BookWhirl.com Throws A Mega Blowout Sale

Posted in Press Release on July 4th, 2012 by admin

Summary: BookWhirl.com celebrates America’s birthday through offering affordable publicity deals.

GREEN BAY, WI (07/03/2012) – BookWhirl.com, one of the leading companies in the book marketing industry, kicks off the country’s biggest birthday celebration with a Mega Blowout Sale. For the entire month of July, self-published authors will have the opportunity to avail publicity deals at the best valued prices. Promo period is from July 4 to August 4.

The Mega Blowout Sale offers three kinds of publicity deal packages. Each package includes services such as the Kirkus Book Review, Book Exhibit service, and the Media Release Campaign (MRC). With a starting price of $1,599, self-published authors can launch a wide and long lasting book publicity campaign. The publicity deal also allows authors to blast their Media Release Campaign in two terms, highlighting milestones such as their book’s review and participating in a regional exhibition.

To learn more about the BookWhirl.com’s Mega Blowout Sale, log on to http://www.bookwhirl.com/Promo/Mega-Blow-Out-Sale-2012.php.

About BookWhirl.com

Through its inexpensive, thoughtfully designed publishing and marketing tools, BookWhirl.com equips authors to digitally publish, promote their products, and connect to readers in a more effective, and efficient system –resulting to bigger book sales. BookWhirl.com employs an experienced team of e-book publishing consultants, online marketing strategists, copyeditors, ad copywriters, graphic artists, sound engineers, video-editors, and web designers whose combined expertise guarantee to provide tools for efficient publishing and online marketing campaign.

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Create a Media Frenzy for Your Book

Posted in Book Publicity on May 8th, 2012 by admin
by: Dr. Jamie Fettig
Learn to use the media to create free exposure for yourself and to sell your books. And most importantly, how to be a great guest once you get on the air.

Prepare talking points before making media appearances.

Many new authors spend so much time and energy trying to get in the newspaper or on radio that when they get there, they don’t know what to say. But if you take an hour to prepare concise, compelling comments about your book, you’ll come off as a real pro, increase sales, and maybe even be asked back!

The average radio interview lasts five minutes, of which three might be broadcast, and on average you might get six inches of coverage in your local newspaper. You don’t have a lot of time to waste hemming and hawing about your book, and the journalist interviewing you doesn’t want to waste his or her time either. So before you even start soliciting press coverage, write down and memorize your talking points.

You say you know your book? I’m sure you do. But when you’re under the gun of a timed interview, or an interviewer hits you with a surprise question, it’s easy to stammer or get confused. Talking points are your lifeline. I suggest preparing a list that looks like this:

a. What’s the “elevator pitch” (a 10-second summary) of my book?

b. Who is my book targeted to?

c. How did I decide to write it?

d. What are three passages in my book that I want to quote?

e. What can people get out of my book?

f. Where can people buy my book?

Write those down on note cards and memorize them, but keep the cards with you when you do interviews, just in case. That way, you’ll come off more professional and make the most of the time you get.

Focus heavily on PR.

If you don’t believe in the power of public relations and the media to turn an unknown book into a bestseller, I have two words for you: Oprah Winfrey. Get your book 15 minutes on her show and you’ll sell a million copies. That’s the power of the media.

Of course, getting on Oprah is the Holy Grail of book marketing, and while you shouldn’t NOT try to get on her show, you shouldn’t focus only on that. PR is your most powerful tool for creating awareness and selling books. So early on, while you’re still in final editing, start making lists of media outlets, cashing in on contacts, making calls and sending out e-mails.

PR works because it’s got credibility. Instead of a paid ad, people see an objective journalist reviewing your book, or a talk show host who’s chosen to have you on her show because she liked your book. Media exposure carries tremendous weight with book buyers. Ask your friends how many books they’ve bought after hearing about them on “Fresh Air” on National Public Radio.

These are some of the PR avenues you can pursue:

  • Reviews in any and all publications, print and online especially.
  • Features in print and online publications.
  • Radio interviews.
  • Television interviews.
  • A regular column in a magazine or newspaper or online.
  • Speaking engagements.
  • A role as an “expert source” for one or more journalists.
  • Creating press events.
  • Tying your book to a charity or cause.

It all begins with your press kit. That’s a snazzy folder that contains the press release about your book’s publication, a bio of you, a black and white photo of you (professionally done) and any press coverage you may have already received. Once you’ve identified your media list, send that kit to the key contacts at each paper, magazine, TV or radio station.

But don’t stop there. PR is about relationships, and you’ve got to strike the right balance of “eager to help” and “respecting your time.” Follow up your press kit with an e-mail in a week or so, and stay in touch. Offer story ideas or to be quoted for a feature. Make yourself an asset to journalists and editors and you’ll be surprised at the results.

