Just Don't Do It

Day 161

“Do you ever want to sacrifice tone and feel for what you know the search engines are looking for on a page? That answer is no.”

~ Heather Lloyd–Martin

While we want to use SEO for all of our blog posts, and we want our tweets to have hashtags, we can’t forget that our intended reader’s aren't robots – they’re people. Instead of writing for little bots, make sure that your first audience is real people – you know, the ones who will actually buy your book.  It doesn't matter how many spiders find your site if you can’t get real people to stay there.

Marketing prompt:

Write a blog post with a catchy title. Something controversial or a question people can’t refuse answering are great starting points.

Days to go: 204

Life

Day 160

“Life is pretty simple: You do some stuff. Most fails. Some works. You do more of what works.”

~ Thomas J. Peters

Life, book marketing, they’re pretty much the same (or maybe I just need to get out more). Some of your book marketing efforts will succeed, others won’t, as long as you’re tracking your results, you’ll be able to tell the difference and can do more of what works.

Marketing prompt:

Visit the website: http://searchenginewatch.com/ and see if you can learn anything new.

Days to go: 205

Interesting or Invisible

Day 159

“Be interesting, or be invisible.”

~ Andy Sernovitz

The shear amount of content on the internet today is crazy, and when you factor in that a ton of new content is added every single day, it’s enough to blow your mind. Yet people keep adding more and more content – some of that content is well worth the space it takes up, other content… not so much. As an author, it’s important that the content you’re offering is worth both the space it takes up, and the time it takes to read it.

Like it or not, we are judged by each and every word we place on the internet. If you misspell a word, you better believe that somebody will catch it. If you’re having a bad day and decide to write a rant, it’s there for the whole world to see. While I find writing therapeutic, I've learned that just because I write it doesn't mean I have to make it public. I've written a blog post just to delete it once I've finished. It was more for me than my following and I didn't want to waste their time (or my good name) by sharing it.

Learning the difference between quality material and random thoughts is extremely valuable in the world of book marketing.

Marketing prompt:

Write a FAQ page for your blog or website.

Days to go: 206

Help Them SEE It

Day 158

“Video is just one part of a marketing plan. It fits certain messages and people better than others.”

~ Steve Garfield

We live in a visual world. It’s true. This generation would rather veg. out in front of the T.V. than read a book. They want to be entertained without working at it. What better way to draw them in, than using video? It’s also important to remember that videos go viral a lot more often the blog posts. They’re generally easy to watch and share. Creating a video is easy. The first video’s I made were with the free software that came on my computer, but you can also use a webcam (or digital camera) to record a video of yourself to upload as well.

Marketing prompt:

Create a YouTube video about your book or you as an author. This can be something simple like a vlog, or something more techy like a full blown book trailer.

Days to go: 207

Give Me A Reason

Day 157

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

The only thing better than people reading your writing, is having them read something that someone else wrote about you (assuming it’s positive anyway). Doing something that prompts others to write about you can be tough, you really don’t know who’s saying what about you for the most part. One easy way to get people to write about you, is to host a giveaway where to get entries (or win a prize) they have to write a blog post about your book, giveaway, or something else of your choice to enter. Give them something to write about.

Marketing prompt:

Host a giveaway on your blog, in order to enter request that they post a review of your book on their website (hint – this works double because if they don’t currently have your book, they’ll have to buy it first).

Days to go: 208

Link It

Day 156

“Marketing: Giving the right people the right message with the right offer at the right time.”

~ Matt Bailey

There are all sorts of marketing tactics and strategies. Some of them you need to do daily, others are a one time and you’re done. Others are ones that you build on. Backlinks are like that. Backlinks are links to your website (or blog) from other websites (or blogs) – and Google loves these. They help your website rank higher, and ultimately provide another another place for readers to find you.

Marketing prompt:

Look for other authors in your niche that might be willing to do a link exchange with you.

Days to go: 209

You Choose

Day 155

“Your external brand is how you project yourself to the world.”

