Tag Archives: Book Marketing

How to Market Your Self-Published eBook

Posted on by

One of the questions I get from writers who have never written an eBook for the sole purpose of self-publishing is, “How would you promote a self-published eBook? Where would you even begin?”

Many writers balk at even attempting to play publisher, but if they only knew that it’s not as hard as they think it is, plus they keep to keep all the profits, I feel that more people would realize that self-publishing ebooks is not only a profitable venture, but they are really simple to promote as long as you take a no-nonsense guerrilla approach to marketing.

As long as you have a market, and have a quality eBook that is free of errors, your eBook can become a success, thus give you that added income. But, the great thing is, you won’t be sharing the profits with anyone. There is no overhead except for website expenses, which you should already have.

I have successfully promoted several eBooks for myself and for my writing group, getting those eBooks into the #1 position in the search engines.

How?

That’s where your guerrilla marketing plan comes in.

Here are a few simple ways I have used to promote my eBooks and get them to the top of the search engines:

1) Using key search words throughout my selling page and on every single piece of promotional literature I send out.

2) Using free press release sites frequently, keeping in mind to use those key search words not only in the title, but also throughout the release.

3) Using free article banks as vehicles to get my selling page’s link on hundreds upon hundreds of websites.

4) Using online storefronts who will list my eBook for free.

5) Using writer’s forums and websites who will let you announce your eBook.

6) Using blogs to announce your eBook and promote it.

7) Using others’ blogs to set up virtual book tours.

The secret to selling self-published eBooks (or any kind of eBook or print book, for that matter) is to get your link on as many websites as you can. You have to remember, you have an electronic book. You can’t go on book signings, so you have to rely on the Internet to get the word out. But, by following those seven examples above, I’ll guarantee you’ll get the sales you need.

So what if you’ve done everything above, and your eBook still isn’t selling?

Where some authors go wrong is that they fail to remember the most important thing you need in order to sell any kind of books–a market.

No amount of promotion is going to do you any good unless you have an audience who is willing to fork out the money.

Before you even put down that first word, you have to ask yourself these following questions:

Who is going to buy my eBook?

Why is my eBook any different than Joe Blow’s eBook on the same subject?

What will my audience gain from my eBook?

Can they already find this information readily on the Internet?

Will my buyers gain something from my eBook, or is it simply to entertain?

Pique your potential buyer’s interest.

Post an excerpt on your website so they can judge for themselves whether your eBook will be something they need.

Once you get into the mindset of your buyer, things start falling in place, and you’ll get those sales you want.

Zero in on your market, and do the steps I’ve outlined above, and I’ll guarantee you’ll be selling ebooks.

Happy promoting to you!

© Dorothy Thompson

Dorothy Thompson is the editor of The Writer’s Life (http://www.thewriterslife.net), one of Writer’s Digest Top 101 Websites for Writers, and the author of the self-promoting eBook “A Complete Guide to Promoting & Selling Your Self-Published eBook,” available at http://www.thewriterslife.net/promoteebook.html

Author: Dorothy Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Low Cost Prototype PCB

Self-Publishing – Not for Sissies!

Posted on by

“I’m going to write myself to freedom.”

Overworked and stressed, with two babies and a child wobbling badly in school, teaching music by day and doing microscopy for leukaemia cases in the nights between 8h p.m. and 12h a.m., that decision came from the murky depths. It was made on a week’s break, staring at the sea in the romantic light of a full moon. And it was the beginning of a journey that would boldly take me staggering on a road many have walked and more have failed on.

Did I reach my goal? Not by a long mile yet. But the landscape is beginning to look greener, and there are unexpected orchids along the way.

Writing has always been a part of my nature. A word of caution to would-be authors: If it comes easily, you’re on the right road. At least one part of this journey needs to be easy. If you begin with a roll of the eye and a great big sigh, perhaps try your hand at something more lucrative, such as nuclear engineering.

Here are the steps, point-wise, that I have followed. I’ll also outline the results of each step.

    • Submitting to hundreds of agents and publishing houses in a climate of world financial crisis – not clever. Only now, since 2011, do I have a literary agent… unofficially.

