September 22, 2010
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Table of Contents
1) Discover The Best Book Promotion StrategyBy W. Terry Whalin
2) Write & Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit
3) 12 Secrets to Selling More Books at Events
By By Penny Sansevieri
4) Watch this Video in the Next 48 Hours
By Jimmy D. Brown
5) Expand Your Reach With Twitter
By W. Terry Whalin
Discover the Best Book Promotion Strategy
By W. Terry Whalin
Tonight I'm going to be interviewing Raleigh R. Pinskey, one of the leading experts on book promotion, branding and public relations. Raleigh is the author of the bestselling book, 101 WAYS TO PROMOTE YOURSELF.You can hear my live interview with Raleigh about book promotion strategy at 5 p.m. PDT or 8 p.m. EST where for 70-minutes I will be grilling her about the best way to promote a book. We will start promptly according to www.Time.gov.
Sign up at: http://www.bestbookpromo.com When you register you will have immediate access to a special report by Raleigh R. Pinskey titled: CONQUERING THE FEAR OF PROMOTING YOURSELF,
TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORNS.
If you can't make the time of the call, please go ahead and sign up anyway because the entire teleseminar will be recorded. Everyone who registers will receive an email with the replay link. I hope to see you on the call and I'm expecting it to be full of important information for anyone who has a book. Here again is where to register: http://www.bestbookpromo.com
Ignite Your Dreams Now and Get Expert Advice in JUMPSTART YOUR PUBLISHING DREAMS by W. Terry Whalin. Pick up the paperback or the ebook version at: http://www.jumpstartdreams.com
Also you can sample the book at: http://www.terrylinks.com/jypd
Write and Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit!
New Book Shows How to Make Money Writing and Publishing Books, E-Books, Articles, Special Reports, Audio Programs, DVDs, and Other How-To Content.There are thousands of talented writers who make a pittance from their writing because they don't know what readers want to buy or how to sell it to them.
That's the opinion of Robert W. Bly, a self-made multi-millionaire and author of 77 book including Write and Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit, just published by Quill Driver Books. Here's where you can get the book: http://bit.ly/wassiff
According to Bly, the surest road to a six-figure income as a writer or Internet marketer is to sell how-to and self-help information.
While poems and short stories earn next to nothing, and most novels never pay back their advance, the public has a huge appetite for how-to instruction on everything from growing tomatoes to tantric sex.
“Some of the best-selling books of all time are how-to and self-help,” notes Bly. He cites as an example Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. In print since 1936, it has sold over 50 million copies.
In Write and Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit, Bly covers everything you need to know to make money writing and selling how-to information products, including:
• Choosing your how-to writing niche.
• Researching your topics.
• Different types of information products you can write and sell.
• How to come up with great titles.
• Writing solid outlines for info products.
• Creating audio CDs and DVDs.
• Make money with tele-seminars and webinars.
• Profiting from book and e-books.
• Giving lectures, speeches, and workshops.
• Publishing newsletters and e-newsletters.
The book is ideal for writers who want to finally make a significant income from their writing, as well as Internet marketers who need help selling information products profitably online.
Click here NOW for more information and to start writing for fun & profit today! http://bit.ly/wassiff
12 Secrets to Selling More Books at Events
By Penny Sansevieri
So you got a book event, great! Now you want to maximize it, right? You've heard your writing buddies talk (or perhaps read online) about the lack of attendance at signings, so figuring out how to maximize the event, regardless of the numbers might be tricky. While I spend a lot of time addressing online marketing, the offline component is one you shouldn't overlook. If book events are where you want to focus, then bringing in some ideas to help you sell more books is something you should consider.Some years back when I was promoting The Cliffhanger I ended up at a book signing in the driving rain, I mean it was pouring and the store was all but empty. It was amazing I sold even one book, let alone seven. While not a big number, the copies were all sold to people who were seeking refuge in the store from the rain and not there for my event. This signing taught me a lot about events and connecting with consumers in stores. If you have an event coming up, consider these ideas before you head out:
1. Marketing: First and foremost is the marketing of your event. But I'm not talking about the marketing you do in the media (though that is great too) I'm speaking of in-store marketing; this is what most folks seem to overlook. This is where you supply things to the store to help them market your event. Because the first phase of a successful event is driving people to it. Here are a few thoughts.
a. Do bag stuffers. You can easily do this in your favorite computer program, do two up on a page, meaning that you use one 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper to do two fliers. You'll want to ask the store first if they mind that you provide this, most stores or event venues don't.
b. Bookmarks: while most in the industry see these as passé, people still love them. You can do bookmarks and bag stuffers (or staple them to the flier) or you can do custom bookmarks with the date and time of your event. Nowadays it's pretty easy to get these done cheaply. Keep in mind that if you are having the event in a mall or other type of shopping area, you might be able to drop the bookmarks (or bag stuffers) off at the nearby stores to see if they'll help promote the event.
