Tony Eldridge's Blog, page 7

Great Marketing Tips for Authors By Jason Miner

In today's post, I welcome Jason Miner of blogcarnival.com. Jason has generously agreed to share his thoughts with my readers on book marketing. His post distills the essence of book marketing. After reading his post, I encourage you to search this blog for many ideas on how you can execute on each of his points. With over 500 posts written by me and a host of experts, I'm confident that you'll find more ideas than you can use!



Good luck with your personal book marketing endeavors!





Great Marketing Tips for Authors 

By Jason Miner



Writing is a difficult and tense activity; when an author finally completes a book, it is essential to market the book properly. Failure to attempt any brand of marketing may imply that the book will not sell. The information below may help an author market a book to a wide audience.


1. Engage with Readers - If a person wishes to attract attention, it is vital for an author to talk to readers and potential readers. He or she should engage in conversations and avoid appearing antisocial. Some people may assume that an author is not worthy of attention if the author is not willing to socialize with the public. An author should attempt to attend as many events as possible. When an author receives an email, he or she should answer it in a timely manner. The reply does not have to consist of several paragraphs; it is enough to acknowledge the email.


2. Establish a Personality - Many authors are aware of the fact that a personality is crucial in order to succeed. An author cannot hope to attract an audience if he or she is not willing to display a mature character. For example, an author who wishes to sell a romance novel should not behave in a childish manner. Readers will be able to connect with a personality, and they will be able to see the author as a person. It may take a long time to develop a character; however, it is worth the effort.


3. Create a Website - It is not enough to talk to people; if an author wishes to make a mark on the reading world, it is a terrific idea to create a website. Some publishing companies handle creating a website; however, authors who publish without help should consider taking on the task. It is important to hire a website designer and plan the layout before making the website available to the public. An interesting website helps sell books in the long run, and it does not take a long time to create an online outlet.




4. Find Distributors - It is not unusual for an author to have few distribution options; this is especially true for authors who reside in small communities. When a book is only available through a few venues, it is hard for an author to market and spread the word. An author should look for distributors and work to make a book available in stores. When a book is available in several areas, it is more likely that the book will sell. The author will receive profits. It is not possible to market a book unless it is available on a wider scale, and an author will cut back on stress.


Writing and printing a book is strenuous work; however, it is not enough to create a book. If an author wishes to be successful, it is vital to market the book. The information above may help a new or experienced author reach a wider audience. He or she will reap the benefits.









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Author Bio:
Jason Miner plays a vital role for www.blogcarnival.com.  He is an expert in writing topics of different categories.  He is helping the carnival team to grow & working on making this an even better place for bloggers.








  




























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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 You Should Know About Book Covers That Your Publisher May Not Know- By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

I'm thrilled to have a veteran author of Marketing Tips For Authors back with us today. Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her publishing skills to us in this post by discussing the all-important book covers. She gives you 11 tips for you to consider regarding your book cover.



When you're done with the post, make sure you pick up a copy of her Frugal Book Promoter at http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo. It will give you the knowledge and tools needed to spread the word about your book.







What You Should Know About Book Covers That Your Publisher May Not Know

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

If you have a "traditional" publisher, or a publisher who does your book cover for you, do you really need to read this article on what makes a great book cover and the booboos too many authors and publishers make with their covers? All I can tell you is, I wish I had seen it before my first book was released!

These are your basic tenets for a book cover that SELLS:

1. Use a subtitle. It is your second chance to publicize your book right up front. Even books of fiction can benefit from a subtitle.



2. Use another subtitle on the back--not the same one as on the front. How many times in life do you get a third chance? This one will help sell your book to browsers who turn it over in bookstores to read the endorsements.



3. Use enticing blurbs on the back, with lots of space between and around them. Use bold typeface, a frame or some other graphic trick to make them stand out.



4. Don't use borders on the books covers. Sometimes the spine doesn't align well in production and it will look like Mondrian gone awry.



5. Having said that, use a bright color or one dark enough for your cover to stand out online. White gets lost or looks ghostly on an B&N.com sales page.



6. Use big letters on the spine. Make them read up and down if the title isn't too long, instead of making the reader twist his/her head to see it on the shelf.



7. Author bios needn't go on the back cover of your book. They do equally well in in the back matter and you'll have more space to convince readers of your expertise or credibility as a writer. 



8. An author's picture that tells more of a story than just a head shot is desirable. (If you would like to see an example of this, my picture is with my Great Dane, e-mail me at HoJoNews@aol.com and I'll send it to you. She is spotted and looks like an overgrown Dalmatian so she catches everyone's eye!) It should be taken by a professional. There are little things about shadows and the position of your head that an amateur photographer won't get right.



9. Make the title big. And your name. Look at the covers in bookstores. The real standouts are the ones that aren' t squeamish about shouting out these most important marketing tools. The title is at the top. The authors' name at bottom. Nora Roberts wouldn't put up with puny lettering, so why should you?



10. Discourage your publisher from using a template. Some subsidy-, partner, or independent publishers make their covers as similar as seeds from a thistle.