 

    • Self-publishing as ebook. Alright, that was seduction. The website was well-worded. It got me a couple of hundred views and some nice readers’ comments; hardly any downloads but as I could see the other authors’ stats too, I saw that I didn’t fare too badly in comparison.

 

    • Self-publishing as paper-book on Lulu.com. Good quality (though the binding could be improved); the books look good. Too pricey to offer to shops or sell directly, after shipping; even in “bulk”. But handy for sending single copies overseas.

 

    • Blogging. Careful: Blogging is addictive. The most important reason is the friends one makes online. One can easily spend days and weeks blogging, ultimately losing the way and forgetting that blogging is really a tool, not a hobby.

 

    • Online networking. Once again: Careful, addictive. I use Facebook mainly for games now, though I’m thankful that I’ve found so many of my old friends again. Neither of these have anything to do with internet marketing though.

 

    • After the necessary distractions of blogging and online networking, back to reality: Reviews. I got both readers’ comments and professional reviews over time. Reviews are important; you paste them as advertisements wherever you need them.

 

    • Professional editing and finishing: I met my editor on the blogs. This is why online networking and blogging is necessary despite the time factor: You meet important people who help you along your path. I also had the book covers professionally designed. You need that kind of finishing. A cover sells a book.

 

    • Paper publishing. A friend helped me get started (she is a graphic designer, where would publishing be without them?) and I printed a run of the first book in the series. This small local print run brought the cost per copy into the sellable range.

 

    • Launches: We launch each new book; the launch itself brings some much-needed capital as well as a bit of publicity. Book signings and promotions are on a similar level.

 

    • Sales through shops: We were fortunate that our leg-work paid off and a number of our books were accepted in a number of shops. Frustratingly though the cost-per-copy of small digital runs is still too high for the large chain bookstores to look up. Besides, you’ll have to be something special to get them to look at Science Fiction. The genre is… while not dead, badly abused and tattered.

 

    • Direct sales at markets, events etc: A lot of work for very little reward. However it does raise awareness. We had a few sales every time we staged such a sales event.

 

    • Newspaper and magazine publicity: This is a slow process. We have had podcasts, press releases and reviews in newspapers, and a popular magazine reviewed the first of the series; yet, sales figures didn’t seem to reflect. However, the news is filtering through to people and over time, there is indeed a sales impact.

 

    • Revisiting internet marketing: So far, all we explored was free marketing. Now we put up a website to showcase each of our books (by which time we had acquired a couple of more authors, and had added some music books to our stash). A learning curve how to program a website such that it works, across browsers. I doubt that many self-publishers actually design their own; but I’m headstrong and knew exactly which way I wanted it. Possibly this is a mistake; time will tell.

 

    • Adding “freestuff” to our website: This brings eyes, and clicks. Inquisitive clicks who enjoy browsing. These clicks have in all probability browsed for “free books” or something similar. Previews on books are a must, but how much to tell, that is a pickle. The wording is still a learning curve. It’s not a given that if you purportedly know how to write and capture a reader from scalp to toe, you’ll also know how to write a good ad!

 

  • Giving up and the angels intervening: Now this is the part you might hate to hear. So far, all has been hard and consistent work (though you have probably spotted all the holes by now). But it felt as though it were going nowhere; so I sighed pitifully and gave up. For a moment. I needed ten “Violin Tunes” as I use them in my teaching (and the music shop needed stock) so I trudged down to the local copy shop with my professional covers… ordered the insides and CD’s… was referred to a sister branch of the shop for the insides, and met a lady who introduced me to a distribution agent for music books.

After all this Scifi agony, my unassuming “Violin Tunes” was the book that started moving first! We’re still in small runs (South Africa = financial struggles and a battle to get a product finished in time due to all sorts of shortages at all times); but the ball is rolling, and as I promised my friend who set it rolling, I have taken a new breath and am pushing onwards.

I still have a list of things to do to promote the Scifi series, the other music books and by now, the new authors.

Perhaps the most important piece of advice:

  • Follow every lead, promptly. You never know where it will take you. If the angels want to intervene, let them.

I hope these tips will help you along your publishing road. I intend to come back with more when I have progressed further.