Two final tips:

  • Always include your Web address in your PR, stories, interviews, etc.
  • Always get reprints, videotapes, etc. of your press coverage to use later.

Learn to use the media to create free exposure for yourself and to sell your books. And most importantly, how to be a great guest once you get on the air.

Prepare talking points before making media appearances.

Many new authors spend so much time and energy trying to get in the newspaper or on radio that when they get there, they don’t know what to say. But if you take an hour to prepare concise, compelling comments about your book, you’ll come off as a real pro, increase sales, and maybe even be asked back!

The average radio interview lasts five minutes, of which three might be broadcast, and on average you might get six inches of coverage in your local newspaper. You don’t have a lot of time to waste hemming and hawing about your book, and the journalist interviewing you doesn’t want to waste his or her time either. So before you even start soliciting press coverage, write down and memorize your talking points.

You say you know your book? I’m sure you do. But when you’re under the gun of a timed interview, or an interviewer hits you with a surprise question, it’s easy to stammer or get confused. Talking points are your lifeline. I suggest preparing a list that looks like this:

g. What’s the “elevator pitch” (a 10-second summary) of my book?

h. Who is my book targeted to?

i. How did I decide to write it?

j. What are three passages in my book that I want to quote?

k. What can people get out of my book?

l. Where can people buy my book?

Write those down on note cards and memorize them, but keep the cards with you when you do interviews, just in case. That way, you’ll come off more professional and make the most of the time you get.

Focus heavily on PR.

If you don’t believe in the power of public relations and the media to turn an unknown book into a bestseller, I have two words for you: Oprah Winfrey. Get your book 15 minutes on her show and you’ll sell a million copies. That’s the power of the media.

Of course, getting on Oprah is the Holy Grail of book marketing, and while you shouldn’t NOT try to get on her show, you shouldn’t focus only on that. PR is your most powerful tool for creating awareness and selling books. So early on, while you’re still in final editing, start making lists of media outlets, cashing in on contacts, making calls and sending out e-mails.

PR works because it’s got credibility. Instead of a paid ad, people see an objective journalist reviewing your book, or a talk show host who’s chosen to have you on her show because she liked your book. Media exposure carries tremendous weight with book buyers. Ask your friends how many books they’ve bought after hearing about them on “Fresh Air” on National Public Radio.

These are some of the PR avenues you can pursue:

  • Reviews in any and all publications, print and online especially.
  • Features in print and online publications.
  • Radio interviews.
  • Television interviews.
  • A regular column in a magazine or newspaper or online.
  • Speaking engagements.
  • A role as an “expert source” for one or more journalists.
  • Creating press events.
  • Tying your book to a charity or cause.

It all begins with your press kit. That’s a snazzy folder that contains the press release about your book’s publication, a bio of you, a black and white photo of you (professionally done) and any press coverage you may have already received. Once you’ve identified your media list, send that kit to the key contacts at each paper, magazine, TV or radio station.

But don’t stop there. PR is about relationships, and you’ve got to strike the right balance of “eager to help” and “respecting your time.” Follow up your press kit with an e-mail in a week or so, and stay in touch. Offer story ideas or to be quoted for a feature. Make yourself an asset to journalists and editors and you’ll be surprised at the results.

Two final tips:

  • Always include your Web address in your PR, stories, interviews, etc.
  • Always get reprints, videotapes, etc. of your press coverage to use later.

About The Author

Dr. Jamie Fettig

Are you interested in the one seminar that has created more Best-Selling authors than any other seminar? A seminar put on by the guy who has sold more books than every other book in the history of the world except the bible? Then get yourself to the Mega Book Marketing Seminar and train yourself to be a mega-successful author and become a sought after speaker. Make the difference with your book that you want to make. To Register and for more information go to http://www.bazuji.com/book

Related Posts
Book Talks: What to Say and How to Say It
Media Coaching Critical to Book Marketing and Book Publicity

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags:

How to Send Press Releases to Newspapers About Your New Book

Posted in Book Publicity on April 16th, 2012 by admin

Source: http://www.10000articles.com/How-to-Send-Press-Releases-to-Newspapers-About-Your-New-Book-26349.html

There are over ten thousand daily, weekly and monthly newspapers in the United States and Canada. For the first time author they are a valuable source of free publicity. They are hungry for news and your new book is news. When approaching these papers there is a list of things that are frowned upon and another list of things under the heading of Â…don’t you dare. We will examine the latter category first.

