วันพุธที่ 31 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Why Should I Buy your Book?

How would you like to have countless people clamoring for your books and willing to visit your Web site to buy them?

Most entrepreneurs wait until their Web site is designed before they think about marketing their products on it. What a shame!

When someone asks you about your book, maybe you've said, "My book is about?." You mention the features such as tips in a book or your story. Your story may be too long and bore your prospective readers. These mistakes will turn your prospective buyer off. What they want is a quick billboard visual of your book--your 30-60 second "tell and sell."

Without your "30 Second Tell and Sell" that strongly states the main benefit, audience, and what makes your product unique, you will bore your visitor and lose that attention you need to entice him or her to take out their wallets and pay you on the spot.

Your "tell and sell" gives your book audience a reason to buy. The "Tell and Sell" is the shortest sales letter you will write. You can also use this one to two-sentence blurb at any business meeting or appointment where you only have a few seconds to impress. Speakers refer to it as an "elevator speech."

It's Not the Book, It's the Hook!

It's best to know your sizzling title, unique selling points, preferred audience and benefits before you put words to paper, before you even write a single chapter. But, even if your book is already out, you can still motivate endless book sales with your "tell and sell." Be prepared to write five to seven versions until the best one emerges. And, remember your "tell and sell" must be clear, compact, compelling and commercial.

How to Build your Bullet Proof Tell and Sell

1. List your title. For instance, "Write Your EBook or Other Short Book-Fast!"

2. Add your major audience and benefits after you say the title.

Example: "Write your eBook..." offers authors and small business people short cuts to design and market your top selling book so you can share your unique useful message with the world, become known as the savvy expert, and make consistent, ongoing top money each month.

3. Add a sound bit that will help people connect easily with your book. Compare your book to a famous one. Call it a companion piece to a famous author's top title. Your potential buyer will want your book because it is in good company.

"Write your eBook" picks up where Dan Poynter's "Self Publishing Manual" leaves off. It's the nuts and bolts you need to market and design and fast-forward write a book that sells.

4. Put them all together, they spell your own "tell and sell" that you memorize with enthusiasm and share with everyone next time someone asks you, "What's your book about?"

Final example: "Write your eBook or Other Short Book--Fast!" offers authors and small business people like you short cuts to design and market your top selling book so you can share your unique useful message with the world, become known as the savvy expert, and make ongoing top money each month. Recommended by Dan Poynter, it picks up where his "Self Publishing Manual" left off.

The Big Benefits of Owning your "tell and sell"

When you know your "tell and sell" before you write your book, you'll be marketing while you write. You will give your audience so much more. Your book will be much improved because you will write more organized and focused copy making it easy for your buyer to understand. Every chapter will prove your "tell and sell." You will also write faster, because with focus, you'll need far less edits and rewrites.

Knowing benefits sell, you now can be ready when you meet anyone anywhere with your book's "tell and sell."

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at <A target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml">http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml</a> and over 140 free articles. Email her at <a target="_new" href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com</a>

Book Club Sales -- Increasing the Odds

What is a book club sale? It is actually a rights sale or a licensing agreement: you are granting permission to a book club the right to &quot;borrow&quot; your work. You have written a book, and now you are allowing a book club to print and distribute your book to its members.

You allow the book club to reprint your book in a specific language, in a specific format, for a specific period of time, in a specific geographic territory, to a specific group of people. You ensure in your contract that you maintain ownership of the copyright and of all other intellectual property rights, such as electronic, movie, other languages and territories, and serial rights ? to name a few. Always seek good legal advice before signing a contract.

There are many book clubs, but most of the major clubs fall under the bookspan umbrella (<a href="http://www.bookspan.com" target="_new">www.bookspan.com</a>). To find other book clubs that are appropriate for your book, do an internet search: on your browser, type in +(your book genre, e.g., cooking)+book+club.

The chances of having your book selected by a book club are roughly one in ten, which is really quite good. Imagine if your chance at winning the lottery was that great!

Tip #1 for increasing the odds:

It is important to know that book clubs are always looking for new ideas to entice their members, so if your book is well written and edited, has plans for professional graphic design, AND demonstrates a unique slant on your topic, your chances of being selected rise considerably.

Tip #2 for increasing the odds:

In saying that, it is important for you to know that the earlier you submit your book, the better.

Tip #3 for increasing the odds:

Book clubs are much happier receiving a typed manuscript six to twelve months in advance of your publication date than receiving a bound galley or finished book close to the publication date. A book club likes to introduce your book to its members near your publication date in order to take advantage of the reviews and publicity that you will be generating when your book is launched. The bigger the media splash you make, the better everyone's sales will be.

Tip #4 for increasing the odds:

There are many categories of book clubs, so be sure to submit your title only to the appropriate clubs. Do not send your book to every book club that you can find. Each club's membership has specific interests so be sure to submit your book only to clubs that might buy-you will again increase your chance of being selected.

For instance, if you have a humor book, it's unlikely to be of any interest to a cooking club or to a mathematics club. If your book is regional, it will not likely appeal to a general interest book club, so submit that a regional title to suitable specialty clubs.

Tip #5 for increasing the odds:

There are rules to follow when submitting your book to the book clubs, so following them carefully should avoid unnecessary rejections.

Here they are:

<li>Send your manuscript to the Editorial department at the appropriate club(s).

<li>Include a cover letter that details the following information:

<ul>

<li>summary of the book contents

<li>description of the book (size, binding, hard/soft cover, black & white or color)

<li>expected selling price

<li>number of pages

<li>number and type of photographs and/or illustrations (indicate if black & white or color

<li>notation if the book will be part of a series

<li>which volume the book is in an existing series and a sales history of the series

<li>intended publication date

<li>plans for publicity and promotion, and your intended budget

</ul>

<li>Include a brief author biography written in the third person. Be sure to talk about any previous books published and their sales histories.

<li>Send photocopies of some of the illustrations and photographs. Please do not send original copies ? they will NOT be returned to you.

<li>Don't forget your contact information and website if you have one.

Unfortunately, you cannot contact book clubs to follow up on your submission. It's a case of &quot;Don't call us. We'll call you&quot;. Book clubs receive too many submissions to allow follow up calls or letters. If they are interested, they will call you, usually within two to six months.

Do you think that a book club sale is worth pursuing? Absolutely! For very little effort you can achieve the sale of thousands of copies of your book. You will likely be paid a minimum sum per copy, but you will also not have any production costs, and a small sum multiplied by thousands can equate to a very nice check. Your only effort will be to sign a contract, provide your book on disk and collect that check ? and just think of the free publicity! Thousands of book club members will read about your book. You can't buy that kind of publicity!

About The Author

? Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. From "101 Things You Need to Know About Publishing" to our Ultimate Book Marketing Kit, we will help you make your book a success. <a href="http://www.inktreemarketing.com" target="_new">http://www.inktreemarketing.com</a>

<a href="mailto:info@inktreemarketing.com">info@inktreemarketing.com</a>

วันอังคารที่ 30 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Plays Well With Others to Become an Instant Author

You wrote a tips booklet. Maybe more than one. Oh wait, are you one of the people who is still thinking about doing one? Not to worry. Wait 'til you see how easy this gets.

What would you and your colleagues think of jointly creating a tips booklet? Each of you contributes several tips, has someone else oversee all of the production, and gives you ideas for marketing it. Each colleague shares in the costs, making the entire thing not only palatable price-wise but an exciting prospect and even fun to do instead of some kind of drudgery. It's very possible this is a solution that just had not yet come to mind. I can almost see you sitting there saying &quot;yes, that's perfect.&quot;

Collaboration is far from being a new thing. Book anthologies are done all the time. Cookbooks have been created just this way for years and years, with each person in a particular group contributing their favorite recipe. The hugely successful "Chicken Soup" series is probably one of the best known anthologies of recent times. It's just taken awhile to realize that the same thing can be done with tips booklets, and done within any self-contained, self- formed group rather than only a publisher of an anthology gathering unrelated people together to create the book.