11. If you are independently published, consider using a real pro for you cover, not your uncle who happens to be a graphic designer but knows nothing about book covers per se. To get an idea of what great covers look like, visit http://chazdesimone.com or check out the cover on the second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter at http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo. And don't look at my novel. I'll do a better job with it when I republish it on my own.







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Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Instructor for nearly a decade at the renowned UCLA Extension Writers' Program. Author of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally books including the second edition honored by USA BOOK NEWS

The Frugal Book Promoter ( http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo )





















  




























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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.

The Importance of Your Personal Brand By Maria Elena Duron

We've spent a lot of time on this blog discussing the importance of branding for authors. In today's guest post, Maria Elena Duron of Buzz2Bucks.com continues the discussion with her thoughts on author branding. When you're done reading her post, be sure to visit buzz2bucks.com to learn more about her and her firm.







The Importance of Your Personal Brand

By Maria Elena Duron



Developing your personal brand is an ongoing process. Regardless of the profession, there are certain methods and practices that each of us apply in order to improve visibility, develop network relationships, and ultimately attain our goals.



Developing your brand as an author



When it comes to developing a brand, have you ever considered yourself an author? You write your blogs, articles, and even social postings, don’t you? Most might think that an author writes books or essays, but it is very true that anyone with a brand is an author in some manner. As an author developing your personal brand, it is up to you to reach your audience and create a valuable relationship with them.



As most authors recognize, writing quality content is the best way to get attention. What does your audience want to hear? Do you speak clearly? Are you talking to your audience? You don’t want to deliver a message that goes over their heads. But, how does an author further build their personal

brand outside of creative content?



Understanding your purpose



What is it that you want to do with your brand? This pertains to specifics because in general the answer would be to become successful. So, it is up to you to find specific goals that you want your brand to achieve. After all, you won’t be able to get there if you don’t know where it is you’re going in the first place. Once you understand your goals; it is crucial to develop a plan to achieve them. We start by determining the destination, then deciding on a path, followed shortly by
the journey there.



Meeting the right people



Are you using networks (both online and personal) the right way to make the best contacts? Online, you need to focus on developing relationships with your readers and fellow audience rather than just working towards larger view numbers.



The more people know about you and are willing to endorse your brand, the more likely they are going to share you and your brand through word of mouth. All things considered; recommendations are perhaps the factor that leads to the greatest number of new readers online. If your content is good, recommendations will be made. Whether it is relevant to the reader or not, they are now at least aware of you and your brand.



Individuals who recommend you online or in person are perhaps your most valuable assets to building your brand. Not only are they your most faithful contacts or clients, they are the individuals who will openly share your content and brand with their own networks.



Do you have a business card? Though technology has created new horizons for networking, the face-to-face impression upon contacts is still based on the initial meeting. Business cards fill in the gap and pose as a reminder and a greeting tool to begin a relationship. While they may seem simple, they present an image of expertise and professionalism towards potential contacts.



The importance of developing your brand image, regardless of your profession, is essential to your success. Always work towards developing quality contacts and presenting the right image for your name with an effective brand-building approach.





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Maria Elena Duron, is CEO (chief engagement officer) of buzz2bucks.com – a word of mouth marketing firm. She helps create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand. Maria Duron is co-founder and moderator of #brandchat - a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of branding that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.









  




























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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.

Master Your Marketing: Leveraging Social Media By Todd Hendrickson

In today's post, guest author Todd Hendrickson will share his knowledge on the role social media marketing plays in the way you get the message out about your business and brand. Since starting the blog in 2009, I've always looked for ways that authors could learn marketing techniques that people in any business can use.



It's often a foreign concept to many new authors that their book can be looked at as a product, but in a sense, that's exactly what it is. The same marketing techniques that help other products can help get the word out about your book as well. Todd has a lot of great ideas for you as you look to flesh out your book marketing plan.

(Image: cc licensed ( BY NC SD ) by giulia.forsythe)





Master Your Marketing: Leveraging Social Media

By Todd Hendrickson







Social Media is changing the way we interact, communicate, and the way we do business. The question any business should be asking themselves is how they can integrate social media into their marketing, and why is social media such an important part of a marketing strategy.




Follow the Leader




According to Forbes.com, 94% of all businesses that keep a marketing department integrate one of the three major social media platforms (Twitter, Google+, and Facebook) into their marketing strategies. If this many companies recognize the value of social media in marketing, it would be a step backwards for a company to ignore social media.




Hitting the Target




Social media is used by all ages of people, but the core demographic still tends to be the 20-35 range that most marketers target on the major platforms. That being said, social media is not just the big three platforms, there are niche social media sites that specialize in every age group, and every interest. This means less time with the blanket marketing, and more time finding your target audience and interacting with them. Kotex's "Women's Inspiration Day" Pinterest campaign is a perfect example of targeted social media marketing done right. It didn't target a huge group of people, but it spread like wild fire over all social media channels.




