Tony Eldridge's Blog, page 12

5 Ways To Use Smashwords Coupons To Market Your Book

I just recently started using coupons from Smashwords to help market my books. I started to see the potential for using these coupons from a blog post written by Dean Wesley Smith called Think Like A Publisher #11... Electronic Sales to Bookstores. In it, he talked about creating coupon codes for your books on Smashwords that allow people to download a free copy of your book. You then have gift cards printed up with that code on the scratch off area on back of the card. Once you have the gift cards created, you can approach retailers who sell gift cards about adding your cards to their inventory. For a detailed summary on how this can work, please see Dean's post.



As I said, that helped me to see coupon marketing in a different light, one that goes beyond giving people a simple discount to but your book. For those who are not familiar with Smashwords coupon generator, here's how it works:



You can create coupons that discount your title between 1% and 100%. Once you choose your discount, you can set an expiration date for that coupon. The system will generate a code that you can then give out to people for their purchase of your book. At any time, you can go in a cancel any live coupons for your book. The Coupon Code manager will list all codes you have created for your books.



Here are some ideas of how to use the coupon code generator to help you market your books:



Use Dean Wesley Smith's brilliant gift card idea- See opening paragraph of post.


Give away free review copies of your book- If you are looking for more Amazon reviews when you launch a new book, you can offer a fixed number of books to people who agree to review the book for you. I am currently offering up to 20 free copies of my new novel, The Lottery Ticket, for people who want to review it. All you have to do is drop me a note via the contact form at the bottom of my blog requesting a free copy in return for a review.


Limited Time Sales- If you want to run a sale on your book, you can print up a coupon code and send it out to you use your lists. This is a very convenient way to run sales during holidays and special events.


Book Signing/Events marketing- Do you have a book signing or an event coming up? If so, you can create a certificate with a free download code printed on it. You can sell these e-book copies of your book right along with thee physical copies. In fact, you can even sign the certificate just as you would sign your book.


"Thank-You" gifts for your guest bloggers- Do you have guest bloggers or people who enter into a joint venture with you? If so, a free gift of your book can be a warm thank-you for their contribution.
These are just a few ideas of how you can use Smashword's coupon generator as a fast and easy way to help you market your book. With a little more thought, I'm sure we can come up with a lot of new ideas.





  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

3 Ways to Make Your Online Relationships Matter by Jane Friedman

Today's guest author is Jane Friedman who will be talking about cultivating important relationships that can help your platform grow. If you have been writing for any length of time at all, you know who Jane is. Her blog, There Are No Rules and her many events appearances only scratches the surface of her book marketing and literary experiences.



Before we get to Jane's post, I have one quick in-house announcement and offer to make a few people. Last month, I published my newest mystery/thriller, The Lottery Ticket via Kindle, and so far it has outpaced the first month that The Samson Effect was on Kindle. In order to accelerate the Amazon reviews for my new novel, I am setting aside up to 20 free copies of The Lottery Ticket for anyone who will agree to leave a review on Amazon for it. If you're interested in taking me up on this offer, just fill out the contact form at the bottom of this blog and let me know. I will create a coupon code that you can use on Smashwords to download a free copy of the book in your electronic format of choice. To all who take me up on this offer, I want to sincerely thank you for your help.



Now, on to Jane's post...





3 Ways to Make Your Online Relationships Matter

by Jane Friedman





A key component to any platform is the relationships that you have and grow. (I wrote about this over at Unboxed here.) You can jump into social media, start a blog, and do everything right content-wise, but without a little help from your friends, it can be a tough and lonely road.



If you suspect this is an area where your platform could use some development, here are three goals that anyone can achieve in a short timeframe (repeat as needed).



1. Make a list of who's interacting with you the most

Whether it's Twitter, Facebook, your blog/site, or your favorite community site (e.g., GoodReads), take note of who is reading, commenting on, or sharing your content. These are people who are already paying attention, like what you're doing, and are receptive to further interaction.



