Self Publishers – Hot Tips To Help You Promote Market And Sell Your Self Published Books Now
If you’re a self publisher and don’t have a big budget you can market and promote your book on a shoestring, thousands have done it. Be careful about your promotion and marketing dollars and don’t plunge into unknown waters — test, test, and test some more. It’s one thing to write a book, but an entirely different thing to write one that’s saleable, viable, and marketable. This article will provide you with some easy, free, and cheap book marketing, promotion and publicity tips to get you headed in the right direction fast.
Learning to write and use powerful search engine optimized press releases can often drive tons of traffic to your website while providing multiple back links that can lead to increased page rank and numerous top ten search engine rankings for your targeted keywords. Using press releases for marketing or promoting your book or book’s website has become increasingly popular as publishers discover the powerful benefits of using press releases. Mail a press release to all the trade journals in your field over and over again; you can use the same release.
Don’t underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales. When picked up by wire services, a press release can easily end up generating hundreds of mentions for your book. Send out at least 10 press releases to the print and broadcast media in your area every month.
Make sure you have at least one good press release, written in AP style that you can send out for the lifetime of your book. Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media.
When you get a nice write up or feature about you and/or your book, have it laminated and set it up on an easel at trade shows. Offer to trade writing a monthly column in a trade publication in your books’ genre, in trade for display ads on the same page. Every day it’s important to focus on a variety of marketing approaches.
Be your own publicist and send a press release along with a review copy of your book to publications in your book’s genre and to book review magazines. I’ve seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don’t advise it in the beginning — get your feet wet first so you know what you’re doing. Find a non-exclusive distributor with a good reputation to carry your book for the book store trade, as well as for other retailers.
Create an online contest and list it in online contest directories to drive traffic to your website. Place free ads periodically for your book’s website on Craigs List in different categories to drive even more traffic to your website. Make sure not to overlook the Internet; get yourself interviewed or profiled for sites both about writing, publishing and about the topics covered in your book.
It’s been my experience that book signings don’t sell many books for most self publishers and is often a waste of time; better to spend it elsewhere. You might give away your book in a raffle at a local function to get more recognition for your book. Submit articles to online article directories that focus on your book’s topic to drive customers to your website.
Build a web site that provides another avenue for ordering, a virtual online press kit and link exchanges with sites that relate to your topic. Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing.
If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way. Remember to make sure your book is listed in Books-in-Print; don’t assume it’s already listed.
The success of any book marketing effort depends on having a good book and just plain hard work; its been done many times before and you can do it too. I hope this article has provided you with a few helpful tips to accelerate your book marketing and book promotion efforts. Don’t delay another day if you’ve fallen by the wayside; make sure to focus on promoting, selling and marketing your book each and every day.
For more tips about book marketing and selling more books go to http://www.TwinPeaksPress.com since 1982, giving advice and help to authors, self publishers, ebook, and book publishers including media, and library mailing lists and more, press releases – online, wire service, offline distribution
How To Market And Sell Your Self Published Books Fast
It’s one thing to write a book, but an entirely different thing to write one that you know how to sell. With careful planning you can market, promote, and get (free) publicity (publicity is always free) on a limited budget; you can take the cheap and easy way. You may have the greatest book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it; publicity, promotion, marketing and a focus on selling more books should now be a big part of your daily life.
Send out the same press release to the editor of your local daily newspaper every week until you are called for an interview or are written up. Invest in press release submitting software and set aside time every week to send out a press release online to the press release directories. Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media.
Mail a press release to all the trade journals in your field over and over again; you can use the same release. Make sure you have at least one good press release, written in AP style that you can send out for the lifetime of your book. Learning to write and use powerful search engine optimized press releases can often drive tons of traffic to your website while providing multiple back links that can lead to increased page rank and numerous top ten search engine rankings for your targeted keywords.
Using press releases can be a very effective marketing tool if used properly. Don’t underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales.