The Benefits




The benefits of social media integration into marketing strategies are enormous. One of the strongest benefits is exposure, by using social media, a company is now putting their name and their brand in more places, and using social media is putting the brand where the people are.




Since social media is web based, there is also a reduction in marketing costs, and most companies find an increase in leads, and sales.




Most importantly, the benefit of social media for businesses is the real time engagement of their customers. When a customer feels a connection to a company, they become loyal customers, and social media is creating the perfect platform for connecting and creating this kind of following.




Dangers of Social Media




There are potential downsides to social media, mostly with the real time nature and connectedness of the platforms. It often only takes one negative Facebook comment, or a viral YouTube video and companies can quickly find themselves in a negative spotlight on a global scale.




To deal with this, companies need to be aware, and monitor social media for anything that could potentially go viral, and immediately deal with it in an honest, straightforward manner.




What it takes




So we can agree that social media has evolved into a crucial part of a company's marketing strategy, but how do they go about doing it? Commitment is key. Most successful businesses that employ a marketing strategy will consistently update their Twitter, monitor Facebook, and work on their blogs and video channels. This usually ends up being a full time position, so it's a good idea to consider hiring a social media specialist.




Daily deals, blog posts, following customers on Twitter, answering emails, and engaging customers through Facebook are all ways that a company can integrate social media into their marketing strategies. As long as they are honest, and consistent with their message, social media can elevate their business to a new level of success.








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Todd H is a writer with a specialty in mobile marketing and social media. He has written articles for print and online for over 5 years, covering topics from qr codes to frugal shopping with coupons, and even a few car reviews.


















  




























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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.

Effective And Affordable Marketing Tools For Small Businesses! By Maya Johnson

In today's post, I'll be introducing you to Maya Johnson. Maya will share her marketing experience with you as she taps her extensive professional background of both online and offline marketing techniques.





As authors, we sometimes focus on online marketing to the exclusion of traditional offline marketing. Whether we're marketing for a book signing or a speaking appearance, considering all marketing avenues should be at the top of our marketing plan.










Effective And Affordable Marketing Tools For Small Businesses!



By Maya Johnson



In order to make good returns, any business regardless of size needs advertising. Many business owners are nervous about assigning money to advertising because they think it will cost more than they can afford. This just isn't true. In fact marketing and advertising is one of the most important things that every business should pay money out towards. There are 2 main forms of marketing in the world today - offline and online. There are many tools you can make use of from both forms of marketing. Below we have compiled a list of the best and most productive offline and online marketing tools that are often drowned out by banners, radio, SEO and television and therefore forgotten.




Online Marketing


Online marketing became more prominently used by business when people started searching the internet for solutions to a problem or for a particular product.




- Forums and Reviews: In today's modern world people are more cautious when buying a product or using a service and check reviews before parting with their hard earned money. With that in mind it is important that you encourage/enable your customers to rate your services and products online and post their positive feedback and reviews. This will certainly make more people aware of your company and its reputation.




- Emails Generate Leads: Nowadays most people, including your customers, have an email address. If you know how to find your customers email addresses or know of a way to encourage them to give it to you, then you can send them promotional emails about your products and services. One of the best ways to encourage them to purchase your products or use your services is to email them a printable coupon or discount code that they can use at your shop.




- Blogging: There was a time when blogging was quite difficult to start, but nowadays you can set up and personalize your own blog easily and for free. Blog sits now even include step by step instructions and tips to help you. If you do feel the need to have your own domain name, this will only cost a small amount of money.




Offline or traditional marketing is an effective way to advertise your business without costing too much.




Classified Ads: Although you may think this method is too old fashioned to generate any interest, people do refer to these ads when looking for particular products or services. It doesn't hurt to sign up and it won't cost too much to have a decent sized advert, which the newspaper editor will place under the best section that describes your business.




Catalogues: Before you worry, a catalogue advertising your products and services doesn't actually have to be a very big one. The important thing is that all your products and services are displayed in a bright and eye catching manner. It is also important to lay it out and word it in a manner that makes it easy for your customers and potential customers to read and learn everything they need to about what you are offering.





Brochures: Creating and using a brochure can benefit your business in 2 ways. Not only will it save you time having to explain the answers to frequently asked customers questions, but it will work as an advertising and marketing tool. Your company brochure should have an easy to read format with every detail listed clearly. The cover should encourage and entice your readers to open it up.




Banners and Flags: It is important that whenever there are local events or gatherings where potential customers will be meeting together and taking part, to put up some flags or banners. Make them as alluring and pleasing on the eye as possible, but the most importantly make sure the information about your company is displayed in the most creative and simple way possible.




The offline and online marketing tools described above are all tried and tested, so they are certain to work. They are also fairly inexpensive, so you can maximise the money you put aside for marketing without wasting money.




