Tony Eldridge's Blog, page 24
March 7, 2011
New Spring Twitter Contest: Call For Sponsors
It's that time: Contest time! I am planning phase 1 of my spring Twitter contests. This time, I am looking to test a more automated feature to lighten some of the planning load. I am calling for anyone who wishes to be considered a sponsor of the Spring contest by donating a prize for the contest. All you have to do is enter your information in the form below and I will get back with you soon. Here's what I'm looking for:
Prizes that directly relate to authors marketing their book. It may be
an e-book
physical signed book
website membership
online course
website review
consultation time
anything you provide as an expert to help authors market their book
What you get as a sponsor:
I heavily promote the contest during its ten day run. Links to your website and your prize will be on the contest page and the viral nature of the contest will expose you to new visitors. There is no fee involved to be a sponsor. Only the "cost" is providing what you're known for as a prize.
Here are a couple of links to my past contest to give you a feel for how I have run them before:
Contest: Win Signed Library of Marketing Books
Contest: Win Ultimate Book Marketing Prize Package
You can also read my book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests (PDF w/Videos or Kindle) to learn more about how being a sponsor can benefit you.
To get started as a sponsor, fill out the form below. All fields but the phone and comments field are required. Also, if I get enough interest this year, I will be offering a grand prize package and daily prizes as well. Please let me know whether you want your prize to be consider as a daily prize, a grand prize or either.
Thanks for considering to be a sponsor this year. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me or drop me a message via Facebook or Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
NOTE: This is not an entry into a contest. There is no contest at this point. Also, all field have enough room to type anything you need to enter, so keep typing and don't forget to hit the submit button at the end:)
Name
Email
Company
Phone
Country
What prize(s) do you wish to donate?
Link to Prize(s)
Type Of Prize (Daily Prize, Grand Prize, or Either)
Comments
Prizes that directly relate to authors marketing their book. It may be
an e-book
physical signed book
website membership
online course
website review
consultation time
anything you provide as an expert to help authors market their book
What you get as a sponsor:
I heavily promote the contest during its ten day run. Links to your website and your prize will be on the contest page and the viral nature of the contest will expose you to new visitors. There is no fee involved to be a sponsor. Only the "cost" is providing what you're known for as a prize.
Here are a couple of links to my past contest to give you a feel for how I have run them before:
Contest: Win Signed Library of Marketing Books
Contest: Win Ultimate Book Marketing Prize Package
You can also read my book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests (PDF w/Videos or Kindle) to learn more about how being a sponsor can benefit you.
To get started as a sponsor, fill out the form below. All fields but the phone and comments field are required. Also, if I get enough interest this year, I will be offering a grand prize package and daily prizes as well. Please let me know whether you want your prize to be consider as a daily prize, a grand prize or either.
Thanks for considering to be a sponsor this year. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me or drop me a message via Facebook or Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
NOTE: This is not an entry into a contest. There is no contest at this point. Also, all field have enough room to type anything you need to enter, so keep typing and don't forget to hit the submit button at the end:)
Name
Company
Phone
Country
What prize(s) do you wish to donate?
Link to Prize(s)
Type Of Prize (Daily Prize, Grand Prize, or Either)
Comments
March 4, 2011
Marketing Tips Around The Net: March 4th
Well, it's Friday and our trip around the net is back with a list of interesting posts that have caught my eye this week. I am sitting in my hometown Starbucks with a tall Italian Roast to keep me going. Pour your favorite beverage and settle in for some great reads by some great people.
But before we get to this week's list, I have a quick announcement for our North Texas readers. On Saturday, March 26th, I will be co-presenting a workshop with publisher, former ABC radio host and author Kat Smith called, How To Market Your Book And You. This event is sponsored by the Writer's Guild of Texas and will be held at the Richardson Civic Center in Richardson, TX. For more information, including how to secure your tickets to this event, please visit the event's homepage on the WGT site.
Now, on to our trip through the net...
1. Google Alerts Notifies Me of an Online Social Media Marketing Opportunity With Best Army Wives- Phyllis Zimbler Miller kicks us off with an interesting story of how Google Alerts uncovered a marketing opportunity for her and her book.
2. Promote Your Book with Bookmarks- With all the talk about Internet marketing and social media marketing, it's refreshing to read about some traditional offline marketing techniques. Dana Lynn Smith shares her ideas on using bookmarks effectively.
3. Ebook marketing: Why authors need converts- Steven Lewis has a blog just for Kindle authors and in this post, he discusses the value of converting visitors while they are on your site.
4. Signed Ebooks? Really?- Never underestimate where technology can take you. Joanna Penn interviews Michelle Halket as they discuss the technology that can make signed ebooks possible.
5. Promote your book & enhance your brand in your community- Roger C. Parker shares a valuable tip on how you can increase your author visibility in your own community.
6. Self-Publishing Coach Offers FREE Book Marketing Tools- I love free toys for authors. Carolyn Howard-Johnson introduces us to Shelley Hitz who offers a free PDF packed with all kind of free goodies.
7. Fans, Friends, and Followers: How to Build a Solid Author Platform That Sells More Books, Part Two- In this post, Penny Sansevieri gives spot-on advice on how you can grow your author platform.
