Top Six Lies About Book Marketing: (And the Truths to Set Your Book Free!) – Book-Marketing
Top Six Lies About Book Marketing: (And the Truths to Set Your Book Free!)
If you're like me, you have a book and the passion to spend the rest of your life making it a success. But, with all the ways to market your book, the costs and the inevitable sinking feeling of utter helplessness, what can you do?You COULD run around in circles trying to get your book in every bookstore in town. You COULD write Oprah or the Today Show, and hope for a call-back. You COULD spend months crafting a book proposal and wait another six months for the exact right time to send it to the exact right editor at the exact right publishing house with the exact right level of interest to stand behind your book.But those are lies (well, for most of us, most of the time, they are) and here are the TOP TEN LIES and how you can avoid believing them:Lie #1: You NEED to get your book in bookstores.No, you don't. Visit your local bookstore-any bookstore-and you'll see thousands (maybe millions) of books crammed, piled, stacked and displayed. Do you really think that simply adding your book to this haystack will catapult you to success?Truth: The right bookstore at the right location selling the right kind of books to the right customers CAN catapult your book to success. What is the right bookstore? One that sells your kind of book, whether it be a Christian bookstore, a success store, a health store, etc. For my book, "101 Ways To Pray Better And Get Faster Results," I am targeting Christian bookstores in my area, especially bookstores in churches. They will give me the greatest amount of exposure to the people who will actually be interested in my book. Who buys your kind of book? What is the best place to sell it? Maybe it is at a grocery store, a pet store, or at an airport.Lie #2: You MUST get on Oprah.Yes, it would be nice to get on Oprah. Certianly, it could not hurt your book sales. But most people with this goal ask themselves the wrong question: "How do I get on Oprah?" Getting on Oprah is not the point, albiet a good objective, though a long-shot for most authors. However, as a natural optimist, I must admit there's no reason for you not to try!Truth: The RIGHT question to ask yourself is: "How can I create a book that Oprah would want on her show?" Why is this a better, more powerful question? First of all, it is focused on Oprah's needs, and she will only care about your book if it helps her and her show get more people watching and talking about (you guessed it) her. After all, you want people to read and talk about your book, don't you? That's why you're reading this article. Start with the right question, and you will end up the right answers. So how do you create a book that will appeal to Oprah? Write one that appeals to her television audience, mostly women who are at home at the time of her show. You can get more detailed, of course, and you should. Case Example: the new book "He's Just Not That Into You." Oprah has had one of the co-authors of that book on her show twice since its release.Lie #3: You MUST get a big advance from a big publishing company.Again, good idea, but it doesn't guarantee succes anymore than carrying around a four-leaf clover ensures good luck. You need more than big bucks to get people to read your book. In fact, the only thing that a big advance gives you is the knowledge that the publishing company will try hard to make people buy your book. Yes, that's a plus. Yes, you want that. But it takes more than that to squeeze into the ranks with Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Seth Godin (author of Purple Cow, among others).Truth: What you really need is a good book, written well, formatted with the reader in mind, that entertains, informs, pursuades and gets customers talking to each other. No easy job, I assure you. But it can be done. And is done. Here's how you can do it, too:*Gather up the most popular, talked-about books in the last five years (Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code, among others).
*Ask yourself, "What makes people talk about these books?"