Look around you. You probably have colleagues, a circle of professional friends, people you utilize as a sounding board, as a mastermind, as a respite from your daily process. And you each like doing the work you've prepared yourself to do, whether it's being a business coach, a hypnotist, a retailer, an artist, a realtor, or endless other possibilities. Yet you also love the idea of being a published author, seeing your name in print, someday, when you get around to it, when the stars and planets are aligned just perfectly. Or the idea of expanding an existing product line appeals to you, and a booklet seems to be the ideal answer for that.

Several years ago, a group of veteran professional organizers wanted to create a revenue stream for themselves so they did not have to tap the general budget of the umbrella association to which they belonged. About 100 organizers (104, to be exact) each contributed several tips. We then selected one tip from each person and created a booklet for the group. To date, the booklet has brought in over twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000!) of direct revenue for that group of veteran organizers, without really marketing it.

The great thing about that booklet is that it serves as both a revenue stream for the group plus it markets the business of each contributor in the booklet as well as the entire industry of professional organizing. You'll find the individual person's name, business name, and city of each contributor right under their tip. Every organizer whose tip is in that booklet instantly became a published author.

But wait, there's more. Each and every booklet that a co-author distributes markets every other co-author in the booklet. Plus (and this is just so terrific) the booklet is of great interest to reporters and journalists in the media who love to interview more than one person for any article they write. It's a ready-made mechanism for getting lots and lots of publicity.

I recently started a conversation with a representative from a group of about 15 health care professionals in related areas of expertise, exploring the idea of the group jointly co-authoring a booklet. Each person in the group contributes a handful of tips, shares in the production costs (bringing that way down), and becomes a published author. This takes much less time, m0ney, and brain damage than if any one of these people wrote a complete booklet themselves. That's not to say they won't ever do one on their own. It just means they will get one done probably sooner through the collaboration of this tips booklet anthology, and they will expand their reach every time any other co-author distributes this booklet.

Has your mind started racing about who to approach to do a booklet with you? You don't have to be best pals with a colleague or love everyone in your mastermind group or agree with every pearl that comes out of every coach in your Special Interest Group, or think that each person at the recent chamber of commerce meeting was the most brilliant person you ever met. You don't even need to live anywhere near each other in order to put together a collaborative booklet. All you need is to find a group of people interested in contributing some tips in a somewhat related field. Depending on the size of the group, it may be one or two tips each, or 10-12 tips. In either case, it's a minor amount of time, effort, and m0ney to instantly become a published author.

? 2005, Paulette Ensign

Visit: <a target="_new" href="http://www.tipsbooklets.com/anthologies.htm">http://www.tipsbooklets.com/anthologies.htm</a> to get started with one of these collaborations (and completed before you even realize it!) Paulette Ensign has clients, worldwide, who have surpassed her own results of personally selling over a million copies of her tips booklet in four languages and various formats, without spending a penny on advertising. Her San Diego-based Tips Products International has helped thousands of people transform their knowledge into tips booklets for marketing, motivating, and making money. You're next.

Get Rich Writing Fiction

Some of us write simply because we can't not write. Ideas grab us, move us, and demand to be written. We strive to make it as real as we possibly can, to improve at our craft every day, hopefully to make it into the realm of literature as well as entertainment. We want to craft an entire world where the places and people are so real that the reader doesn't feel like he's reading a book as much as he is going to another place. In the lofty world of literature that we strive for, the reader will still think about the book after reading that last page. It's our gift to the reader, something to take with him. Given sufficient skill, this can even happen long after we are dead.

Then we learn that doesn't sell. Oh, there are exceptions. Some novelists make a living by consistently writing quality literature. But, there are quite a few best sellers who have no such goals. They write for money, and they make it.

Even the writer who has written great literature has trouble marketing it that way. We have to look at our "target audience." Who will buy this book? Let me see, our heroine survived spousal abuse, so there's an audience. There's a suicide, so we can get the bereavement crowd. Where's the setting? We can get a local audience. The hero's a cop. Maybe the teen boys will go for that. Nah, too light on action. But there's a romance. Maybe we'll market to the romance readers. Give the hero bedroom eyes and pass him off as a romantic hero. Yeah, that might work.

But if you want to write to get rich, even that's not enough. Nah, the time to think about your reader is before you write the book, not after.

Throw in lots of gratuitous sex, preferably extramarital. One (and only one) character who flirts and is sorely tempted and walks away from "love" to remain true to his wife.

Use taboo words for shock value. Ram, hump, scream, oral sex, voluptuous, female orgasm (the great revelation). Make sure a lot of your leads enjoy sex. Horny women are a good way to pull in the readers you want. We all know men are horny, but most of your readers haven't discovered that some women enjoy sex too. Tell them this. Give the female readers a balm for their consciences and the male readers someone to dream about.

Your heroine should be tough, sweet, sensitive, and very horny, and has to think she's not attractive even though every guy in the book except her husband falls off his chair with a tent in his pants.

Don't let the length of a novel faze you. Just throw some people on the stage, move them around a bit, and get them into bed. Then, change the rules so they have to move around a bit again and get them back into bed. (It doesn't always have to be a bed. Office desks and car seats work too.) When the book's long enough, stop. Don't worry about the "climax," because people are climaxing all over the place.

Exotic locales. Foreign countries with beaches. Lots of rich people. Remember that you're writing for the lowest common denominator, because they spend most of the money that you're trying to reel in. Make it sleazy. No one ever went broke underestimating the public.

How to publish? To do it right, write the sales pitch before you write the book. Make sure the book follows the pitch and the formula. If your cover letter alone has eight typos, no problem. Nobody cares. The publisher will wanna rush this baby to print and get you, or an attractive stand-in, doing as many TV appearances as possible before the book reviewers have time to draw breath. Heck, your target market doesn't read book reviews anyway! Also keep in mind that once that reader buys your book, you've won. They won't get a refund just because you're illiterate. So don't worry about hiring an editor. Hire a publicist!

Think Hollywood. You want your book to become a movie. It doesn't have to be a good movie, because most of them aren't. It just has to sell, baby, sell! Write parts for all the hottest stars. True, today's hottest stars will have faded by the time they start filming your movie, but no matter. Someone just like them will replace them.

I've been doing it wrong for all these years. I started writing over 20 years ago, and the five books I have on the shelves are enough to make it a hobby that barely pays for itself. Meanwhile, I work at a job for my money. But if you follow my advice, you won't make the same mistakes I have. You'll get rich!

Copyright 2005, Michael LaRocca

Michael LaRocca's website at <a target="_new" href="http://www.chinarice.org">http://www.chinarice.org</a> was chosen by WRITER'S DIGEST as one of The 101 Best Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002. His response was to throw it out and start over again because he's insane. He teaches English at a university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and publishes the free weekly newsletter WHO MOVED MY RICE?

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 28 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Whats Killing Your Publishing Career?

With the large increase of books being published by self-publishers, and the up-rise of print on demand, there is still a lot of death taking place in the publishing industry. Thus far, 175,000 books have been published in 2005.

Are you a part of this population? There are many aspects that make up these individuals. However, let us target just three that are undeniable to anyone reading this article.

As in anything we do, a large portion of it is about taking risks. Are you a risk taker? You've completed your manuscript or just published your novel; it is time to open the entrepreneur portion of your brain.

Risk takers do not mind the possible end result because the thought of success in pure motivation. Many writers and authors remain reclusive within the safe haven of their creativity. What makes this ideology costly? It is the slow return on their investment.

Are you wondering if you fit into this population of authors? Sure you have published your work for the whole world to read, even critique. But that is just the beginning of this venture. What makes you any different than the other hundreds of thousands of writers and authors?

Sure you can play it safe and hope your extraordinary opportunity hits you over your head. Why not become a risk taker and take it by authority?

Becoming a risk taker you must be:

--- persistent

--- creative

--- passionate

Another obvious bludgeon death is the lack of knowledge.

Yes it is lovely to remain in your creative world and just produce book after book. Can you imagine leaving all the other hoopla for others to sort out?

No one whose a true business person would dare allow themselves to walk blind in their business. Prime examples are Oprah, Donald Trump and Bill Gates. However, many writers and authors are just that, blind.

In order to be successful, you need to be savvy on all levels in the literary industry. If you are not, just like buying a car, you are going to get taken every time. Do your homework, rather than relying on third party hearsay. Why would you find knowing unimportant? For example, POD (print on demand) writers. Many have shouted foul play. The pitch is knowing the short and long term of POD. Before signing any contract, may it be for a car, house, student loan, or what have you, the rule of thumb is to know what it says. If you do not know, you will swing at a curve ball because the only pitch you anticipated was the fastball.