8. Successful Marketing in the Information Age- Todd Rutherford shares some insights on how you can start marketing your book today by getting you to think of some important questions you need to be asking yourself.
9. Is Privacy Possible For Writers in the Digital Age?- Jody Hedlund discusses the pros and cons of putting yourself out there in a digital world.
10. The New WordPress 3.1 Features- Do you have WordPress? If so, you'll be interested to read MaAnna Stephenson's summary of the new WP release.
That's it for this week's trip around the net. I'll look forward to seeing you next Monday with some more Marketing Tips For Authors.
But before we get to this week's list, I have a quick announcement for our North Texas readers. On Saturday, March 26th, I will be co-presenting a workshop with publisher, former ABC radio host and author Kat Smith called, How To Market Your Book And You. This event is sponsored by the Writer's Guild of Texas and will be held at the Richardson Civic Center in Richardson, TX. For more information, including how to secure your tickets to this event, please visit the event's homepage on the WGT site.
Now, on to our trip through the net...
1. Google Alerts Notifies Me of an Online Social Media Marketing Opportunity With Best Army Wives- Phyllis Zimbler Miller kicks us off with an interesting story of how Google Alerts uncovered a marketing opportunity for her and her book.
2. Promote Your Book with Bookmarks- With all the talk about Internet marketing and social media marketing, it's refreshing to read about some traditional offline marketing techniques. Dana Lynn Smith shares her ideas on using bookmarks effectively.
3. Ebook marketing: Why authors need converts- Steven Lewis has a blog just for Kindle authors and in this post, he discusses the value of converting visitors while they are on your site.
4. Signed Ebooks? Really?- Never underestimate where technology can take you. Joanna Penn interviews Michelle Halket as they discuss the technology that can make signed ebooks possible.
5. Promote your book & enhance your brand in your community- Roger C. Parker shares a valuable tip on how you can increase your author visibility in your own community.
6. Self-Publishing Coach Offers FREE Book Marketing Tools- I love free toys for authors. Carolyn Howard-Johnson introduces us to Shelley Hitz who offers a free PDF packed with all kind of free goodies.
7. Fans, Friends, and Followers: How to Build a Solid Author Platform That Sells More Books, Part Two- In this post, Penny Sansevieri gives spot-on advice on how you can grow your author platform.
8. Successful Marketing in the Information Age- Todd Rutherford shares some insights on how you can start marketing your book today by getting you to think of some important questions you need to be asking yourself.
9. Is Privacy Possible For Writers in the Digital Age?- Jody Hedlund discusses the pros and cons of putting yourself out there in a digital world.
10. The New WordPress 3.1 Features- Do you have WordPress? If so, you'll be interested to read MaAnna Stephenson's summary of the new WP release.
That's it for this week's trip around the net. I'll look forward to seeing you next Monday with some more Marketing Tips For Authors.
March 3, 2011
Working With A Bookstore To Pull Off A Great Event
In today's post, I want to share some tips that I use when I set up events at book stores, whether for me or for someone else. Hopefully, you can find something to help you when you plan your next event.
Before we get to today's post, I want to let my DFW readers know that a great author and friend of mine is having a book signing at the Creekwalk Barnes & Nobles in Plano, TX on March 12th, 2 pm. (810 West 15th St., Suite E, Plano, 75075). If you are able, please join Pari Danian, sculpture, photographer, author & cuisine artist in celebrating the launch of her book, The Palatable Plate: Cook & Eat Like An Artist. Door prizes, raffles and book signing will make this an afternoon to cherish. I'd be grateful if you could help spread the word.
Now, on to our post...
1. Meet In Person Before The Event- If the bookstore has a community organizer who is responsible for the event, drop in a few weeks early to meet them and shake their hand. The sooner you can become a face and not a name, the better your relationship will be the closer you get to the day of the event.
2. Ask What You Can Do To Help Promote The Event- We all have our marketing ideas, but don't neglect to tap into the wisdom of the coordinator. With his or her experience, you may learn what works with that venue that you may not have thought about before.
3. Ask If They Have Any Suggestions- Coordinators probably know their patrons well. They know what appeals to them because they have seen many authors in their venue before. Will you get more traffic with snacks? What about a give-away? The Barnes and Nobel that Pari will be at has a Starbucks close to where she will be sitting with her cookbook. The coordinator suggested that Pari bring a simple appetizer found in her book to catch some of the Starbucks visitors- very clever. You never want to underestimate the help that the bookstore can offer you.
4. Don't Spring Any Surprises- Of course, if you have a cookbook, it might not be a good idea to bring a toaster oven and demonstrate a recipe without clearing it through the bookstore. If you have a gimmick, then it's probably best to run it by the bookstore first. If they're going to say "no", you'll want to them to do it before you arrive for the event.
5. Give Plenty Of Advance Notice For Your Requests- Do you need an outlet for a computer or WiFi access? Whatever you're planning on doing for the event, make sure you let the bookstore know what you need. Many requests are easy to accommodate if you just give them time to plan for your requests.