~ Steve Pavlina

How are you projecting yourself to the world? The rest of Steve Pavlovian quote from above says:

“There is an element of choice here. You can decide what to say or write in order to convey a certain image. Your projected image will influence what others think of you and how they might choose to interact with you. You may stumble upon this image accidentally, or you can deliberately target a specific type of image.”

You get to choose your brand. You get to choose how other people see you. You have the power to make yourself what you want readers to believe that you are – but the best person you can let your readers see, is you – the real you.

Readers aren't dense, I mean they read, there’s a level of sophistication there. They can tell when something’s not right. Don’t try to make them believe something that isn't true. Control your brand, but do so honestly.

Marketing prompt:

Update the “About me” section of your website. Make sure that it’s up to date, and represents you honestly the way you want to be seen.

Days to go: 210

You've Got To Give A Little

Day 154

“Giving back or giving forward is the one true law of marketing.”

~ John Kremer

Marketing is about giving readers a sample of your work or a reason to buy it. You've probably heard the saying, “give a little get a little.” I don’t know where that saying came from, but it would make a pretty good marketing plan. Give your readers a little bit of your content free, and they’ll give you a little bit of their money to get more (provided your original content was worth something). It’s the theory behind giving away free content – be it a sample chapter or even an entire book.

Marketing prompt:

Upload a chapter from your book to 1chapterfree.com.

Days to go: 211

Get Social

Day 153

“Be social and get to know others.”

~Heather Hart

Relationships sell books. I think I've said that before, and I’ll probably say it again – because it’s true. The more social you are, the more relationships you will build, and the bigger sales potential you will have. Getting to know your readers and other authors in your niche is extremely important to your success as an author. You can’t put too much of an emphasis on this aspect of marketing.

Marketing prompt:

Spend today working in social media. Spend an extra day in the forums or connecting with people on Facebook and Twitter.

Days to go: 212

Make It Happen

“Where there is a will, there is a way”

~Origin Unknown

If you desire to sell books, you will. You just have to keep at it. I’m hoping that since you started this challenge your sales have increased, but we’re still not even half way through. Make sure you’re tracking your marketing efforts so you know which ones are working for you. If my daily marketing prompts don’t fit with your marketing plan, skip them and do what you need to do.

Marketing prompt:

Ask another author about doing a cross promotion.

Days to go: 213

Quality Control

“Give them quality. That’s the best kind of advertising.”

~ Milton Hershey, Founder of the

Hershey Chocolate Company

Everyone knows and loves Hershey bars (if you don’t you can mail me any that you get). Milton Hershey knew what he was doing. He delivered quality – and it’s stayed that way ever since. He didn't sacrifice quality for a cheaper price, and it’s paid off. People trust the name Hershey because they know what they are going to get. Do you deliver that kind of quality in your marketing?

Marketing prompt:

Read through your previously published books to see if you need to do any more editing or formatting.

Days to go: 214

Consistent

“The most efficient marketing is consistent marketing.”

~ Shelley Hitz

Despite all the encouragement to try new things to market your book, being consistently present in what you’re doing is far more effective in the long run. Stay present on Twitter, keep up with your blog, and continue to be active in forums.

Marketing prompt:

Spend today re-vamping your scheduled tweet list. Make sure they are fresh and will draw readers in. Add new tweets to the list as well that point them to newer blog posts.

Days to go: 215

Energize Your Marketing

“Without passion, you don't have energy; without energy, you have nothing. Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion.”

~ Donald Trump

Have you ever noticed that you have more energy to do the things you enjoy than you do to for the things you don’t like? If you like ice skating, chances are that even if you’re too tired for a trip to the mall, you’d still be up for hitting the pond. If you like shopping, you probably have more energy for shopping than you do for watching a soccer game. And on and on it could go. We have more energy for doing things that we love. It’s the same when it comes to book marketing. Your best marketing will come from things that you enjoy.

What are you passionate about? What's your favorite thing to do? Can you incorporate marketing into it? Can you do what you love and market at the same time? Absolutely!

In the past, I have seen a tent shaped as the authors book. A booth where an author had became a food vendor to market his book about adding flavor to life. And I heard about an author who gave a free, autographed copy of her book to everyone on the airplane with her to the destination of the setting for her historical fiction novel.