Online And Offline Marketing To Drive Visitors To Your Website




In addition you may be interested to learn some techniques for bringing more traffic to your company's website. There are many easy and cost effective ways to achieve this, both online and offline. For instance, any of the offline marketing tools can be used as a method for advertising your website. Whether it is a brochure, banner, flag or catalogue make sure that your website's URL is printed clearly and easy to read. Driving traffic and potential customers online can be achieved by using a variety of methods including: link building; PPC advertising; distributing press releases; creating reviews of your website in forums and following the rules of SEO when it comes to the use of keywords and tags associated with your website. Other methods include uploading videos with user friendly and search friendly information so that they rank well and more people see them.




Clearly, marketing is not a waste of money and regardless of how much money you have to put towards the many streams of offline and online marketing is not important. What is important is that you actually make use of even just some of the tools and techniques mentioned in this article. If you do, you are sure to see greater interest in your company and an increase in sales.




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Maya Johnson is a journalist who specializes in writing business related texts. Her experience, acquired at Star Outdoor, Australian outdoor marketing company that specializes in the production of flag banners, gives her insight into new trends in advertising and branding strategies. In her free time, Maya loves to travel.










  




























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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.

5 Tips for Marketing Your Book on Twitter By Amy Harris

 Today's guest writer is Amy Harris, writer for Financial Training. In today's post, she's going to share her ideas about marketing your book on Twitter. She has a lot of great tips to use and when you're done, search this blog for even more great tips on using Twitter to marketing your book.



 

5 Tips for Marketing Your Book on Twitter

By Amy Harris



Thinking About Marketing Your Book on Twitter?



Twitter is an amazing marketing tool that can launch your book into the public domain, quickly and effectively. At the same time, putting the right Tweets out there will help to expand your network of fans and really get your book talked about. But how do you market your book without it looking like a stream of sales pitches? The following tips can help to get your book out there, right where you want it to be, and keep you out of the danger zone of marketing turn offs.



Five Tips To Make an Impact



When it comes to marketing a book on Twitter, you can gain some real insight from your followers about all sorts of things, from your choice of book cover to things like where to have your next book signing. Use these tips to get started, but remember to keep the communication going, even when you're on the road.



1. Twitter Is Social

Promoting your book on Twitter means you want to reach a wide audience - and that means using your real name and your own picture. Hiding behind the cover of your book, or using a made up name of any kind – even if you think it's kind of quirky - could put people off interacting with you on your page. You've got to be social if you're going to get your book out there to the people you want to reach.



2. Put Your Twitter URL on Everything

Get your Tweets out there by putting your Twitter URL wherever you have a presence on the internet, and especially if you run your own blog or website. Anyone who reads an article or blog post about your book will have the chance to click through to your Twitter page and get involved in the launch of your book, or any promotional activities you have going on. Linking things to your Twitter page says you mean business about the book you are promoting.



3. You Are Who You Follow

Following other authors on Twitter will not only extend the reach of your network; it will let your followers know that you are a serious author. This can also give you an edge that says "real writer". Having a good mix of people you follow shows that you're interested in people and what they have to say about your book; and there's no better way to reach readers than to interact with them.



4. Re-Tweeting Is Important Too

Letting your network of followers know about anything else you've picked up on about your book, and making recommendations for things to explore, is one of the best things about using Twitter. It can turn the buzz up a notch or two, but don't overdo it if you don't want to look like you're 'selling'.



5. Show Up Every Day

So, you've put your book out into the Twitter-Sphere, and now you need to keep the momentum of the buzz going. If you're a 'no show' on your Twitter page, then your potential new readers are not going to hang around. Keep up with what's going on with your followers, as well as making regular Tweets throughout the day. The last thing you want to do is make it seem like you're not a real presence.



The Friendly Connection

Marketing your book on Twitter can't be a hard sell. There's got to be a human side to it and that means connecting with people in a friendly way. Don't be afraid to start up a dialogue - and remember, if you can engage with your followers, that's a lot of the hard work done!

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Amy Harris is a writer for Financial Training - which helps students around the globe find the right finance and business courses (such as CIMA certificate courses). She enjoys helping students find the right school & career path after graduation.












  




























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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.

Branding Trends and Tips For Creative Business By David Veibl

I'm excited to introduce you to our guest writer today, David Veibl from Struck.com, a creative agency in Salt Lake. David will be discussing something that's important to everyone who's trying to attract attention to their products and services, especially authors.



If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you've read many posts on the importance of branding. Today, David adds his voice to this timely topic.











Branding Trends and Tips For Creative Business

By David Veibl



It's an exciting time for brand builders - technology has leveled the playing field and made it easier than ever for great ideas and awesome products to rise to the surface.  A marketing budget no longer needs to be in the 7 figures in order to reach a large audience. 



Although technology has changed many things, the essence of branding hasn't changed - the same principles that worked in the 1920s, 30s, or 40s still work today, because human psychology still works the same way.  Without a clear, distinct message that appeals to your target market, your brand will still fail. 



But while the essence of branding hasn't changed, the platforms certainly have, and with these new platforms also come new challenges.  As we become more connected to the instant gratification of the Internet, we become desensitized and more demanding.  Long gone are the days where the family would gather around the television and enjoy an evening of network programming - soaking in all the commercials.