6. Introduce Yourself To The Booksellers- If you can find out which employees are scheduled to work during your event, stop in before the event to meet them. Tell them about you and your book and let them know how excited you are to be at their store. Just remember, they have a job to do, so be considerate with their time. You'll be surprised at how a little visit like this will help you gain some important allies when you're sitting at the table signing books.
7. Arrive Early- I like to arrive about 30 minutes early. That gives me plenty of time to set up and I usually have time left to browse the books. I can also press the flesh one more time with the booksellers before the show starts. Arriving early can give you a chance to make sure everything is perfect for your event.
8. Laugh And Smile A Lot- The day of the event is your day to shine. You are the star and the bookstore wants nothing more than for you to have a successful event. Nothing can help you do that more than smiling. Laughing and smiling has a way of warmly inviting customers over to meet you. If they feel that you're there to talk to and that you're not going to pressure them to buy your book, you'll be surprised at how many of these people will go ahead and make the purchase. After all, it makes a consumer feel good to buy something from someone they like, right?
I hope these tips help you when you plan your next event. If you can find a way to work with the bookstore, you'll find a powerful partner to help your event go by smoothly and successfully. You may even find yourself invited back for many more events with them in the future.
Before we get to today's post, I want to let my DFW readers know that a great author and friend of mine is having a book signing at the Creekwalk Barnes & Nobles in Plano, TX on March 12th, 2 pm. (810 West 15th St., Suite E, Plano, 75075). If you are able, please join Pari Danian, sculpture, photographer, author & cuisine artist in celebrating the launch of her book, The Palatable Plate: Cook & Eat Like An Artist. Door prizes, raffles and book signing will make this an afternoon to cherish. I'd be grateful if you could help spread the word.
Now, on to our post...
1. Meet In Person Before The Event- If the bookstore has a community organizer who is responsible for the event, drop in a few weeks early to meet them and shake their hand. The sooner you can become a face and not a name, the better your relationship will be the closer you get to the day of the event.
2. Ask What You Can Do To Help Promote The Event- We all have our marketing ideas, but don't neglect to tap into the wisdom of the coordinator. With his or her experience, you may learn what works with that venue that you may not have thought about before.
3. Ask If They Have Any Suggestions- Coordinators probably know their patrons well. They know what appeals to them because they have seen many authors in their venue before. Will you get more traffic with snacks? What about a give-away? The Barnes and Nobel that Pari will be at has a Starbucks close to where she will be sitting with her cookbook. The coordinator suggested that Pari bring a simple appetizer found in her book to catch some of the Starbucks visitors- very clever. You never want to underestimate the help that the bookstore can offer you.
4. Don't Spring Any Surprises- Of course, if you have a cookbook, it might not be a good idea to bring a toaster oven and demonstrate a recipe without clearing it through the bookstore. If you have a gimmick, then it's probably best to run it by the bookstore first. If they're going to say "no", you'll want to them to do it before you arrive for the event.
5. Give Plenty Of Advance Notice For Your Requests- Do you need an outlet for a computer or WiFi access? Whatever you're planning on doing for the event, make sure you let the bookstore know what you need. Many requests are easy to accommodate if you just give them time to plan for your requests.
6. Introduce Yourself To The Booksellers- If you can find out which employees are scheduled to work during your event, stop in before the event to meet them. Tell them about you and your book and let them know how excited you are to be at their store. Just remember, they have a job to do, so be considerate with their time. You'll be surprised at how a little visit like this will help you gain some important allies when you're sitting at the table signing books.
7. Arrive Early- I like to arrive about 30 minutes early. That gives me plenty of time to set up and I usually have time left to browse the books. I can also press the flesh one more time with the booksellers before the show starts. Arriving early can give you a chance to make sure everything is perfect for your event.
8. Laugh And Smile A Lot- The day of the event is your day to shine. You are the star and the bookstore wants nothing more than for you to have a successful event. Nothing can help you do that more than smiling. Laughing and smiling has a way of warmly inviting customers over to meet you. If they feel that you're there to talk to and that you're not going to pressure them to buy your book, you'll be surprised at how many of these people will go ahead and make the purchase. After all, it makes a consumer feel good to buy something from someone they like, right?
I hope these tips help you when you plan your next event. If you can find a way to work with the bookstore, you'll find a powerful partner to help your event go by smoothly and successfully. You may even find yourself invited back for many more events with them in the future.
Working With A Bookstore To Pull Of A Great Event
In today's post, I want to share some tips that I use when I set up events at book stores, whether for me or for someone else. Hopefully, you can find something to help you when you plan your next event.
Before we get to today's post, I want to let my DFW readers know that a great author and friend of mine is having a book signing at the Creekwalk Barnes & Nobles in Plano, TX on March 12th, 2 pm. (810 West 15th St., Suite E, Plano, 75075). If you are able, please join Pari Danian, sculpture, photographer, author & cuisine artist in celebrating the launch of her book, The Palatable Plate: Cook & Eat Like An Artist. Door prizes, raffles and book signing will make this an afternoon to cherish. I'd be grateful if you could help spread the word.
Now, on to our post...
1. Meet In Person Before The Event- If the bookstore has a community organizer who is responsible for the event, drop in a few weeks early to meet them and shake their hand. The sooner you can become a face and not a name, the better your relationship will be the closer you get to the day of the event.