Never start your press release with the headline in all caps or in bold or underlined type. Capitalize your heading as you would a title for a book and no more. Never use a barrage of personal pronouns as you must stay in the third person. Never forget to place a summary statement just after the headline. That is a few sentences that will bait the reader so to speak. It should make them want to read what follows next in the main body. Never, never, never include any personal or contact information in the summary statement or body of your press release. Save the contact info for the last “about” section of the press release, that is what it is for. In that final section, go gently. It is ok to include such info as the projected target of your book, telephone number, web site and other contact information. A note on your credentials is ok too, that is your degrees or experience or anything that qualifies you to have written your book.

Essentially there are four parts to any good press release and they are as follows:

1. The headline: One or two sentences that describe what the news is all about. Don’t get dull; if you lose the reader here you have lost the reader for good. Don’t sayÂ… Author Has New Book On The Social Problems of Latinos. But rather try something like…“Fiery Latinos Who Have Found Ways to Escape the Fire in the Neighborhood.” Don’t worry as much about it making sense to everyone. Worry more about how it catches their attention, their curiosity or even their imagination. Most editors have played mind games with the public since the invention of op-ed science; you may as well jump in too.

2. The Summary Statement: This consists of one, two or three sentences that summarize what the body of the release is about. Here you must use phrases that offer solutions, new views, controversy, or outright absurdity. If you have written a book on how to lose weight without dieting, try something like. Author Says Diets are Dead At Last.

3. The main body: This is the meat and potatoes section of the release. Choose those finer points of your book those things that comprise the heart of the matter. Use contrasts; compare your ideas with existing ones. If you have written a novel, frame the story line succinctly from the most intense parts of your book rather that a complete overall narrative.

4. Biographical information: Stay in the third person and do not make a sales pitch. Stick to credentials, experience, qualifications, and contact information. Got a web site, use it first and all other contact info as a secondary only.

The ways commonly accepted for submitting press releases to newspapers is in transition. You will still have good results by sending faxes but it is also ok to use e-mail. Newer ways are to use news feeds but at this moment it seems that only big news gets picked up and the wires are very crowded with national and world events for the most part. It will help if you approach editors first to ask if you can send them a news release. If you’re not sure how to approach them just ask which editor might be interested in your particular kind of submission. Most editors are very congenial when approached this way and as they say, get your foot in the door. All of this takes a great deal of time and only the very serious need apply for this job.

It almost pains me to say that you must check you spelling and grammar very carefully. Use a word program to write your release first then send it out. It is ok to send the same release to many papers. And it is ok to send them more than one time but you should space your submissions out over a period of several weeks not days. Try to re-word each submission if possible so as not to give the impression that you are bombing them in hope of a result. You may get shot down but don’t get discouraged. Some editors will just ignore you unless you have a book on the New York Times best seller list. One other very sad thing to report is that if you have used a POD publisher or you are self published you will rarely get the attention of the major news papers. If your book creates a minor national controversy or if it should leap in sales overnight they might bend their rules.

Where do you get the lists of newspapers? Many lists exist online that will cost you nothing. You can subscribe to a media service that will provide you with huge lists of newspapers but that will cost you from two to five hundred dollars. If that is worth it to you then have at it. Remember newspapers will only put your release in once so when new things arise about you or your book send them the news.. Like anything else in the public domain, some newspapers will reject you, some will be indifferent and some will think you are the cat’s meow. Hang in there, it is worth it.

Rev Bresciani is the leader of a non-denominational ministry in the New Orleans area. He has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote, Hook Line and Sinker or What has Your Church Been Teaching You, published by PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book about to be released by Xulon Press entitled An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ. You can see more about Rev Bresciani on his own website at http://americanprophet.org

Related Posts
Get Your Book In The Newspaper
Ideas for Online Press Releases

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags: , ,

Get Your Book In The Newspaper

Posted in Book Publicity on March 20th, 2012 by admin

Source: http://blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com/2009/02/get-your-book-in-newspaper.html

Even before the major US newspapers started cutting back on reviewing books, it was extremely difficult, if not impossible is seemed, to get your book reviewed in them. The premier newspapers focused on books published by the big NY houses, with a few exceptions. But that shouldn’t keep you from pursuing your hope to find yourself in the news. Follow these simple tips to increase the chance to see a writeup in a newspaper.

1. A write-up doesn’t have to be in the New York Times or the Chicago Tribune to benefit you. Think local. Does your hometown, or the hometown you grew up in have a newspaper? Instead of a nameless, faceless book review, you now have become a story of local interest. “Local Author Publishes Book.” And most of these local newspapers will put your story on the web so that they will be there forever.

Here are some of the places I have been able to get into local newspapers:

The Forney Post – Local, online newspaper

The Forney Messenger. I have been in there 3 times. It is a physical newspaper with a limited web presence, but I have the clippings :)

Kaufman County Life: A nice, half page article with a photo, and featured on the cover. This was before the Kaufman County Life was put out to rest by The Terrell Tribune. Again, I have the clippings!