The modern consumer is a click away from another website, another video, another opinion, another product.  If you're trying to attract customers and grow your brand, here are a couple of actionable tips that will help you capture the modern consumer's attention.



Learn To Write Captivating Headlines



To capture the attention of the modern online audience, the most important skill you can develop as a diy marketer or entrepreneur is the ability to write a great headline.  Studies have shown that 83% of people only read headlines, meaning that marketing campaigns built around weak headlines are destined to fail.



If you find that your search/contextual ads are consistently getting lower click through rates than you'd like, there’s a good chance that these rates can be dramatically improved with a better headline.  A common mistake is to go for a cute or catchy headline and neglect the basic principles of copywriting, which is to communicate your value proposition simply and clearly.  One simple way you can instantly write better headlines and increase conversion/click through rates is to follow this simple formula: 




End Result Desired By Customer + Specific Time Period + Address Objections


A great example of this formula in action is the classic Dominos pizza slogan – "Hot fresh pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or it’s free".   Although this was Dominos' slogan all the way back to in the 1980s, the formula was so effective that many people still remember it to this day.



Of course, there are many other ways to write great headlines and you don’t necessarily need all 3 elements to be effective.  If you only have the first element in your headline - the end result desired by the customer - your headline writing will already be that much more effective. 



 If you're not getting the results from your current headlines, this is a proven framework towards creating captivating headlines.  If you’d like more information about creating captivating headlines and copywriting, some highly regarded resources on the subject include the book Ca$hvertising by Drew Eric Whitman, The Boron Letters by Gary Halpert (available free online), and the "Magnetic Headline" series from Copyblogger.com.







Use Retargeting



A previously unknown standup comic once said that no one recognized him after his 1st appearance on the Tonight show.  In fact, people didn't really start to recognize him on a regular basis until he had appeared on the Tonight show 10 times - that's 10 appearances on one of the most watched nationally televised programs in the country.  Another famous marketing study indicated that consumers only start to recognize a brand being exposed to it 7 times.



A great way to turn this phenomenon to your advantage is to use retargeting to market to your window shoppers - visitors who came to your website but didn' buy.  Retargeting works by showing your company's ads to customers who have already visited your site and left without purchasing.  Maybe they clicked through a link and didn't find your value proposition strong enough, maybe they found your brand through Google but weren't quite ready to buy, or they didn't trust your brand.



Through their ad networks, retargeting companies will continue to show your company's ads to these missed customers, strengthening their trust in your brand through repeated exposure, and ensuring that they click through to you when they're finally ready to purchase a solution.  Essentially, retargeting turns your window shoppers into potential buyers.



If you're interested in retargeting, it's easy to get started.  The top companies currently in this space are Adroll, Retargeter, Fetchback, and Chango, although there are other emerging players in the market as well.  Each service has their own benefits and drawbacks depending on your specific marketing needs,.



If you're just getting started with retargeting and you're not sure if it's right for your business, Adroll offers a 2 week free trial that offers access to their self service platform with $60 of free advertising.  Simply sign up for the free trial, login to the dashboard, and set up your retargeting campaign using their user friendly dashboard.  And don't forget to include a headline that clearly communicates exactly what your customer is looking for.





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David V. is a guest writer working for Struck.com, a creative agency in Salt Lake.









  




























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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.

5 Reasons All Authors Should Blog by Ken Myers

I'm thrilled to introduce you to our guest writer today, Ken Myers. Ken is the editor-in-chief of gonannies.com. In today's post, he'll talk about why authors need to blog.



Whether you're a new author, veteran, or author-to-be, you've probably come to the conclusion that blogging is an important marketing tool for you. Ken nails home this point. 


 

  

 

 

5 Reasons All Authors Should Blog


by Ken Myers
  

 

These days being an author is markedly different than it once was. Self-publishing has become more of the norm, and talent isn't the only factor in getting your work published. This makes it imperative for authors who write for the love of writing and not for turning a quick profit to find ways to set themselves apart. Blogging offers a way to do this, and for some authors the progression to blogging is a natural one. For others, however, the thought of writing online in addition to putting pen to paper seems tedious and unnecessary. If you've been on the fence about whether to start a blog or not, here are five reasons you might want to consider doing so sooner rather than later:
  

 

1. Marketing Potential: Having a blog provides you with almost unlimited marketing potential. You’re able to not only market yourself through your daily writing, but also any books or other written works you’ve published or will publish. If you already have a website then integrating a blog into it is the perfect way to form a more personal connection with your readers, implement social media connections, and market your material.


 

2. Instant Feedback: While blogging is different than writing a novel or an in-depth article, it's writing nonetheless. As you gain a readership you'll find that people are willing to leave you feedback on your work through the comments section of the blog. Getting this feedback is valuable, and you’ll likely get a mix of both positive and negative criticism. When taken constructively, this criticism can help you recognize where your strengths and weaknesses as a writer lie and allow you to work on improving both.