2. Book signings are boring: Regardless of where you do the event, plan to do a talk instead of a signing. People are drawn into a discussion and are often turned off by an author just sitting at a table. Marketing is about message and movement so stand up and speak. If speaking in public is intimidating to you, go to Toastmasters or some other local networking/speaking group and see what you can learn.
3. Unique places: If you want to get more attention for your event, consider doing events in unique places. We've done them in video stores, electronics stores, gyms, even restaurants (on slow nights); doing outside-the-bookstore events is a great way to gain more interest for your talk. Why? Because you aren't competing with everyone else at the bookstore for your crowd. When you do an event at a locale that doesn't normally do events, you'll attract more people just because it's considered "unique."
4. Show up early and talk it up: OK, so let's say you're in the store and there are a ton of people in there shopping (a book event dream, yes?), I suggest that you take your extra bag stuffers or custom bookmarks and just hand them to the people in the store. Let them know you are doing an event at such and such time and you'd love it if they can sit in. You'll be surprised how many new people you might pull in this way.
5. Customize: Regardless of what your talk is about, poll the audience first to see a) what brought them there, or b) what they hope to learn if your talk is educational. I suggest this because the more you can customize your discussion, the more likely you are to sell a book. If you can solve problems (and this is often done during the Q&A) all the better. You'll look like the answer machine you are and readers love that. If you have the answers, they'll want to buy from you. I promise.
6. Make friends: Get to know the bookstore people, but not just on the day of the event. Go in prior and make friends, tell them who you are and maybe even hand them your flier or bookmark (or a stack if you can). Often stores have Information Centers, see if you can leave some fliers there instead of just at the register. Getting to know the people who are selling the book is a great way to help gather more people into your event. If your event isn't in a bookstore but attached to a shopping area or mall, go around to the stores (and perhaps you did this when you passed out the fliers) and let them know you have an event and ask what you can do to help them promote it. If you can rally the troops to help you market your talk, you could triple the numbers of people at your event. No kidding.
7. Take names: I always, always recommend that you get names and (email) addresses from the folks who attended. Signing them up for your mailing list is a great way to keep in touch with them and stay on your reader's radar screen. If you have a giveaway or drawing, great! This will help you to collect names. If you don't, offer them a freebie or e-book after the event. Often if I'm doing a PowerPoint presentation I will put together a set of them (delivered in PDF) after the event. Attendees need to sign up to get them and then once they do, I include them in our newsletter list, which helps me to stay on their radar screen.
8. Pricing: Make sure your book is easy to buy. If you are doing this outside of a bookstore this is easy to do and will help your sales. I find that a rounded number like $10 or $20 makes for a quick and easy sale. If you can round up or down without adding or losing too much to the price, by all means do it.
9. Book pairing: One way you might be able to round up is by pairing your book with a freebie. When I paired Red Hot Internet Publicity with a second, but smaller, marketing book I took the awkward pricing of $18.95, bumped it up to $20 (so 2 books for $20) and quadrupled my sales after an event. Now the pairing doesn't have to be a book, it can be a special report or even an e-book that you send to them after the event.
10. Product and placement: As you're doing your talk (especially if it's in a non-bookstore venue) make sure that you have a copy of the book propped up in front of you so event visitors see it the entire time you are speaking. Hold up the book when appropriate and use it as an example when you can. This will help to direct the consumer's eye to the book - and making eye contact with the product is a good way to make sure it stays on their radar screen throughout your talk. When I do a speaking gig at an event that allows me to sell books in the room, I will sell four times more than I would if the attendees have to go somewhere else to buy it, so make the buy easy. If you can, make sure your books are for sale in the room.
11. Ease of purchase: Aside from pricing, if you're doing your own checkout make sure that you have many ways consumers can buy your book. I take credit cards at the event, checks and cash. Don't limit yourself as to what you can take or you will limit your sales.
12. Post event wrap-up: So the event is over, what now? Well, if you got attendees to sign up for your newsletter (you did do that, right?) now it's time to send a thank you note for attending and remind them (if they missed the chance at the event) to buy a copy of your book at the "special event price."
Speaking and book events are great ways to build your platform, but if you aren't selling books there's little point in doing them. For many of us, our book is our business card and thus, if we can sell our "business card" we can keep consumers in our funnel. If your book isn't your business card you still want readers, right? The marketing before, during and after an event is crucial to building your readership. While it's easy to say that events sell books, they often don't. I find that if you don't "work it" you often will find your time wasted. Seek the opportunities when they are made available to you - and then maximize them when they are, you'll be glad you did!
Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com
Watch this Video in the Next 48 Hours
By Jimmy D. Brown
What would it mean to your business if you had 1,000 customers sending you MONTHLY payments for your own membership site?When you hear those kinds of numbers being thrown around on salesletters,you're probably skeptical. Me too. It just sounds "too good to be true".
Well, I have made a believer out of many skeptics. I've broken the 1,000 broken the 1,000 paying member barrier not once, not twice, but THREE times! All three times it took me less than two weeks without any "product launch" or "guru partners" lined up to pull it off.
I've prepared a special video for you to watch which shows you the exact steps I used to make it all happen. It's a little over an hour in length. You can watch it at http://bit.ly/b6ldlb
No charge. No list to join. No hoops.
NOTE: It will only be available for the next TWO days. On Thursday morning at 11:00 AM, I'll be pulling it off the site.
** Don't have a membership site? Don't worry! I'm also gonna show you how to have your own original membership site up and running within 48 hours!
It's completely free and you can view it all online with no telephone calls or charges of any kind.
During this videocast you'll discover...
-- How to get 1,000 cash-in-hand, paying subscribers for your membership site even if you don't have "guru" friends to help you with a "product launch".
-- How to setup your own membership site in just 2 days if you don't already have one of your own. (His wife, who has absolutely ZERO experience setup one by following this simple plan ... he'll show you how.)
Watch the video now at... http://bit.ly/b6ldlb
There is a "printable guide" you can download at:
http://www.FinalChanceToBuy.com/curriculum_guide.pdf
**** ONE FINAL NOTE ****
Membernaire is being retired in a matter of days and will no longer be available for sale.
There is a special offer at the site for Membernaire ... instead of paying $27 per month for 12 months and getting your lessons weekly (total investment $324 over 52 weeks) you can...
Purchase the entire year's subscription for a one-time price of $247 and download everything NOW!
Details are at the bottom of the video page.
http://bit.ly/b6ldlb
Expand Your Reach With Twitter
By W. Terry Whalin
I hear it a lot from other writers. They say, "I understand Facebook but I don't get Twitter. Why should I fool with it?" There are many good reasons.
1. There are over 100 million people on Twitter and more people join every day. I've got a free Ebook about Twitter called Mastering Twitter in 10 Minutes or Less. If you are starting a Twitter account or revising an older account, I would encourage you to use free tools to set up the appearance of your account. For example, add a background using twitrounds. In a few clicks your site can look attractive, branded and professional. Also add your photo and some information about you in the profile settings section.
2. You can brand yourself as an expert in your topic and connect people to your information--if you handle twitter wisely. No one cares that you are eating tacos or mowing your grass. One key is controlling your message. Are you on message with each tweet?
If you think about my twitter, I only talk about writing, publishing, internet marketing and new resources for those purposes. I link to new things I've read or discovered. My tweets are focused--and you can do likewise to attract an audience. Also I encourage you to read this excellent article from Jeff Herring called Three Little Known Twitter Tips.
If you look at my twitter account, I have over 21,000 followers. How did that happen? It did not happen overnight but I've been on twitter for a long time. You gradually increase your followers--if you work at it. I work at constantly increasing my followers.
I turn on the email notifications in my profile. It is in the notices section of Twitter's settings. If someone begins to follow me, I get an email about it. Now you may be thinking that's a lot of email--and it is--but I have several reasons why I review it. Yes it takes a few seconds but I check out each follower to see if I want to be connected to that person. Some people are tweeting in a foreign language (not English). If they are tweeting in another language, then I block them and remove them from my twitter stream. Next I glance at their recent tweets, their photo and their profile. Some people are cursing or promoting something dark and adult-oriented. I block those people as well. In this sense, my followers are "qualified" or the type of people that I want to relate to and reach.
In addition, I send each follower a direct message which lands in their email box that says: "Thanks for following me, ______ (and I insert their name in the blank)! As my gift, please download a free Ebook at: http://www.straighttalkeditor.com" I add their name into this message so they know it came from a real person--not a machine. I offer them a quality gift--if they give me their first name and email address. Through this simple process, every day I'm adding people to my mailing list.
Also you would be surprised at the people I'm able to dialogue with through the little 140 character messages. I'm paying attention to Twitter and it continues to grow and expand.
Finally my tweets are automatically put on Facebook and LinkedIN. If you are not doing this, then look around for the application to add your tweets into these other social networks. You have to make a one-time action to turn on this application and get it working, then of course also you check it from time to time.
I don't want to overwhelm you with the material in this entry. Hopefully you can see that Twitter is a valuable tool for any author in their work to build a brand and a platform.