*Copy the strategies, change/add/delete whatever you need to make your book more success-friendly.Also, create something (a flyer, a bussiness card, a bookmark, something) that your customers can pass on to each other. Or post up on a wall or keep in their purse or wallet. Make it good, funny, entertaining, informative, but make it something people actually want to keep (like a good article on book marketing =).Lie #4: You MUST get radio or television interviews.Like the other lies, this one seems true because all the big-name, big-book, big-salary authors do them. And I must admit that we, if possible, should do them. But, the lie is that you actually NEED them to boost your book sales. They might and they might not.Truth: What you REALLY need is to get your book in the hands of people who are ready, willing and able to buy them. How do you accomplish this? First, sit down and write out a description of the people who are most likely to be interested enough in your book to fork over money for it. Second, figure out where these people congregate: online, conventions, magazines, etc. Where do these type of people go to find the type of information which is in your book? Be specific. Write it down. Third, and lastly, get your book infront of those people in those places.For example: My book is on prayer, so I want to get it infront of people who are interested enough in the topic to trade thier hard-earned money to learn how to improve their prayer lives and get closer to God. So, in addition to attmpting the normal routes (getting book in bookstore, creating a website, trying to get book on Amazon.com), I also will contact Christian groups and organizations to give FREE talks on prayer, after which I'll offer my book.Lie #5: The MOST important part of book promtion is having a good book.Sorry, no that is not true. Yes, you should try to write the best book possible and give it a great, eye-catching cover, with a mind-grabbing title to boot. But, none of those savvy stratigies are the MOST important part of your book promotion. They only work if you can do ONE thing...Truth: The MOST important part of book promotion is (drum roll please) getting the right people to experience the great benefits of your book. If your book entertains, then that is the benefit. If your book explains or teaches, then that is the great experience.Who are the right people? People who will tell others about your book.*What are the three MAIN benefits of your book?
*Who should experience them?Lie #6: If you do all the things in this (or any one else's) article, your book will out-sell the Harry Potter Series.Truth: The outcome of your book promotion will be the result of your tenacity, creativity, passion, talent, and willingness to try new things until somthing clicks. If you can do that, you will one day succeed. And, my friend, I hope that day comes soon for you.If you enjoyed this article, why not print it out and share it with a friend or your writing group! Good luck!Christopher Kokoski is the author of "101 Ways To Pray Better And Get Faster Results," http://www.lulu.com/ck His passion to write great books(fiction and non-fiction) and help others succeed with their own books. He wishes you well and a quick rise to publishing success.
Why Should I Buy your Book? – Book-Marketing
Why Should I Buy your Book?
How would you like to have countless people clamoring for your books and willing to visit your Web site to buy them?
Most entrepreneurs wait until their Web site is designed before they think about marketing their products on it. What a shame!
When someone asks you about your book, maybe you've said, "My book is about?." You mention the features such as tips in a book or your story. Your story may be too long and bore your prospective readers. These mistakes will turn your prospective buyer off. What they want is a quick billboard visual of your book--your 30-60 second "tell and sell."
Without your "30 Second Tell and Sell" that strongly states the main benefit, audience, and what makes your product unique, you will bore your visitor and lose that attention you need to entice him or her to take out their wallets and pay you on the spot.
Your "tell and sell" gives your book audience a reason to buy. The "Tell and Sell" is the shortest sales letter you will write. You can also use this one to two-sentence blurb at any business meeting or appointment where you only have a few seconds to impress. Speakers refer to it as an "elevator speech."
It's Not the Book, It's the Hook!
It's best to know your sizzling title, unique selling points, preferred audience and benefits before you put words to paper, before you even write a single chapter. But, even if your book is already out, you can still motivate endless book sales with your "tell and sell." Be prepared to write five to seven versions until the best one emerges. And, remember your "tell and sell" must be clear, compact, compelling and commercial.
How to Build your Bullet Proof Tell and Sell
1. List your title. For instance, "Write Your EBook or Other Short Book-Fast!"
2. Add your major audience and benefits after you say the title.
Example: "Write your eBook..." offers authors and small business people short cuts to design and market your top selling book so you can share your unique useful message with the world, become known as the savvy expert, and make consistent, ongoing top money each month.
3. Add a sound bit that will help people connect easily with your book. Compare your book to a famous one. Call it a companion piece to a famous author's top title. Your potential buyer will want your book because it is in good company.
"Write your eBook" picks up where Dan Poynter's "Self Publishing Manual" leaves off. It's the nuts and bolts you need to market and design and fast-forward write a book that sells.
4. Put them all together, they spell your own "tell and sell" that you memorize with enthusiasm and share with everyone next time someone asks you, "What's your book about?"
Final example: "Write your eBook or Other Short Book--Fast!" offers authors and small business people like you short cuts to design and market your top selling book so you can share your unique useful message with the world, become known as the savvy expert, and make ongoing top money each month. Recommended by Dan Poynter, it picks up where his "Self Publishing Manual" left off.