To become knowledgeable:

--- ask questions

--- take the time to research

--- make sure you understand

Lastly, the beast of all beasts, is marketing. It is amazing how many authors who are not marketing exhaustively.

This reverts back to the second point of lack of knowledge. Too many authors belief that a publisher will sign them and they will promote and market their book. Happy to inform you, that is not always the case.

This is your business and these publishers have invested enough in you, such as, advance, printing, and a brief promotion run. After this, it is the author's job to build a website, create news releases, get interviews and so on.

There are many authors and writers out there with published works who are at a lost. Many assume self-published authors must deal with marketing and promoting. If no one has informed you, allow me: that is not true. All published authors, in any realm must market themselves.

How else will your book or novel sell without getting out to the masses? Your readers?

To market, you must:

--- think-outside-the-box

--- market everyday on some level

--- address all angles of your novel or book

--- have a user friendly website

Take a look at where you are and where you desire to be in this literary world. Determine if you are killing your publishing career.

This is going to be a challenge, but you have to have enough energy, passion, and juice to make it past the trying moments.

As a writer or author, make sure you are multi-dimensional. You are becoming an entrepreneur, so know where your hats are and when to wear them.

C.F. Jackson is the author of the ebook The Self-Publisher's Little Black Book: The Resource Book to Self-Publishing for Writers, Authors and Poets: <a target="_new" href="http://www.thepublisherslittleblackbook.com">http://www.thepublisherslittleblackbook.com</a> This author has been Nominated Atlanta Daily World Reader's Choice for Author of the Year ? 2005 for the suspense fiction novel, Won't Be Denied. Visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.cfjackson.us">http://www.cfjackson.us</a> to learn more about this author and or contact.

วันเสาร์ที่ 27 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Top 10 Ways to Know your Book Concept will Sell--Before you Invest Time and Money

Make your book stand out from the crowd! Test your book's significance, find your market before you write, and treat your book as part of your business.

1. Test your book's significance

-fun, humor<BR>-easy to read<BR>-teach something interesting, new?<BR>-original, unique info?<BR>-potential to positively affect the reader's life?<BR>-create a deeper understanding of life?<BR>-give skills and info to help people? How to's sell well<BR>-do you already have an audience who wants it?

You only need 2 significances to have a book that will sell.

2. Find your market before you write.

Who out there needs or wants your information? Without knowing a preferred audience as your write, your writing may be too general and not compel your audience to keep turning pages. In my eBook &quot;Write eBook or Other Book Fast&quot; in ch. 3 --"The Essential Hot Selling-Points," I discuss how to gage which audience is best for your book.

3. Know your best audience.

Remember the 100,000's Online too. Write your audience a letter on why you are writing the book and how it will benefit them.

4. Keep your book short.

Most audiences want to learn something fast and easily.

5. Unleash your passion for at least 2 years for one book.

Love your topic and don't quit.

6. Get some help with a book coach.

Try an introductory 1/2 hour book coaching session for only $35.

7. Intend to have your book vision manifest.

Know your book will be published, name your outcomes-- what you will hear, see, and feel now that it's done and people are reading it. <BR> <BR>8. Treat your book as part of your business. <BR> <BR>Make a plan -when to write, how much to write each week, when you will finish, what your next step is--approach a book coach professional.<BR> <BR>9. Know you will eventually have to spend some money to make your book a top seller. <BR> <BR>If you work a full week, then see if you can put 10 hours a week in on your book including its promotion. <BR> <BR>10. Solve your audience's challenge and you not only will sell a lot of books, you'll also have a 24/7 sales person for your book.

When you write your book aimed at your best audience, and spend enough time on it, you can produce a successful E or print book.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at <A target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml">http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml</a> and over 140 free articles. Email her at <a target="_new" href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com</a>

How to Send Press Releases to Newspapers About Your New Book

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 ?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 &quot;about&quot; 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 say? Author Has New Book On The Social Problems of Latinos. But rather try something like?&quot;Fiery Latinos Who Have Found Ways to Escape the Fire in the Neighborhood.&quot; 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 <a target="_new" href="http://americanprophet.org">http://americanprophet.org</a>

How To Get The Most From Your Free eBooks Marketing Campaign

First, your ebook needs to have an attractive title. The title should grab the attention of your intended target audience. The more appealing the title, the more your ebook will be downloaded.

Your ebook needs to have quality content. You can write your own content or ask permission to use another author's content. Your ebook will be read more if the content is original.

You will want to put your ad on the title page or on the table of contents. This will give the most exposure for your web site or the products you're selling.

It's important to put your ebook in as many formats as possible. Most ebook software only allows the ebook to be read by certain browers and software. People may not take the time to download a new software program in order to read your ebook. Other versions of your ebook could be in HTML, auto responder and downloadable text format.

You can contact other business owners and ask them if they would like to include their ad in your ebook. Just ask them in return to advertise your free ebook on their web site or in their e-zine for a set period of time. This method will get your free ebook marketing campaign off to a fast start.

Allow the people who download your ebook to give it away to their visitors. This will multiply your free ebook's exposure. Submit your ebook to the growing number of free ebook directories on the internet.

These web sites also offer more information about ebook marketing. Some of them also have ebook discussion forums where you can ask questions and learn more about ebook marketing.

I hope this has helped God Bless & Good Luck with your viral marketing let it spread like wild fire!

Tim B. Miller

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Proven & Free Ways To Get More Traffic For Your Online Business!

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Is There a Book Hiding Inside You?

Have you always wanted to write?

Are there ideas churning in your mind waiting for just the right time to get them down on paper? Do you have a unique perspective on a subject or problem facing many people? Do you read a book or article and think, &quot;I could write better than that?&quot; Have you ever said &quot;someday, when I have time, I am going to write a book?&quot;

Perhaps now is the moment for you to put your excuses in the garbage and your fingers on the keys. You will never 'find' time; you simply have to 'make' time to write. It is important to carve out little bits and pieces of your day to organize the information churning in your head to an outline on paper.

Where to begin?

Although I have started thousands of books in the shower or in my dreams, the first book I ever completed was done in half hour segments over a nine-month period. By getting up at six am every morning and writing on my old typewriter in a corner of the bedroom before the children woke up, I was able to finally pull what was hiding in my brain and put it into book form.

We were living in frigid Glasgow, Montana and you can't even imagine how tempting those flannel sheets were every morning. But I knew that my soul was hungry to get the information that I had to share in a format that would reach thousands of people and change lives. The thousands of people, mostly relatives, who bought that book turned out to be numbered in the hundreds or less , but I was now an author and determined to write about what I knew best, parenting.

Fiction or non-fiction?

Since 90% of the books sold are non-fiction and most of those are not sold in bookstores, I knew that if I wanted to reach my particular audience, parents and child care providers, I had to come up with an angle. My goal was to teach, not to entertain but I wanted to write what people would buy. Focus groups told me that young parents want small booklets with narrow subjects, lots of bullet points and stories of other families they could relate to.

They did not want psychobabble from so-called experts, statistics or be laden with guilt. They wanted and needed real life experiences from people they could trust. The main information that came out of the focus groups was that the books had to be &quot;hand-around&quot; size and under $10.00. I knew I could sell my product at my parenting workshops and also through local bookstores.

Long or short?

You don't have to write a 200 hundred page book to be considered an author. How about starting out with an article of 300-750 words on a subject you know about for this magazine? You may want to consider a booklet (6 -50 pages), a special report (3-25 pages) a workbook (7-30 pages), or a book ( 32, 64, 96 or 128 pages). If you want to begin with a personal essay, see my website www.ArtichokePress.com for a free article on how to write an effective &quot;Slice of Your Life.&quot;

Another viable option is the e-book, which is rapidly becoming the way information is sold and delivered. When I attended a seminar put on by Mark Victor Hansen of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame, one of the speakers said that e-books typically sell for 4 times what anybody in the right mind would pay for them! The information buyer is impulse driven and ready to pay for a solution to an immediate problem.

What will you write about?

