed by 10 ezine owners who each have 1000 people in their list, your article will be sent to 10 000 people!

Step 3: Your Articles Continue to be Distributed Virally!

When you submit to an articles directory, your article is there to be reprinted. You can submit an article next week, and ten years later it will still be there. Your article can have a shelf life as long as you want, and every time someone reprints your article, you get free exposure!

Bonus tip: If you include at the end of your article that your article can be reprinted anywhere by anyone, anyone who reads your article can reprint in on their website or in their ezine.

To use the above example, if another 1000 people reprint your article in some form, your business will be marketed to 11 000 people-in a very short period of time!

Imagine this process occurring time and time again, with more than one article! How many interested readers will end up at your site?

This is how you successfully market your book online.

Jeremy M. Hoover helps you market your book. To learn about his <a target="_new" href="http://jhooverwebcopy.com/bookmarketing.htm">book marketing plan</a> vist his website, <a target="_new" href="http://www.jhooverwebcopy.com/bookmarketing.htm">http://www.jhooverwebcopy.com/bookmarketing.htm</a>, or email him at jeremyhoover AT gmail.com.

Successful Book Marketing The Natural Way - Part 2

Is your mind muddy on book marketing? Do you wake up each day and say, "I'm not a social person and I hate to beat the drum for my book" or "I just wish someone else could market my book for me"?

If you could market your book a pleasurable way, you may not think it a chore. Natural marketing refers to the action you take to get the word out about your service and product that rings true to your heart. It feels effortless without struggle, where ideas pop out, you lose track of time engaging in them, and you can't act on them fast enough! Natural marketing feels authentic and inspired.

Unnatural marketing feels like your actions go against what feels true for you. It isn't what you like to do normally; it isn't what you can do easily. Using this tactic, you may feel bored, fearful, or ambivalent. You go through the motions, but a part of you resists. When resistances and doubts pop up you can be sure they affect every marketing decision that can lead to small gains or a large success. They also do not attract willing readers and customers.

Part one of this article is available at www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-186.shtml.

Examples of Natural Book Marketing and How to Expand Them

Expand this marketing by writing short articles, tips or take sizzling dialogue from your fiction to share with your audience Online. It's easy to get published Online because other publishers and Web sites want your information. You give it freely, and then attract people to where you sell your book with your well-honed signature file. Remember your articles are your 24/7 sales force because they point to the benefits of your information. Don't be married to the idea you must be paid for them. Articles are FREE advertising, and are seven times as powerful as ads because each time you submit an article you join the many marketing masters using viral promotion.

Just ten articles sent out to the top ten Web sites in your field can raise your search engine standing, attract floods of new visitors, and in turn sell a lot of books. These numbers build exponentially, and in no time, you are well known on the Internet.

To expand this marketing and reach 1000 to 500,000 people daily, revise your print articles for the Internet. Make them 200-800 words with a shorter introduction and conclusion, make them in tip or how-to format, and make them unique and useful. Contact a bookcoach to help you write only publishable articles and show you the way to submit them.

Beware of just going through the motions with your book promotion. When you do you leak vitality and don't allow room for your new, natural ideas to come. Struggling keeps you from accomplishing your heart's desire. Adjust and fine-tune your approach. Yet, stay in the natural flow and trust the best will come to you because you are using your natural abilities.

Remember you are already successful. You wrote a book that took your through many adventures. You accomplished a lot so far. Of course you may worry about a learning curve, but if you open your mind to experiencing a much expanded success through the Internet, you'll scratch your head and wonder, "Why didn't I do this sooner?"

As a book promotion coach, what I want for you is to not only make 1/2 your monthly income selling your books Online, but to make a positive difference to your audience. Share your gifts--that's what natural marketing is.

Success is natural, and if you use your natural resources, you too can create enough book sales to take that long, lost trip to the Caribbean, or buy a new car.

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. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com">http://www.bookcoaching.com</a> and over 185 free articles.

Email her at <a href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">Judy@bookcoaching.com</a>
Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743

วันเสาร์ที่ 22 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2551

Five Secrets of Winning Book Proposals

Working in the publishing industry comes with a high expectation, especially from complete strangers. After the causal 'hello' progresses to 'what do you do,' and my answer is 'I am a publisher,' the words, like fairy dust, work magic; and in the eyes of my conversation partner, I'm transformed into a glamorous Advice Goddess-would I mind reading this stranger's book proposal?

Cornered in frozen foods at the grocery, black-tie events or at the bus stop, I've been 'pitched' as we say in the business, with such book proposals as: A Cat's Tale of Christmas; Old Testament Aphrodisiacs; Break Out (after being committed to a mental institution by jealous relatives, the story of one man's quest for revenge); and Suck it and See: A Guide to Tropical Fruits.

Admittedly, I chose to share with you the more colorful examples. My point being that the purpose of a proposal pitch is not to motivate the publisher to love the idea as much as you do. That's the misconception. The publisher is listening for signals that you understand the process of transforming a book concept into a business plan. It's not just about your passion for the topic: it's how well you filter your passion through the publisher's prism of marketing and distribution. That's the difference between a contract and a polite rejection letter.

Let's take a look at five typical questions that an agent or a publisher will ask in their submission guidelines.

Question #1: Please provide the title that best captures and conveys the essence of your book and briefly explain why you chose it.