วันพุธที่ 4 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552

Top Ten Ways To Prepare for Your Online Book Marketing Success

Still marketing your book through press releases, networking groups, and talks to groups? If these methods have taken a great deal of effort and time and brought you only a few clients or product sales, you may now be ready for your virtual marketing machine, the Internet!

To get ready to market your book Online use these ten tips:

1. Buy an up-to-date computer with a 56k modem or more and Internet capability.

2. Open an email account. Bypass the freebies, because you need an email account from which you can send an attachment. You want to look professional. For you email address, don't use confusing letters and numbers. Use your name plus business keyword such as <A href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">Judy@bookcoaching.com</A>.

Since dial up connections are so slow, consider getting DSL or cable high-speed Internet. Before you buy, ask about limitations on sending group email (no-spam, of course).

3. Educate yourself about email, the Internet, and your own computer program. Take a community college or adult school computer and Internet program at low cost or free. You'll notice many others like yourself there, eager to learn. More advanced students will help you each step of the way.

4. Hire a one-on-one low-cost computer/internet coach, who can give you individual lessons if you don't want to attend seminars. They can help you proceed successfully with your e-commerce. Call your local high schools, computer schools or colleges for computer-savvy students who will be happy to receive $8-10 an hour.

Connect with teachers, career centers, or student centers to start the ball rolling. Tell them you want an assistant. Make an ad that lists the capabilities you need. Be sure to follow up because schools are less business oriented and may not call you back.

5. Hire a computer assistant; because you are not only a coach, speaker or author, you are a business! These assistants can make you look like a large business.

Make them part of your virtual marketing machine at a low cost. Use your assistant as much as you want to expand your success. You will look like a successful professional by adding new part-time staff. Start with 6-9 hours a week, and watch your clients and product sales grow! Your coach is approached by many big businesses wondering how she got to be #1 in Google and 35 other search engines.

6. Offer more than just one product to your potential buyers. Part of the plan is to allow automatic, ongoing sells for your lifetime, either on your Web site or other seller sites. If you plan to write a book, write a short one first. Then, expand as you can. Publishing a short book is savvy business because you start making money right away to fund your other projects. Divide and conquer. Think of chapter excerpts, articles, tips, or how-to lists you can email free to prospective buyers.

Incorporate your action plan to sell other products that relate to your book. Submit informational pieces to ePublishers and top Web masters so that your word gets out to thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people daily on the net. This untapped eager-to-buy audience awaits your service and product. For more information on this, contact your book and Internet promotion coach.

7. Include your five-to-eight line signature at the end of every email you send. Include your name, email address, Web site address and local and 800 number. Include your business practice, number one benefit, and be sure to offer a free special report or ezine so you can collect those email addresses for future promotions. Include your email and web site hyperlinks to make it easy for your client to click through to where you are selling your products or service. Separate each email's end and signature with graphics such as ==== or #####.

8. Promote your book through writing short articles to submit to opt-in ezines. Use a search engine to find Web site ezines in your category or genre or send directly to the ezines. Your article must be compelling, concise and useful, so take care and edit it until it shines. Most editors and publishers want articles from 500-800 words.

These people want and need your free information for their ezines web sites. They publish with your Signature Box at the bottom. Web sites publish your URL.

9. Submit your articles to top Web sites to multiply sales. To market your books, boost your Web site popularity to the top ten through the search engines by submitting how-to articles to sites with your category. Top site ezines get from 15,000 to 500,000 readers daily. These sites need your daily content, and they will pay you handsomely by including your key words that help your search engine position. Your Internet marketing coach is #1 now on Google and 35 others with the key word, "book coaching." When you submit your articles, the site also includes your URL in a hyperlink straight to your Web site or where ever you sell your products or service. In no time, like me, you can be listed on over 3140 other sites with a link back to yours.

10. Create your own inexpensive book Web site. Coaches, speakers, and other small business people can catapult their business with a short print or eBook. While it's possible to sell books on other publishers' or book sellers' sites, you need to eventually develop your own site. Authors without a site are like business people without email. Make your home page sizzle with dazzling ad copy, headlines, and a sales letter. You will sell books and make your coaching practice a household word.

Be willing to do what it takes, such as hire an Internet or book coach, to get Online savvy because this wonderful marketing machine is there for you and your boosted, consistent business success.

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>

7 Vital Book Promotion Tips

As a literary publicist I often am asked about publicity tips, tricks, and the magic behind my work. It's not magic. All you need to know are the basics and from there you will be able to create an effective book promotion. Below I've listed the most vital and basic tips to a successful book publicity campaign.

1. ALWAYS Take 'No' for an answer

It can be frustrating when the media isn't interested in your book or story idea, but always thank them for their time and move on. If you try and persuade or argue with them you will leave a bad impression of yourself and your chances of working with this particular media in the future are slim. Try back in a couple months if it's a show or publication that you're particularly interested. The media changes with the seasons, and trends, so they may love your show or feature idea then, rather then now.

2. Don't Hound Your Publicist

The more time you take up with your book publicist the less time they have to talk with the media. When you first begin your book publicity campaign ask your book publicist when an appropriate time would be to have a weekly chat, and see if they have a number to call in case of a publicity emergency. This will be well received by your book publicist and their efforts will be more successful!

3. Start NOW

A book publicity campaign is the most successful within the first 6 months from your book's publication date (differs for traditionally published authors). This is because the media wants the latest products and they want to be the first to tell their audience about them. It's best to start publicizing your story to mainstream and industry media prior to your book's release and reach out to consumers once your book is available to order.

4. Don't Pitch Your Book

Make sure that you're pitching a concept, show idea, or solution when you begin promoting your book. If you sound more like?. &quot;Hello, I am an author who just published my women's interest novel.....&quot; rather then, &quot;Hello, is this a good time for you? Great. I'm a relationship expert who has proven that love novels bring couples closer in bed?&quot; The second pitch is more intriguing and will most likely get a few minutes from the person on the receiving end. Your goal with every pitch should be to get their attention, a few minutes of their time and booked or featured as a guest, depending on the type of media.

5. Create a Press Kit

Before you begin promoting your book you should have a press kit ready to go. The essentials in most literary kits are a cover letter, press release, author bio, Q&A page, sample interview questions, and articles that make your topic relevant today. You're publisher should supply you with these materials and if you're self-published you'll most likely need to create these materials from scratch and on your own. This can be a daunting task to some, but the internet or library can be helpful when researching the proper formats of these products. Or, find a publicist to create a press kit for you!

6. Know Your Target Audience

Who will buy your book? 'Everybody' is not the correct answer to this question, although it is a common answer. The more focused you can get with your efforts the better your results will be. If your book is more main stream rather then specialized, then try beginning with a smaller audience and broadening your focus after you've saturated this first audience. Just a tip: Authors should always start with their local media, then regional (surrounding areas and states), and finally saturate national media.

7. Have fun!

Your enthusiasm, humor, and smile should shine through in every phone pitch, letter, and e-mail. If you're not excited about getting your work out there, then why should a producer or editor be excited to give you time on their program or space in their publication.

I truly believe that any author can publicize their own book if they have the drive, energy, and time to see it through from beginning to end. Publicity is the most vital within the first six months from its publication date, so authors should hit the ground running. If you need more guidance or would rather hire a professional to handle your book's publicity then start looking now. There are many publicity companies out there, but you need to find the one that's right for you and that is as excited about your book as you are.