What do you know that I don't? Pretend I am having tea with you and asking you all about raising Icelandic Sheep dogs or whatever your area of expertise is. Write down every question I ask and leave a large space. Go back later and answer the questions and you have your book outline or chapter thesis. When I learned this formula from Judy Cullins at www.bookcoaching.com I was amazed how easy it was to write a short book fast.

Is it worth the effort?

Yes. You have information that people want and need. You know something about a certain niche that only you can teach. This information has been churning in your head and heart long enough. It is time to squeeze out half an hour each morning or evening to put your thoughts on paper. It has never been easier to get your book in print since the advent of self publishing. Wouldn't you just love to be able to say at your twentieth high school reunion, &quot;I live in beautiful Montana and write books that change people's lives?&quot;

Trust me; it doesn't get much better than that.

? Judy H. Wright, www.ArtichokePress.com

_________________________________________________________________________ Judy H. Wright is an author of over 20 books and numerous articles. She works as a parent educator and personal historian. She has just been selected as a regional representative for National Association of Women Writers <a target="_new" href="http://www.NAWW.org">http://www.NAWW.org</a> and would like to establish women writing groups in various areas, either in person or tele-groups. If you are interested, please contact her at <a href="mailto:JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com">JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com</a> or by calling 406-549-9813. The website <a target="_new" href="http://www.ArtichokePress.com">http://www.ArtichokePress.com</a> has many free articles and reports on parenting, wellness, self-publishing and care-giving at end of life. Check it out today.

วันศุกร์ที่ 26 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Plain Speaking ? 4 Secrets For Getting Your Book Purchased

What can be more infuriating to a potential purchaser of a non-fiction book than chapter headings which give no clue as to their contents? After all, if someone is looking in the non-fiction section of a book store, it implies they want facts, not a fancy and &quot;clever&quot; table of contents! Here are 4 sure-fire ways to make your text grab the reader's attention:

1. Make sure the text on the front and back covers is compelling. It should state plainly and simply what the book is about. For example: &quot;Buy this book, and learn how to master the craft of teaching in 15 lessons&quot;.

2. Why should anyone buy the book from YOU? Don't waste limited space on the back cover telling the potential reader about your 3 cats ? unless it's a book about cats, of course! Write something like: &quot;The author has been a practising teacher for 13 years, and writes regularly for the Teaching Times.&quot;

3. Organise the table of contents so that the chapters fall into easily-identifiable sections. For example: &quot;Section 1: Before you face your first class; Section 2: The first year&quot; and so on.

4. Make sure that the chapter headings actually MEAN something. You may think it's great to have chapters like &quot;All that glitters&quot; and &quot;Every cloud has a silver lining&quot;, but I' have news for you: nobody else is impressed! When people are browsing they want to know right away what they will get for their money if they buy the book. They don't have time to look at each chapter to find out what it's about. The chapter headings should tell them everything they need to know. For example, have chapters like: &quot;Chapter 3: Maintaining order in your classroom; Chapter 4: Where to find excellent resources for your lessons&quot;, and so on.

You have just a few seconds to impress a potential buyer. Don't waste them!

Terry Freedman has nearly thirty years experience in education, and nearly 20 years experience as a writer. A member of the UK's Society of Authors, Terry has had around a dozen books published, and over 800 specialist articles in leading newspapers and magazines. His website provides free access to many of his articles, a free newsletter and more, or visit his blog.

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 25 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Book Signing: Fun and Profit for Writers and Readers

Have you ever walked into a bookstore when an author is scheduled to do a book signing and found no one in the audience? Do you shy away from autograph tables, perhaps fearing that someone may ask you to buy a book? Consider the other side of the equation. A book signing is an opportunity to learn about the author and what makes a person undertake the challenge of writing a book. If you're a reader, you can delve into background information about the book. If you are an aspiring author, you can learn from another author's experiences. Every book signing is an opportunity to learn-without obligation to buy anything.

Book signings can be held almost anywhere. Is your book about gardening, nutrition, or money? Why not have an event at a large garden supply outlet, a spa, or a banking institution? Are you writing about an exciting period of music or interesting musicians? Then consider one of the big local music stores for the seminar. On the other hand, if you're a speaker or professional seminar leader, why not sign your books in a nearby bookstore in addition to selling them at the back of the room when you give your next presentation?

To help publicize a book signing, coordinate it with a special day, like Grandparents Day, or some topical holiday that has special meaning in context with the subject matter of your book. Several Internet web sites offer hundreds of dates that you can use for a public relations opportunity. Think of different and innovative ways to connect your book and your ideas to something that is already scheduled to happen in the area. For instance, if your book has anything to do with women's health, you may tie into a local Race for the Cure event, which supports research on breast cancer. Or, dream up a day of your choice to publicize your book. "Today is national TAKE CHARGE day!" Couple a book signing with seminars or speeches you have already scheduled, a family reunion, or other special event. Where would your target audience likely gather? Find that place and go there!

Provide a mini-seminar on the topic of your book. Some people in your audience may have already read it and want to pose specific questions. Prepare comments, anecdotes, and insights in advance. Greet your public enthusiastically and welcome their questions.

Book signings can be exciting for writers and readers and profitable for everyone.

Jo Condrill is a professional speaker, author, and consultant. She has conducted successful book signings across the US, including one in Rockefeller Center in New York City. "From Book Signing to Best Seller: An Insider's Guide to Conducting a Successful Low-Cost Book Signing Tour," which was coauthored by John B. Slack, was named the 2002 Best Writer's Reference Guide by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. <a target="_new" href="http://www.publishandprosper.com">http://www.publishandprosper.com</a>

How to Self Publish and Promote Your Own Book

If you are reading this article then you have already toyed with the idea of self publishing. You may be unsure at this point and without a doubt, the decision to self publish, should not be taken lightly.

Before you go any further you should be very clear about what self publishing means. Put simply ? it means that instead of sending your manuscript off to a publisher with a hope and a prayer ? You become the publisher and as such, You and You alone are responsible for every step it takes to turn your manuscript into a book worthy of sale.

There are several things you should consider.

1. Have you absolute faith in the merit of your story?

2. Do you know to which market it is intended?

3. Can you afford the cost of printing?

4. Are you prepared to put in the hours and effort necessary to promote your book?

If you have answered yes to all of the above ? you are now about to launch on an amazing journey of self discovery and reward. The first thing I suggest you do is to take another long look at your manuscript. Read through it slowly and check thoroughly for spelling and grammatical errors. Eliminate or replace any words and phrases you may have used over and over again. Look to see that there is consistency and flow. Give it to your partner to read and ask them to bring any errors to your attention.

The next step is to find a proof reader who will also check your manuscript for: Spelling and grammatical errors, repeated words and phrases and consistency.You may feel that this is unnecessary ? however it is very easy to over look things when you check yourself ? I know from experience that this is true and now believe that any fees paid to a proof reader ? is money well spent.

Next you need to find a Graphic designer - A graphic designer is responsible for:

Book Layout
Type Setting
Graphic design
Cover Design
Scanning of photographs
Book Cover Imaging.

You are now ready to take your book to the printers. Once it is in the printer's hands you have only one chance to make changes. The printer will run off a trial copy for you ? check this carefully for any errors or changes you wish to be made ? any changes after this will result in charges to you.

Print runs can range from One hundred to several thousand. The more copies you have printed the cheaper each book is to produce. Be wary of having too many copies printed which can result in a garage full of books.

You book is printed ? what now?

Promotion, Promotion Promotion!

One of the obvious draw backs of self publishing is that you are entirely responsible for your books promotion ? However I have found this to be both challenging and rewarding. I used and continue to use every means available to me to bring my book to the attention of professional bodies and the general public.

Advertise yourself. Business Cards, Flyers, Posters ? visit your local printer and talk to them about your needs. Carry your business card with you at all times. Place your flyers and posters on free notice boards. Do a letter box flyer drop in your area.

Use the Media.
I have found the media to be most supportive of my book and have been most fortunate in receiving excellent coverage. However this has only come about through my belief in my book and my relentless determination to promote it by what ever means possible.

Use the Internet.
The most powerful tool available to help you promote your book is the internet. I believe it is something you simply cannot be without. I have utilized it to the max to promote my book. I now have my own website and through it I receive orders Australia wide, and also from countries all over the world ? Including the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, Ireland, Africa and India.