If you're ignoring these people, then you're missing an opportunity to not just develop a more valuable relationship (which will likely lead to new ones!), but also reward and empower those you're already engaged with.



What does "rewarding" and "empowering" look like? You might drop a personal note, offer an e-book or product for free, or involve them somehow in your online content. Do what makes sense. (Note: You definitely want to reach out and sincerely thank those who help you that have a bigger platform or influence than you do!)



If you have an e-mail newsletter list (and you should have one), then your most engaged fans should have their own "segment" that gets preferred treatment, e.g., special messages that put them first in line for whatever new thing you have coming out, and other perks.



There are many other ways to employ this principle. Christina Katz, who teaches classes to writers, creates "Dream Teams" of writers who are selected from previous students. It's a great idea that rewards both Christina and the students she coaches.



2. Make a list of your mentors and how you can help them

I hope you have mentors, or a wish list of mentors. If you have no one you admire, you need to find some people! But you probably do; we all have people who are doing something we dream of, or operate a few steps beyond where we're currently at.



Make a list of who these mentors are. If you're not already closely following them on their preferred channels of communication (e.g., blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc), then start. Begin commenting, sharing, and being a visible fan of what they do. Consider other ways you can develop the relationship, e.g., interview them on your blog or review their book.



A few people I have developed wonderful relationships with, and learn from, include Dan Blank, Guy Gonzalez, and Kevin Smokler.



If you engage your mentors in an intelligent way (not obnoxiously or annoyingly—in a "look at me" sort of way), then you may be able to develop a more meaningful relationship if and when they reach out to acknowledge your efforts on their behalf. Remember, if they're online to grow their careers (and they probably are), they're going to be cultivating relationships, too, both up and down the chain-just like you!



This same tactic applies organizations and businesses that you love. If they see you praising their products and services (without them asking for the free publicity), they will often reach out to you in some way.



3. Look for partnerships with peers

Who is attempting to reach the same audience as you? Don't see them as competitors. Instead, align with them to do bigger and better things, or to help one other and reach an extended market.



You can see examples of partnership everywhere, including:




Writer Unboxed (where I participate)
Jungle Red Writers
The Kill Zone blog



We all have different strengths, and banding together can be an excellent way to extend your platform in ways you can't manage on your own. When presented with opportunities to collaborate, try to say "yes" as much as possible, particularly when you'll be exposed to a new audience, form new connections, or learn a new skill set.



The question that often arises at this point is: How do I manage all this in the limited time that I have?



Rather than feel overwhelmed, break down these activities into very small action steps, e.g., a single action you can take each day, or several times a week, that takes just 10-30 minutes of your time. These little pieces add up, over months and years, to more meaningful relationships.





--------



Jane Friedman is a recognized authority on the future of media and publishing. She has spoken at more than 200 events since 2001, including South by Southwest, BookExpo America, and the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. Since 2008, Jane has offered advice for writers at her award-winning blog, There Are No Rules, which receives 55,000 visits every month. Find out more at JaneFriedman.com

































--------

  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

Sunday Kindle Book Giveaway PM: House on Crash Corner By Mindy Greenstein

This afternoon's Sunday Kindle Book Giveaway is The House on Crash Corner ...And Other Unavoidable Calamities from author Mindy Greenstein Ph.D. This is your opportunity to discover new authors and books each Sunday while having a chance to win a copy of the Kindle version of the books directly from the authors. All you have to do for your chance to win this Kindle book from Mindy is to leave a comment below.



Description From Amazon.com

Sardonic, funny, insightful, and completely honest, Mindy Greenstein's The House on Crash Corner: And Other Unavoidable Calamities is, according to New York Times columnist David Brooks, "poignant, sometimes even hilarious." Through anecdotes that are humorous, moving and sometimes sarcastic, Mindy Greenstein shares her unusual life and sharp insights.