Please visit us for more information on our book promotion services: <a target="_new" href="http://www.spotlightpublicity.com">Book Promotion and Book Marketing Services</a>

Extend Your Books Life With a Sales Letter

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&quot; 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 &quot;Balance work and home by mastering the joy of moseying.&quot; 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 &quot;I interviewed 30 couples and included their answers to my &quot;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 <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml">http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml</a> and over 155 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

วันอังคารที่ 3 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552

Three Powerful Tips on Selecting a Book Topic that Sells

The topic of your book or eBook counts-big time. Which would you buy-The Art of Kissing or The Art of Courtship? The kissing book sold over 60,500 while the other sold only 17,500 copies. Before you choose your topic pay attention to your audience. What do they want and need? What will they be willing to pay for your information?

Try these three powerful tips:

1. Write a book your audience needs or wants. Think of a particular audience's challenge or problem then solve it with your book. People want how-tos and skills. While sex is still a top seller, people want related topics such as successful Online dating, or how to create a life partner relationship Challenges like making money and saving time still attract book buyers. Business books sell well. People need writing, reading, speaking, computing, communication, math, sales, marketing and Internet skills. Non-fiction how to books sell best. When your nonfiction books sell well, you can finance your novel.

2. Survey your market. Brainstorm with and ask for feedback from friends and associates. Let them vote on the best ten topics, titles and subtitles, even chapter titles. Ask them what words convince them to buy the book? If they are lukewarm about your title, ask them to give you one. While some authors get their title instantly and know it's the right one, many of us need help.

When you use the synergy of more brain power, you receive so many more ideas. Don't be attached to your choices. If the title is the number one thing that sells your book, wouldn't you want the right one? Feedback always helps build a better book.

3. Create a winning vision for your book. Know that your book will be published. Specifically name the outcomes you will see, hear and feel. Place this winning vision in color on a card. Put it near your workstation.

Sample: Place today's date including the year at the top of your card. Then state: "Now that my book (title and subtitle) is finished and is a huge seller." I see---thousands buying it from my book-selling site I hear---applause from multiple audiences affirming it I feel---exhilarated, confident and pleased it's such a hit. Most writers write first, then hope someone will buy their treasure. It's always the other way around. People won't buy unless they feel your $20 or more book is worth their hard-earned money, and they won't buy unless they feel they must have your information Suit your preferred audience and sell many more books.

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>

How to Schedule a Book Signing

How would you like to sell more copies of your book? Would you like to read excerpts from your book to a captivated audience?

Book signings are the cornerstone of an author's post-publication foundation. But how do you set them up?

Organizing book signings, readings, and public appearances is one of the most important parts of a successful marketing campaign.

A book signing or reading is a bookstore event that features you and your latest book. This is your opportunity to meet potential buyers face to face. Plus it adds a personal touch to your promotion efforts. Many customers may feel more motivated to purchase a copy of your book if they hear it explained or read from your point of view. And the opportunity to get a copy signed by the author doesn't hurt, either!

Independent book stores and larger chain retailers both organize book signings. Your chances for finalizing an appearance are greater with the independents. They have to compete with larger chains and are therefore more willing to support local authors. In order to pinpoint potential book stores, check your local newspapers or see if book retailers in your area offer a "calendar of events" or post upcoming events on a public bulletin board.

By asking around for the owner of the store or the communications manager you can typically find the appropriate person with whom to discuss your event. In many cases, both the large and small retailers will have their events planned weeks or even months in advance. Plan early.

When you have a list of people and/or stores you plan on contacting, prepare your pitch. Have a small script that outlines what your book is about and why people would be interested in meeting you or reading the book. The store manager or PR person will most likely ask. If your subject matter is timely, all the better! Remember, this is the point during which the store manager or book buyer will be screening your presentation skills, either over the phone or in person. If they are not captivated by your presentation, they will have very little faith in your ability to captivate a crowd. Be extroverted and dynamic.

It also helps to be concise. Understand that these are busy people. You want to sell them on your event fast. Have your press release and/or sell sheet ready. It's helpful in case they ask for a copy or if they ask about specific information about the book. They may want to know the retail price, the retail margin, and the ISBN number immediately so they can order a review copy themselves prior to deciding. Advise them of the publication date after which they can order the book wholesale through the Ingram or Baker & Taylor databases, or retail from your own webpage address. Provide them with your URL. They might be impressed enough by your initial marketing initiatives to go forward with the book signing.

Offer to help them with promotion. Especially if you're targeting smaller book stores, they will be more interested in offering to host an event if they know you will be absorbing some of the burden of marketing it. Tell them all your friends and family will be attending the event (and then make sure to invite your friends and family!), and if it's within the scope of your marketing budget, offer to advertise in the local paper at your expense. Remember, the easier it is for the book store, the more likely they'll say yes.

Follow-up with prospective book stores who have not confirmed dates. Selling yourself and your book is a number's game, and as any salesperson will tell you, the amount of contact is directly proportionate to the amount of sales. So be persistent without being annoying. If, after three or four unsuccessful attempts with a particular store or person, move on to another prospect.

Brent Sampson is the President & CEO of Outskirts Press Publishing at <a target="_new" href="http://www.outskirtspress.com">OutskirtsPress.com</a> and author of Publishing Gems: Insider Information for the Self-Publishing Writer. Information at <a target="_new" href="http://outskirtspress.com/publishinggems">http://outskirtspress.com/publishinggems</a>

Promote Your Books on Talk Shows and Make More Money

Successful authors are convinced that radio interviews are the very best way to reach large audiences and publicize their books. Interviews give authors an opportunity to expound on the topic of their book and disclose personal feelings. While not actively selling, they entice listeners to want to learn more. If you are willing to speak about what you have written, you will certainly make more money. Here's how:

1. Get on all the talk shows you can, especially if you are going to do a book signing! Local, regional, and national prime-time venues, whatever it takes, get on the air as much as you possibly can, as often as you can.

2. Use a great news release, something that grabs attention, holds the reader's interest, and leads them to take positive action. These releases will become part of the media kit you send to book stores and may be faxed to hundreds of radio and television hosts and producers.

3. Send news releases to specific talk show producers and hosts. If you will be doing a book signing in their area, highlight that fact and provide details. There are many sources for lists of television and radio talk shows on the Internet.

4. Do some homework for your interviewer. Provide a short list of questions that might be asked about you and your book during the interview. Refer to them as FAQ's, Frequently Asked Questions. Your recommended questions will make the interviewer's work easier and make them look smarter. Most interviewers will not have time to read your book. The questions will help focus attention on the points you want to get across.

5. Have two books with you when interviewing in person, one for the interviewer, and one for yourself. If you expect to quote or point out a specific page, use paper clips or markers.

6. Be prepared to leave your contact information with the receptionist when you are interviewed in person. Sometimes people call in after you're gone and the station receptionist will have no information to offer unless you have provided it.

7. Always follow up with a thank you note to the person who interviewed you as well as the producer of the show. If possible, also send a note to management complimenting the expertise of the interviewer. Such compliments are appreciated.

Talk show hosts need you. You have special information to share with the world and they have time to fill. Get ready to be entertaining and informative. You sell more books and you may even be invited to do an encore!

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://<a target="_new" href="http://www.publishandprosper.com/Exposure.htm">http://www.publishandprosper.com/Exposure.htm</a>

Successful Book Marketing The Natural Way - Part 1

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.