Make sure to promote and market your book each and every day, both online and offline. Women buy more books then men; see how you can fit your book into the women’s market. Local radio shows and television appearances are good but are often forgotten within hours of the broadcast; make sure to make or get a copy of any television broadcast for future promotions.
Offer to trade writing a monthly column in a trade publication in your books’ genre, in trade for display ads on the same page. Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing. Find a non-exclusive distributor with a good reputation to carry your book for the book store trade, as well as for other retailers.
Contact any companies, corporations or organizations that might use your book for promotions; offer significant discounts for volume orders or for thousands of copies offer a specified amount above book production costs. Remember to make sure your book is listed in Books-in-Print; don’t assume it’s already listed. When you get a nice write up or feature about you and/or your book, have it laminated and set it up on an easel at trade shows.
Make sure your sales letter or flier is first class; this is your formal presentation of your title to the prospective buyer. Make sure not to overlook the Internet; get yourself interviewed or profiled for sites both about writing, publishing and about the topics covered in your book. Make five telephone calls a day that relate to marketing your book.
I’ve not found that book signings sell many books for publishers and are often a waste of time; better to spend it elsewhere. Your sales letter or flier should include an eye-grabbing headline, the benefits to the buyer, the book features, book sales information and testimonials.
If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way. I’ve seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don’t advise it in the beginning – get your feet wet first so you know what you’re doing.
You can market and promote your book on a shoestring budget. In any event, be careful about your marketing dollars. Promote, promote, and promote your book some more! Make sure do some serious marketing and promotion every single day, no excuses.
For more tips about book marketing and selling more books go to http://www.TwinPeaksPress.com since 1982, giving advice and help to authors, self publishers, ebook, and book publishers including media, and library mailing lists and more, press releases – online, wire service, offline distribution
Promoting Yourself And Your Self Published Book
You can have the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it; publicity, promotion, marketing and a focus on selling more books should now be a big part of your daily life. Authors, self publishers and book publishers can be very unhappy when they see boxes of books delivered from the printer, loaded onto pallets in their garage and not have any idea on how they’re going to sell them; don’t let this happen to you — be prepared. Your book selling, book marketing, and book promotion planning should begin before the manuscript is completed.
Using press releases for marketing or promoting yourself, book or book’s website has become increasingly popular as publishers discover the powerful benefits of using press releases. Don’t underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales. Your book press release should not be written as you would a sales letter or flier, it should be written for the editor and tell about your book in a factual way, no opinion or glowing remarks.
Learning to write and use powerful optimized press releases can often drive tons of traffic to your website while providing multiple back links that can lead to increased page rank and numerous top ten search engine rankings for your targeted keywords. Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media. Invest in press release submitting software and set aside time every week to send out a press release online to the press directories.
Send out at least 10 press releases to the print and broadcast media in your area every month. Make sure your press release spells out the ‘who, what, where, when, and why.’
Get as many testimonials about your book, as possible, from experts in the field relating to your title, not customers; use on your fliers and back of books. I’ve seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don’t advise it in the beginning — get your feet wet first so you know what you’re doing. Make sure not to overlook the Internet; get yourself interviewed or profiled for sites both about writing, publishing and about the topics covered in your book.
If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way. When you get a nice write up or feature about you and/or your book, have it laminated and set it up on an easel at trade shows. Your sales letter or flier should include an eye-grabbing headline, the benefits to the buyer, the book features, book sales information and testimonials.
Make sure your sales letter or flier is first class; this is your formal presentation of your title to the prospective buyer. Find a non-exclusive distributor with a good reputation to carry your book for the book store trade, as well as for other retailers. I’ve not found that book signings sell many books for publishers and are often a waste of time; better to spend it elsewhere.
Submit articles to online article directories that focus on your book’s topic to drive customers to your website. Place free ads periodically for your book’s website on Craigslist in different categories to drive even more traffic to your website. Create an online contest and list it in online contest directories to drive traffic to your website.
Market your book to your number one market first, and then go after the secondary markets. Build a web site that provides another avenue for ordering, a virtual online press kit and link exchanges with sites that relate to your topic.
Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing. If your book solves a problem, focus on this in your marketing.
The success of any self-promoting, book promoting or marketing effort depends on a good book and just plain hard work; it’s been done many times before and you can do it too. With well chosen book marketing and book promotion, online and offline, you’ll reap the profits you deserve for your efforts by way of the Internet and in your mailbox. Make sure to do some serious marketing and promotion every single day, no excuses.
For more tips about book marketing and selling more books go to http://www.TwinPeaksPress.com since 1982, giving advice and help to authors, self publishers, ebook, and book publishers including media, and library mailing lists and more, press releases – online, wire service, offline distribution
Book Marketing Tips Self Publishers Must Know
If you’ve written a ‘how to’ book you’ll find people are always seeking ‘how to’ information making your book easy to sell; in fact the most sought after items on the Internet are information products. Authors, self publishers and book publishers can be very unhappy when they see boxes of books delivered from the printer, loaded onto pallets in their garage and not have any idea on how they’re going to sell them; don’t let this happen to you — be prepared. Ensuring the success of any book is something even the biggest publishers have never been able to guarantee, but with a good book, a little or a lot of money, and just plain hard work the odds are in your favor; many have done it.
Your book press release should not be written as you would a sales letter or flier, it should be written for the editor and tell about your book in a factual way, no opinion or glowing remarks. When picked up by wire services, a press release can easily end up generating hundreds of mentions for your book. Make sure you have at least one good press release, written in AP style that you can send out for the lifetime of your book.
Send out at least 10 press releases to the print and broadcast media in your area every month. Don’t underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales. Make sure your press release spells out the ‘who, what, where, when, and why.’
Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media. Mail a press release to at least 1000 print and broadcast contacts just prior to publishing your title and again and again after you publish; you can never send too many.
I’ve not found that book signings sell many books for publishers and are often a waste of time; better to spend it elsewhere. I’ve seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don’t advise it in the beginning — get your feet wet first so you know what you’re doing. Find a non-exclusive distributor with a good reputation to carry your book for the book store trade, as well as for other retailers.
Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing. It’s important to publish a website that focuses on your title; you’ll be able to refer editors and customers and all interested parties to your book information with the click of a mouse. When you get a nice write up or feature about you and/or your book, have it laminated and set it up on an easel at trade shows.
Build a web site that provides another avenue for ordering, a virtual online press kit and link exchanges with sites that relate to your topic. Be your own publicist and send a press release along with a review copy of your book to publications in your book’s genre and to book review magazines. Make sure to promote and market your book each and every day, both online and offline.
Local radio shows and television appearances are good but are often forgotten within hours of the broadcast; make sure to make or get a copy of any television broadcast for future promotions. If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way. Create an online contest and list it in online contest directories to drive traffic to your website.
Make sure your sales letter or flier is first class; this is your formal presentation of your title to the prospective buyer. Every day it’s important to focus on a variety of marketing approaches.
Market your book to your number one market first, and then go after the secondary markets. Contact any companies, corporations or organizations that might use your book for promotions; offer significant discounts for volume orders or for thousands of copies offer a specified amount above book production costs.
One of the biggest problems self publishers and book publishers tell me about is the hundreds of books they have in inventory they haven’t set up a marketing plan for; don’t let this happen to you — get prepared now. Now promote, promote, and promote your book some more! Make sure do some serious marketing and promotion every single day, no excuses.
For more tips about book marketing and selling more books go to http://www.TwinPeaksPress.com since 1982, giving advice and help to authors, self publishers, ebook, and book publishers including media, and library mailing lists and more, press releases – online, wire service, offline distribution
Fab Four Marketing
You know, once you start looking, there are lessons everywhere.
This morning, I was taking my son, Patrick, to school. We were listening to the Beatles- Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Patrick’s in the process of making demos in his bedroom recording studio, which provides me with steady “proud daddy” moments.
Anyway, we were talking about the Beatles.