Chosen as One of the "Ten Titles to Pick Up Now" in the May issue of "O, The Oprah Magazine"





Find Mindy's book on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-House-on-Crash-Corner-and-Other-Unavoidable-Calamities/116957808376434

Find Mindy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1647498721

Find Mindy on Twitter: @Greenstm

Mindy's Website: mindygreenstein.com

Mindy's Blog: psychologytoday.com/blog/the-flip-side

















Reviews

Amazon

Oprah

Fox Business

OncoLink





Message From The Author

The House on Crash Corner is about the sad, hilarious, and meaningful ways we handle the crises in our lives. True stories come from my lives as a mother, yiddish-speaking daughter of Holocaust refugees, cancer psychologist, and cancer patient. It's more fun than it sounds; you can't spell "joy" without the "oy!"



For your chance to win a Kindle copy of The House on Crash Corner, all you have to do is leave a comment below. We will randomly choose a winner next Saturday.







Last Week's Winners:

Sea Of Shadows By Jeff Edwards: Jane Wells

A Heart Held Ransomed by Skotko/Tankersley: L. Diane Wolfe





From Our Sponsors



Comparison of prices & availability of Kindle bestsellers in different regions/countries. Read at Ebook Friendly.



Time to publish your thoughts? www.taleist.com







  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

Sunday Kindle Book Giveaway AM: Fatal Embrace By Aris Whittier

This morning's Sunday Kindle Book Giveaway is Fatal Embrace from author Aris Whittier. This is your opportunity to discover new authors and books each Sunday while having a chance to win a copy of the Kindle version of the books directly from the authors. All you have to do for your chance to win this Kindle book from Aris is to leave a comment below.











Description From Amazon.com

Whittier (The Truth About Being a Bass Fisherman's Wife) makes a promising fiction debut with a tale of romantic suspense set in the contemporary west. When a serial killer rapes and murders three young women, retired detective Michael Carven hires a new trainer, Jessica Stanson, to run his Montana horse ranch so he can investigate. A young woman with a sunny disposition, Jessica tries to crack the protective emotional shell of the loner Michael. To complicate matters, Jessica fits the profile of the serial killer's victims and becomes the only material witness who can testify to the killer's identity. Frustrated with his lack of progress in solving the crimes, Michael decides to risk using Jessica as bait. The two main narrative threads—the effort to track down the killer and the growing attraction between the well-portrayed hero and heroine—come together only late in the story, giving the book a choppy pace. At times the protagonists behave illogically and secondary characters have no impact on the main action, but despite these flaws, this cross-genre novel should have wide appeal.

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.





Aris's Blog: http://awhittier.blogspot.com



Reviews

Amazon

A Book And A Cupcake

Fiction Addict

Once Upon A Chapter











Message From The Author

Hi everyone, I so excited to be giving away a copy of Fatal Embrace! If you're looking for a page turning, smokin' hot, romantic suspense then Fatal Embrace will not disappoint. Make sure to drop in and visit me at: http://awhittier.blogspot.com .



For your chance to win a Kindle copy of Fatal Embrace, all you have to do is leave a comment below. We will randomly choose a winner next Saturday.



Last Week's Winners:

Sea Of Shadows By Jeff Edwards: Jane Wells

A Heart Held Ransomed by Skotko/Tankersley: L. Diane Wolfe





From Our Sponsors



Comparison of prices & availability of Kindle bestsellers in different regions/countries. Read at Ebook Friendly.



Time to publish your thoughts? www.taleist.com







  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

Resource Of The Week: MeasureIt - Pixel Measuring Tool

Today's resource of the week is MeasureIt (The home for MeasureIt is in the process of moving to http://frayd.us/ ). Hat-tip to Dana Lynn Smith for introducing me to this little gem. MeasureIt is a browser add-on for FireFox, Chrome and Safari that allows you to draw a box around any image on your browser to find how how big it is as measured in pixels.



As authors, there are many occasions when we need to know how big something is in pixels. For example, our book cover, depending on where we need to use it, will have certain pixel measurement requirements. If we run ads on our web page or blog, we'll need to know much room we have to place the ad.