Writing ? self publishing and promoting my book has been a life changing experience for me. My efforts have put me in contact with many organizations and their staff world wide -many of whom have become my friends. Regardless of my success thus far ? I am aware that I am responsible for putting my book into the hands of my readers. It is a full time job and one which now includes public speaking. As a result of my book - I am now regularly invited to speak to groups of Nurses and palliative care staff and volunteers as well as the general public and I welcome these opportunities to speak about my experience.

To fellow writers I would like to conclude with the following words.

Writing is a god given gift through which we can touch the lives of others. Promoting our own books is a means by which we can become a part of the lives of others.

I wish you well in your writing endeavors and hope that like me your writing will bring you untold rewards.

Article written by: Lorraine Kember ? Self Published Author of &quot;Lean on Me&quot; Cancer through a Carer's Eyes. Lorraine's book is written from her experience of caring for her dying husband in the hope of helping others. It includes insight and discussion on: Anticipatory Grief, Understanding and identifying pain, Pain Management and Symptom Control, Chemotherapy, Palliative Care, Quality of Life and Dying at home. It also features excerpts and poems from her personal diary. Highly recommended by the Cancer Council. &quot;Lean on Me&quot; is not available in bookstores - For detailed information, Doctor's recommendations, Reviews, Book Excerpts and Ordering Facility - visit her website <a target="_new" href="http://www.cancerthroughacarerseyes.jkwh.com">http://www.cancerthroughacarerseyes.jkwh.com</a>

วันพุธที่ 24 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Never Pay Full Price for a Book!

Are you an avid reader? Are you trying to instill a love of reading in your children?

My whole family loves to read! Right before bedtime every night, every one of us can be found with our nose in a book!

It would be very easy for us to spend a fortune every month on books. But, since we don't have a fortune to spend every month, over the years I've found several ways to get good books and never pay full price!

1. Garage and yard sales are a prime source for both hardback and paperback books. There are people who will buy a book, read it once, and they're ready to get rid of it. I pick up lots of books at yard sales and never pay more than 50 cents each.

2. Used bookstores are another place to find good reading material. Store policies differ but most do something like sell the books at half the cover price. If you bring in books to trade, a store will usually give you credit for one-fourth of the original purchase price. I sometimes buy books at garage sales for 50 cents, read the book, and take it to the used book store where I get more than my 50 cents in credit.

If I find a book in very good condition at a yard sale for less than 50 cents, I will buy it even if I don't want to read it because I can trade it in for credit at the used bookstore.

3. Trading with friends and family is yet another way to get good reading material. My mom and I live 200 miles apart, but we always have a bag of books to trade whenever we visit each other. After we've both read a book, then it goes to the used bookstore.

4. I have recently discovered that the Dollar Stores in our area (and probably in yours, too) have books, hardback and paperback, for $1.00 each. The selection is not very large, but they have fiction and non-fiction and books for grown-ups and children, too. A book can make a great gift and at a $1.00 price it makes great economic sense, too.

5. Bookstore chain stores, like Hastings, have clearance tables somewhere in the store all the time. It takes some time to look through them, but I have bought many gifts from these clearance tables.

6. If you know of a book you'd really like to have, why not just let your family know? Your mom or your sister or husband would probably love to give you a gift for Christmas or your birthday that is something that they know you really want.

7. And don't forget your local library! The library is a wonderful place to get a book you've been wanting to read without having to buy it. You can also read the latest issues of most magazines at the library. I consider public libraries to be one of the "finer things in life"!

So, if you, too, are an avid reader, or if you're guiding your children to a lifetime love of reading, there are lots of ways to "read on the cheap"!

About The Author

Cyndi Roberts' website, "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" will show you ways to save money everyday. Receive a Free e-course on saving money at the supermarket! To learn more, visit <a href="http://www.cynroberts.com" target="_new">http://www.cynroberts.com</a>

<a href="mailto:editor@cynroberts.com">editor@cynroberts.com</a>

Titles (and Subtitles) Sell Books!

Does a title really sell a book? The short answer is, yes. If a book does not attract a reader initially, it will be overlooked and not purchased. The book title is the element that creates the initial attraction to the book.

Watch people who are browsing in a bookstore. A catchy title grabs their interest and makes them reach for the book out of curiosity. A great title makes browsers think, &quot;Really?&quot; or &quot;What does THAT mean?&quot; or &quot;That's what I need&quot;. Think long and hard when choosing your book's title. The title must give some clues about the book's contents in a snappy &quot;one-liner&quot;.

Many authors struggle fiercely with the title choice, not realizing that the title is there somewhere in the book's contents. They just haven't recognized it because they are too close to the project. Sometimes it helps to talk to impartial, unbiased persons. Tell them what your book is about, and then listen to their feedback.

Alternately, on the tongue-in-cheek advice of one publishing professional, open a bottle of wine and start writing. Make a list of everything that comes to mind about what you have written in your book. Nothing is too silly, but do try to strike on the central theme or message.

When your list is complete (and the wine is all gone), group your notes into categories. Choose the snappiest, most intriguing words that say something about your book without sounding like a boring explanation.

Perhaps these titles will help you:

<ul>

<li>Woman-Sense Rules!

<li>Fit to Cook

<li>Climb Your Stairway to Heaven

<li>Light the Fire

<li>Spell Success in Your Life

</ul>

If you are planning on a series, your title should be your &quot;brand&quot;. Then as you make your brand into a household word, you ensure future sales. As each title in the series is published, you know that people will buy the latest book to complete the series. Think Harry Potter or Nancy Drew.

The subtitle of your book is a great way to increase sales. The subtitle gets to the heart of the book and convinces the reader of the book's benefits. It lets people know that the book is unique and that they really can't live without it. It makes the reader believe that he or she just can't live without it ? and that is your objective.

Check the following subtitles:

<ul>

<li>Woman-Sense Rules! ? The Spiritual Woman's Guide to Finding Yourself When You Didn't Know You Were Missing

<li>Fit to Cook ? Why &quot;Waist&quot; Time in the Kitchen?

<li>Climb Your Stairway to Heaven ? the 9 habits of maximum happiness

<li>Light the Fire ? Fiery Food with a Light New Attitude!

<li>Spell Success in Your Life - A road map for achieving your goals and surviving success

</ul>

In the title and in the subtitle, you can use humor or emotions to sell your book, but avoid clich?s and &quot;corny&quot; expressions, or overly common sayings. They soon become stale and annoying. Keep your title unique, catchy and relevant.

Before making the final decision on your title, conduct a title search (see our home study course, Idea to Book?to Success ? the fast, easy, simple way! for instructions on title searches). Although you cannot copyright a title, duplicating titles only leads to confusion, and you want people to buy your book, not a competitor's book. Make your title one that increases the likelihood of increasing your book sales.

About The Author

? Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. From "101 Things You Need to Know About Publishing" to our Ultimate Book Marketing Kit, we will help you make your book a success. <a href="http://www.inktreemarketing.com" target="_new">http://www.inktreemarketing.com</a>

<a href="mailto:info@inktreemarketing.com">info@inktreemarketing.com</a>

Writing a Book?s Marketing Plan for Maximum Profit

Much has been written about book proposals. But less has been written about book marketing plans. This is wrong!

What happens after your book is published has a great deal to do with whether you become published and profitable? or just published.

A book proposal is a direct-marketing document intended to persuade publishers to edit, print and distribute your book. It's a sales piece intended to communicate the inevitability of your book's success.

Your book's marketing plan, however, is intended for an audience of one ? You! It's not intended for your publisher. Rather, it's intended to identify the revenue streams that you will develop after your book is published.

Your marketing plan should describe profits you will earn above and beyond royalties from sales of your book. It should describe in detail your market and the steps you will take to earn this income.

The reason to prepare your marketing plan now, before you sign a publishing contract or write your book, is that the success of your marketing plan depends on the way your book publishing contract is negotiated.

Coaching and consulting

Let's assume, for example, that you plan to use your book as a way of enhancing your visibility and credibility among your target market. At the simplest level, you will want to include your web site address at several points in the book. Knowing this goal, you can insist that the publisher agrees in writing to include your web site address in specific locations in your book.