Terrell Tribune: The Terrell Tribune also did a write up on me. Again, not on the web, but– yes, you guessed it– I have the clippings.

Indy Star: This is an interesting one. I grew up in Westfield, IN (an Indy suburb), but the Star is a big paper and my chance to get my book in there was tough to say the least. What did I do? I contacted the reporter assigned to cover local events in my hometown. A couple of weeks later, I had an interview in that section. I was even online for a while. Now the story is archived and accessible for a fee, but I have the clippings.

The Oklahoman: This is my pride and joy. A review in a major newspaper! Go ahead, click it! The Oklahoman also did a blurb when a Hollywood film producer acquired the rights to The Samson Effect.

2. Thinks Specialty Publications. I contacted the colleges I attended and let them know that I was now a published author. That led to some nice write ups. In fact, The Florida College Bookstore started carrying my book after their alumni paper mentioned my book. When I contacted my high school, I was pleased to find out the the principal was a classmate of mine. That led to some write-ups and an invitation to speak to their creative writing class.

If you have written a book about plants, a medical condition, coin collecting, or whatever, do some research and find out what specialty magazines and newspapers may write about your book’s subject. If you come in with a connection to theirs subscribers already, your appeal to them will be more targeted.

3. Submit your events to small, local papers. If you have a book signing or a speaking engagement coming up, don’t forget the smaller, local papers in your area. If the subscribers of a paper are within driving distance of your event, submit the event to the paper. You have a better chance at getting picked up, and maybe even contacted by a local reporter of smaller newspapers than you will the Big Town paper.

4. Keep it newsworthy and you will have a better chance at being picked up.Newspapers love news. Newspapers love advertisements– as long as you’re a paying customer. Confuse the two, and you will have a tough time getting into their paper without paying a small fortune. There are a number of sites out there that will help you keep your news piece newsworthy, and this will be a topic of a future article on my blog, but here are some things to remember:

Write in the 3rd person

Focus on an event or an accomplishment, not about purchasing the book.

Downgrade the language that tells readers how great the book is and make sure you focus on the who, what, where, when, and why of the news story.

Quote an expert, even if it’s you. Just make sure you tag it in the 3rd person.
Do: “I’m thrilled to help the XYZ cause by donating a portion of my book sales on Feb. 14th to them,” said Tony Eldridge, author of The Samson Effect.
Don’t: “I’m thrilled to offer a portion of my exciting, memorable, must-read book–The Samson Effect–(available at my website and Amazon.com) to XYZ cause.”

This is the tip of the iceberg on writing newsworthy releases. Do your research or wait until I cover this topic in more detail. I just wanted to touch on the subject to let you know that there is a lot to think about if you want to write something that is more likely to be picked up in a publication.

5. Don’t be afraid to twist arms or call in favors. A nice write-up in a newspaper can be worth a thousand ads. Do you know a reporter, even if they live across the country and write for a local paper of a place you have never visited? Contact them and ask them about writing something about you. Does your grandmother know a newspaper editor? Get an introduction from her. Is your brother a member of the local chamber of commerce? See if the local paper has an active member who works for the paper. Do anything you have to do to get a warm contact or an introduction. You never know where it may lead.

6. Offer to do work for the newspaper. This is a great way to get your foot in the door. I have written articles for small newspapers and without question, they have done articles about me and my book. One paper even offered me a free ad about my book for the articles. Not only can you get some good exposure for you and your book, but you will also expand your writing portfolio.

7. Find newsworthy events to get involved with. Every piece of writing in a paper does not have to be about your book to get great exposure for your book. Are you volunteering your time for a charity? The small bio written about you can mention that you are the author of XYZ even though the story may have nothing to do with your book. You can volunteer to conduct free seminars at your local library or for a local civic organization. The possibilities are endless.

Keep thinking about ways to get you and your book in the paper. Once you start seeing success, the ideas will start flowing. With a little persistence, creativity and research, you may be surprised at how many times you become today’s top story.

Tony Eldridge.

Tony Eldridge is the author of the action/adventure book, The Samson Effect, that Clive Cussler calls a “first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure” and the Twitter marketing book,Conducting Effective Twitter Contests which helps people find targeted Twitter followers. He also shares his book marketing tips with fellow authors through his blog and through his free video marketing tips for authors. You can follow him on Twitter @TonyEldridge

Related Posts
10 Tips on Getting Publicity for Your Book
How to Send Press Releases to Newspapers About Your New Book

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags:

How to Avoid 10 Common Conference Mistakes That Most Writers Make

Posted in Book Publicity on January 12th, 2012 by admin

source: http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/how-to-avoid-10-common-conference-mistakes-that-writers-make

Written by: Brian A. Klems

Writers drop precious money—not to mention writing time—on conferences every year, which makes it doubly disturbing that so many of us fall prey to innocent mistakes that can keep us from getting the most out of them. So we asked 10 conference organizers to share the pitfalls they most often see writers tumbling into—and how to avoid them.