Examples of Natural Book Marketing and How to Expand Them

1. You like to share ideas, so networking with others in a business or writers' support group suits you. You get to hear a guest speaker, and meet other authors to get useful contacts from. You gather business cards with names and numbers.

After you write your "Tell and Sell" (see below) use it orally as your elevator speech to stimulate emotions from your potential book buyer. This benefit sound bites gives your audience enough information to want to take out their credit card and buy.

To expand this marketing, create different blurbs to share vial email with your email groups. Start to collect email addresses. Whenever you meet anyone and mention your book, ask for their email. This permission marketing can take the place of sending them an email magazine called an ezine. Or, you may send them a tip they can use.

Put potential buyers into email files in your computer by group or need. Your list could include your ezine subscribers, people who are interested in your service or book such as professional speakers, coaches or business people. You can create a file of email addresses from your teleclasses or seminars if you give them.

2. You like to speak in front of an audience and offer yourself to groups for a short talk. If inexperienced or bashful, start with low-stress level talks at your local library. Contact them and ask if they offer free programs. Offer to speak on a topic related to your book. Since you are talking about what you have to benefit others, you naturally attract your targeted audience to check out your book. Here, you sell at the back of the room.

To expand this marketing, offer your talks to other local organizations in your field. You can also offer a free teleclass on a skill you can deliver that your audience needs.

3. You are not much of a speaker, but you can write. You You wrote your book, didn't you? Write your 60-second "Tell and Sell." and offer it to other eNewsletters (ezines) as an ad. Or, just exchange a blurb with a fellow ezine publisher. Make sure you include only a few sentences on who your book is for, and the top benefit it brings its readers. Will they be entertained, educated, shown how to do something? Keep it all in a sound bite, 10-20 seconds for most media or up to a minute for group meetings. "Your Tell and Sell" is your book's billboard.

Expand your "Tell and Sell" to an email post card. This mini-sales letter on your book gives enough information, benefits and feature plus some testimonials that your audience will buy through the toll-free number you put in your email signature file. Send one every month or so with a slightly different angle to the lists you have gathered.

Expand your Tell and Sell to a short and long sales letter for your book. Apply those same benefits, add testimonials of satisfied readers, and your 100% guarantee. Send it by email or include one on your author Web site.

To make sure you attract them, first make a list of 5-10 benefits of your book. Include the top benefits in every piece you email out.

The biggest mistake authors make is that they don't give their prospective buyer enough information to make a decision to buy. It's unlikely you'll sell much without a sales letter for your book's particular audience.

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 ?2005 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. 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

The Perfect Book and Where to Find It!

If I was asked to describe the perfect book, one that's in high demand, moves off the shelves quickly, costs little or nothing to produce, involves the least amount of work possible, and offers multi-income streams, I'd say it included one, preferably more of the following features:

It Must Be Quick To Produce

Time is money and the sooner your book is ready to sell, the sooner you'll make money from it.

So let us consider just a handful of many ways to create a book in a day, or less than a day, perhaps in just a few minutes!

1) Profit From Resell Rights

Resell rights - a confusing term with conflicting definitions, but a great way to acquire best selling books quickly, at little cost, complete with marketing materials, web sites, representing the easiest and fastest way to start your publishing business. But there is a problem, a rather big one, in that resell rights products are available to countless firms all over the world, competition is high, and unless you're prepared to share the profits, you must work hard to differentiate your product. Easy, as you'll discover in How to Sell the Same Product as Everyone Else and Make Yours the One People Buy! which you can download free of charge at www.publishingcircles.com

2) Repackaging For Profit

Repackaging means bundling, recreating, producing something unusual from readily available materials, and ultimately creating a unique product, one only you can offer.

Various elements fall within the guise of repackaging, including:

<ul>

<li>Repackage items with no special theme or concept other than offering a high price product at a bargain price.

<li>Bundle items with a connecting or specific theme to appeal to a wide market audience.

<li>Repackage for a niche market and watch cash pile into your bank account.

<li>Bundle and give a great title which might prove more appealing than contents themselves.

<li>Add something unique.

<li>Use the package to sell something else.

</ul>

3) Public Domain and Out of Copyright Works

Which essentially means the work is yours to use as you please! Legally that is, but there are ethical issues you might choose to resolve.

For example, because they're out of copyright, you could reprint and sell Shakespeare's plays.

You won't be breaking the law, even though it might arguably be wrong to change the author's name to your own, not to mention making you look pretty stupid, and you might care to acknowledge and praise the original author of well-known and less famous titles.

For an excellent guide to publishing information products that are out of copyright or in the public domain visit: www.ebookfactory.biz

4) Obtain Marketing Rights from Writers

Another wide area covering royalty agreements, joint venture deals, resell rights (considered earlier), purchasing first or subsequent serial rights, dropshipping, question and answer sessions between yourself and well known authors, publishing other writers' articles, and more, as discussed in The Ultimate Guide to Making Your Fortune With Resell Rights.

<a href="http://www.resell-rights.net/" target="_new">http://www.resell-rights.net/</a>

5) Off The Shelf Ideas

Old newspapers and magazines are a goldmine of ideas for you to profit from quickly.

My book Mags To Riches focused on ways to capitalize on old papers, 'old' sometimes meaning recent, while more often referring to printed materials up to, sometimes more than one hundred years old. Most very old magazines are out of copyright and include tips, ideas and articles that can be lifted and adapted for today's reader with no comeback for you. Again, ethics might raise concerns, so in that book of Early Twentieth Century Love Poems you might like to credit the original writers.

6) Directories and Listings

Many a great title is simply a listing of telephone numbers or addresses or a compilation of facts, tips, or other valuable snippets of information.

Typically, there's no work involved, other than finding and keying essential information into your word processor. But be careful, because directories and listings invariably date fast.

It Must Be Something People Want In Its Own Right

It should be a book you won't have to work hard to sell. That could be because:

It's on an all-time popular subject, e.g. cats, dogs, raising children, making money from home, running a profitable Internet business, retiring with money to spend, building your own dream home, and more.

It's a hot newsy topic, something everyone wants to know about fast. A great example is the recent trial of Paul Burrell, one-time butler to Diana, Princess of Wales, who is now 'spilling the beans' about his life moving and working in royal circles. He's hot news and you can't buy a copy of Daily Mirror, the vehicle for his story, in my home town right now. Hopefully the book version will appear soon and will surely sell millions of copies worldwide.

It's an old subject with a new twist. A good example, crop circles, which have existed for centuries and have been linked with magic, aliens, ghosts, UFO landings, and recently Hollywood films. It's a fact, like Pocahontas and Titanic, and latterly Signs, Hollywood films spawn an insatiable demand for books on the subject.

It Must Be Very Cheap Or Best Of All Free

There are lots of reasons why low prices and freebies motivate people to buy, including:

To encourage greater confidence in products promoted by mail order, direct mail, over the Internet. Remote buying makes people suspicious and ill at ease. Buying books in a book store, handing over your money and leaving with your goods is no problem. It's face-to-face, there's someone to answer your questions, you can see your goods, they're tangible, you get to hold them, and leave with them seconds after you buy.

Inexpensive products can sell amazingly well off-the-page through low cost classified advertisements, unlike more expensive products which require two-stage selling or costly display advertisements. Great news for anyone with limited funds for marketing. In How to Go From Zero to 100,000 a Year Selling Simple Information Products, (www.howtogo.info) I'll show how a handful of classified ads. sold thousands of copies of one of my books and built a database of regular buyers for my products, some of whom have spent thousands with me over just a few years.