 

3. Expand Your Audience: With blogging the world is literally at your fingertips because the internet allows you limitless potential to connect with people around the world. This helps you expand your audience and appeal to a much wider group of readers than you would be able to if you didn't get involved in the world of social media. And because blogging is such a personal endeavor it allows your readers to feel as though they know you on a more intimate level, giving you a more loyal following.


 

4. Extra Income: While you may make the bulk of your income through writing books, writing online gives you some extra earning potential as well. When you set up a blog you're able to sell advertising space, network with other writers and businesses, and showcase your work, which can open up plenty of doors for freelance work to do on the side.


 

5. Varied Experience: Writing your own blog, guest posting for other bloggers, and freelancing for different individuals and companies gives you a chance to explore different types of writing and experiment with your own writing style. Being able to write in several different styles makes you much more marketable as a writer.



 

There's no better time to get into blogging than now. The benefits it offers authors – better marketability, a wider audience, more experience, extra income, and constructive criticism – are unparalleled and can help you really hone in on your writing skills.  


 

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Ken Myers the editor in chief is a frequent contributor of http://www.gonannies.com/ Ken helps acquiring knowledge on the duties; responsibilities of nannies to society. You can reach him at kmyers.ceo@gmail.com.














  




























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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.

Online Review Sites, and What They Mean for Book Marketers By Rich Gorman

 


As authors, we open ourselves up to public criticism via our work. As bloggers, it's a given that we will offend someone, even if our blog is simply informational. Sometimes, people offer sincere criticism, while others are a little more sinister in their motives. Today, I have tapped Rich Gorman, from reputationchanger.com, to give his take on how to protect our online reputation.






Something specific to authors is negative reviews. After you read Rich's post, I encourage you to look at these posts that touch on online reviews and author criticism directly.







How to Deal With Negative Reviews of Our Books By Phyllis Zimbler Miller




5 Tips In Responding To Criticism By Tony Eldridge






Online Review Sites, and What They Mean for Book Marketers

By Rich Gorman




How does a consumer make an informed, prudent purchasing decision? The answer, more and more often, is by reading online reviews. Statistics reveal, time and time again, that online reviews carry a great deal of weight with consumers. In fact, many consumers trust online reviews as much or more than they do the recommendations from their own friends or family members.



This is true for all kinds of products and services. Take restaurants, for example. Thanks to sites like Yelp—as well as the advent of mobile technology—a consumer can obtain ratings of local eateries quickly and easily, even while on the go. Those ratings and reviews are massively influential in shaping consumer opinion.



Of course, the same is true for books. The days of Amazon.com being the only real hotspot for online book reviews are long gone; these days, consumers have innumerable options for finding opinions on new releases, and ultimately deciding whether those new releases are worthwhile.



The Problems with Online Reviews



It goes without saying, by now, that the Internet is pretty wonderful, and offers a lot of advantages—and that one of its biggest perks is the full freedom of expression that it provides. The Internet allows people to post anything they want, about any topic they want, which is, on some level, a good thing.



But it can also be a bad thing, because, well, people can post anything they want—including whatever they want to say about a book, or even about the author, personally. That’s the double-edged sword that the book marketer faces: An online reviewer can post a review that is baseless, completely ungrounded in fact. A reviewer can even post reviews that are simply unreasonable and defamatory.



These reviews can come from a number of sources. What many businesses are discovering, in the Age of Yelp, is that online reviews can come from consumers, but also from disgruntled ex-employees or even from business competitors. The same is true in the book marketing world: Book reviews can come from any source.



As such, even the best authors (maybe especially the best authors) can find themselves hit by bad reviews, at any given moment—and because reviews are so influential in shaping consumer behavior, they can lead to major damage, including lost sales. The question is, what can a book marketer do about these bad reviews?



Suppressing Bad Reviews



The bad news is that there is no way to coerce readers into leaving only good reviews. Bad reviews can happen at any moment, and there is nothing that can be done to prevent them. What’s more, once they are out in the open, there is no way to delete or undo them.



What can be done is review suppression. Here’s the bottom line: The average search engine user does not click past the first page of Google results, certainly not all the way to page 4 or 5. A negative review on page 1 of a Google search is going to be detrimental to book sales, then, but a review on the fourth page is unlikely to have any real effect.



The task of the book marketer is to suppress those negative reviews, keeping them off the first page of Google, rendering them non-issues. This is done by inundating the search engines with positive content, flushing the negatives out of the way.



How to Suppress



Where to begin? Social media is always a good starting point. Creating social media profiles, linked to the author’s name and/or the title of the book, helps to populate that first page of Google search results. An author’s blog can also be helpful; make sure to use Wordpress as the blogging platform, as it gets better Google rankings than its competitors (including Blogger and Tumblr).



Authors and book marketers should also snatch up all of the exact-match domains, associated with the writer’s name of the book title. For example, you should make sure that you own YourBookTitle.com, .net, and .org, and the same for the author name. Even if all of these domains are not used, simply having them is a helpful defensive move—because it ensures that these high-ranking domains cannot be used against you!