#1  APPROACHING EDITORS/AGENTS THE WRONG WAY
“All too often writers don’t use common sense when approaching editors and agents. Some of the errors I’ve seen include following an editor into the restroom and requesting an interview, or approaching an editor or agent who is talking with just one other person. The best way is to approach them when they are not in a session or what seems to be a private conversation. I recommend a social setting or after a conference panel or workshop. Ask if they have time to meet with you. Offer to buy the editor or agent something to drink, then find a place where you can talk briefly without interruption.”
—Candy Moulton, Western Writers of America
(Bismarck, N.D., westernwriters.org)

#2  HAVING A BAD ATTITUDE
“Don’t come to the conference with an attitude. We’ve seen some writers who seem to feel that the conference is slanted against them. They think others have access to an inside track that’s closed to them, when in reality everyone is treated alike and any limited resources are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, when meeting with an agent for a consult, do not expect a complete critique of your work. Understand that this is an opportunity for you to present your pitch, and that if the agent finds it interesting, he or she will ask you to send more of your work for review.”
—Jan Whitaker, Write Angles
(South Hadley, Mass., writeanglesconference.org)

#3  FORGETTING TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK
“Some writers don’t plan ahead. … Match what you want with what is offered by talking to the teachers ahead of time and seeing what is being taught. Conferences have websites and brochures, so basic information is available well ahead of time. A call to the conference organizer is an easy way to get additional information.”
—Dan Smith, Roanoke Regional Writers Conference
(http://bit.ly/h4rGoX)

#4  NOT KNOWING WHERE YOUR WORK FITS IN
“Every year I ask conference attendees, ‘What genre is this?’ [and] I hear, ‘fiction.’ It’s important to appear professional and prepared: ‘My novel is a supernatural suspense set in the near future. Lisa Conner has moved into a new home in upstate New York. It appears she didn’t move in alone. During her trials, Lisa will face a past she wants to forget, a present she doesn’t trust and a future she can’t imagine. The book runs 90,000 words, is written in third person. …’”
—Alton Gansky, Blue Ridge Moun-tains Christian Writers Conference
(near Asheville, N.C., brmcwc.com)

#5  FAILING TO DRESS FOR SUCCESS
“Sometimes writers arrive in short sleeves and sandals, without a jacket or sweater. They shiver in the air conditioning, which can get really cold when you’re sitting all day. Conference attendees should always layer so they can be comfortable enough to concentrate on the speakers’ messages. Also, I’ve seen people set down their conference tote bag and, because they all look alike, someone inadvertently picks up the wrong bag—and there go all your carefully recorded notes. Tie a piece of ribbon or attach a silk flower or your favorite sports team logo to the handle, and your bag becomes instantly recognizable.”
—Donna Meredith, The Tallahassee Book Festival and Writers Conference
(twaonline.org)

#6  OVERLOOKING PITCH-SESSION PREP WORK
“You need to find the agent who is a perfect fit. … Pitching a fantasy manuscript to an agent who works primarily with literary fiction will not bring a writer any closer to publication. Conferences supply speaker bios for a reason. Read them. Old interviews, blogs and podcasts featuring these agents are often readily available online, and agency websites are full of useful information. Writing a book takes dedication, time and thorough research. Choosing the right agent to query or pitch should require the
same consideration.”
—Kris Spisak, James River Writers Conference
(Richmond, Va., http://bit.ly/m6il3q)

#7  MISSING OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK
“The biggest blunder for attendees is not planning ahead and bringing networking items like cards, brochures and books to trade and give away. Too often, attendees don’t interact with each other or the speakers as much as possible. … Writers attend writing conferences for a variety of reasons, but chief among them is to network with editors, agents and fellow writers. Having a card and/or brochure is just one way to build a network of contacts and supporters for your writing.”
—Margaret Walters, Red Clay Writers Conference
(Kennesaw, Ga., georgiawriters.org)

#8  PLAYING IT TOO SAFE
“You never know who you might meet in line for coffee or while taking a break in the lobby. If you spend all of your time with your [friends], you miss out on a lot of interesting conversations and connections. The best strategy is to challenge yourself to sit down to meals alone, strike up conversations with neighbors while waiting for sessions to begin [and] be open to meeting new people. Catch up with friends after the event is over. …”
—Stephanie Chandler, Nonfiction Writers Conference
(virtual event, nonfictionwritersconference.com)

#9  FAILING TO FOLLOW UP
“A lot of writers fail to follow up with editors and agents in a timely manner.  … Writers might wait six months after the conference to get back to an editor on an idea, which is much too long. If you get positive feedback, you should follow up about two weeks after the conference. Don’t call just to chat—have a query in mind, maybe something you discussed at the conference.”
—Maren Rudolph, Travel Classics Writers Conferences
(various locations. travelclassics.com/conferences)