Low prices induce more people to buy (some don't have the money to buy expensive items right now, and others won't risk higher sums to unknown sellers). This helps you build a bigger database faster for future, more expensive products.

Has a Definite Objective On Which Profits Ultimately Depend

In this case, profits come not only from the book but additionally from some other source. There are many examples of how this works, including:

? To attract visitors to your web site, as for example where a free book or collection of books is offered to anyone visiting your site in the hope they might also leave their email address for later communications or better still buy more of your products at the scene.

? To attract names for your database. Michael Southon used this technique recently when he changed his ezine server and wanted to transfer names from old to new. His offer of a book unavailable from any other source will no doubt accomplish his aim of maximum resubscription rate.

Additional Profits (Sometimes Sole Profits) Come From Inside The Book or From Back End Sales

Often a book will be offered free or at cost price, the intention being to whet the readers' appetite for other products.

For example:

? A book of recipes might include advertisements for cook books, cooking holidays, designer aprons, and so on.

? A book of dog stories might include affiliate links for all kinds of products and services for dogs and their owners, such as pet sitting services, pet portraits, holidays with pets, and so on.

A Lot of People Desire the Book (General Market) Or It Interests a Niche Market With Fewer Members But Massive Response Potential

For example, a mass market book could sell hundreds of copies quickly if properly promoted, say in wide circulation daily newspapers, especially if the title appeals to the majority of people.

Examples: finding friendship and love, cutting the cost of your mortgage, how to be attractive to the opposite sex.

Niche market titles appeal to people with very clearly defined interests, such as collecting teddy bears, overcoming fear of flying, growing bonsai trees. Such markets might be smaller, maybe much smaller than for general interest titles, but they are invariably easier and cheaper to reach and achieve the highest response rates. Sometimes there is overlap and a niche market title might also appeal to a huge proportion of the overall book buying population.

Market Is Easily Identifiable

Knowing a market exists for your book before it's written is half the battle to becoming a well paid publisher.

Imagine the alternative. You write a book on a subject that interests you, it takes months to produce and sets you back hundreds of pounds. Then you start looking for buyers! Easy Peasy - if hundreds of magazines, forums, clubs, mailing lists, radio and television features focus on similar subject matter. In which case, when 101 Resell Rights Secrets Exposed! is finished, I've got hundreds of ezines, web sites, Internet users, home business magazines, publisher forums, and lots more places keen to learn more about publishing other people's books for profit! I'm spoiled for choice of ways to promote my book.

But that other book I have planned, How To Be The Most Boring Person on Earth, where do I promote that? Where do I find a sizeable group of people vying for that particular title? Do enough such people exist to sell many copies of my book?

Market Is Easy To Reach

Following on from the last point, the market must not only be easily identifiable, but also easy to reach. And hopefully at little expense. Niche markets are generally easy and inexpensive to target and usually promise one hundred per cent member interest. So a new book offering previously unknown information about collecting teddy bears should interest every teddy bear collector on the planet.

Many Ways To Market The Book at Little or Low Cost

Self-explanatory, really, because the more ways you have to promote your product, especially at little or no cost, the more enquirers and buyers you will ultimately reach as you will discover in The Ultimate Guide To Making Your Fortune With Resell Rights. <a href="http://www.resell-rights.net/" target="_new">http://www.resell-rights.net/</a>

Has Viral Marketing Potential

Again, largely self-explanatory, and typically including affiliate and joint venture deals, affiliate links in the book, reprint and resell rights, endorsements, and so on.

Should Have Long Term Popularity And Selling Potential And Be Easy To Update

Very few books of short term interest attract massive profits. The exception is a fad or gimmicky title which captures the imagination and achieves millions of sales in a short space of time. A great example was the solution to Rubik's Cube which sold millions of copies in a few weeks until the phase died out. That type of book is very few and far between and not to be banked upon. Play it safe, play is sure, go for something with long term potential and few reasons to update your book. Most frequently in need of updating are directories and most books with extensive telephone and address listings. Try to avoid them or offer an updating service at extra cost or free of charge at your web site.

Should Include Means To Capture Enquirer And Customer Addresses And Other Valuable Information From Inside The Book

The list is all in marketing, especially past buyers of your goods and services, whether they purchased direct from you or from someone else. An established buyer is easier to sell to than someone who has never bought from you before.

But that buyer is only profitable if you know who he is, if you have some means of approaching him again with new offers.

About The Author

More copyright free articles by Avril Harper can be found at: <a href="http://www.publishingcircles.com" target="_new">www.publishingcircles.com</a>

<a href="mailto:avril@publishingcircles.com">avril@publishingcircles.com</a>

วันจันทร์ที่ 2 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552

How Many Ways Can You License Your Tips Booklet?

You've been thinking about writing a tips booklet. After all, it's shorter, faster, and easier than writing an entire book. A single tips booklet manuscript can be recycled over and over again, developing a new income stream with each deal you make. The booklet can be distilled from a book you've already written, a newsletter you distribute, or from sound bites you continually share with clients, audiences and anyone who will listen.

When that booklet is done is when the fun really begins. You can sell it as single copies or as large quantities that you produce for your clients. Or, you can sell the rights to the contents, on a non-exclusive basis, in many ways. Think about all the languages in the world. That can be a starting point. Find someone who is interested in licensing the right to your material to translate into another language, reaching a non-English speaking population in your own country or in a different country.

They get to do the translating, editing, production, marketing and distribution, and pay you for that right! You could also license the rights to your information to a company who wants to purchase 10,000 or more copies of your booklet. They can generally buy print less expensively than you can sell it to them. You will once again license them the right to do all the work, and pay you for it.

You may also find other venues interested in your manuscript. What about an audio CD publishing company? You can hire yourself out to record the program as part of the licensing deal or the audio publisher can bring in their own speaking talent.

What about licensing the use of your content to a catalog company to pepper their catalog pages with your tips? Or a public relations firm can bring your booklet manuscript to a client of theirs to use as a radio, television or print commercial: 'This organizing moment has been brought to you by XYZ Office Supply Company.' Do your tips work individually on posters, coffee mugs, tee shirts, screen savers, or computer mouse pads as advertising specialty items? What about a tip a day on a calendar or as a CD or even as the premise of a board game? Would some tips work as a needlepoint design?

These are just some of the many ways one single tips booklet manuscript in your area of expertise can be recycled over and over again, reaching a larger audience and generating thousands of dollars for you, with your client doing all the production. Think of what other ways you can license your booklet content. The possibilities are endless!

Paulette Ensign has personally sold over a million copies of her 16-page tips booklet, '110 Ideas for Organizing Your Business Life,' in four languages, without spending a penny on advertising. That includes several licenses. Her company, Tips Products International, has products and services to assist you in writing and marketing your own booklet on any topic. <a target="_new" href="http://www.tipsbooklets.com">http://www.tipsbooklets.com</a>

Top Ten Ways To Prepare for Your Online Book Marketing Success

Still marketing your book through press releases, networking groups, and talks to groups? If these methods have taken a great deal of effort and time and brought you only a few clients or product sales, you may now be ready for your virtual marketing machine, the Internet!

To get ready to market your book Online use these ten tips:

1. Buy an up-to-date computer with a 56k modem or more and Internet capability.

2. Open an email account. Bypass the freebies, because you need an email account from which you can send an attachment. You want to look professional. For you email address, don't use confusing letters and numbers. Use your name plus business keyword such as <A href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">Judy@bookcoaching.com</A>.