Remember: promises don't make it! Let's take the worst case scenario. You and your acquisition editor agree that you can include five mentions of your web site address in the book. However, as often occurs, the acquisition editor, after signing the contract, fades out of the picture.

The new development editor then informs you that author's URL's can only appear in one place, in the author biography hidden toward the rear of the book. When this happens, what happens to your coaching and consulting plans?

Likewise, you may have planned to buy books in case lot quantities for resale and/or distribution to your prospects and clients. Understanding this before you sign the contract, you can include the right to purchase books for resale at trade discounts in your contract, ensuring your 'book pipeline' won't get turned off.

If you know you want to offer telephone coaching at $75.00 a call, for example, you can negotiate written permission to promote this service within the body of your book.

Remember: promises are written on air. Only written agreements count!

Other back-end profit opportunities based on your book's title include:

<ul>

<li>Articles, columns, newsletters

<li>Yearly updates

<li>Special Reports

<li>Teleclasses and seminars

<li>Speaking and training

<li>Audio/video recordings

<li>Choosing a web site address based on your book's title

<li>Free downloads of sample chapters from your web site

<li>Fee-based web site services

</ul>

The possibilities are endless, but nothing can happen if, after signing the contract, the publisher limits your ability to promote your business and your website in your book.

Thus, it's imperative that you start by preparing a marketing plan that analyzes post-publication profit opportunities and describes the steps needed to make them happen. Only then are you in a position to decide if the publisher's 'boilerplate' contract meets your needs.

The stronger your book proposal and the more experienced your agent, the more likely you'll get what you want (need) in your contract.

Jay Conrad Levinson says the first volume of his Guerrilla Marketing series earned him thirty million dollars. But only about $35,000 came from the book itself. All the rest came from back-end profits.

That's how important this issue is!

About The Author

Roger C. Parker is the $32,000,000 author with over 1.6 million copies in print. Do you make these marketing and design mistakes? Find out at <a href="http://www.gmarketing-design.com" target="_new">www.gmarketing-design.com</a>

วันอังคารที่ 23 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Attract More Buyers to Your Book: Use Metaphors

Surprise your potential buyers. Give them chocolate frosting!

After we entered school we had a lot to learn. We left the sand box, the nap, and the all day playing with our imagination. No wonder we have lost touch with our original, playful, creativity. Now in the information age we expect to read short, concise pieces. Yet, we can, if we play a little, add more of our original ideas to our books if we use metaphor.

Metaphor means wedding a word to an image, sound or feeling. Metaphor is a fusing of dissimilar entities into one new image. Metaphor asserts a likeness between two unlike things. Images are word pictures that give language power and richness by involving our senses in the experience. When you wed an image or feeling to something totally unexpected, you produce a new pattern--a metaphor that creates a powerful picture and reader enjoyment.

The purpose of metaphor is to intensify your awareness of the images around you. Clich?s are worn out metaphors. Avoid platitudes because your reader will be bored with them and not read on. Write naturally and avoid pompous words like "utilize."

Metaphors create tension and excitement by producing new connections. Hence, they reveal a truth about the world we previously didn't recognize. The power of metaphor is to surprise us.... Marilyn Ferguson, author of The Aquarian Conspiracy, says, "Metaphor builds a bridge between the hemispheres, symbolically carrying knowledge from the mute right brain so it can be recognized by the left as being like something already known."

When your potential customers glance (about 12-15 seconds) at your front cover and back cover, and see originality there through metaphor, they will gain insight that sheds new light on a familiar concept, idea, event or feeling. Your metaphors hook and seduce them. Now, they will hand you their check or credit card feeling good about themselves for the decision.

To Enhance your Writing Practice This Fieldwork:

1. Start a Metaphor List. Keep it filed where you can find it easily and add to it. Every time you hear a good one, write it down. Use other people's metaphors as a springboard for you own.

2. Play with these exercises:

Practice: Writing is...as painful as a tooth being pulled... riding a roller coaster... a self-revelation. Now try your book's title or part of your "tell and sell" (unique selling proposition which includes benefits), and back cover copy. Self-care is...a bubble bath in the middle of a workday... breathing in the mountain air... lighting a candle near my workstation.

3. Complete these metaphor starters: Remember to use concrete words--of image, sound and feeling. Forgo all clich?s.

I'm as silly as
I'm as frazzled as
I'm as happy as (no clams, please)
I'm as frayed as
I'm as dizzy as
I'm as low as
I'm as powerful as a
I'm as sleepy as
I'm as tired as
I'm as cold/hot as
I'm as energetic as
I'm as spiritual as
I'm as comfortable as
I'm as loose as

Expand the list using the subjects of your book. Think and picture your audience as you create more powerful writing.

4. Re-define all general benefits in your introduction, "tell and sell," or sales letter. Instead of saying, "Read my book and live life well," make your benefit more specific such as "Read my book and your life will look like...." Or, "Read my book and your life will feel like...."

5. Finish These Statements to Warm Up:

-Stress is...
-Authentic is...
-Health is...
-Spiritual is...
-Marketing is...
-Promotion is...
-Profits are...
-More life is...
-Better Communication is...
-More money is...

Let your potential buyer know how they will see or feel themselves after they read and use your book's ideas and suggestions. When they can see or feel it for themselves, they are more comfortable buying. They need to see the results (benefits) and feel themselves better for using your product.

6. Just for fun:

"I was as dizzy as a dervish, as weak as a worn-out washer, as low as a badger's belly, as timid as a titmouse, and as unlikely to succeed as a ballet dancer with a wooden leg."

Each of you has the powerful potential for making connections and seeing relationships in your own unique way. Metaphor making is a highly personal and richly creative experience. Play with metaphors and use them in all of your writing--even your sales materials.

Judy Cullins ? 2004 All Rights Reserved

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com">http://www.bookcoaching.com</a> and over 185 free articles.

===============
Email her at <a href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">Judy@bookcoaching.com</a> or <a href="mailto:Cullinsbks@aol.com">Cullinsbks@aol.com</a> Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743

You , Your Book and the Internet!

Authors, especially self published, small press and Print on Demand authors should understand the power of the Internet when promoting a book. There is POWER in cyberspace authors and it's only getting bigger and better. More users will be online buying books next year than this year. More people are buying books today online than they were yesterday.

Guess what the last item I bought at a brick and mortar store? It was a Vanilla Soy Late coffee w/ two sweetener packages while I just looked and browsed the bookshelves - The last 10 books I purchased was online. Internet 10 - Bookstores 0. Get the point?

So what is the definition of the Internet? One dictionary says, "The Internet, sometimes called simply 'the Net,' is a worldwide system of computer networks -- a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer (and sometimes talk directly to users at other computers)."

How Many Online? "The art of estimating how many are online throughout the world is an inexact one at best. Surveys abound, using all sorts of measurement parameters. However, from observing many of the published surveys over the last two years, here is an "educated guess" as to how many are online worldwide as of September 2002. And the number is 605.60 million." (Source: Various; Methodology Compiled by: Nua Internet Surveys)

World Total 605.60 million
Africa 6.31 million
Asia/Pacific 187.24 million
Europe 190.91 million
Middle East 5.12 million
Canada & USA 182.67 million
Latin America 33.35 million


To Overlook Google searches and Yahoo searches when promoting your book in today's marketplace is bad marketing. Internet!Internet!Internet!Internet!Internet!Internet! And the best way to sell yourself and your book is on the Internet and with Interviews and articles. Good Luck and get connected!

Jay Hubbard
http://www.theauthorconnection.com

Jay Hubbard is a book reviewer and writer for <a target="_new" href="http://www.theauthorconnection.com">TheAuthorConnection.com</a>

Top Ten Getting Started Tips to Market Your Book and Business

Want to sell a lot more books? Want clients calling every day to find out more about your service? Most emerging businesses forget the #1 way to promote anything--the Internet. Specifically, writing and submitting articles.

These ten Tips will help you write a winning article that top ezines and Web sites will want to publish.

1. Include your non-fiction book's chapter how to's or your fiction's juicy chapter excerpts in your articles. Your book coach encourages novelists as well as self-help authors.

2. Keep your articles around 200-800 words each. Remember today's audience likes short copy. They want it one, two, three. Online writing is so different from what print magazines want.