If we create a masthead for our blog, we'll need to know the dimensions of the banner to use. If we create an ad for our book, we'll need to know how big we'll need to make the image for the book cover to link to our Amazon page or our shopping cart. The list goes on and on for ways we can use this nifty little tool.



MeasureIt is free, but the author does accept donations if you find it valuable to help keep it's development going.



*NOTE* The home for MeasureIt is in the process of moving to http://frayd.us/ -



Last 4 Resources Of The Week

Sonar 3

Jing

FastStone Photo Resizer

PayPal











  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

Book Marketing Strategies And Tips Around The Net: July 1st

Today, we have a deep and rich list of posts that are worthy of your time to look at. Whether you're looking for book marketing tips, industry news or insightful commentary, today's post has it all. I'm sitting in my local Starbucks with a black Pike's Place coffee, my beverage of choice. I invite you to grab your favorite beverage and sit with me as we go through these wonderful posts.



Before we do, I have a couple of quick in-house announcements. First, thanks to all who helped me spread the word about my Kindle version of The Samson Effect. Thanks to you, I sold over 2500 copies in June. My new book, The Lottery Ticket is not selling as well yet, but its first month has sold twice as many copies as the first month Kindle sales for The Samson Effect. I give you all my heart-felt thanks for helping me spread the word.



Also, we have two days left for you to win a free copy of our Sunday Kindle Book Giveaways. This week, we are featuring Sea of Shadows By Jeff Edwards and A Heart Held Ransomed by Skotko/Tankersley. Visit their pages to learn about theses books and then leave a comment for your chance to win a copy from the authors.



Now, on to our trip around the net...



1. Ways to Draw Attention to My Booth - Book Signing- Shelley Hitz invites Judi Chesshir to share her creative approach at book signings.



2. 7 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Book Design- Joel Friedlander gives you some top advice for designing your next book.



3. The Future of Book Publishing- Dana Lynn Smith discusses how technology will change the book publishing landscape.



4. 5 Things More Important Than Talent- Jane Friedman shares the 5 questions every author needs to ask themselves.



5. Eight Steps to Successfully Market Your Book Online- Penny Sansevieri cuts to the chase and gives you rock-solid steps you'll want to use to market your book.



6. John Locke is an idiot: LA Times- Steven Lewis has a great commentary by looking at the LA Times criticism of the phenomenal success of indie author John Locke.



7. How To Create A Podcast- BookBuzzr invites podcast expert Joanna Penn to share her tips on pulling of top-notch podcasts.



8. Prediction: J.K. Rowling's Pottermore Will Change the Entire eBook Landscape- Phyllis Zimbler Miller makes the case for not using DRM protection on your e-books.



9. Google Wants You and I Want You to Learn From Them!- Carolyn Howard-Johnson talks about Google's new Google button and what that can mean to you.



10. Writing for Visual Thinkers – not just artists & designers- Roger C. Parker takes a look at Andrea Marks' book. He summarizes it by saying, "Writing is a muscle, and needs regular exercise to be strong so it's there when you need it."



11. The Art And Science Of Lightbulb Moments With Tom Evans- Joanna Penn sits with Tom Evans to discuss those flashes of inspiration that we all long for.



12. Why would a happy self-publisher want an agent? A Q&A with agent Jody Rein- Sue Collier sits with agent Jody Rein and discusses her take on agents and self-published authors.



13. Selling to Markets Outside the Bookstore- L. Diane Wolfe shares some lessons learned from a Brian Jud telecast.



14. Oh, The Math Of It All- Dean Wesley Smith helps authors understand the business number behind pricing your ebooks.



15. Storytelling Applications for Your Smartphone-


16. Agencies Becoming Publishers--a Trend and a Problem- Victoria Strauss continues her look into the evolving practice of agents moving into the self-publishing business.



17. 101 Ways to Blog as a Book Author: Updated- John Kremer gives you a list that you'll want to bookmark when you're looking for ways to use your blog.