Since dial up connections are so slow, consider getting DSL or cable high-speed Internet. Before you buy, ask about limitations on sending group email (no-spam, of course).

3. Educate yourself about email, the Internet, and your own computer program. Take a community college or adult school computer and Internet program at low cost or free. You'll notice many others like yourself there, eager to learn. More advanced students will help you each step of the way.

4. Hire a one-on-one low-cost computer/internet coach, who can give you individual lessons if you don't want to attend seminars. They can help you proceed successfully with your e-commerce. Call your local high schools, computer schools or colleges for computer-savvy students who will be happy to receive $8-10 an hour.

Connect with teachers, career centers, or student centers to start the ball rolling. Tell them you want an assistant. Make an ad that lists the capabilities you need. Be sure to follow up because schools are less business oriented and may not call you back.

5. Hire a computer assistant; because you are not only a coach, speaker or author, you are a business! These assistants can make you look like a large business.

Make them part of your virtual marketing machine at a low cost. Use your assistant as much as you want to expand your success. You will look like a successful professional by adding new part-time staff. Start with 6-9 hours a week, and watch your clients and product sales grow! Your coach is approached by many big businesses wondering how she got to be #1 in Google and 35 other search engines.

6. Offer more than just one product to your potential buyers. Part of the plan is to allow automatic, ongoing sells for your lifetime, either on your Web site or other seller sites. If you plan to write a book, write a short one first. Then, expand as you can. Publishing a short book is savvy business because you start making money right away to fund your other projects. Divide and conquer. Think of chapter excerpts, articles, tips, or how-to lists you can email free to prospective buyers.

Incorporate your action plan to sell other products that relate to your book. Submit informational pieces to ePublishers and top Web masters so that your word gets out to thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people daily on the net. This untapped eager-to-buy audience awaits your service and product. For more information on this, contact your book and Internet promotion coach.

7. Include your five-to-eight line signature at the end of every email you send. Include your name, email address, Web site address and local and 800 number. Include your business practice, number one benefit, and be sure to offer a free special report or ezine so you can collect those email addresses for future promotions. Include your email and web site hyperlinks to make it easy for your client to click through to where you are selling your products or service. Separate each email's end and signature with graphics such as ==== or #####.

8. Promote your book through writing short articles to submit to opt-in ezines. Use a search engine to find Web site ezines in your category or genre or send directly to the ezines. Your article must be compelling, concise and useful, so take care and edit it until it shines. Most editors and publishers want articles from 500-800 words.

These people want and need your free information for their ezines web sites. They publish with your Signature Box at the bottom. Web sites publish your URL.

9. Submit your articles to top Web sites to multiply sales. To market your books, boost your Web site popularity to the top ten through the search engines by submitting how-to articles to sites with your category. Top site ezines get from 15,000 to 500,000 readers daily. These sites need your daily content, and they will pay you handsomely by including your key words that help your search engine position. Your Internet marketing coach is #1 now on Google and 35 others with the key word, "book coaching." When you submit your articles, the site also includes your URL in a hyperlink straight to your Web site or where ever you sell your products or service. In no time, like me, you can be listed on over 3140 other sites with a link back to yours.

10. Create your own inexpensive book Web site. Coaches, speakers, and other small business people can catapult their business with a short print or eBook. While it's possible to sell books on other publishers' or book sellers' sites, you need to eventually develop your own site. Authors without a site are like business people without email. Make your home page sizzle with dazzling ad copy, headlines, and a sales letter. You will sell books and make your coaching practice a household word.

Be willing to do what it takes, such as hire an Internet or book coach, to get Online savvy because this wonderful marketing machine is there for you and your boosted, consistent business success.

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>

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 1 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552

Ready, Set, Go Sell Your Book In The Real World!

We hear a lot these days about more books actually being sold 'outside' the traditional bookstore. Think about it. When was the last time you actually took time to linger and explore the bookshelves? When did you last impulsively grab a book, flip it over, read the blurbs, and finger through a few chapters? Let's face it, most of us are too hurried.

So What's The Point?

If you don't take the time to browse, why expect your potential customer to do so?

Try This:

Grab about five copies of your book, and head for the "Ma and Pa" stores in your hometown area. Pick a time when you know it won't be too busy. Talk to the owner or manager. Ask him if you may set up a small display on his counter. Offer him a percentage of each sale.

Get Impulsive!

Go for the impulse buyers! Haven't you at one time, while waiting at a cash register, seen a small display of books on the counter? Before it was your turn to get checked out, you grabbed it, became excited, and added it to your other purchases? Maybe it was a novel set in your locale. People love reading tales taking place in their familiar surroundings.

They think, "Oh, I've driven that road! I know where it is!

Where's the next landmark? Have to find out!" They feel they become a "part" of it.

Is your book set in your region? Try your local gift shops, bed and breakfast inns, pharmacies, hair salon, even the little "quick stops." You get the picture.

Is the hero in your book of Italian descent? Is there a lot of ethnicity? Head for the specialty shops like that little corner deli. Pesto. Gnochi. Fresh-baked focaccia. Get your book on that counter!

Maybe kayaking through turbulent river rapids is a large part of your novel. Or sky diving, race car driving, hang gliding, deep sea diving. Head on out to the sporting goods stores.

Whatever, go for it. Take control.

Another Idea

Grab your books and get a booth at the local festivals taking place in and around your area. Maybe share one with an author friend. In my area, there are different festivals every weekend throughout the summer and early fall. In the winter, many craft fairs. Think "thousands of potential customers!"

What Are You Waiting For?

I know you're thinking, "But I only want to write!" That may be so. Promoting is time consuming. But what's the alternative? Your book just sets there and gathers dust. So ease on out of that chair, and head on out. Let people know about your book. Talk it up. Readers who love your book will add another dimension to your promotion - word-of-mouth advertising!

Start Small and Think Big

Some stores you approach may not work! Granted. But you'll get the ball rolling and your mind spinning. "Where else can I sell my book?" You'll find yourself eyeing every little store as a possibility, while driving your car or strolling the sidewalks of your hometown. Who knows, you may even become your hometown's next "celebrity!" Give it a try!

About The Author

Mary Holzrichter

Do you enjoy reading quality fast paced action novels? Do you like to write them? Either way, visit <a target="_new" href="http://ActionTales.com">http://ActionTales.com</a>. We offer some great titles for readers and an unbeatable publishing deal for authors.

Book Signing: Fun and Profit for Writers and Readers

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. <a target="_new" href="http://www.publishandprosper.com">http://www.publishandprosper.com</a>

วันเสาร์ที่ 31 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2552

Secrets to Selling Books by Mail

This is intended for informational purposes only.

Selling books by mail is one of the "ideal" spare-time business ventures that can be operated from your home, and with minimal investment. However, there's a lot you must know about this kind of business; a lot to learn, a lot to understand, and a lot of common sense required.

The first thing you need to know is where to get books - the kind of books - that sell best via mail order. Selecting your source of supply, deciding which type of books you want to sell, and arranging a working relationship with these suppliers is your first step. Be sure that you know which supplier has which books, the quantity discount prices, and the drop-ship requirements. It's best to set up a file for each of your suppliers; keep a copy of each of their latest catalogs, and some sort of record of all dealings you have with them.

Once you're organized with a source of supply, getting started is pretty easy. One way might be to acquire a series of money making reports that run two or three pages in length such as this one - that sell for a couple of dollars each. Then, you run a classified ad in some of the national mail order publications reaching extra-income opportunity seekers. Such an ad might read: FREE REPORT! $50,000 profit each year! Sparetime home-operated business. Details SASE. (your name & address).