Some of them, of course, should be used. That’s the single best way to keep those negative reviews out of the limelight—by replacing them with positive, engaging content. Using these exact-match domains to publish book snippets, author profiles and interviews, or positive press from readers and reviewers can go a long way toward keeping those bad reviews at bay.



This is an ongoing process: Negative reviews are an ever-present threat, which means that there is always a need for maintaining this strong, defensive wall of positive content. By doing so, however, book marketers and authors can minimize the dangerous effects of unwanted publicity, and of bad reviews.



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For the length of his working career, Rich Gorman has been involved with a variety of companies and created tailored marketing programs for each of them. A thought leader in personal reputation management online and direct response marketing, he also operates the official blog for the Direct Response industry where he shares his thoughts on Direct Response Marketing.





















  




























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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.

The Top Places To Submit Your Free Kindle Select Books By Jim Kukral

I'm thrilled to welcome back author Jim Kukral to discuss ideas for marketing your Kindle books. He packs a lot of suggestions for us to consider. When you're finished with this post, make sure you read his previous one, The Secret To Overnight Book Marketing Success.



Like you, I learn so much from our guest authors, and today's post is no exception. To learn more about Jim, make sure you check out his book marketing agency, Digital Book Launch.



Oh, make sure you check out the video in the resouce box at the end of the post. It's a interesting idea for authors!







The Top Places To Submit Your Free Kindle Select Books


Jim Kukral




Is Your Book Going Free On Amazon? Save Time & Submit It To These Top Free Sites.




The business of providing free Kindle books is a BIG one nowadays. As millions and millions of eReader devices are being sold every month, those new readers are actively looking for new things to read. Every day a new "free Kindle books" site is being created, and pretty soon there will be hundreds, if not more of them.




The following are websites that have book submission opportunities. Most of them have a form where you can list your book for free and they will send it out to their members via email, Twitter or Facebook, or all of them! A lot of these sites have HUGE readerships and one single mention by some of them can send your book soaring up the best-selling lists very quickly. Some of these sites have paid sponsorship opportunities as well.




Important: When you visit each site, look for the submission guidelines. Don’t just fire off an email or fill out any form you see. There is usually a proper procedure that you MUST follow or you’ll just get ignored. Some of these sites are getting hundreds, if not thousands, of submissions for promotion every single day. If you were getting 1,000 contacts a day, would you even bother to read the ones who didn’t follow the rules? No, you wouldn’t, and either will they.




Tip: It's very useful to submit your book to places like these when you do your Amazon KDP Select free promo days. A lot of these sites send updates to the readers with free books and you probably have a better chance of being mentioned if you are free when you submit.




For example, for my latest book Business Around A Lifestyle I focused on spending time contacting the following sites and submitting my free book promotion day to them as a test. The result? Without any other promotion on my part except for a few of my own tweets, I ended up getting my book downloaded for free over 4,000 times. Not too shabby. Results may vary with your book.




Note: You can access each site on your own one-by-one, or just use the Author Marketing Club’s Free Kindle Book Submission Tool to submit to them all in one place.




Indie Books List




indiebookslist.com



Indie books lists promotes independent writers and their work. They provide excerpts and links of all book genres. The excerpts are posted daily through their blog, promoting independent authors and self-published works.




Pixel of Ink




pixelofink.com




Pixel of Ink is a husband and wife team who work together to bring you the best deals every day. They’re also joined by their three cats who sometimes join in on the fun, though so far, all attempts for them to speak directly to you on Facebook have been successfully thwarted. Though their "keyboard walker" has come incredibly close on many occasions.




Ereader News Today




ereadernewstoday.com




Ereader News Today is made up of writers that are passionate about reading and are also passionate about the Kindle ereading device. Their goal is to bring you the latest news and updates on everything about the Kindle whether it’s the first, second or third generation Kindle or the Kindle DX. As new generations of Kindles come out in the future they will give you the latest news and info on those devices also.




Books on the Knob




blog.booksontheknob.com




This blog grew out of an effort to keep my family and friends up to date when books were on sale or free in the Kindle store or an author website. Since then, it's grown to encompass many ebook platforms and includes free or extremely good bargains on music downloads, games or any other item or promotion that catches my interest. In addition to sale books in the major bookstores, I alert readers as to special coupons available for free or nearly free books, but generally disregard any "free samples", "free excerpts", books with advertising or other gimmicks, including those that seem to be mostly intended to get email info for a mailing list (i.e., internet only books created just to give away and drive traffic to a web site). I get more books to review than I can possibly read, but do mention them in conjunction with their release or a special pricing. I don't read all the books that get mentioned on my blog (I don't have the time, for one thing) and most I find on my own and purchase with my own money, a task eased by their being free, for the most part. Some books are sent to me by the author for review, either in electronic or physical form and I try to mention that when the book comes up in a post.




Free Booksy




freebooksy.com




We love to help authors!




