Gainesville Writer’s Resources
Here are links to many of the simple and inexpensive tools I use to promote and sell books.
Our Website is a Key Tool In Selling Patrick Smith’s Books
Buy a URL: Godaddy.com https://www.godaddy.com/
Host Your Website: Hostgator http://www.hostgator.com/
Build Your Website: WordPress (available with Hostgator account) http://Wordpress.org NOT WordPress.com This website is produced on WordPress.
Also Promote Your Book On Facebook – create a page for your book or book tour.
You don’t always have to have a website. You can create a store on Facebook using programs such as Shopify.
How To Easily Create Videos To Use in Presentations
You can bring parts of your book to life with a video. You don’t have to be an experienced video producer to create impressive videos.
You can easily create animated movies: Animoto https://animoto.com/
Here is an example of a video created on Animoto. The images were in public domain and I hired the voice actor on Fivver for $5.00. See below for that link.
Where I get a LOT of video clips: http://www.videoblocks.com/
Great source of music, stingers, sound effects: audioblocks.com
Even if you don’t plan to do live presentations you can find ways to use a video for promotion, such as on Facebook, Youtube, blogs, Amazon.com and your own website.
Selling From The Stage, Using A Projected Program Is Our Most Effective Marketing Tool
We generate a large portion of our income by doing live presentations at locations such as libraries, schools, universities, historical societies, museums, festivals, etc. Public speaking may scare you at first but with practice, a good script to follow and a good presentation to rely on, you will be amazed at how effective this can be.
Presentation Software
Keynote (Apple only) http://www.apple.com/ios/keynote/?cid=wwa-us-kwg-features-com
Keynote For iCloud (in iWorks) for PC but limited https://www.apple.com/iwork-for-icloud/
Microsoft PowerPoint
Incorporating your videos (see above) into a live presentation has much more power than a static PowerPoint presentation or a talk. Make it interesting!
Where To Find Inexpensive Images To Use In Your Video or Promotional Material
Inexpensive Paid Images
Dreamtime for images http://www.dreamstime.com/
Dollar Photo Club https://www.dollarphotoclub.com/
fotolia http://us.fotolia.com
FREE Images (Public Domain):
• One million images at http://www.openculture.com/2013/12/british-library-puts-1000000-images-into-public-domain.html
• British Library Public Domain Collection at Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary
• Getty Images at http://www.getty.edu/about/openconten...
VERY Inexpensive Creative Services
$5 voiceovers, graphics, creative services: Fivver https://www.fiverr.com/
Printing Services We Use and Recommend
Having “leave behinds” is a great way to keep you name in front of your audience. In our shows we give out programs, which function as sales sheets. We also print custom bookmarks which are sales oriented and have a reference to our website and phone number so our customers can always find us.
http://www.Printplace.com printed our bookmarks and programs
http://www.VistaPrint.com produces a wide variety of marketing materials
Are You Self Publishing?
Consider using Amazon Createspace – https://www.createspace.com