3. Keep your article focused on just one thesis or point. That means mindmap your article or make a linear outline what points to keep before your write it. A plan helps.

4. Create a hook for your two or three-sentence introduction. Notice this one asked you a few questions to engage you.

5. Forget the old school of writing for print magazines and getting paid. Follow the Internet way-- give your article away like Mrs. Field cookie samples, so people who read them and notice your signature file will want to visit the site where you sell your book.

6. Keep yourself out of it. Your audience wants to know what you can do for them. Replace those "I" constructions with "you." "If you are like me...."

7. Number the main points for clarity. People love easy to read tips. Remember tips have a format that pros know. Start with a command, follow it with a benefit for doing it, and follow that with examples of how.

8. Collect ten well-edited articles before you blast off. Online readers will look at you more seriously when they see you offer more than one quick thing. They will see you as the savvy expert and click to where you sell your book.

9. Leverage one article into five. Change your audience. Change your number of how to's. Three Tips to... or Five Tips... or The Two Best Ways to....

10. Remember free information is the reason people go to Web sites, so put your articles there as well as in a blog.

Once you get dozens of short articles or fiction excerpts out to no spam ezines or top web sites in your field, you will notice the search engines optimizing your site because they see your important key words that link you, your book, or your service together. Your submitted articles lead to the magic of "viral marketing." The thing is that this is attraction, natural marketing at its best. Your coach's URL and signature file is now on over 33,000 Web sites.

Judy Cullins ?2005 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com">http://www.bookcoaching.com</a> and over 185 free articles.

===============<Br> Email her at <a href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">Judy@bookcoaching.com</a> or <a href="mailto:Cullinsbks@aol.com">Cullinsbks@aol.com</a> Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743

FAQs about Book Signings

Since I self-published my first book, "101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly," in 1998 and began doing book signings shortly afterward, many people have asked:

1. What do you get paid to do a book signing?

It depends on where the book signing occurs. Most bookstores do not pay authors to do a book signing. Linda Ligon, Interweave Press, says that her authors are paid an honorarium by craft stores. The "pay" is most often an opportunity to interact with readers, increase the sales of your book, and enhance your status as an expert.

2. How much money do you make on a book signing tour?

It depends-and you may never know precisely. It depends to a large extent on how well your events are publicized because more people attend when excitement is created about the event. It depends on your presentation and interaction with the audiences. You may know how many books were sold during the event, but that is not the end of the story. One bookseller says that more than 60% of the sales are made after the author leaves the store.

3. Why would anyone go to a book signing?

To meet the AUTHOR! In many sections of the country, just being an author makes you a celebrity. You are the authority. Having an autographed copy of your book sets the reader apart. In one city a lady purchased several copies of "101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly." With each request, she told me something about the recipient so that I could tailor my comment for that individual.

4. What's in it for authors who do a seminar or talk on their book?

By presenting a mini-seminar or discussion at a book signing, you demonstrate your knowledge on the topic. You can elaborate on the contents and tell stories about things that happened while you were in the writing process. You also have an opportunity to develop a rapport with the readers allowing them to experience you as a "real person." Event sponsors will like you because you have provided a free service for their clientele. They will be most likely to welcome you back with your next book.

5. What if nobody shows up? Even celebrity authors occasionally have a "no show," so don't give up! The most important thing is how you react when nobody shows up. Keep smiling and draw on your positive mental attitude. Often people will be in the aisles between the shelves, not wanting to be the first to step forward. Walk over to the section where your book would be, introduce yourself to people there, and invite them to the presentation. Offer them a free flier or handout. After the event sponsor has read the introduction you provided, wait a few minutes, and then begin your presentation at the appointed time with a welcoming message. If a microphone has been provided, use it. If no one shows up after two or three minutes, bring your talk to a close with an invitation to people milling about to visit the table later. Usually, managers will ask authors to sign some extra copies. Be gracious and uncomplaining. Later, review your actions and see what might be improved upon.

6. How do you find the time to set up a tour?

Conducting a book signing is like presenting a play. There are several roles-the author designs the tour (venues and dates), prepares a mini-seminar, discussion, or speech, and does the signing. The support staff makes the contacts and provides publicity material, orchestrates the travel details, and does the follow-up to be certain that everything is synchronized. A separate person or company may be involved in the publicity effort, depending on the expertise of the support staff.

7. Assuming that you have had "no shows," what's the best book signing event you have ever held?

It is seldom that a "no show" occurs. The best book signing event I have had was at a large Barnes and Noble bookstore in El Paso, TX, where I signed "Take Charge of Your Life." The event was preceded by interviews on three television shows (affiliates of national networks) and a radio interview. The El Paso Times newspaper published an article about the book on the day of the signing. It was on the front page of the "Living" section with a color photo of the book cover. That evening, after the bookstore staff brought all the chairs in the store into the presentation section, people were standing along the sides. Most of the audience stood in line long after the presentation to talk with me and get their books autographed. You, too, can have such events. We can help you.

Jo Condrill has done book signings across the country and she can show you how to. She is an award-winning author, speaker, and consultant with over 25 years of experience in business, government and volunteer organizations. She is coauthor of "From Book Signing to Best Seller: An Insider's Guide to Conducting a Successful Low-Cost Book Signing Tour." This book was named the 2002 Best Writer's Reference Guide by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. Listen to an interview with Jo at <a target="_new" href="http://www.jackstreet.com/jackstreet/rr.condrill.cfm">http://www.jackstreet.com/jackstreet/rr.condrill.cfm</a> for more information, visit her website <a target="_new" href="http://www.publishandprosper.com">http://www.publishandprosper.com</a> <a target="_new" href="http://www.publishandprosper.com">http://www.publishandprosper.com</a>

วันจันทร์ที่ 22 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2551

How to Get More Readers For Your Book

Marketing your own book can seem like a scary task. You poured your heart and soul into the writing of it, and now when you think about marketing your masterpiece, you think, &quot;I'm a writer, not a salesperson!&quot;

But there is a simple way you can get the word out about your book. It takes a little time, but the effort pays huge dividends.

More people will be interested in your book when they are interested in you. Readers become interested in you when they can read some of your writing...for free. You can build your credibility, find readers, and establish yourself as an expert in your field by writing and distributing articles.

(This method works even for fiction writers.)

You accomplish this by these means:

- by publishing articles on your website

- by creating an ecourse or ebook

- by publishing your own ezine or newsletter

- by publishing your articles in someone else's ezine

Think about that last idea for a minute. Publishing articles in other people's ezines (or on their websites) is the key, the secret, to creating a viral lead-generating machine.

The popularity of your book website is actually improved when other sites link you to. But Google only likes high-content links. Your articles provide this.

Not to mention that when you have your articles on more and more websites there is a greater possibility that someone will read your articles and do business with you.

The simple system that will market your book for you contains only three steps:

Step 1: Write and Publish Articles

This really is the best way for you to promote your book.

The key is to write a useful, high-content article, and send it to your newsletter and publish it on your website. If you write fiction, write simple short stories or poems, or provide excerpts from your novel.

(For a more information on marketing this way, please read another of my articles, "Online Book Marketing," at http://ezinearticles.com/?id=45696.)

Step 2: Distribute Your Articles

Send your articles or stories to article distribution lists and ezine directories. These directories exist for ezine owners and website owners to pick up free reprintable content to use in their ezine or on their website. You can find a list of these sites by searching for &quot;articles sites.&quot;

This helps you, because if your article is picked up and distributed by 10 ezine owners who each have 1000 people in their list, your article will be sent to 10 000 people!

Step 3: Your Articles Continue to be Distributed Virally!

When you submit to an articles directory, your article is there to be reprinted. You can submit an article next week, and ten years later it will still be there. Your article can have a shelf life as long as you want, and every time someone reprints your article, you get free exposure!

Bonus tip: If you include at the end of your article that your article can be reprinted anywhere by anyone, anyone who reads your article can reprint in on their website or in their ezine.

To use the above example, if another 1000 people reprint your article in some form, your business will be marketed to 11 000 people-in a very short period of time!

Imagine this process occurring time and time again, with more than one article! How many interested readers will end up at your site?

This is how you successfully market your book online.