We've found that lots of authors want to give away their books but don't know how to get the word out to their target readers. That's where we come in. We tell all our Freebooksy readers about your book. Our readers love free ebooks so there is a good chance they will download your book, read it, review it and tell their friends about it. It's a great way to create buzz for your book.




Freebooksy works with authors of most genres. (We like to keep things clean so no X-rated material please). In order to give away a book on Freebooksy your book MUST be available for free for the Kindle, Nook or Apple device.




Bargaine E-book Hunter




bargainebookhunter.com




What will you find on our site? We’re dedicated to hunting through the digital publishing world looking for eBooks at great deals (from FREE to $5.00) and putting them on our site to provide you, the reader, with a one-stop shopping experience. You will find titles that comprise the full gamut of styles from short stories to novels and from all genres.




Flurries of Words




flurriesofwords.blogspot.com




A site for book reviews, flash fiction, interviews, bargain books and much, much more. Their site also provides advertising options like Free Book Find, Indie New Releases and Book of the Day to name a few.




Snicklist




snickslist.com




A great site to find free kindle books. The site features their latest free kindles and Top Free in Kindle eBooks in Amazon.com.




That Book Place




thatbookplace.com




We started as a small store in the spring of 2006. As a used bookstore in southern Indiana no one expected us to last. We shortly moved into a new facility after opening and have expanded it many times since.




For our five-year anniversary we decided to add an author's fair to our normal outdoor tent sale. The feedback was good and we did it again for the six-year anniversary. It is now an annual event that can only get better as the years pass.




We branched out into a small press in fall of 2010. Hydra Publications came into being as primarily a small press of Speculative fiction (Science Fiction, Horror, Fantasy) so naturally our first book we put out was a historical romance.




Today we are looking into doing something new. Thatbookplace.com is going to be a new home to an exciting world of books for the Internet. We want to make it a place where authors can come and meet their fans. Where readers can come and learn of new books. Where... well you get the point.




Orangeberry Book Tours




orangeberrybooktours.com




You've written AND published your masterpiece. Now what? Many eBooks later I will tell you - this is only the beginning. Getting your book to your targeted market is the most challenging task of them all.




I've put together several marketing and promotion options for you to choose from. Some are FREE, while others will cost you a cup of coffee or a bit more.




But bear in mind that while these options will definitely increase awareness for your book, increased book sales and number of book reviews will differ from book to book.




Free Kindle Fiction




freekindlefiction.blogspot.com




Bring your dragons, aliens, vampires -even sparkly ones. We love dystopian, steampunk, other planets, romances, who-dun-its and other things that your imagination can form! All these books are free at the time of posting. THE PRICE CAN CHANGE at any time so make sure to grab the book for free while you can!




These books are free at the time of posting. Amazon.com changes their prices all the time so before you click on the download button, make sure the price for the Kindle Edition (not the Prime Members cost is $0.00 or £0.00.)




You've written AND published your masterpiece. Now what? Many eBooks later I will tell you - this is only the beginning. Getting your book to your targeted market is the most challenging task of them all.




Indie Book of the Day




indiebookoftheday.com




Indie Book of the Day (IBD) is a user-powered platform that recognizes the best among Indie Authors by honoring one awesome book everyday, with the indie book of the day award.




Indie Passion – Our visitors are passionate readers and our authors are passionate writers, we connect the two and we do all that for free, why? Simple! Because we are awesome and we believe in spreading smiles.




Book Recognition – Our philosophy is a simple one, authors don't care for sales or free advertising (at least most of them don't). But every author dreams of recognition, of being awarded and honored. Not because they are famous or rich authors, but because of their love for writing and the impact of their words in the lives of people.




Discover – IBD helps visitors discover one awesome book everyday. We bring the most loved books (by popular vote) and feature it to the rest of our visitors for an entire day. But above all, we honor the person behind the written word and recognize their creativity, contribution, hard work and passion for writing.




Free Book Dude




freebookdude.com




FreeBookDude.com was created to help indie authors spread the word on their free titles, as well as help readers find new and interesting authors. If you have a title that will be going free for either the Amazon Kindle or the Barnes & Noble Nook, please fill out this form to let us know. Along with allowing you to share your free titles with new readers, FreeBookDude.com would like offer a guest post spot, if you would like. These spots are a great way to connect with readers. If you have a book tour coming up, feel free to inquire about scheduling FreeBookDude.com for a stop. Thank you for taking the time to post your free title with FreeBookDude.com.




Again, you may want to use Author Marketing Club's Free Kindle Book Submission Tool for the complete list of these top free sites where you can submit your free kindle in one site. Just click on the logos on the site to load each site's form, fill in your details, and you're done.








Jim F. Kukral writes books that inspire and educate readers on how to live better lives and improve their businesses on the Internet. He is the CEO of a groundbreaking book marketing agency called Digital Book Launch. He is also the found of a free book marketing community for authors called Author Marketing Club.













Editor's Note: I found this new video by Jim. It's a great concept. After watching it, visit his link to the project at http://www.jimkukral.com/jimforlife/












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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.