#10  GIVING UP CONTROL
“There are always a few [writers] who use other writers to make themselves feel better by bragging or, worse, by deliberately diminishing the work [of] other people. The second you are feeling belittled, insecure, envious—immediately exit that conversation. Surround yourself only with people whom you find to be genuinely supportive and empathic. ‘We are all in this boat together. How can we support one another?’ should be the motto of everyone at the conference. You want to leave the conference feeling inspired.   … You have control over this!”
—Susan Page, San Miguel Writers’ Conference
(Mexico, sanmiguelwritersconference.org)

Related Posts
Book Talks: What to Say and How to Say It
Book Publicity Tips for Authors

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags:

BookWhirl.com Gets Ready for the Christmas Marketing Holiday

Posted in Press Release on December 6th, 2011 by admin

GREEN BAY, WI (12/06/11) – BookWhirl.com, one of the leading frontiers of the self-publishing industry embraces the month of December with raging discounts for the Christmas Marketing Holiday. Due to insistent public demand, BookWhirl.com has decided to kick off another generous promo to celebrate the last four weeks of the year 2011. The Christmas Marketing Holiday offers 10% discount on BookWhirl.com’s advertising and publicity packages.

BookWhirl.com’s Christmas Marketing Holiday is applicable on the following services: Author Marketing Tools ServicePak, Author book Publicity ServicePak, Kirkus Book Review Bundle, and BlueInk Book Review Combo.

“The year 2011 was great for BookWhirl.com. This year, we have rolled out more than seven new products and services and have become successful in all aspects of our business. We have proven that we are a significant player in the self-publishing industry. We are serious in our vision of becoming every self-published author’s lifetime partner. For 2012, we have bigger dreams. We hope that you will continue to look forward for a bigger and brighter future”, announced Johnny Chu, CEO and President, BookWhirl.com

Through the BookWhirl.com’s Christmas Marketing Holiday, self-published authors are given the opportunity to gear up for next year’s book marketing campaign even on a small budget. With the current promo, client authors who are interested with launching bigger marketing campaigns can save thousands of dollars.

For more information, please visit http://www.bookwhirl.com/Christmas-Marketing-Holiday.html or call 1 (877) 207 1679.

About BookWhirl.com

BookWhirl.com is an online book marketing service company, specializing in providing low-cost, high-quality marketing services for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books. Through its unique, inexpensive book marketing services, BookWhirl.com helps authors promote their published works more effectively and connect to readers in a more effective, more efficient system. BookWhirl.com employs an experienced team of online marketing strategists, ad copywriters, graphic artists, and web designers, whose combined talents ensure an effective online marketing campaign at easily affordable rates.

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags: , , , , , ,

Book Marketing and Book Publicity: 5 Things Authors Can Do to Help Publicists Be More Effective

Posted in Book Marketing on November 29th, 2011 by admin

source: http://www.articlesbase.com/public-relations-articles/book-marketing-and-book-publicity-5-things-authors-can-do-to-help-publicists-be-more-effective-3504600.html

Authors hire publicists to promote their books, and often pay them well. So why should an author help a publicist do his job? The simple answer is: Because book marketing and book publicity is a very personal business; one in which emotions matter and meaningful communication can make the difference between a successful book promotion campaign and a mediocre or poor one. The expertise of a book publicist is best utilized when augmented with a balance of patience and input by the author, and much more. Here are 5 ways an author can increase the likelihood of a successful book marketing and book publicity campaign, one which produces a wide array of media coverage and sets the stage for book sales:

  1. Patience – Book publicity is more marathon than sprint, and authors who are naturally eager to see quick results need to educate themselves on the tradecraft of book marketing to understand this. An impatient author begets a rushed publicist, which in turn typically results in rushed pitching rather than carefully planned and implemented media outreach. In short, impatience can cause mistakes and shoddy publicity work. As difficult as it may be, authors should give a campaign time. Regular, thorough weekly updates from a publicist should demonstrate the book marketing plan is being rolled out in a strategic, carefully designed manner, with a sense of natural urgency every good publicist has.
  2. Don’t micro-manage – One of the most destructive things an author can do to a publicist is micro-manage. A publicist who feels an author is looking over her shoulder 24/7 will not be a good publicist. An author hires a publicist for the expertise and media savvy which comes experience. Micro-management will take a publicist off-task. A client who controls the professional they’ve hired will end up getting unprofessional results.
  3. Be available – Many publicity opportunities come quickly, with short notice. An author should be as available and flexible as possible, making their campaign as much of a priority in their life as possible. A book is only launched once, and missing opportunities can kill a book publicity campaign.
  4. Let a publicist push the limits – In most book marketing campaigns, a publicist isn’t doing his job if he doesn’t come up with at least a few pitching ideas that make the author uncomfortable. It’s a publicist’s job to be creative, to push the envelope and think of unique ways to break through the competition. It’s ok to say “no” to an idea, but authors shouldn’t be offended if what’s presented makes them uncomfortable. In many cases, it’s a publicist’s job to push an author outside their comfort zone. Book publicists – at least good ones – expect some of their ideas to be shot down.
  5. Reasonable expectations – Perhaps the hardest part of a publicist’s job is to manage the expectations of an author. Having reasonable expectations in a business in which it’s impossible to know what will happen is crucial. Book publicity and book marketing is a tough, tough business. The competition is fierce, and success in terms of huge book sales numbers is often elusive. A balanced, reasoned understanding of the challenges and opportunities of a book promotion campaign will inevitably improve the odds of an author being satisfied with the work of a publicist.