Your secret to success in selling books by mail will lie in what you put into all those self-addressed and stamped envelopes you receive in response to your ad.

Of course, the first thing you have to put in those envelopes is the "free report" you promised in your ad. We have a number of reports describing a plan that can make $50,000 a year for an energetic and determined extra-income opportunity seeker, and have used all of them quite successfully in accordance with the plan we're describing to you here. Now then, in addition to the "free report", as promised in your ad - and in order to sell books - you have to include what is known as your "follow-up" package...

Actually, it's quite simple and should be almost automatic. You'll need a full page circular advertising one of the books you're selling. To see, and understand this ingredient, collect the advertising sheets you receive from all the book clubs, relative to their "featured selection" circulars. Remember here that the more original and different from the "other" advertisers you can maker your circulars, the more books you'll end up selling. Still, you may not want to undertake the work or have the extra finances to hire to have "featured selection" advertising circulars made up for you. In that case simply take one of the full page circulars advertising a particular book, sent out to you by one of your suppliers.

Following the successful methods used by all the Book of the Month Clubs, in addition to your full page circular advertising a specific book - a featured selection - you should include a sheet of other titles - alternate selections - for your customers to consider ordering. These are very important things to consider and to think about every time you send out a mail order offer.

Generally, you do not need to include either a separate order form or a self-addressed envelope with your order-solicitation package. However, we would advise you to have your featured selection circular, and your alternate selection list printed on colored paper - say your featured selection circular printed on white paper with red or blue ink, and your alternate selection printed on yellow or canary colored paper with black ink. This tends to give your mailing piece a bit of class, and at the same time tends to stimulate the prospects into buying more than just ordinary white paper with black ink. Give it some thought, try it, check your results and then decide from there.

I've just explained the "nitty gritty" of how to get organized, set yourself up in the book-selling by mail business, and how to operate it profitably. But, unless you have everything pre-planned, your fledgling business may die before you've even scratched the surface of your potential profit picture.

It's necessary that you have a different "featured" selection circular and list of alternate selections to send out, each time you send something out to your prospects or customers. Thus, before you begin, it will pay you to elect about 18 different books to call featured selections or say, "Best Buy Of The Month". Make sure you have a full page circular for each of these books - have a supply of each of them printed and in stock - then either number them or arrange them in the order you want to use them. You should have the same kind of supply, and arrangement for your lists or alternate selections.

With books, it will be necessary to always be on the lookout for new books you can use as featured selections in your customer follow-up program. A supply of 18 will get you started, but as your business grows, you'll find some of your customers ordering every book you offer, and thus, in order to keep them buying from you, you'll have to keep offering new selections to them. With your lists of alternative selections, this is not so important. Actually, you could start out with about a hundred or so reports, and from this list, make up an alternative selection list of about 25 titles for each list. After you've gone through 100 of these reports - 4 different alternative selection lists - you could go back and mix the selections from each list - 6 from list one, 6 from list two and so on...

It's important that you get your customer's order on its way just as quickly after receiving it as possible. When you're having a supplier dropship for you, the best thing is to accumulate all your orders - filling in your dropship order from each day's mail - and then on Saturday of each week, writing your check to each supplier, enclosing the dropship order forms, sealing it and getting it in the mail. At the same time, you should send out your order acknowledgment notes, and follow-up packages on the same day you receive them. It may sound a little complicated, but it really isn't - and if you'll plan your business in detail before you place your first ad, have your follow-up materials printed in advance, and work this plan as I've explained it you should have no trouble at all.

Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer<BR>
Note to editors:<BR>To show my appreciation to the editors that use my articles, I offer a free solo ad. Simply send an email to me by using the form on the contact me page on my website to tell me the url the article was used on or send me a copy of the ezine it was used in.

This article may be redistributed freely on the Internet as long as the resource box remains intact.<BR>$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$<BR>DeAnna is the publisher of the ezine, Prospecting and Presents.<BR>Subscribers get one free ad per week.<BR>Subscribe today by visiting <A target="_new" href="http://www.pnewsletter.com">http://www.pnewsletter.com</A><BR>$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

You, Your Book and the Internet!

Authors, especially self published, small press and Print on Demand authors should understand the power of the Internet when promoting a book. There is POWER in cyberspace authors and it's only getting bigger and better. More users will be online buying books next year than this year. More people are buying books today online than they were yesterday.

Guess what the last item I bought at a brick and mortar store? It was a Vanilla Soy Late coffee w/ two sweetener packages while I just looked and browsed the bookshelves - The last 10 books I purchased was online. Internet 10 - Bookstores 0. Get the point?

So what is the definition of the Internet? One dictionary says, "The Internet, sometimes called simply 'the Net,' is a worldwide system of computer networks -- a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer (and sometimes talk directly to users at other computers)."

How Many Online? "The art of estimating how many are online throughout the world is an inexact one at best. Surveys abound, using all sorts of measurement parameters. However, from observing many of the published surveys over the last two years, here is an "educated guess" as to how many are online worldwide as of September 2002. And the number is 605.60 million." (Source: Various; Methodology Compiled by: Nua Internet Surveys)

World Total 605.60 million
Africa 6.31 million
Asia/Pacific 187.24 million
Europe 190.91 million
Middle East 5.12 million
Canada & USA 182.67 million
Latin America 33.35 million

To Overlook Google searches and Yahoo searches when promoting your book in today's marketplace is bad marketing. Internet!Internet!Internet!Internet!Internet!Internet! And the best way to sell yourself and your book is on the Internet and with Interviews and articles. Good Luck and get connected!

Jay Hubbard
http://www.theauthorconnection.com

Jay Hubbard is a book reviewer and writer for TheAuthorConnection.com

Jay Hubbard is a book reviewer and writer for <a target="_new" href="http://www.TheAuthorConnection.com">TheAuthorConnection.com</a>

8 Ways to Find Good Reviewers for Your New Book

Review Your Reviewer: You will be sorry if you do not take the time to get a pretty good picture of your reviewer. Use e-mail, snail mail or anything else you've got to pop a few questions to your reviewer. If the review is on radio or TV place a few phone calls in advance. Why? You must get a fix on your reviewer's position and general inclination. If your writing is in religion, check the doctrinal position of the reviewer. A Pentecostal book is bound to come up short in a conservative catholic review. If your book is written with a conservative political bent, it will not do well under the scrutiny of a liberal democrat. You must check out every aspect of the reviewer's mindset that you can by any means you can. If you disregard this advice you will suffer for it.

Review the Reviewers Reviews: Read carefully everything you can find that your reviewer has previously written. They can be aggressive without being hyper critical or belligerent. Some reviewers have a pompous attitude. Usually they are not writers themselves. If you find some that are writers they will be far easier to work with because they know all the problems and pitfalls in this profession. A reviewer has opportunity to rub elbows with some people that the rest of us will only know in name only. This does tend to give them an exploded sense of their own importance. How will you know if this is the case with your reviewer? Simple, read their stuff. An attitude is an easy thing to spot. Don't get the idea that your book is so good that no one could possibly find anything bad to say about it. Cranky people are usually very consistent, don't take a chance.