(Lyz Russo is a self-published author and violin teacher in South Africa. At the time of writing she is getting ready to launch the third in her series of Science Fiction books, and some other authors’ books.)

P’kaboo Publishers

Author: Lyz Russo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital camera for low light picture

20 Economical Book Marketing Techniques

Posted on by

*The succeeding article is about Marketing Self Published Books, Profitable Book Marketing, Book Marketing Strategies, and many other useful tips about online book marketing.

Whether you are an upstart author or a self published author, an efficient book marketing plan in these times of economic recession need not be expensive if you just know your target market, find the most economical means to inform this market of your works, and establish a lasting, trustworthy relationship with your new-found markets.

Study carefully your expected demographic market’s spending behavior and changing lifestyle habits, given these trying times, and then find effective ways and methods that they may be convinced and persuaded in buying your book. Also, compare the effectiveness of your book marketing plan with the competition of the same genre, and consider relevant marketing factors such as the pricing of the book, the common qualities of the bestselling authors, the present market demand for the genre, and the strengths and weaknesses of the competition.

Try choosing or combining any of these effective book marketing techniques so that you will not only save on your book marketing investment but will become an efficient “author-preneur” as well:

1. Conduct book signing campaigns at local/statewide bookstores, book fairs, and literary conventions, which lets you market for free or for a very minimal registration fee.

2. Strategically schedule the announcement of your new book or continuing publicity with a relevant national news event, a new blockbuster movie, or a trade fair.

3. Write articles on topics of current interest and correlate it with the beneficial features and advice found in your book, then submit at free PR websites.

4. Participate in various online authors’ or genre-specific blog sites. This is one tried-and-tested avenue for the so-called “viral marketing” to flourish because in manifesting your thoughts and perspectives to thousands of online bloggers, you make them appreciate your knowledge and expertise on a particular subject matter of interest, which is related to the book you are writing. In this manner, you are actually and indirectly promoting your book with your interesting ideas shared online.

5. Publish actual portions or excerpts of your book together with a concise feature article that can be distributed in high visitor web portals and article data bases on the Internet.

6. Deal with a reliable print-on-demand publisher that offers complete and extensive distribution services.

7. Consider more promising, diversified literary text formatting options for your works like having a full text version of your book stored in pdf format, having an e-book version of your writing, and having downloadable versions of your book to Internet-capable handheld computer owners.

8. Participate often in writers’ conventions, writing guild conferences and symposia and the like. You could gain crucial, practical inputs from seasoned authors who will give you effective marketing advice that may not be found elsewhere.

9. Have yourself available as a public forum/special events speaker in the field or area of your expertise. You may not actually sell books, but may issue author cards for the program participants who may be your future book buyers.

10. Consider listing your book on online classified ads websites.

11. Send e-mails to your friends and reader fans of scanned excerpts of your book with a matching explanatory note.

12. Place an ad in social networking sites that allow the marketing of your books/latest work for free or for a discounted fee.

13. Be a proactive author like giving complimentary copies of your book to celebrities and well-known resource persons, sending opinion articles for newspapers, and getting actively involved in community projects and charitable events.

14. Contact genre experts, independent book critics, and well known book review companies for favorable endorsement comments,

15. Send PR’s to newspapers in your city or state for the purpose of being featured and getting book reviews.

16. Find local or state area radio stations and television stations that actually feature programs about writers, literature, or books then try to find out if you can send a PR of your book or better still, get a radio or television interview.

17. Make your own creative video presentation of your book and upload it to video-sharing websites.

18. Be your own book broadcaster. Make a podcast-able audio presentation of your book. This marketing option is ideal for authors of language and speech books, business and economics books, and even of the fiction genre.

19. Find author marketing websites that offer free ad listings of your book. This is the Internet version of the conventional bulletin board display.

20. Find book marketing services providers that offer bundled marketing programs at a discounted rate. Compare prices according to your book marketing needs, the kind of services that you prefer, the quality of the services offered, and the limits of your marketing budget.

Learn more about the dynamics of marketing self published books, Press release campaign, book marketing strategies, and many other useful tips about online book marketing. Visit http://www.bookwhirl.com for more info.

