Archive for the ‘book marketing’ CategoryHow to Find a Literary Agent to Sell Your Book ManuscriptAugust 12th, 2010Hi All! You’ve been slaving over your manuscript forever, it’s done, it’s brilliant…everyone you know says it’s going to be a best-seller (and not just your Mom), and you don’t want to self-publish this work of art. Your dream is to land a publishing deal with a major New York publishing house and see their logo printed on the spin of your book cover. I respect that goal, and I have some clients who pursue it – some successfully, and some not so much. But what I find many new authors don’t realize is that nowadays you typically need to land a Literary Agent to represent you FIRST, and then they’ll shop your manuscript to Publishers. Most Publishers won’t even accept a manuscript unless a legitimate Literary Agent delivers it to them. And, quite honestly, I’ve heard endless stories from authors about how they tried to land a Literary Agent for a long time…and I’m talking 1+ years. This is a big reason many authors choose the self-publishing route…out of total frustration! But, for the sake of this blog topic, let’s say you are totally determined to land a publishing deal with a traditional publishing house. Here is some general info and resources that could help you grab the attention of a Literary Agent who may love your manuscript, and choose to represent you. Some common questions with answers: What exactly is a Literary Agent and what do they do? In general, they are marketing and sales experts who know how to make your manuscript sizzle. They determine the compelling pitch that (they hope) will make Publishers want to review your manuscript, and then offer you/agent a publishing deal. And, a good agent has the contacts you don’t. Do they charge a fee? Yes, but not up-front. Like a Talent Agent, they work on commission based on the deal they get for you. So if you contact an agent and they say they charge a fee for them to represent you, RUN! That’s a scam. Legitimate agents only get paid if they get you a publishing deal. Here’s a bit more detail from AgentQuery.com about this: Literary agents charge a commission whenever they sell the publishing rights (and various sub-rights) of a book. Standard commissions range from 10-15% for the sale of domestic rights and 15-20% for foreign rights. Major Publishers pay authors an advance against royalties. A literary agent negotiates the terms of the sale, then collects a commission for her hard work. I have no connections to Literary Agents, so how can I find one? You can do Google searches to find directory listings. And there are websites like these where they have agent listings: Association of Authors’ Representatives These types of websites also provide loads of great info about how to contact and approach an agent, how to write a query, how to avoid being scammed, and much more. Getting an agent to represent you is not impossible, but it can be very challenging. So if you really want to try to land a publishing deal, be patient and start by finding a great Literary Agent to represent you and your best-selling manuscript! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa Queen of Twitter Shares Social Media Tips for Small Business OwnersAugust 01st, 2010Hi All! Are you curious to know what it takes to get 70,000 (yes, I wrote 70,000) followers on Twitter? Are you interested in knowing basic tips that can potentially generate an increase in traffic to your website of over 5000%? Then you need to know about the fabulous Jessica Northey! She is pushing 70k followers and she has helped some of her clients see an increase in their web traffic by that gigantic percentage using Twitter as the driver. Jessica recently wrote a quick-hit list of around 30 tips that can help small business owners, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs (such as: coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers and authors) have more success using Social Media in their overall Marketing Plan. And she gave me the thumbs-up to share 15 of those tips here…and, sure, you may already know some of them. But, you may not. And unless you’re totally content with the amount of followers you have, and you’re totally happy with your web traffic numbers, keep reading! But before we jump into the tips, just who IS this Queen of Twitter on the verge of hitting a mega amount of 70k followers? Well, aside from being a Social Media Expert who is contributing a chapter to my new book due out this fall, “The Promote U Guru Guide to Branding and Marketing”, Jessica has 20 years of experience in the Media industry, including Television, Radio, Internet and Print sales, as well as being an on-air personality. Now, as The SocialMediologist, she is known for being able to create complete successful marketing campaigns and bridge partnerships. Plus, she is the Associate Editor and Social Media Expert for the popular entertainment industry blog, FullThrottleCountry.com. In her weekly column, Finger Candy Friday, she offers advice and opinions on social media trends and topics. So what are 15 of the 30′ish quick tips she advises? Here you go: 1. Set a strategy for Social Media optimization and be consistent. Nothing looks worse than months without activity! 2. Take advantage of the free applications like ping.fm to streamline your Social Media efforts. 3. Don’t forget the blog! It is such a great way to control your own content & establish yourself as an authority in your industry! 