2. Ask What You Can Do To Help Promote The Event- We all have our marketing ideas, but don't neglect to tap into the wisdom of the coordinator. With his or her experience, you may learn what works with that venue that you may not have thought about before.
3. Ask If They Have Any Suggestions- Coordinators probably know their patrons well. They know what appeals to them because they have seen many authors in their venue before. Will you get more traffic with snacks? What about a give-away? The Barnes and Nobel that Pari will be at has a Starbucks close to where she will be sitting with her cookbook. The coordinator suggested that Pari bring a simple appetizer found in her book to catch some of the Starbucks visitors- very clever. You never want to underestimate the help that the bookstore can offer you.
4. Don't Spring Any Surprises- Of course, if you have a cookbook, it might not be a good idea to bring a toaster oven and demonstrate a recipe without clearing it through the bookstore. If you have a gimmick, then it's probably best to run it by the bookstore first. If they're going to say "no", you'll want to them to do it before you arrive for the event.
5. Give Plenty Of Advance Notice For Your Requests- Do you need an outlet for a computer or WiFi access? Whatever you're planning on doing for the event, make sure you let the bookstore know what you need. Many requests are easy to accommodate if you just give them time to plan for your requests.
6. Introduce Yourself To The Booksellers- If you can find out which employees are scheduled to work during your event, stop in before the event to meet them. Tell them about you and your book and let them know how excited you are to be at their store. Just remember, they have a job to do, so be considerate with their time. You'll be surprised at how a little visit like this will help you gain some important allies when you're sitting at the table signing books.
7. Arrive Early- I like to arrive about 30 minutes early. That gives me plenty of time to set up and I usually have time left to browse the books. I can also press the flesh one more time with the booksellers before the show starts. Arriving early can give you a chance to make sure everything is perfect for your event.
8. Laugh And Smile A Lot- The day of the event is your day to shine. You are the star and the bookstore wants nothing more than for you to have a successful event. Nothing can help you do that more than smiling. Laughing and smiling has a way of warmly inviting customers over to meet you. If they feel that you're there to talk to and that you're not going to pressure them to buy your book, you'll be surprised at how many of these people will go ahead and make the purchase. After all, it makes a consumer feel good to buy something from someone they like, right?
I hope these tips help you when you plan your next event. If you can find a way to work with the bookstore, you'll find a powerful partner to help your event go by smoothly and successfully. You may even find yourself invited back for many more events with them in the future.
Before we get to today's post, I want to let my DFW readers know that a great author and friend of mine is having a book signing at the Creekwalk Barnes & Nobles in Plano, TX on March 12th, 2 pm. (810 West 15th St., Suite E, Plano, 75075). If you are able, please join Pari Danian, sculpture, photographer, author & cuisine artist in celebrating the launch of her book, The Palatable Plate: Cook & Eat Like An Artist. Door prizes, raffles and book signing will make this an afternoon to cherish. I'd be grateful if you could help spread the word.
Now, on to our post...
1. Meet In Person Before The Event- If the bookstore has a community organizer who is responsible for the event, drop in a few weeks early to meet them and shake their hand. The sooner you can become a face and not a name, the better your relationship will be the closer you get to the day of the event.
2. Ask What You Can Do To Help Promote The Event- We all have our marketing ideas, but don't neglect to tap into the wisdom of the coordinator. With his or her experience, you may learn what works with that venue that you may not have thought about before.
3. Ask If They Have Any Suggestions- Coordinators probably know their patrons well. They know what appeals to them because they have seen many authors in their venue before. Will you get more traffic with snacks? What about a give-away? The Barnes and Nobel that Pari will be at has a Starbucks close to where she will be sitting with her cookbook. The coordinator suggested that Pari bring a simple appetizer found in her book to catch some of the Starbucks visitors- very clever. You never want to underestimate the help that the bookstore can offer you.
4. Don't Spring Any Surprises- Of course, if you have a cookbook, it might not be a good idea to bring a toaster oven and demonstrate a recipe without clearing it through the bookstore. If you have a gimmick, then it's probably best to run it by the bookstore first. If they're going to say "no", you'll want to them to do it before you arrive for the event.
5. Give Plenty Of Advance Notice For Your Requests- Do you need an outlet for a computer or WiFi access? Whatever you're planning on doing for the event, make sure you let the bookstore know what you need. Many requests are easy to accommodate if you just give them time to plan for your requests.
6. Introduce Yourself To The Booksellers- If you can find out which employees are scheduled to work during your event, stop in before the event to meet them. Tell them about you and your book and let them know how excited you are to be at their store. Just remember, they have a job to do, so be considerate with their time. You'll be surprised at how a little visit like this will help you gain some important allies when you're sitting at the table signing books.
7. Arrive Early- I like to arrive about 30 minutes early. That gives me plenty of time to set up and I usually have time left to browse the books. I can also press the flesh one more time with the booksellers before the show starts. Arriving early can give you a chance to make sure everything is perfect for your event.