The Big Benefits of Owning your "tell and sell"
When you know your "tell and sell" before you write your book, you'll be marketing while you write. You will give your audience so much more. Your book will be much improved because you will write more organized and focused copy making it easy for your buyer to understand. Every chapter will prove your "tell and sell." You will also write faster, because with focus, you'll need far less edits and rewrites.
Knowing benefits sell, you now can be ready when you meet anyone anywhere with your book's "tell and sell." Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com
Ten Ways to Make Your Book Outsell Another – Book-Marketing
Ten Ways to Make Your Book Outsell Another
Wouldn't you rather write a book that sells well than be stuck with unsold inventory? When you plan ahead with the 10 tips below, you will sell thousands rather than hundreds of your unique and important information or inspirational products.
1. Write non-fiction first. These books are 90% of total book sales. After non-fiction success, you can use your profits to partially finance a fiction project.
2. Write short books to start. Short books in any format, like eBooks, booklets, guides or special reports are faster, easier, and cheaper to write than full-length books of 200-300 pages. They can be as short as five pages (special reports), to eBooks that can be 5-100 pages (even longer).
3. Market to a book-buying audience. Women buy far more books than men, about 75%. If your message benefits women, you'll do well in sales. If your book solves a problem it will sell more. It's best to see the need and fill it rather than have an idea-then look for an audience.
4. Choose your cover and title with care. Image is almost everything. You have four seconds to impress your potential buyer. Be clear, use metaphor and make sure your title elicits a picture or an emotion. Keep your title short, preferably 5-7 words. What solutions and results does your book promise? See more free articles including "Titles Sell Books" on www.bookcoaching.com.
5. Expand your book into a series. Think of the huge success of the Chicken Soup Series. They have one cover for all the titles. The latest count is 68 million. Think of spin-off products that relate to your book. Some people prefer to learn by listening to a cassette. You may also want to serialize your eBook, sending one part or chapter a week through an autoresponder.
These formats actually help you sell more books. Other spin-offs include coaching, consulting, speaking, seminars, columns, or videos.
6. Impress your potential buyer within eight seconds with your back cover copy. The biggest mistake authors make is putting their title on the back cover. Since it's already on the front cover, you need to instead, put your sparkling headline at the top. For example, "Imagine 1000's Buying Your Book Next Month!" It must hook your readers, stir up their emotions, and hit their desire.
In 75 words or less, include the benefits your book offers. How to get more money, heart-centered relationships, more fame, and more health. Less stress and time spend in a project. Include from 3-5 bullets of benefits, what specifics your book promises its readers.
Finally, testimonials are the number one way to turn your potential buyer into a "take-out-their-credit-card-buyer." For information on how to get testimonials ask a book coach.
7. Create your written marketing plan before you finish chapter one. This plan covers your first year's launch period and lifetime plan. You'll want to market at least two years. Inexperienced authors wait until publication and lose a great deal of sales.
Your plan could include how many books you want to sell, your 30 second tell and sell, book reviews, news releases, the Online articles to market your book, the book signings, talks, electronic newsletters, and a book Web site. Without a written plan, an author creates vague results.
8. Put as much time into marketing as you did the writing of your book. Your goal is to have people read and learn from your unique message. Why plant a garden if you don't harvest it? John Kremer, book marketing guru, and author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Book, says to do five things each day. Five calls, five press releases, five online contacts or a combination of tasks. The book coach says spend 6-9 hours a week on online promotion.
9. Include online marketing to sell more books. While you can sell your books on other sites, such as Amazon.com, you will eventually want your own. You will make much less with Amazon and you have to pay for shipping too. An author without a Web site is like a person without a name. As an entrepreneur, your site needs to attract visitors and sell your products and service. Here you include testimonials, benefit driven headlines, and your sales letter to get your visitor to become a customer.
10. Start promoting your book several ways. If press releases, book signings, and back of the room sales dim, include online promotion such as writing and submitting how-to articles to top ezines and web sites. When you use his virtual marketing machine-the Internet- you will keep your book dream alive--getting it into the hands of thousands of readers rather than a few.
Start marketing your book right now, even if you don't have a Web site. Research by reading articles, contacting professional book and web coaches, or take a teleclass to find out how to learn non-techie ways to start your lifetime book promotion journey. Master book marketing like you would eat an elephant--one bite at a time! Watch your sales grow!Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com