18. Amazon explains FBA long-term storage, inventory tools, and storage limits for new sellers- Steve Weber gives more detail on your "Fulfilled By Amazon" relationship with the online retailer.



19. Google Project: Get Social Like Never Before [Videos]- Have you heard of the Google project? These videos compiled by QuickOnlineTips will give you a taste of what it's about.



20. How Can Authors Benefit From Using YouTube to Get Traffic?- Todd Rutherford discusses how to leverage your relationship with the 3rd most visited site on the net.



21. Podcast with Author and Marketing Expert Tony Eldridge- MaAnna Stephenson sits with me to discuss all things book marketing.



22. Attack of the Self-Publishing Memes! - A Guest Post by Barry Eisler- Joe Konrath invites best selling author Barry Eisler to discuss the evolving relationships between agents and authors.



23. The Secret of Successful E-book Formatting- Nick Daws invites David Robinson to share his tips on formatting your ebooks.



24. How to Keyword Focus Your Website or Blog for Better SEO- Larry Brauner gives some great tips on how your blog can benefit from better SEO.



25. Finding Writing Time and Working Smarter- The creators of DuoLit offer tips for authors who may have gotten overwhelmed with their schedules on how to reclaim their writing time.



That's it for this week's trip around the net. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning with another cool resource of the week! Happy 4th of July everyone!!





  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

7 Reasons You Should Not Use Social Media Marketing By Sue Collier

I'm excited to introduce you to our guest today, Sue Collier. Sue is a veteran in the self publishing industry as an author and a top expert. In today's post, Sue will be discussing social media marketing and giving advice on when authors should not be using it.



Before we get to Sue's post, I have a couple of quick in-house announcements to make. First, I completed an audio interview with MaAnna Stephenson of BlogAid this week. You can download the MP3 and listen to us discuss tips and advice for marketing your book. Visit her page, Podcast with Author and Marketing Expert Tony Eldridge, for a complete list of the topics we discussed and a link to download the interview.



Also, we have a few days left for you to win a free copy of our Sunday Kindle Book Giveaways. This week, we are featuring Sea of Shadows By Jeff Edwards and A Heart Held Ransomed by Skotko/Tankersley. Visit their pages to learn about theses books and then leave a comment for your chance to win a copy from the authors.



Now, on to Sue's post...





7 Reasons You Should Not Use Social Media Marketing

By Sue Collier



Most authors constantly hear about why social media marketing is such an important part of building their author platform—and I agree with this. But I don't think social media marketing is the end-all answer for promotions, whether it be for books or another product, or a service such as consulting. One has to participate with the right expectations and for the right reasons. So here are 7 reasons you should not take part in social media marketing.


You are looking for a short-term answer. I have helped countless authors launch their social media platforms, only to have them call me a month later to announce that it is not "working" for them. Tweeting about your new book on Twitter is not going to mean thousands of people are going to instantly purchase it. Social media is an ongoing commitment—for the rest of your life (as an author, at least).




You expect to see a direct impact on book sales. It will impact your book sales--eventually. But social media is first about creating something called "touch points." As an example, let me explain how social media works for my consulting business. Someone sees something of mine that has been retweeted on Twitter. They find it interesting, so they click on my profile and decide to follow me. Maybe they check out my website and sign up for my monthly ezine. Six months later, they hear me speak on a podcast or they read a guest post I've written on another blog. Maybe they've connected with me on Facebook or LinkedIn at this point, as well as continuing to follow me on Twitter. They ask me a question in a direct message or maybe they comment on my blog; we start a dialogue. Perhaps another six months goes by, and they are ready to hire my firm to provide book packaging services or to help promote their book. So yes—social media did impact our bottom line, but not directly. What it did do, though, is create a way for a potential client to stay in touch ("touch points") with us until they were ready to buy.