8. Laugh And Smile A Lot- The day of the event is your day to shine. You are the star and the bookstore wants nothing more than for you to have a successful event. Nothing can help you do that more than smiling. Laughing and smiling has a way of warmly inviting customers over to meet you. If they feel that you're there to talk to and that you're not going to pressure them to buy your book, you'll be surprised at how many of these people will go ahead and make the purchase. After all, it makes a consumer feel good to buy something from someone they like, right?
I hope these tips help you when you plan your next event. If you can find a way to work with the bookstore, you'll find a powerful partner to help your event go by smoothly and successfully. You may even find yourself invited back for many more events with them in the future.
March 1, 2011
The Most Crucial Step To Effective Book Marketing
I talk to many authors who ask for advice when it comes to marketing their book. I listen, and then give ideas on where they can start. After doing this for a while, I think I have pegged what I believe to be the most crucial step when it comes to marketing your book.
It's not what you may think, or what you may be looking for, but I am convinced that it's the most important step to a very successful marketing plan. Simply, the most crucial step in an effective book marketing plan is:
The First Actionable Step You Take
Hear me out. I have talked to many authors who are paralyzed into inaction because of information overload or because they don't know where to begin. Others have researched the market to the point where they know a lot of directions they can go, yet for some reason, they have not taken the first step to implement a marketing plan.
Here's the bottom line: you will never know everything you need to k now about marketing. It's a fluid skill that changes all the time. Chances are, you will not even complete your big picture marketing plan without tweaking it along the way. The important thing is to start flexing your marketing muscles and grow into a lean marketing machine as you discover what works and what doesn't work.
If you have not yet launched a marketing plan, then let me encourage you to take the first step today. Choose something you are not doing now and make it happen. If you have not set up a blog, then set one up. If you have not contacted a blogger you respect about providing a guest post for their blog, then send the e-mail today. If you have not set up a Twitter or Facebook account, spend a few minutes to set it up and sent some friend invites.
You see, when you are paralyzed into inaction, it really doesn't matter what your first step is. Action has a way of breeding more action. With a tiny victory and a small success under your belt, the next step becomes a little easier to take.
When someone asks you what you are doing to market your book, there's power in being able to respond with a concrete action you have taken. This is a truth that goes beyond book marketing. It's true for just about anything you are trying to accomplish.
Recently, I lost an impressive 50 pounds, but it started with a humble 1 pound loss. It started on day one of my diet, day one of my tortuously slow treadmill workout, and day one of my pathetically embarrassing weightlifting routine.
Now I am going 4 miles a day, working out with 4 times the weight I started with, and I have two months of successful dieting days behind me.
The same is true with your book marketing plan. To get where you want to be, it's crucial to take that first actionable step. All your future success will flow from it.
Don't worry if you don't know everything about book marketing, you will learn as you go. Don't worry if you aren't sure which step will pay off the most, all steps will pay dividends if you stick to them. The secret is simple; just take that first step. There's more power in that step than you can imagine.
It's not what you may think, or what you may be looking for, but I am convinced that it's the most important step to a very successful marketing plan. Simply, the most crucial step in an effective book marketing plan is:
The First Actionable Step You Take
Hear me out. I have talked to many authors who are paralyzed into inaction because of information overload or because they don't know where to begin. Others have researched the market to the point where they know a lot of directions they can go, yet for some reason, they have not taken the first step to implement a marketing plan.
Here's the bottom line: you will never know everything you need to k now about marketing. It's a fluid skill that changes all the time. Chances are, you will not even complete your big picture marketing plan without tweaking it along the way. The important thing is to start flexing your marketing muscles and grow into a lean marketing machine as you discover what works and what doesn't work.
If you have not yet launched a marketing plan, then let me encourage you to take the first step today. Choose something you are not doing now and make it happen. If you have not set up a blog, then set one up. If you have not contacted a blogger you respect about providing a guest post for their blog, then send the e-mail today. If you have not set up a Twitter or Facebook account, spend a few minutes to set it up and sent some friend invites.
You see, when you are paralyzed into inaction, it really doesn't matter what your first step is. Action has a way of breeding more action. With a tiny victory and a small success under your belt, the next step becomes a little easier to take.
When someone asks you what you are doing to market your book, there's power in being able to respond with a concrete action you have taken. This is a truth that goes beyond book marketing. It's true for just about anything you are trying to accomplish.
Recently, I lost an impressive 50 pounds, but it started with a humble 1 pound loss. It started on day one of my diet, day one of my tortuously slow treadmill workout, and day one of my pathetically embarrassing weightlifting routine.
Now I am going 4 miles a day, working out with 4 times the weight I started with, and I have two months of successful dieting days behind me.
The same is true with your book marketing plan. To get where you want to be, it's crucial to take that first actionable step. All your future success will flow from it.
Don't worry if you don't know everything about book marketing, you will learn as you go. Don't worry if you aren't sure which step will pay off the most, all steps will pay dividends if you stick to them. The secret is simple; just take that first step. There's more power in that step than you can imagine.
February 28, 2011
Are You Making Money With E-Books?
Last week, I was honored to be a guest on Penny Sansevieri's Blog Talk Radio program, The Publishing Insiders. This episode was entitled, "Smart Self Publishing: Part 3, Making Money with Ebooks."
Veteran e-book author Karen McQuestion was also a guest on the show. She has had amazing success with ebooks while I am just entering the ebook world. Together, we answer questions about our publishing experience and offer advice on ebook publishing.