About the Author:
Dan Smith is CEO and founder of Smith Publicity, one of the premier book publicity and book marketing firms in the industry. Smith Publicity has implemented over 900 book marketing campaigns and secured placements with virtually every major media outlet. The firm has serviced authors from over 25 countries and has offices in New Jersey, New York, Los Angeles, and London. Website: www.smithpublicity.com

Related Posts
Talk About Marketing Books!
10 Tips on Getting Publicity for Your Book

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags: ,

Ideas for Online Press Releases

Posted in Book Publicity on November 10th, 2011 by admin

Source: http://www.authorinsider.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1150477579&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7&

ress releases do more than just generate media coverage. In today’s Internet Age they also come up in search engine results, drive traffic to websites, and get used as content on other people’s websites.

Since there are online press release services that allow you to issue press releases for free, or at a nominal cost, you should issue press releases yourself using every achievement as an opportunity to raise your visibility and increase your book’s exposure.

Here are 20 ideas for press release topics:

  1. Release of your book
  2. Launch of your book’s website
  3. Any time you hire (even without pay) someone who is helping to promote your book
  4. Each book signing event
  5. Speaking engagements (including radio & television)
  6. Availability of a podcast or MP3 featuring you
  7. Announce an eNewsletter you have available
  8. Milestones for the number of subscribers to your eNewsletter
  9. New features to your website (e.g., RSS feeds, refer-a-friend, etc.)
  10. Website milestones (e.g., 1000 visitors in one month)
  11. Awards won (for your book or website)
  12. Book sales milestones
  13. Announce promotional contests you are running (and, when chosen, the winners)
  14. Joint marketing ventures with other authors
  15. New marketing initiatives (such as advertising campaigns in print, radio, search engines, etc.)
  16. Redesign of your website
  17. New high ranking on Amazon.com or BN.com
  18. Release of your blog
  19. Launch of your MySpace.com page
  20. Charitable giving that results from donating a portion of revenue from each book sold

By David Tortorelli

David Tortorelli is editor of Author Insider and serves as president of the book marketing firm, Book Premieres.

Related Posts
10 Tips on Getting Publicity for Your Book
How to Send Press Releases to Newspapers About Your New Book

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Tags: ,

Book Talks: What to Say and How to Say It

Posted in Book Publicity on November 2nd, 2011 by admin

Source: http://www.authorinsider.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1150399073&archive=&start_from=&ucat=25&

Great! The Chamber of Commerce, or a similar group, has asked you to talk about your latest book. Though words are your business, you may be terrified of public speaking. What should you say? How should you say it? These tips will help you to give a five-star book talk.

Confirm arrangements. Mistakes happen and you don’t want them to happen to you. One or two days before you’re slated to speak, confirm the date, time, place, and your audiovisual needs. Toastmaster’s International says you should visit the site beforehand. Make sure books will be available if you’re autographing after your talk.

Greet the audience. Arrive early and greet audience members as they enter the room or store. This gives you an instant connection with your audience and makes you an approachable person.

Check the audience. According to the Advanced Public Speaking Institute, males and females respond differently to talks. Females laugh more easily than males and “an all-male audience is more critical to bond [with] . . . especially if you’re a female speaker.” Be prepared to make some last minute changes in your talk if you are female.

Say thank you. Audience members have taken the time to come and hear you, so thank them for coming. Your thank you doesn’t have to be long, but it does need to be sincere. Thank the person who invited you and other contact people.

Keep your intro short. Eager as they may be to hear you, audience members don’t want to listen to a long lead-in, or what a friend of mine calls the “When grandpa headed West in 1935″ introduction. (He’s very droll.) Get the audience’s attention and cut to the chase – the body of your talk.