Are these tactics memorable? Oh yes. But more importantly, they are genuine. These authors took things that they loved and extended their marketing efforts into them. I say good for them! Why can't we be genuine in our marketing efforts? Can't they simply become an extension of who we are?

Do you write fiction? Why not dress up as a character from your book for Halloween? Even if you just stay home and pass out treats, you could hand moms (or dads) a coupon to download a free copy of your book from Smashwords, or include personalized book marks in your goody bags. (This would be especially good if you wrote horror!)

If you write about beauty, why not ask a salon if they would be willing to host a giveaway for you? You could drop of a box and allow their patrons to enter to win a free copy of your latest book. At the same time, you could collect addresses (physical and/or e-mail) to send information to everyone letting them know that they didn't win, but they could download a free excerpt on your website, or that you are having a free day on Kindle (if your in KDP select) on a certain day and they could download a free copy then.

Do you write historical fiction? Why not take a photo of your book at landmarks contained within your book?

Think outside the box. Extend your marketing into who you are.

Marketing prompt:

Come up with something unique to market your book. Make it an extension of who you are, but choosing something you love.

Days to go: 216

Peek-A-Boo

“Bring the best of your authentic self to every opportunity.”

~ John Jantsch

It’s never good to hide who you are. Your readers want to read books by real people. Showing your imperfections won’t turn people away, it will help them to realize that they aren't alone. As humans, we long to know that we aren't the only ones that fail. We need to know that those we admire make mistakes too. As an author, our readers look up to us. Showing them that we’re real is one of the best things we can do to win their trust.

Marketing prompt:

Have you thought about selling your book locally? Contact some of the small shops in your area to see if they offer consignment – you could even consider a discount for customers who buy locally.

Days to go: 217

Make Your Dreams Come True

“Don't dream it be it.”

~ Rocky Horror Picture Show

If dreams really do come true, at some point your dream is your life.  Are you living your dream? If not, write down the steps it will take to get you there. Tangible steps that you need to go through to get where you want to be.

Your dreams can come true – as long as you have a plan to get there.

Marketing prompt:

Sign up for Book Fun – The Book Club Network Inc (aka: Book Fun), is a site where you can add blog posts, events and videos to help promote your book to readers.

Days to go: 218

Chin Up

“Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit and grieve. Find another way.”

~ Beatrix Potter

Failure is a fact of life. Not everything we will do will be successful and not every reader will love our work. Don’t let the failures keep you down. Keep your chin up and keep moving forward.

Marketing prompt:

Host a book giveaway at your local library – be sure to notify the local media.

Days to go: 219

Well Said Mr. Andretti

“Desire is the key to motivation, but its determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal — a commitment to excellence — that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”

~ Mario Andretti

Seriously, I don’t know what I can add to Mario Andretti’s quote. He pretty much said it all. If you desire to sell books, you’ll be motivated to work towards that goal – but desire for the end goal will only get you so far. You have to be determined and committed to truly be successful.

Marketing prompt:

Create a banner or button for your blog or website that others can share on their sites.

Days to go: 233

It's Time For Camp

Each year book marketing expert, D’vorah Lansky hosts an online conference for authors. 

This year’s conference is called: “eBook Publishing Boot Camp” and each of the workshop leaders will focus their presentation on an aspect of the eBook Publishing process.

eBook Boot Camp Workshops Include:

·         Creating your eBook  with Jim Edwards

·         Publishing to Kindle with Val Waldeck

·         Publishing to Nook, Kobo, and Smashwords with David Wogahn

·         Print-on-Demand Revolution with John S. Rhodes

·         Grow Your Business with Teleseminar with Bob Jenkins

·         How to Create a Course, and Earn, with Udemy with Alex Mozes

·         Surprise Workshop with Dr. Jeanette Cates

·         Share Your Book with Google Hangouts with Jason Matthews

·         Become a Kindle Bestseller in 30 Minutes a Day with Connie Ragen Green

·         Successful Book Launch Strategies with Shelley Hitz and Heather Hart

·         Leveraging Influencers to Sell More Books with Susan Baroncini-Moe

·         How to Build a Buzz for your eBook with Sandra Beckwith

The Best Part?