You can read a wrap-up of the interview on Penny's site or you can download the interview by visiting her Blog Talk Radio Page.
Here are some of the things you will learn on both sites:
How we made the jump into ebooks
How we chose our ebook platforms
Marketing tips for our ebooks
What were the most surprising elements of ebook publishing
Pricing, covers, and more
Our future predictions for the ebook market
I had a blast doing the episode and I learned a lot from the other guest, Karen McQuestion. This is a great resource for you to look at if you have an ebook or are contemplating taking the plunge into the ebook market.
Veteran e-book author Karen McQuestion was also a guest on the show. She has had amazing success with ebooks while I am just entering the ebook world. Together, we answer questions about our publishing experience and offer advice on ebook publishing.
You can read a wrap-up of the interview on Penny's site or you can download the interview by visiting her Blog Talk Radio Page.
Here are some of the things you will learn on both sites:
How we made the jump into ebooks
How we chose our ebook platforms
Marketing tips for our ebooks
What were the most surprising elements of ebook publishing
Pricing, covers, and more
Our future predictions for the ebook market
I had a blast doing the episode and I learned a lot from the other guest, Karen McQuestion. This is a great resource for you to look at if you have an ebook or are contemplating taking the plunge into the ebook market.
February 21, 2011
Marketing Tips To Resume February 28th
I wanted to let you know that Marketing Tips For Authors will be back up next Monday, February 28th. As you may know, our family has had strep sweep through it and one of my aunts in Indiana is in intensive care. She's 78 and battling a lot of health issues.
I wanted to thank you for the outpouring of messages on behalf of my family. I truly appreciate them. I look forward to writing more post, creating more videos, and introducing you to more guest blogger starting next week.
Just a quick reminder that I recently published both, The Samson Effect and Conducting Effective Twitter Contests on the Kindle platform. Each book sells for $4.99. Download a free sample today and when you purchase, you'll have the ability to loan out both books to others for 14 days.
See you next Monday!
I wanted to thank you for the outpouring of messages on behalf of my family. I truly appreciate them. I look forward to writing more post, creating more videos, and introducing you to more guest blogger starting next week.
Just a quick reminder that I recently published both, The Samson Effect and Conducting Effective Twitter Contests on the Kindle platform. Each book sells for $4.99. Download a free sample today and when you purchase, you'll have the ability to loan out both books to others for 14 days.
See you next Monday!
February 8, 2011
Good Content: What Is It and How Can You Use It If You're Trying to Sell Books by Cheryl Pickett
Today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to our guest blogger. Cheryl Pickett is an author and a content creation coach. She has a new course in March that you might be interested in checking out: Write Your BEST Right Now. The details are on her website, www.cherylpickett.com.
As authors, we know how important great content is; but do we take that knowledge and respect for great content into our book marketing activities? Today, Cheryl will be discussing how to use content to help us sell our books.
Good Content: What Is It and How Can You Use It If You're Trying to Sell Books?
By Cheryl Pickett
If you're a student of marketing (which you must be if you're reading this blog), you've probably heard about the need to offer "good content" to attract business. If not, I can almost guarantee you will in 2011, especially if you're working in non-fiction.
Even if you haven't heard that yet, you've certainly noticed marketing has changed. Where it used to be that the loudest, most persistent messages were the winners, now audiences expect much more. They expect engagement, help and information long before they buy. How do you do that? One big way is by offering good content on a regular basis.
What Is "Good" Content?
Of course, "good" is a highly subjective word, but for our purposes, good content can be defined as: content that bridges a gap, that is effective, that shows your uniqueness, and that ultimately teaches or transforms the reader. Simply supplying average information will rarely satisfy anymore because any Google search pulls up plenty of that. Good, compelling content connects with readers and ultimately opens the door to relationships which, hopefully, leads to fans and purchases.
Once You Have Good Content, What Can You Do With It?
The great thing about good content is the ability put it to use in so many marketing strategies. Here are just a few examples:
1. Your Own Website: Wordpress based sites are frequently recommended now. One of the most useful features of Wordpress is the ability to update the text yourself. Even if you choose not to blog, you can still create a mini library of useful tips and articles. If you have a "regular" static site, it's still a good idea to include a similar kind of archive and add to it every few months.
2. Article Marketing: This strategy may be best known in online marketer circles, but it should be on many authors' lists too. In a nutshell, article marketing is a way to syndicate your content around the web in order to attract traffic. One of the most popular ways to do it is by submitting to article directories, the biggest being www.Ezinearticles.com. Sites like this offer your content for free to their visitors in exchange for letting you include links. Do a solid job there and you can almost guarantee an increase in traffic.
3. More Print Products: Great content isn't just useful online, there's plenty to do with it offline too. Having a book is by no means the end of a project. For example, not everyone wants a book so booklets, tip sheets and magazine articles are all useful ways to get your content into the hands of an even wider audience.
Now It's Your Turn
Hopefully, this short list gives you a glimpse as to the importance of good content as well as some ideas for how to use it in your own marketing plans. It's a challenge to keep up sometimes for sure, but also definitely worth the effort. What kind of content (besides good) are you going to add to your marketing mix in 2011 and how will you use it?
