Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi all,
I`ve recently published a book using Lulu.com and its just appeared on
Amazon etc, but what I need right now is the right kind of marketing
campaign to get it noticed and give it the push its been lacking so far.

I have my website. I`ve also got pages on site like Myspace, but these
sites don`t tend to translate into sales. I`ve sent out press releases on free
PR websites etc.

The thing is I`m already operating at a loss and don`t intend to pay out for
advertising space, the way I see it is that the web is a big place and I
shouldn`t have to fork out more unnecessary funds.

I`ve been browsing endlessly looking for ideas for an unusual way to
promote a book (which BTW is a mystery/crime novel). As its a print on
demand title the usual avenue of newspaper reviews tends to be blocked
off. As I live in Australia and my target market is mainly the US, I haven`t
got the finances to send endless amounts of copies out to people who
may not review it.

So, I was wondering if there are any bright sparks on here who might
have a light bulb flashing over their heads! Are there any marketing ideas
that are used for other industries that might translate to book promotion
but which haven`t been tried out yet?

Looking forward to hearing your wacky ideas smileys/smiley32.gif

What`s the name of your book? What is the genre? Have you considered partnerships? Where can I see what you`ve done so far?

Madmonk -

There are any number of blogs and sites where mystery/crime fans congregate and post. Get involved in the discussions. Mention your book. See which bloggers seem to have the most crediblity and following, and try and get them to read and review your book. Go where your potential  readers are and "talk" to them. 

 

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Michael Zucker - Strategic Planning, Marketing & Communications info@zuckerconsulting.com · www.zuckerconsulting.com “Helping You Over The Hurdles – Keeping You Focused On The Finish Line”

You may want to start promoting your book at the local level with a book-signing event that will draw attention (pertaining to the subject of your book, book characters, etc.).

Perhaps you can get sponsors who have products and services related to your book to work with you for some joint PR efforts? Then, you can use this to generate and build buzz on a national level.

Try to think of a creative and exciting ways to get the word out about your book, the topic, the characters, your background, etc. You may want to try to get influential people to provide you with a comment or testimonial about the book as well.

Hope this helps,

Melanie

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Melanie Rembrandt
CEO, Rembrandt Communications®, LLC
Visit www.rembrandtwrites.com for valuable PR tips and SEO copywriting help!
Twitter: @RembrandtWrites

Madmonk -

Even with a large publishing company behind you, an author needs to do a lot of marketing and promotion themselves to make potential customers aware of their books.  I had to do so with my first book two years ago and I`m gearing up to do the same with my second book which comes out next July.

With your book being sold by Amazon make use of the resources the bookseller provides to authors.  Make sure you have a completed profile on Amazon that promotes you as the author of the book.   Make use of the new Amazon Connect feature to set up a page on the site that allows you to communicate with your audience by posting a blog about your books. I just started mine with an excerpt from my first book and a blog entry about the books on one of the contributors to my second.  Review other books on Amazon and list your qualification as author of "whatever your book title may be."  Use the Listmania Lists feature to list your own book and other murder/mystery books you enjoy. Also, make sure you are an Associate of Amazon so you are getting commissions on Amazon sales of your book when people use your posted links.  (The commission I get on each Amazon sale is actually greater than what I am paid per book by my publisher.) As an Amazon Associate you can also set up your own bookstore on the site and direct sales your way - while also getting commissions on other books your have selected for your store.  For example, here`s my store.  All these tactics will help draw customers your way.  Amazon has been selling my new book for the last two months - even though it isn`t released for another eight months - and I`m working it for all it`s worth.

Research and target websites, blogs, and newsletters that are specific to the genre and make sure you contact the individuals responsible with news of your book.  Create your own blog - with a link to your site - to discuss your book, mysteries in general, the process of promoting your book, the process of writing your book, etc.

Make use of BookSense to research and target bookstores specializing in the selling of mysteries.

Bookcatcher also offers a lot of great tools for any author.

I write quite a few book reviews for related websites and each review ends with "Jeff Fisher, author of...."  It helps establish you as an expert presence in your field - while also promoting your book.

When you post on any forum, or comment on any blog, make sure to have an established signature that includes your website URL or your Amazon Associate`s link to your book.  Don`t create a situation where people have to work hard to find out additional information about your book.  Even mentioning more specific information about your book in your initial post in this thread would have been helpful to those SuN members interested in mysteries - including myself.  As an author (or a business owner), you can`t be shy about marketing and promotion the result of your efforts.

With the use of these tactics, and those suggested by others above, I have already started creating a good Google presence for a book that no one will see until after the middle of next year.

Hope some of the above suggestions help.  Good luck!

- J.






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Jeff Fisher | Jeff Fisher LogoMotives | Tweet! Tweet!

He asked great questions. See Dan Poynter`s free ezine. I have written
two articles on how to promote a book. Be happy to send you. Workd for
me. Also see SpeakerNet... for speakers, trainers, coaches, authors...
share tips - including on this topic..Rick Frishman offers tips via
enewlsetter and more

Thanks all for the ideas.
some have already been implemented but others will be explored. I`ve just
found the email addresses of about 200 mystery readers groups in the US so
I`ll be contacting them.
As I stated above, I live in Australia and my target audience is in the US so
local events aren`t particularly suited to my book. However, that could
change in the future.
Cheers