You have no budget for marketing. Yes, social media marketing is "free," but you need to have a strategy in place first. Social media marketing should be part of an overall plan devised to build your author platform. I read somewhere that social media is like building a shelter, but if the shelter isn't sturdy, it can collapse right on top of you, harming you in the long run.




You don't have time for social media. Yes, social media will take time. If you don't personally have the time, you'll have to hire someone to do it for you, so it will be taking somebody's time. And it has to be done consistently. You can't expect to build an effective following if you only tweet once a week or blog every six months.




You don't want to write content. I hear this over and over: "Who cares what I had for lunch?" Well, probably no one—unless you post a link to a great recipe in your newly published cookbook. Social media provides the medium for communication; you need to direct people to something of value.




You don't believe in sharing information for free. This is one of the most difficult mindsets for some people to overcome: providing valuable information for free. Some are worried that if they give away what they know, no one will ever pay them for it. Look at it as sharing content that will help establish your expertise and build your author platform. The truth is that people are more apt to pay you if you've established yourself as an expert. Social media is all about building relationships and providing useful content to potential buyers is one way to do that.




You don't want to work within a changing technology. Social media is very likely here to stay, though it will look different in two years and five years and ten years. You'll need to make a commitment to keep up.



-----

Self-publishing expert SUE COLLIER is coauthor of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5th Edition (Writer's Digest Books, 2010) and the forthcoming Jump Start Your Books Sales, 2nd Edition (Communication Creativity, 2011). She has been working with authors and small presses for more than two decades, providing writing, editing, production, and promotions work for hundreds of book projects. Visit her website and blog at Self-Publishing Resources.













---------------



  































-------- Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

How Much Should You Price Your E-Book?

In today's post, I want to take a shot at the question that everyone seems to be asking, and answering, these days: How much should you price your e-book? Perhaps the real question beneath the surface is really, "Should I price my e-book at $0.99?" For those who are following the success of John Locke, you'll know that this is literally the million dollar question. (For a great commentary on the John Locke pricing question, check out Steven Lewis' post, John Locke is an idiot – LA Times).



Here's the gist of the pricing issue as I understand it. Amazon pays you a royalty of 70% on all Kindle titles priced between $2.99 and $9.99. For e-books priced below $2.99 and above $9.99, Amazon pays a royalty of 35%.



That means, the least you can price your book to get the 70% royalty is $2.99, which will yield you a net royalty of $2.09 per sale. If you opt to price your book at $0.99, then you'll get 35 cents per sale. In order to get $2.09 in royalties with a book priced at $0.99, you'll have to sell 6 books.



Let's look at these numbers in a different way. If you sell 1000 books at $2.99, then you'll make $2,090. If you are contemplating a price drop to $0.99, then you'll have to sell 5972 books to make the same net royalties you did when it was priced at $2.99.



If only book math were so straightforward, our decisions would be easy. But the strait royalty calculations are only one factor in the success of a book. Why do some author's price their book at $0.99 when the math seems to be so against that model? Consider these factors:


A lower price can help a reader take a chance on a book that looks interesting- If you are an unknown author trying to build your readership base, then a lower price point can literally be the difference in someone making an impulse decision to buy your book or not. The higher you price your book, the less the impulse and more thought has to go into the decision to pick up your book. While $2.99 doesn't sound like a lot, it does mean the difference between 1 book and 3 books for the purchaser.




You're sales don't have to increase by 6X's to move on the Amazon best selling lists- On Amazon, as your book sales increase, your best-selling rank increases as well. This can become another influence on a reader to try your book. So, a drop to $0.99 may cause you to rise in the ranking and gain visibility there, visibility you might not have gotten if you kept your book price higher.




You can get more visibility on Amazon as your book sales increase- When you visit your book page, you'll see a section that says "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought." The real value for you is when your book appears in that section on other successful books. Amazon will list up to 100 books in this section and readers will often scroll through that list to discover other books that look interesting. Again, a drop of $0.99 may be the catalyst to increase your sales enough to land you in that section on some popular books.