Make points clear. Speech writers tell their clients to start by “telling them what you’re going to tell them.” You need to do the same. State the purpose of your talk and summarize your book in one sentence. (This is harder than it sounds.) As you speak you may wish to number your key points.

Cite benefits. Though they may not say it aloud, every audience member is asking, “Why should I buy your book?” You should be able to answer this question quickly and clearly. Refer to your book by title, not “the book” and repeat the title several times.

Tell stories. The audience won’t remember statistics, but they will remember stories. Tell stories about being a writer or stories from your book. Keep in mind that story-telling isn’t the same as joke-telling. If you’re good at telling jokes include them in your talk. Avoid jokes if you can’t remember punch lines.

Keep their attention. The Advanced Public Speaking Institute says you should use an “attention gaining device” every two-to-four minutes. These devices include things like movement, showing a prop, distributing handouts, and delivering one-liners. You may also have a Power Point presentation that goes with your book.

Have a strong ending. You want the audience to remember you and your book. So tell a touching story, or ask the audience to take action, or whisper your last line for impact. A change in approach can also be a strong ending. If you’re giving a talk about a serious subject, for example, you could close on a humorous note.

Remember, the audience thinks of your book talk as entertainment.

Eddie Albert, the famous Hollywood actor, was a friend of my father-in-law’s. I met Eddie several times and he called me once to thank me for a book I’d sent him. During our conversation Eddie said he was giving a talk about conservation that afternoon. The talk was finished, Eddie said, but he was still working on the entertainment aspect. “You have to entertain to educate,” he commented. Good advice for us all.

By Harriet Hodgson

Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson.  All rights reserved.

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Her latest book, Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief, written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available on http://www.amazon.com. To learn more about her work go to http://www.harriethodgson.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harriet_Hodgson

Related Posts
A First Time Authors Publicity Kit Materials
10 Tips on Getting Publicity for Your Book

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags:

5 Fast Facts on Book Publicity

Posted in Book Publicity on October 19th, 2011 by admin

source: http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/get-published-sell-my-work/5-fast-facts-on-book-publicity

written by: Chuck Sambuchino

After serving as the editor of Guide to Literary Agents for years, I figured I knew everything about the publication process. But when I released a humor book late last year (How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack), I quickly found that while I was well versed in what happens before a book is published, I had a lot to learn about what happens after a release. Here are five facts about how the world works when it comes to publicity.

1. Coverage is insanely hit-and-miss. After my publicist sent out review copies of my book and it got mentions in Reader’s Digest and AOL News, I thought it would be a shoo-in for local coverage when it was my turn to start trying to get some press. Not so. The fact is: You never know who will be interested in your book, so your only option is to blast numerous outlets, big and small, local and not.

2. Your connections matter. Eventually, after contacting a dozen or so local outlets, I finally did get some coverage. How? I still knew some editors at a few publications I used to write for, and they were happy to share my good news. So work your connections. If you don’t have media pals, put out a call to your friends and family, and ask for introductions.

3. Radio interviews are easier to secure than TV appearances. The simple truth is that books are not visually exciting and do not translate well to the medium of TV talk shows. So far, more than a dozen radio stations have interviewed me, but I’ve yet to appear on television.

4. Bookstores cannot return signed stock. In the bookselling business, stores can ship back all unsold titles to their respective publishing houses for a refund. This means you get no money from those books. But autographed copies with a sticker on the front cannot be returned. So every time you stop by a large chain bookstore, be sure to offer to sign your books.

5. Readings are hit-and-miss, too. It’s not uncommon to have 75 people show up for one reading, then three at the next. I’ve found that instructional sessions work better than readings. If you offer people something—such as 15 minutes of instruction on your topic, or the craft of writing—they get something other than a sales pitch out of the exchange, and are more likely to attend.

Related Posts
10 Tips on Getting Publicity for Your Book
A First Time Authors Publicity Kit Materials

Bookmark and Share:
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookMySpaceDiggdel.icio.usLinkedInGoogle BookmarksReddit Yahoo Buzz

Connect to us via our other social media buttons. Just pick your click!

Tags:
Free Book Marketing

No payments. No liabilities. Absolutely free! Just one single step. Simply fill-out the form and be rewarded with ALL of these prestigious freebies:

  1. e-MRC5
  2. an e-book on "The Self-publisher's Marketing Guide"
  3. one online listing on our BookShelf
  4. book marketing consultations
  5. $12 to $200 worth of savings on
    book marketing service rates



*Author's Name :
*E-mail address :
*Phone Number :
*Address :
*Book Title :
*ISBN 10 or 13 :
*Genre:
*Price :
URL :
*Add Book Cover image (jpeg only):
*Book Description:(at least 25 words)
*required fields

Please take time to complete the following fields with the necessary information. Rest assured that your
given information will be kept in full confidentiality.