Avoid the Reviewer who is Too Personal: When reading a reviewers work see if they are comparing what they are critiquing with other writing that contrasts the book under review. Also do they find similarities to the book under discussion and other books perhaps in the same genre? If every reflection they make comes from their own position, emotion or mindset you should be very careful about submitting your work to them. Remember you spent weeks, months or years putting together your book; they may spend only a few hours at the most perusing your labors. Don't let someone who is having a bad hair day remove your first chance to get a little press for the great American novel.

Grammar and Spelling Snafus: It goes without saying that all grammar and spelling issues should be covered before the publication of your book. It also goes without saying that no matter how hard you try, they are not. If you self publish or use a (POD) print on demand publisher there is a greater chance of these errors breaking through un-noticed. The galley proofs offered by these publishers may be very hard to negotiate and it is usually the author doing every bit of the work. Most authors getting published for the first time are duly excited and such mistakes are prone to make it across the bar. Remember that the best authors in the world will have spelling and grammar problems at times. Even in the major publishing houses where a mile long group of proof readers have taken up to a year to finish a book, mistakes are made. Here is the bottom line when it comes to a reviewer noticing and dancing with your mistakes in a review. It stinks. First it is the sign of a very unskillful reviewer, especially when it comes to first time authors with POD books. It is almost understood that first tries will have a few more mistakes than the veterans do and for a reviewer to make a big deal of those problems is hitting below the belt by any standards. Don't even approach such reviewers if you see they make a practice of this. If they feel a need to say that a book is a self published work they are miserably out of touch. This is the day of the POD and thousands of books are coming through this conduit that can stand beside any of the big boys from the major houses.

Don't Forget Online Newspapers: Online newspapers usually follow the same editorial guidelines of the printed paper. They are far more forgiving than online reviewers. These are the people who make corrections daily of things misquoted, misspelled and missed completely. They deal with writing and John Q Public everyday and that daunting task makes them more understanding of fellow journalists. Follow all the same rules for approaching web review sites and above all get to know all you can about your critic before you bundle up a dozen review copies and slide them off the runway to the papers.

Look for the Honest but Skillful Reviewer: An honest reviewer won't hide the negatives and failings of your book but they will skillfully blend them into a larger picture without burning down the city. Such people are artist experienced in balancing of literary achievement and fledgling endeavor. How do you find such people? Once again review the reviewer's reviews!

Let The Public Be Your Reviewer: Amazon has a program that allows some of the pages of your book to be seen as a means of drawing the reader into your material. You will receive responses from this, that can be perused, archived and used on your website, your publicity efforts, and your letters and anywhere you choose. Google also has a wonderful program called, Google Print. They put up the cover of your book, a bit of an author bio and not more than twenty percent of the content of your book to be seen by anyone worldwide. Links can point directly back to your site or any other place where the book may be purchased. You will receive various responses that can be archived for press releases, short web reviews, blogs or whatever.

Beware Of Blogs: For a new author to submit the contents of their new release to a blog in whole or in part is like running the gauntlet. Blogs are all too much of a free for all. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has got an opinion. They are certainly entitled to their opinion but be sure of one thing, an opinion does not a review make. The chance of getting a fair review on a blog is in general about zero. What you will have is a lot of people passing around a lot of second hand information. You may have someone praising your stuff and in the next minute calling you something that is several notches hotter than PG-13. Till you have a better rep as an author, do not expose you're writing to the free for alls.

Rev Bresciani has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote &quot;Hook Line and Sinker or what has Your Church Been Teaching You,&quot; publisher, PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book published by Xulon Press entitled &quot;An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ.&quot; Rev Bresciani's website is <a target="_new" href="http://americanprophet.org">http://americanprophet.org</a>

8 Easy Online Ways to Market Your Book For Free

Marketing your book whether you went the POD, e-book, or traditional route can be a daunting process. Figuring out what works and what doesn't can take time, energy, and if you're not careful a lot of money. When I first self-published my science fiction novel GETTING OUT ALIVE, I had already done quite a bit of research into ways to market my novel that didn't eat into my pocket book.

Here are the top 8 ways I've marketed my book and seen results:

*Create a presence on the web. There are many ways to do this, but having your own website to promote your writing is the best way. There are lots of places that have free webpages, but Bravenet.com has everything you could ever want (webjournals, tell-a-friend service, guestbook, and mailing lists to name a few) and this includes free hosting.

*Sign other author's guestbooks. The author is not the only one who reads the entries, and make sure you add your website address even if they don't give you a spot to put it. Put it beneath your name when you sign your entry.

*Be a regular on message boards, answer newbie's questions, and don't forget to add your signature with your website address. The important thing to remember here is to pop in on a regular basis, otherwise it looks like the only reason you're there is advertise, and participants won't take you seriously.

*Join writers groups online and post, post, post! That's not to say you should inundate any group with advertising e-mails about your book, but rather to participate in the discussions. If you have a signature line at the end of your e-mails this will do your advertising for you.

*Speaking of signature lines, create one and add it to all of your e-mails. This is one of my favorite freebies. People do read signature lines and I have actually ordered books because I found them via the signature line.

*Give away free PDF electronic versions of your book (not too many now, just 2 or 3) in return for reviews. This has worked very well for me, and I've gotten some good reviews from doing this. Readers like free and are usually more than willing to write a review in return.

*Trade electronic versions of your book with other published authors and do a review for each other.

*Once you have reviews post them on your website and anywhere else you can. There are many places to post reviews for free, just search on google for book reviews. See if your reviewers will post their reviews for you at these websites.

Regina Paul is the author of the science fiction novel GETTING OUT ALIVE, and editor of the free bi-monthly writer's e-zine Regina's Universe. You can read the first chapter of her novel, sign up for her e-zine and find many other writer's freebies at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.reginapaul.bravehost.com">http://www.reginapaul.bravehost.com</a>

Top 5 Book Selling Tips

TIP # 1

Online reviews are paramount in importance when it comes to drawing attention to your book. And the best part is, you're in control of your own destiny!

If you haven't yet submitted your own review on sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, what are you waiting for? This should be one of the first steps for every published author.

Encourage other family members and friends to review the book, too. They're inclined to be more generous than perfect strangers, but don't underestimate the effect of any honest review. Published reviews on sites like Amazon, Barnes &Noble, and the many other sites Outskirts Press books appear demonstrates interest in your book. And that's a good thing! Post a review for your book today, and ask others to do likewise.

TIP #2

Enhance your online listing with Amazon.com by participating in their "Search Inside the Book Program."

Sign up to join this revolutionary new way to merchandise your book on Amazon.com. When customers search for books on Amazon.com, actual words from inside your book -- not just the author or title -- are engaged to return the best possible matches. With this powerful new search feature, customers can discover books that may never have surfaced in previous search results!

With "Search Inside the Book," customers can also browse sample pages and do additional searches inside a particular book to confirm that the title is just what they're looking for. All of this helps authors like you sell more books.

Once you sign Amazon's Publisher Participation Agreement and are accepted into the program, you will need to provide Amazon.com with a physical copy of each book you would like to include in the program.

TIP #3

Become an "expert" in your field and book sales will follow. It's true that promoting a book requires a great amount of resolve, but it is also true that working smarter, rather than harder, can help reap those rewards.

By projecting yourself as an "expert" in the genre in which you write, you can open new doors for networking, doors that often remain shut without that expertise status.

How does one go about making himself or herself an expert? Easy! You already are one. The name on your published book proves it. Now just use that book as a calling card to line-up speaking engagements, freelance writing gigs, and other opportunities at a variety of venues.