Author: Jake Olvido
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
The economics of product pricing

Get Self-Published Today

Posted on by

Getting your book published is easier than you think. I will explain the methods and why you should consider self publishing & marketing.

Traditional Method:
1. Copywrite your book (forms, fee of $35 and up)
2. Send your manuscript to publishers and agents (copies and mailing costs)
3. Hope somebody reads it and calls you back
4. Negotiate your contract and sign your deal

Traditional Method draw backs are:
1. You may never get a call back
2. Agent percentage
3. Negotiating a contract (attorney fees)
4. You may be asked to make rewrites by your agent or publisher
5. Publishers promote high profile authors not 1st timers
6. Your book will be in direct competition with the high profile authors
7. If your book doesn’t sell, agents and publishers might consider your work unsalable and will hinder you in ever getting another book contract.

2nd Method: Hire a company in the business of helping authors get published. Packages range from $1500 to $13,000. They can take of everything acting as your agent to get your book to publishers.You will have to make sure that your book gets reviewed, a good cover, and effective targeted marketing to your particular genre in order to succeed.

Self Publishing and Marketing EBooks Electronic EBook methods such as the article you are reading are already selling. Books online and the electronic devices for reading them are selling now.This is the future.

Self Publishing and Marketing Benefits:
1. Complete control of your product
2. Published instantly (your book offered to the whole world instantly!)
3. No Agent or Attorney fees
4. Reach a much larger audience to make money sooner
5. Attract offers for a book deal (Publishers pay attention to online sales) Get Self-Published Today and start making money with less effort and cost than the traditional no-guarantee way.

Click on the link below for a FREE Writers Newsletter plus a FREE 32 page Ebook entitled “Product Launch Inferno”.

My name is Mike Mirage. I have over 22 years in the computer consulting business and I found a way to help people get self published today! For more about writing and selling ebooks with an easy course with real help and guidance please follow my link here: http://squidoo.com/getselfpublished.

Author: Mike Mirage
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Panasonic Lumix G2

Authors – 7 Tips Why Self-Publishing Is Great

Posted on by

The publishing industry is shifting… and it’s shifting in your favor. If you’re tired of rejections from publishers, it’s time you looked into self-publishing your book. These tips will help you see some very nice benefits that aren’t available through a traditional publisher.

1. More Products Created From Your Book – Because you retain the rights to your book, you can turn your book into an eBook, an e-course, give away a chapter to entice people to give you their email address, or take your book and expand it into a workbook.

2. Need to Increase Your Income Quickly? – The average royalty on a book through a traditional publisher is about $1.00. The average royalty on a self-published book can be between $6 – $12, depending upon the quantity printed. Turnaround time for a traditional publisher is 8-18 months, while you can have your self-published book in 4-6 weeks.

3. You Have An Instant eBook! – Because you retain the rights to your book, you can also put it on your website as an eBook. It’s already formatted for publishing. Just turn it into a PDF file, upload, and bingo – you’ve got your ebook ready to sell, even before you have the paperback in your hands.

4. Your Book Is Your Business Card – Your book is the beginning of your journey, not the end. You can place throughout your book instructions to go to your website for further products and services.

5. International Sales Available Immediately – All successful authors have a website to help sell their book and other products. This gives you instant access to people worldwide who will buy your book and interact with you instantly through email.

6. You Do All The Marketing Anyway! Traditional publishers do little marketing for their authors, unless they are well-known authors. It’s up to you to do all your marketing anyway. So why not reap all the financial benefits too!

7. You Retain Critical Information On Your Customers – The traditional publisher might be able to get your book into bookstores, but they cannot provide you with the contact information of the buyers. But, if you self-publish, you retain this critical information. You can continue to market new products to them over and over. Ka-Ching!

And if you need to learn how to get your book ready for self-publishing and how to market it to your customers, you can learn more at http://www.FreelanceWriterKathy.com
Kathy Williamson is an author/speaker who helps authors and ministries reach their dreams by providing writing and consulting services to help her clients influence lives through the power of words.

Author: Kathy W.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Awe Inspiring Pictures