-------
Cheryl Pickett is an author and content creation coach with a passion for helping other message-driven authors & entrepreneurs to impact and inspire their audiences. If you aren't sure about how to create the content you need, you can learn how in her new course, Write Your BEST Right Now, which begins in March. You can even attend from the comfort of your home. Find out more about the course along with more news and tips you can use at www.cherylpickett.com
As authors, we know how important great content is; but do we take that knowledge and respect for great content into our book marketing activities? Today, Cheryl will be discussing how to use content to help us sell our books.
Good Content: What Is It and How Can You Use It If You're Trying to Sell Books?
By Cheryl Pickett
If you're a student of marketing (which you must be if you're reading this blog), you've probably heard about the need to offer "good content" to attract business. If not, I can almost guarantee you will in 2011, especially if you're working in non-fiction.
Even if you haven't heard that yet, you've certainly noticed marketing has changed. Where it used to be that the loudest, most persistent messages were the winners, now audiences expect much more. They expect engagement, help and information long before they buy. How do you do that? One big way is by offering good content on a regular basis.
What Is "Good" Content?
Of course, "good" is a highly subjective word, but for our purposes, good content can be defined as: content that bridges a gap, that is effective, that shows your uniqueness, and that ultimately teaches or transforms the reader. Simply supplying average information will rarely satisfy anymore because any Google search pulls up plenty of that. Good, compelling content connects with readers and ultimately opens the door to relationships which, hopefully, leads to fans and purchases.
Once You Have Good Content, What Can You Do With It?
The great thing about good content is the ability put it to use in so many marketing strategies. Here are just a few examples:
1. Your Own Website: Wordpress based sites are frequently recommended now. One of the most useful features of Wordpress is the ability to update the text yourself. Even if you choose not to blog, you can still create a mini library of useful tips and articles. If you have a "regular" static site, it's still a good idea to include a similar kind of archive and add to it every few months.
2. Article Marketing: This strategy may be best known in online marketer circles, but it should be on many authors' lists too. In a nutshell, article marketing is a way to syndicate your content around the web in order to attract traffic. One of the most popular ways to do it is by submitting to article directories, the biggest being www.Ezinearticles.com. Sites like this offer your content for free to their visitors in exchange for letting you include links. Do a solid job there and you can almost guarantee an increase in traffic.
3. More Print Products: Great content isn't just useful online, there's plenty to do with it offline too. Having a book is by no means the end of a project. For example, not everyone wants a book so booklets, tip sheets and magazine articles are all useful ways to get your content into the hands of an even wider audience.
Now It's Your Turn
Hopefully, this short list gives you a glimpse as to the importance of good content as well as some ideas for how to use it in your own marketing plans. It's a challenge to keep up sometimes for sure, but also definitely worth the effort. What kind of content (besides good) are you going to add to your marketing mix in 2011 and how will you use it?
-------
Cheryl Pickett is an author and content creation coach with a passion for helping other message-driven authors & entrepreneurs to impact and inspire their audiences. If you aren't sure about how to create the content you need, you can learn how in her new course, Write Your BEST Right Now, which begins in March. You can even attend from the comfort of your home. Find out more about the course along with more news and tips you can use at www.cherylpickett.com
February 7, 2011
Tips For Publishing On The Kindle By Joanna Penn
It's my privilege to introduce you to a colleague of mine who has just published her first novel, a thriller entitled, Pentecost (Paperback or Kindle). Her novel is similar with its fast-paced action that intertwines biblical history and fiction together that I tried to accomplish with my novel, The Samson Effect.
Joanna is launching her book with a blog tour and I am honored to host a spot on the tour for her. To tie in with the marketing tips focus of this blog, I asked Joanna to give some of her tips on how to publish your book on the Kindle format. Since she is also a prolific video blogger, I pushed the envelope and asked if she could submit her post as a video. She graciously agreed and I'm happy to share it here with you today.
If you are reading this post via your e-mail subscription or through a syndicated source, you will have to visit my blog to see the embedded video. Once you have watched her short video, stop by Amazon.com and pick up her fascinating book. There you can read my 5 star review of her book, along with the others who also loved the book as well. Then, stop by her blog, The Creative Penn, to read more of her book marketing tips. Her blog is a staple for me, and I know it will be for you as well.
Tips For Publishing On The Kindle
By Joanna Penn
History Fiction and Fact Collide- 5 Stars
Mix history, fast-action and fiction together and you get Joanna Penn's debut novel, Pentecost. Each page prompts you to turn to the next one, making it difficult for you to put this book down. This thriller is set in the Christian history that most are familiar with, but takes a new look at it through the author's creative and intriguing fiction that is woven throughout the story. The characters, plot and action weave together keep your interest piqued on every page. A lot of comparisons have been made to Indiana Jones, Lora Croft, The Da Vinci Code, and others, but Penn has created an entertaining work that stands on its own. I sincerely hope that Pentecost is the first of many fast-paced thrillers from this debut author.