Besides the fact that it will be chalked full of useful information, Shelley Hitz and I are teaching the workshop, “Successful Book Launch Strategies" - This is my very first teleseminar and I'd love for you to join me!

Admission is currently priced at $67 for an early bird special – but will be rising to the normal fee of $197 before the event starts in April.

The sooner you get your ticket the better!

Just go to http://bit.ly/epublishbootcamp to sign up.

Want more information?

The conference runs from April 16^th-25^th and workshops will be available for re-play at your convenience.

You can get even more details at: http://bit.ly/epublishbootcamp

And now for our daily marketing segment:

Day 84

“Seize the day”

~Origin Unknown

There’s no time like the present to market your book. Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can complete today. Any other clichés that you want to include will work just fine, so long as you get the point. Marketing your book every day can seem to get old and not feel as important after awhile, but making the most out of today, will make for a brighter tomorrow. ;)

Marketing prompt:

Record a short portion of your book as a podcast or YouTube video.

And sign up to take part in the eBook Publishing Boot Camp at: http://bit.ly/epublishbootcamp

Days to go: 281

Day #66

“My father–in–law says that you should never have to tell people how wonderful you are – your actions should speak for themselves.”

~ Gabrielle Meyer

There is only so much that we can say about our own books. People know that we think it’s great – we wrote it. They want to know what other people think of our books – that’s why reviews and testimonials are so important. On the flip side of that, it’s always a good idea to say good things about other books as well. Reviewing top books in your niche, or sending testimonials or endorsements to other authors you know, can be a great way to get your name out there. I’m not suggesting that you review other books in your niche on Amazon – that’s against their terms of use – but you can review them on your blog, or even send your review directly to the author.

On that note, my latest book is free today on Amazon. I'd love it if you get a copy and let me know what you think. It's called "Author Publicity Pack" and has over 115 places for writers of all genres to market their book. Get your copy now: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGXAADC/

You can check out D'vorah Lansky's review of my book at: http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-on-book-marketing-strategy-reviewed.html

Marketing prompt:

Offer to review other books in your niche, and send the authors testimonials that they can place on their websites or within their books. Make sure to note that you are an author of “your book title” and include a link to it as well.

Days to go: 299

Spread The Word

Day 50

“I've said it before, and by gosh, I'll say it again-don't be afraid to toot your own horn.”

~ Emlyn Chand

If you don’t talk about your book, who will? For some of us it is ingrained deep inside of us that promoting ourselves is wrong. That’s why it’s important to see the value in your book. Instead of seeing promoting your work as boasting, look at it as letting others know about a fabulous book (that you just happened to have authored).

Today, I'm spreading the word about my newest book, and I know you'll want to hear about it!

"Indie Author Book Marketing Success" is a book by 14 different book marketing experts and best-selling authors. This book covers 14 different marketing topics to help authors successfully market their books. From pre-selling on Amazon to running group promotions, this book has something in it for everyone.

PLUS - today is the first day of our book launch! If you purchase a copy of the book within the next 2 days, you'll get 7 valuable bonus gifts, and you can enter to win over $100 worth of free book marketing and author tools. You can even enter to win cool prizes by sharing about our launch. You can learn more at: http://products.self-publishing-coach.com/indie-author-book-marketing-success

Oh! One more thing, if you do buy the book and post a review on your blog before the first day of spring, you can get “Building A Book Marketing Plan” ($20 value) absolutely free! Once again, you can learn more about that at:  http://products.self-publishing-coach.com/indie-author-book-marketing-success

Marketing prompt:

First, buy our new book. Then, write a press release about your book. It has to be newsworthy, so make sure to pick an angle that is adequate. Did you hit a new sales ranking? Have you as an author done something worth talking about (starting a blog, speaking at a conference, revamped your website)?

You can view the press release about my newest book at: http://www.prlog.org/12081180-new-book-marketing-anthology-from-self-publishing-coachcom.html

Days to go: 315