They had an interesting problem- their drummer, compared to other drummers at their level, was… not to put too fine a point on it, but compared to,say Ginger Baker (Cream) or Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones), “weak.”
Ginger and Charlie had strong jazz backgrounds and playing rock was really “playing down” for them.
Not the case with Ringo.
They also had another problem, that would have destroyed a lesser group. Their best lead guitar player was singing and playing bass. Their next best guitar player was also singing lead and providing the strong rhythm guitar that drove the band.
That left George- who, in time, became a wonderful guitar player. However, when he joined the band, he was the same age as my son- 17- and compared to the lead guitar players in other bands of the time- Peter Green, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, just to name a few, he was pretty weak, too.
I can just imagine John and Paul sharing a stout at the pub, talking this over. They weren’t about to let little things like this keep them from conquering
the world. They were building an empire, and realized, rightly, that problems can be turned into opportunities.
The might have had a “what’s working, what’s not working meeting.” They knew they had great songs, great harmonies and melodies, a great producer, and an unlimited budget, which gave them access to symphony orchestras.
By recognizing the weakness of their drummer, they came up with some of the most creative rhythm tracks in history.
There are tracks where Paul played drums. There are hand-claps, tambourines, anvils, animal sounds, backward cymbals, car horns, all used as drums. Much more interesting than just a “good” drummer, but if they’d had a good drummer, they would never have looked for the alternatives.
There are places on Abbey Road, for example, where there are two complete drum kits playing at the same time, while a third snare is accenting the downbeat. By using technology and creativity, they were able to overcome what could have been a devastating problem.
They were equally creative with the guitar problem.
On the early albums, they solved the problem by ignoring it, and the lead guitar parts were so simple that pre-teens in bedrooms all over America were able to learn them. Some of them bought the albums because the guitar parts were simple- I know, I’m one of them. With just a few notes, I could be a “Beatle.” Brilliant.
Later, they would outsource- there are oboe, trumpet, violin, kazoo and “na, na, na’s” where a band with a great guitar player would have put guitar solos.
When they absolutely had to have a world-class guitar solo, they hired Eric Clapton to play it. Good choice. That beautiful solo on George’s song, “While my Guitar Gently Weeps,” is Eric, and it’s one of the high-points of western civilization, in my opinion.
On Abbey Road, again, towards the end of side 2 (yes, I’m that old), there is a 3-guitar shoot-out, where George, Paul, and John take turns playing their hottest licks. John always said that he won the shoot-out, but if that’s Paul on the Les Paul, I’d disagree.
Of course, by the time the “White” album came out, the Beatles weren’t really speaking to each other, and this led to John, Paul and George playing all the instruments on their songs- which is also how I make my CDs. Technology rocks.
I’m assuming Ringo spent some time at the pub.
Now, all these years later, what lessons can we learn from the Fab Four?
1. Every problem is an opportunity.
We all have our gifts- our talents
and abilities- but none of us has ALL of them.
Be honest with yourself about what your gifts and talents are. In the places where you’re weak, realize that you are free. It’s liberating, once you get used to it. If you want an e-book empire, but can’t write- congratulations. You’ve got the public domain, and there have been some serious fortunes made with public domain works. You can go to elance.com and hire a writer- they’re cheap. You can speak your thoughts, and record them- and sell the recordings. You can interview others and record the interview- products are everywhere.
2. Don’t let the lack of some resource stop you from making your dreams come true. Once you know what you don’t have, you can creatively find ways to use what you do have to get your project done.
Excuses are wonderful, aren’t they? Once you’ve got a good one, you can hide behind it for years.
Recognize excuses for what they are, delete them, and turn your problems into opportunities. If you don’t have money, a huge list, or a clue, team up with someone who does, and succeed anyway.
Then write a book about how you did it, and sell the book.
Keep your eyes open- opportunities are everywhere.
Pat O’Bryan is the CEO of Practical Metaphysics, Inc., Director of the Milagro Research Institute, an award winning songwriter, recording artist, visual artist, author, video producer and internet marketer.
http://www.patobryan.com