So, there are some of the big reasons to consider dropping your Kindle book price to $0.99. There are some authors who make a living, and very nice living-- no, a VERY, VERY nice living by pricing their books at $0.99. But the thing to keep in mind is that pricing is only one factor in the success of a book. There is no guarantee that if you drop your book price to $0.99, then the sales will come. That's why it's important to continue to market your book and actively seek out ways to get it in front of new readers.



We are in a fluid environment when it comes to e-book pricing. Things are so new, and changing so rapidly, that pricing strategies can be outdated in the blink of an eye. One of the great things for authors who self-publish their e-book is the ability to change their book price, test different price points and react to the market demand. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can change your e-book pricing strategy overnight.



So, how much should you price your e-book? I wish I could give you a conclusive answer, but I can't. It depends on your genre, your commitment to marketing, and the winds of the marketplace at any given moment. With Amazon's sample feature, readers can also download a free sample of your book, the equivalent of flipping through the book at a bookstore. That means that the quality and entertaining value of your book is more important than ever. A poorly written book may not sell at any price. While I may not have concrete answers for you, here are some guidelines I feel comfortable suggestion to you:


If you are a new author who doesn't have a readership, lowering your price may help you find sales you would not get otherwise.




If you have a series, you may want to lower the first book in the series to entice people to give you a try. Other books can then be priced higher because you are no longer a new author to those who have purchased your book.




Never be afraid to change the price of your book, up or down, to adjust to the market. However, if you are seeing success at one price, think hard before trying to cash in on a higher price. You don't want to kill the momentum of your sales which may be a hard thing to restart if you do.



Good luck with your e-book pricing strategies. As I said before, it's an exciting time to be an author!













   -------- Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

Why Every Author Needs a Mailing List By Warren Whitlock

I am excited to introduce you to today's expert guest, Warren Whitlock, coauthor of Twitter Revolution, and the Bestseller Book Expert. In today's post, Warren will be talking about why it's important for every author to have a mailing list.



Before we get to his post, I have a couple of quick in-house announcements. The Samson Effect (A Thomas Hamilton Adventure)has continued to do great this month on the Kindle lists. I am actively working on it's sequel which will be released late summer/early fall as part of the Thomas Hamilton Adventure series.



My new mystery/thriller release, The Lottery Ticket: A Novel, is outpacing the first month for The Samson Effect on Kindle, so I'm thrilled with its success as well. Thanks to everyone for your help in spreading the word for these books.



Now, on to Warren's post...





Why Every Author Needs a Mailing List

By Warren Whitlock



With all the talk of social media and the dominance of Facebook in the out thoughts when we market your book online, authors have been asking me "Do I still need a mailing list?"



The answer is any unwavering YES!





In the 1990's, just having an email address from a reader meant you had a connection. Then marketers got busy sending out offers and mailings, with some large companies reaching millions of subscribers. Spammers really added to the clutter to the point where many people shut down one email address and started over.



However, in the past decade, we've all come to depend on email for important communications. Most good email services do a pretty good job of catching the spam, and we've all learned to filter and ignore the mundane or irrelevant mail.



You Have to Be Relevant



When I talk to major marketers about their mailing lists, they tell tales of lower response rates to sales offer emails. One might think that email is on its way out.



Not quite, what on its way out is irrelevant emails.



It's true that some young people forgo an email address to get their messages from other sources, but most everyone is getting email type messages in one or more places. Facebook has just announced integration with email systems. Emails between real people have a real conversation is alive and well.



What does this mean for an author today?



You have a major advantage when you engage readers using email. As an author you understand the power of the written word. In an age where much of the communications amounts to the written equivalent of grunts and murmurs, a little bit of attention to good writing really stands out.



Here are some tips for getting your email read




Make sure you are writing as a human being. Put your own name and a return address on every email and expect that some of your readers will reply and want a response. If you have a large following, you may need some assistance, but there's no excuse for ignoring your readers.
The SUBJECT LINE is the most important part of an email message. If your reader thinks it's just another ad or notice, you've lost them before the message is opened.
An email is not a book. Keep it brief, get to the point and let your readers know what do next to continue the conversation.
Don't send email just for your own goals. Pay attention to what the readers will be feeling and thinking when they get your email. What is their desire? Speak to those desires and they will respond.