Two good places to begin are AOL and the ABOUT.COM information network. Both have category-specific forums in which you can participate, and by mentioning that you are the "Author of such-and-such" within the scope of your communication, you begin to label yourself as an expert to fellow participants.

Being recognized as an expert in a technical or "non-fiction" category is admittedly easier than the largely subjective category of "fiction expert" but even if you have written a work of fiction, becoming a recognized expert is conceivable.

Whether you've penned poetry, horror, or romance, there is a forum in which to voice your opinion. The Internet is full of chat rooms, use groups, genre-sites, and more -- all thirsty for content from published writers. You just have to know where to look. Start selling books tomorrow by being an expert today.

TIP #4

"Pay For Performance" internet advertising is making big waves lately. While most search engines feature such sponsored links, there are currently only a number of engines providing the back-end technology, and of those, only one serves the majority of search engines used by the public: Overture.

The way pay-for-performance (or p4p) works is simple. You bid on search terms (either words or phrases or a combination of both). Your webpage link then appears in search engine results relative to the price of the bid. If you're the highest bidder, your webpage appears at the absolute TOP of many search engines. Remember the frustration of typing in a search for your webpage and never finding your link? No longer!

But that's not even the best part. The best part is this -- you only pay if someone actually clicks on your link. And since you've defined the search term, the people clicking on your link are already predisposed toward your subject. In essence, they're already pre-sold.

Let's look at an example. Say you've published a mystery novel about the death of a land baron in Louisiana. Not exactly a new plot, and yet millions of "whodunit" readers would be anxious to read it. Your solution? Open an Overture account and bid on search terms like "Louisiana Mystery Novel" and "Mystery Book Plantation" and similar terms. Counter-intuitively, the more vague the term, the better, since very specific searches deliver very motivated buyers to your page, and since you're paying for each click, you want those people to buy!

That brings us to the down-side. You have to be very careful managing your bids, or it can be expensive. Do not bid on ridiculously vague and popular words like "book" because you will never recoup your money. Instead, focus your search terms as specifically as possible.

If you've been clamoring for more traffic to your free Outskirts Press webpage, Overture may be just your ticket. To sign-up, click below. They'll even give you a $10 credit to begin. Visit Overture at their website for more information.

Tip #5

Use ebooks to help promote and sell your paperback or hardback edition.

Think of e-books as a teaser. With a lower purchase price and more immediate gratification, many people are inclined to give an e-book a try when they might pass on a traditional paperback. Furthermore, if they like the e-book, 80% of people end up purchasing the "real" book, too!

There are three schools of thought concerning the way in which e-books should be sold.

1 - Some believe that e-books should have a very low purchase price, somewhere in the neighborhood of $3.00 for the entire book.

2 - Other believe that e-books should only contain excerpts, or sample chapters of the full book, and that they should be provided for free.

3 - Still others believe that e-books best serve their purpose when the entire e-book is given away. This encourages word of mouth about the author and the book, which in turn helps support additional book sales and really shows dividends when a subsequent book is published by the same author.

Whichever course you follow, there is little doubt that e-books are beneficial to your promotion efforts. If you don't yet have an e-book, what are you waiting for?

Brent Sampson is the President & CEO of Outskirts Press Publishing at <a target="_new" href="http://www.outskirtspress.com">OutskirtsPress.com</a> and author of Publishing Gems: Insider Information for the Self-Publishing Writer. Information at <a target="_new" href="http://outskirtspress.com/publishinggems">http://outskirtspress.com/publishinggems</a>

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 29 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2552

Book Club Sales -- Increasing the Odds

What is a book club sale? It is actually a rights sale or a licensing agreement: you are granting permission to a book club the right to &quot;borrow&quot; your work. You have written a book, and now you are allowing a book club to print and distribute your book to its members.

You allow the book club to reprint your book in a specific language, in a specific format, for a specific period of time, in a specific geographic territory, to a specific group of people. You ensure in your contract that you maintain ownership of the copyright and of all other intellectual property rights, such as electronic, movie, other languages and territories, and serial rights ? to name a few. Always seek good legal advice before signing a contract.

There are many book clubs, but most of the major clubs fall under the bookspan umbrella (<a href="http://www.bookspan.com" target="_new">www.bookspan.com</a>). To find other book clubs that are appropriate for your book, do an internet search: on your browser, type in +(your book genre, e.g., cooking)+book+club.

The chances of having your book selected by a book club are roughly one in ten, which is really quite good. Imagine if your chance at winning the lottery was that great!

Tip #1 for increasing the odds:

It is important to know that book clubs are always looking for new ideas to entice their members, so if your book is well written and edited, has plans for professional graphic design, AND demonstrates a unique slant on your topic, your chances of being selected rise considerably.

Tip #2 for increasing the odds:

In saying that, it is important for you to know that the earlier you submit your book, the better.

Tip #3 for increasing the odds:

Book clubs are much happier receiving a typed manuscript six to twelve months in advance of your publication date than receiving a bound galley or finished book close to the publication date. A book club likes to introduce your book to its members near your publication date in order to take advantage of the reviews and publicity that you will be generating when your book is launched. The bigger the media splash you make, the better everyone's sales will be.

Tip #4 for increasing the odds:

There are many categories of book clubs, so be sure to submit your title only to the appropriate clubs. Do not send your book to every book club that you can find. Each club's membership has specific interests so be sure to submit your book only to clubs that might buy-you will again increase your chance of being selected.

For instance, if you have a humor book, it's unlikely to be of any interest to a cooking club or to a mathematics club. If your book is regional, it will not likely appeal to a general interest book club, so submit that a regional title to suitable specialty clubs.

Tip #5 for increasing the odds:

There are rules to follow when submitting your book to the book clubs, so following them carefully should avoid unnecessary rejections.

Here they are:

<li>Send your manuscript to the Editorial department at the appropriate club(s).

<li>Include a cover letter that details the following information:

<ul>

<li>summary of the book contents

<li>description of the book (size, binding, hard/soft cover, black & white or color)

<li>expected selling price

<li>number of pages

<li>number and type of photographs and/or illustrations (indicate if black & white or color

<li>notation if the book will be part of a series

<li>which volume the book is in an existing series and a sales history of the series

<li>intended publication date

<li>plans for publicity and promotion, and your intended budget

</ul>

<li>Include a brief author biography written in the third person. Be sure to talk about any previous books published and their sales histories.

<li>Send photocopies of some of the illustrations and photographs. Please do not send original copies ? they will NOT be returned to you.

<li>Don't forget your contact information and website if you have one.

Unfortunately, you cannot contact book clubs to follow up on your submission. It's a case of &quot;Don't call us. We'll call you&quot;. Book clubs receive too many submissions to allow follow up calls or letters. If they are interested, they will call you, usually within two to six months.

Do you think that a book club sale is worth pursuing? Absolutely! For very little effort you can achieve the sale of thousands of copies of your book. You will likely be paid a minimum sum per copy, but you will also not have any production costs, and a small sum multiplied by thousands can equate to a very nice check. Your only effort will be to sign a contract, provide your book on disk and collect that check ? and just think of the free publicity! Thousands of book club members will read about your book. You can't buy that kind of publicity!

About The Author

? Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. From "101 Things You Need to Know About Publishing" to our Ultimate Book Marketing Kit, we will help you make your book a success. <a href="http://www.inktreemarketing.com" target="_new">http://www.inktreemarketing.com</a>

<a href="mailto:info@inktreemarketing.com">info@inktreemarketing.com</a>