-Tony Eldridge, Amazon.com Review
Joanna is launching her book with a blog tour and I am honored to host a spot on the tour for her. To tie in with the marketing tips focus of this blog, I asked Joanna to give some of her tips on how to publish your book on the Kindle format. Since she is also a prolific video blogger, I pushed the envelope and asked if she could submit her post as a video. She graciously agreed and I'm happy to share it here with you today.
If you are reading this post via your e-mail subscription or through a syndicated source, you will have to visit my blog to see the embedded video. Once you have watched her short video, stop by Amazon.com and pick up her fascinating book. There you can read my 5 star review of her book, along with the others who also loved the book as well. Then, stop by her blog, The Creative Penn, to read more of her book marketing tips. Her blog is a staple for me, and I know it will be for you as well.
Tips For Publishing On The Kindle
By Joanna Penn
History Fiction and Fact Collide- 5 Stars
Mix history, fast-action and fiction together and you get Joanna Penn's debut novel, Pentecost. Each page prompts you to turn to the next one, making it difficult for you to put this book down. This thriller is set in the Christian history that most are familiar with, but takes a new look at it through the author's creative and intriguing fiction that is woven throughout the story. The characters, plot and action weave together keep your interest piqued on every page. A lot of comparisons have been made to Indiana Jones, Lora Croft, The Da Vinci Code, and others, but Penn has created an entertaining work that stands on its own. I sincerely hope that Pentecost is the first of many fast-paced thrillers from this debut author.
-Tony Eldridge, Amazon.com Review
January 27, 2011
5 Areas To Help Authors Consider Their Personal "State Of The Union"
On Tuesday, those of us in the US listened to President Obama deliver his State Of The Union address to the people and the joint session of Congress. The US Constitution directs the president to deliver a State Of The Union to Congress "from time to time."
A state of the union is an important message designed to take stock of where we are, and as tradition has it, where we need to go. As authors, when was the last time you thought about your "State Of The Union," or your "State Of The Author?"
In this blog, we focus on giving tips to help you with your marketing message. But there are other things that you need to contemplate to get a clear picture of where you are in order to help you know where you need to go. Here are a few things I'd suggest you think about as you consider your "State Of The Author":
1. Where am I in my marketing plan?- Have you outlined a marketing plan? Are you achieving your goals? Do you see opportunities for changes with your plan? Are you treading water or making progress?
2. Where am I with my writing goals?- I mentioned in a recent post that the main thing that writers do is write. Are you getting too caught up with writing related activities that your writing is suffering? Do you need to work in more writing time for yourself or are you pleased with the time you have devoted to actually writing?
3. Where am I with my learning activities?- In my opinion, writers need to continue to learn their craft. Are you happy with the books you've read on the craft of writing? How about the classes you have taken to help you hone your writing skills? Do you feel like you have fed your need to learn well?
4. Am I as well-read as I need to be?- Part of the creative process is to read other authors. What have you read as a non-fiction writer to help you see what other experts in your field are saying? What novels have you read to help you add to your literary experience?
5. Am I making/maintaining networking relationships?- Writing can be a very lonely activity, so it's important we seek out relationships to help us walk that lonely road. Have you been active with a local writing group? Do you have online writing friends that you keep in touch with on a regular basis?
These are 5 areas that are great for us to take stock of "from time to time." By taking an honest look at where we are as authors, we will be in a better position to know where we need to go in the coming year.
And if you are looking to take immediate action on your learning activities or becoming a deeper well-read author, might I suggest my new Kindle versions of my novel, The Samson Effect, and my instructional book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests?
A state of the union is an important message designed to take stock of where we are, and as tradition has it, where we need to go. As authors, when was the last time you thought about your "State Of The Union," or your "State Of The Author?"
In this blog, we focus on giving tips to help you with your marketing message. But there are other things that you need to contemplate to get a clear picture of where you are in order to help you know where you need to go. Here are a few things I'd suggest you think about as you consider your "State Of The Author":
1. Where am I in my marketing plan?- Have you outlined a marketing plan? Are you achieving your goals? Do you see opportunities for changes with your plan? Are you treading water or making progress?
2. Where am I with my writing goals?- I mentioned in a recent post that the main thing that writers do is write. Are you getting too caught up with writing related activities that your writing is suffering? Do you need to work in more writing time for yourself or are you pleased with the time you have devoted to actually writing?
3. Where am I with my learning activities?- In my opinion, writers need to continue to learn their craft. Are you happy with the books you've read on the craft of writing? How about the classes you have taken to help you hone your writing skills? Do you feel like you have fed your need to learn well?
4. Am I as well-read as I need to be?- Part of the creative process is to read other authors. What have you read as a non-fiction writer to help you see what other experts in your field are saying? What novels have you read to help you add to your literary experience?
5. Am I making/maintaining networking relationships?- Writing can be a very lonely activity, so it's important we seek out relationships to help us walk that lonely road. Have you been active with a local writing group? Do you have online writing friends that you keep in touch with on a regular basis?
These are 5 areas that are great for us to take stock of "from time to time." By taking an honest look at where we are as authors, we will be in a better position to know where we need to go in the coming year.
And if you are looking to take immediate action on your learning activities or becoming a deeper well-read author, might I suggest my new Kindle versions of my novel, The Samson Effect, and my instructional book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests?