How To Build Your Mailing List



When you know what your readers want, it's easier to find other places they are reading relevant information. You can buy advertising, or reach these groups in forums, chat rooms and user groups... or you can get creative...



My favorite way to find people who are anxious to read about a subject is a cross promotion with other authors in similar niches. We often put dozens to hundreds of authors together to announce a new book launch or business. We know that readers will like seeing what authors they know recommend.



Connect With the Best Authors for FREE



I set up ZeroCostPromotions.com to help authors build their mailing list when we launch a new best seller.



It FREE to join, just sign up at the link to become a PARTNER.



You'll get the first notice of any upcoming book launch, specialized training, and an inside look at our best seller book launch campaigns.



The site is a bit dated. We are putting up the new page with paid options next month.



Become a PARTNER at ZeroCostPromotions.com to build your list with readers.







--------



Best Seller Book Expert Warren Whitlock is a marketing strategist, blogger, speaker and author. His new book Profitable Social Media will help authors and business owners who are looking for ways to do business online without playing games



Warren offers free help for authors at BestSellerAuthors.com





























--------

  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.

What Is The Best Time Of Day To Publish Your Blog Post?

When it comes to blogging, there are so many variables that affect your traffic. One of those variables is the time of the day you decide to publish the post. Publishing it at the wrong time of day can mean a 15% to 30% drop in hits to your blog. So, what time of day should you publish your post for best traffic results?



By now, you know that answers like this rarely come delivered in a pretty bow, ready to use. The truth is that for each blog, the answer can be different. Consider these variables that will affect timing of a blog post:

Your Blog Readership- Does your readership work a corporate job or from home? Are most of them in college or retired? Questions like these will affect the optimal time that they respond to a new post you send.
Reading Patterns You Helped Create- As you grow your blog, you play a part in "training" your readership on when they can expect to read your new posts. The more consistent you are in publishing your posts at the same time each day, the more predictable your traffic can be. 
The Subject Of Your Blog- Tying in with the first point, the subject of your blog can have a huge effect on your post timing. For example, a blog on gaming will have a different optimal time to publish than a blog on productivity tips for the office. 
Social Media Integrations- If you receive a significant portion of your visits from social media referrals, then you'll want to publish your post when your social networking sites are more active and more likely to refer people to your blog.
In order to find the sweet spot for your publishing timing, you're going to have a to do some testing. You may want to try to publish your posts at different times of the day to see what effect timing has on your post. In order to do this effectively, you'll need an analytics tool (Google Analytics is free and powerful), a blog platform with a scheduling feature, and historical data to compare your results to.



You'll also want to compare apples to apples by making sure you compare the same day of the weeks to each other. For example, if Wednesdays are your most popular blog days, you don't want to compare how timing affects your posts between a Wednesday post and a Monday post. You need to compare Mondays to Mondays in order to get the most consistent data.



As you can see, testing the optimal publishing time for your blog posts can take a little time to do, which is okay. This is probably something you will continue to tweak over time, so you shouldn't feel rushed to get your answer immediately.



Be Ready For Some Interesting Results

As you make adjustments for your publishing times because of test results, you might find some of these interesting conclusions:

Each day of the week will have it's own optimal time of day to run a post
Optimal publishing times may change depending on what season you're in
Optimal publishing times may change as your readership base changes
Your blog traffic and publishing timing may be dependent on the percentage of people who have an e-mail subscription to you blog versus the percentage who have an RSS subscription.
The bottom line is that you may be leaving a significant number of clicks and reads on the table because of the time of  day you publish your post.  By engaging in a systematic testing of you post publishing times, you can start to hone in on the sweet spot of you post publishing practices.











  



























--------

Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.