Jeremy M. Hoover helps you market your book. To learn about his <a target="_new" href="http://jhooverwebcopy.com/bookmarketing.htm">book marketing plan</a> vist his website, <a target="_new" href="http://www.jhooverwebcopy.com/bookmarketing.htm">http://www.jhooverwebcopy.com/bookmarketing.htm</a>, or email him at jeremyhoover AT gmail.com.

Make your Book Stand Out From the Crowd: Know your Audience

Most authors say, "Everyone will want my book, and when I take it to Oprah, it will sell millions, and I'll make millions, too."

Not exactly true. If you are writing a book you need to know your specific audience. This gives your book its unique selling point. Writing for your target audience focuses your writing and gives your book a great advantage because you know and can communicate your unique selling point. (USP). Now, your book will stand out from the crowd. Although everyone won't buy it, it will sell more copies because your targeted book buyers really want your message.

How do you know who your audience is?

The biggest mistake most authors make is that they don't write for their one preferred audience. If an audience is "everyone," the book doesn't have an angle. Without a focus audience, it has too much competition among other popular authors. The "Dummy" books have done well because they have one particular focus--beginners.

Know your audience inside and out through the "Audience Profile."

What do they look like? How old are they? Male? Female? Age? Baby boomers? Seniors? Entrepreneurial? Corporate? Are they middle or upper class? What kind of work do they do? What is their income? What do they spend discretionary time and money on? Where do they live? What books and magazines do they read? What values and attitudes are reflected by those books? What are their interests, hobbies, and values? <BR>Are they Internet savvy? How much will they be willing to spend on your book?

What challenges do they face that they want answers to? Are they business people, retired people, over 50? What radio shows do they listen to? What TV programs do they watch? What do they do with their free time? What events do they attend? What organizations do they belong to? What causes do they support? Are they Internet savvy? What kinds of sites do they visit and bookmark? How many of them are out there to sell to? What do they want? Need?

Go to your library or Internet to research just how many people belong to your audience. Ask for the reference books that have census and other information. All agents and publishers will want this information from you to include in your book proposal.

Even if you publish this book yourself, do some market research. Research can help you with numbers: 45 million readers read new age books; 65 million baby boomers and 60 million seniors are out there. They buy online, too. Think of one segment of these groups your can write and market for: New Age newly divorced-age 50 and up; senior women creating a new career at 60; Baby boomer working mothers who want healthier food for their children.

By writing a book with an angle, you will attract your preferred audience because your whole book is devoted to answering its concerns.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at <A target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml">http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml</a> and over 140 free articles. Email her at <a target="_new" href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com</a>

Promotion - Credibility Extras

For many of us, marketing our titles is one of the most tedious tasks of being an author. Even authors who published with large New York houses are expected to take part in marketing and promotion. Many articles and several books have been written to give us guidelines. One thing all marketing experts stress is the importance of being professional.

Here are several extras that other industries use, and we authors should too, to boost our professional credibility. Remember BUYERS are your clients. Treat them as such.

LOGO -- What kind of logo for an author? Pens, stacked books, computer keyboards? Think more of your product and develop something that reflects the subject of your books. This is not something to use when you query for publication or representation, but AFTER you have a finished, marketable product.

PAPER GOODS

<ul>

<li>Invest in professional letterhead. Use your logo and give concise contact information, including e-mail and web sites. It should be 24# paper with matching envelopes. Use this for regular letters, and for any invoices you send out.

<li>Along with this letterhead, you should have attractive or matching business cards--again using your logo. Do not put your address on the business cards. Telephone, e-mail and web site is enough. Hand out these cards to anyone who glances your way.

<li>Do you have bookmarks? Use colorful card stock, and on one side put your logo, list your contact information (P O Box is recommended) and perhaps a friendly comment. On the reverse side, list your titles and a short (25 words max.) review by a third party. Use them for handouts, and include them with every book you sell.

</ul>

It's also important to make certain your books are always in the public eye. An easy way to do this is with flyers. Keep at least two varieties in your car (along with a tin of push pins).

<li>A flyer for your local region that advertises your book, your web site and you as a commodity (speaker, workshop leader, et cetera). It should list the places your books can be purchased.

<li>A flyer for when you're away from home that highlights your titles and where they can be found online.

Design the flyers with an angle to the time of year, the region or some other feature that will make them stand out. On both flyers, be certain all the contact information is in large non-frilly type. Mention any specials you can think up. FREE GIFT could mean an inexpensive bookmark thrown in, and you can encourage buyers to your site by featuring autographed books.

Put these flyers up on bulletin boards in libraries, churches, supermarkets, colleges...and any facilities that relate to your subject matter. Drop them off with local radio and TV stations, especially if you're available for interviews. Send copies to your regional newspapers.

Developing flyers isn't difficult with today's basic computer software. The best size is 5"x7". You can enhance a simple, white-paper printout by mounting it on a larger sheet of colored construction paper.

Fifty of each flyer is a good start, and shouldn't cost more than $5.00 (for black and white)--a bit more if you use commercial facilities.

FOLLOW UP -- If you have negotiated for your titles to be carried in independent bookstores and gift shops, it is a nice touch to send a thank-you note right after the books are placed. Also send thank-you notes to the coordinators of any book festivals or bazaars you attend. And don't forget these helpful people during the holidays. Send a greeting card--and tuck in your business card.

These professional touches will keep your name fresh in the minds your the public and help build a larger clientele--your fan base. The cost for these is slight, and if you're persistent with these easily done "extras," your returns will be considerably higher.

About The Author

Karyn Follis Cheatham has published articles, poetry and several books--nonfiction and fiction. She also designs and manages web sites. Information about the literary services she offers can be found at <a href="http://www.kaios.com/litserv.htm" target="_new">www.kaios.com/litserv.htm</a>. Be sure to visit her web site <a href="http://www.kaios.com" target="_new">www.kaios.com</a> and sign up for the free writing tips newsletter. Contact at <a href="mailto:karyn@kaios.com">karyn@kaios.com</a>

Sell More Books on Amazon.com

Why Should Your Book Be on Amazon.com?
Credibility. If your book is important, it should be available at the world's biggest book store.

Visibility. People (including members of the media) will find your book and learn about you through your appearance on Amazon. (That's how I got into Woman's Day magazine.)

Money. You will sell books you wouldn't have sold otherwise. Many buyers won't buy from your Web site or other sources, but will buy at Amazon. And, Amazon pays like clockwork.

Get Your Book Listed on Amazon.com
Your publisher or distributor will handle getting your book into the Amazon catalog. If you are self-published and don't have a distributor, join Amazon Advantage at http://www.Amazon.com/advantage

To participate in Advantage, you must have distribution rights, and your book must have a scannable barcode of the ISBN.

Amazon Marketplace
Once your book is listed, you can also sell it directly to consumers through Amazon Marketplace. You will find more information about this on the Advantage information page listed above.

Amazon Associates
Once your book is listed on Amazon, join the Associates program http://www.Amazon.com/associates

As an Associate, you get a commission on book sales referred from your Web site. Why send people to Amazon from your Web site? Some people won't buy from you. They don't know you and they don't trust you. But they do trust Amazon. Or, maybe they want to qualify for free shipping.

Enhance Your Book's Detail Page
Add cover art, book description, editorial reviews, table of contents, excerpts, author information and more. Make your book's listing just as complete and impressive as the latest from Stephen King, John Grisham and other major authors. For more information, see Bookseller Services at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/catalog-guide/guide/-/372286/ or log in to your Advantage account. Amazon will generally not allow URLs in your content, so don't try to slip your Web site in.

Search Inside the Book
This is controversial, but many publishers say they sell more books as a result of SITB. My sales seemed to go up after my book was in. You send Amazon a copy of your book, they scan it and make the entire book searchable. It increases the chances your book will come up during searches on the Amazon.com web site. You'll find information on the Advantage page.

Use the tools Amazon.com provides to bring book buyers to your page and sell more books.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the IdeaLady, Cathy Stucker helps authors, entrepreneurs and professionals attract customers and make themselves famous. To learn more about <a target="_new" href="http://www.IdeaLady.com/">publishing</a> and get free marketing tips, visit Cathy at <a target="_new" href="http://www.IdeaLady.com/">http://www.IdeaLady.com/</a>