4. Think of Social Media like you were scheduling radio commercials. When is your target audience listening? 5. Don’t spray and pray. Narrow your message to your target audience. 6. Connecting with other people should be your number one goal. 7. Educate yourself and understand how your target audience uses Social Media. 8. Don’t put all your “eggs” in one basket. Diversify your Social Media efforts and use multiple platforms. 9. Add Social Media Platform Participation links to Business cards, letterhead, vehicle wrap, Broadcast and Print Media. 10. On Twitter, register with wefollow.com & twellow.com and use to find people w/similar interests to get social with. 11. Define your goals and manage your own expectations. 12. Don’t get caught up in the Social Media drama & try to stay connected to positive people. 13. Budget at least half an hour a day to Social Media efforts. 14. Download Tweetdeck, Seismic or Twitterific for a better understanding of how to use Social Media platforms to their full potential. 15. Use Social Media to have discussions w/followers. Ask them for feedback and see what they want! CLICK HERE TO READ THE FINAL 15! And don’t miss the last 15 tips…she shares names and links to tools to support and improve your social media marketing efforts. Want even MORE great tips to build your personal brand or business brand awareness, increase traffic to your website, and drive your target audience to your social media communities? Then also be sure to CLICK HERE to access my YouTube Channel! View short “how to” videos loaded with marketing, PR, social media, book marketing, and branding tips. Thanks for the great info, Jessica And to all of you… Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa 5 Tips to Get You Mass Media Exposure for Brand BuildingJuly 25th, 2010Hi All, I just uploaded my newest video on my “The Promote U Guru” YouTube Channel. In it, I provide 5 effective tips to help you get the media coverage you want to build your brand and business, and increase your credibility as an “expert” in your industry. So, if you’re an author, speaker, small business owner, entrepreneur or solopreneur (coach, consultant, trainer, etc.), check out the 5 tips! The video is short (less than 8 minutes!) and info-packed. You’ll learn: - How to write an effective press release - What NOT to do when writing your press release - Where and how to deploy your press release online - Why creating your own targeted Media List is critical - How you can get more traction for your press release by promoting it through you social media channels That’s all for now… Cheers and Happy Marketing! Lisa How To Sell More With The Power Of StoriesJune 30th, 2010Hi All! The following article is a guest blog courtesy of Patrick Jobin at Storagepipe Solutions. And although they target larger companies, the strategy he shares in this article can be used by a business of any size, and it’s very cost-effective! How To Sell More With The Power Of Stories Here’s an interesting technique that can be used to explain complex value propositions in a very simple way. For example, an IT manager might want to hire you for a major project, but the VP of Finance will need proper justification before writing the check. For this to happen, clear communications have to take place between IT, your company and the Finance VP. This is a common scenario faced by Storagepipe Solutions, a provider of online backup and archiving services for larger businesses. They’ve developed a unique method of communicating their message – in a clear, non-technical way that everyone can understand- through the use of stories. Take a look at this video EXAMPLE to see what I mean. This video explains the benefits of our Email Archiving services… but does it in a clear and non-technical way. We use video stories and visual examples to build curiosity and interest. Rather than talking about our company or our solutions, we only talks about the customer’s pain points. If you’d like to create a video of your own in this style, you can do so easily and inexpensively. First, you’ll need to lay out a storyline. Since your customers can use your product in many different ways, you’ll need to focus on just one “use scenario” per video. Write out a short script that’s no more than 2 minutes long. (So your viewers don’t get bored) Then, record the audio as a WAV or MP3 file. If you don’t currently have audio recording software installed on your machine, you can download Audacity for free. Once the audio script is recorded, draw out all of the scenes on paper, and scan them into your computer. Try to make at least 1 picture for every 10 seconds of audio. Keep the drawings (or images) simple! You don’t have the be a professional artist. Next, you can simply join everything together using Windows Movie Maker. This is a free program that comes with your Windows system. (If you’re a Mac user, there are also a number of video editing options available to you). In Windows Movie Maker, simply align all of the images so that they synch with your audio track, and export the movie. If you have a YouTube account, you can also upload your movie to get some viral traffic. Yes, it’s really that simple! In just a few hours, you can make your own high-quality, sales-generating video case studies without spending a cent. This is much more effective than simply handing over a stale brochure with boring features and benefits. Try creating your own videos and posting them in this blog’s comments below. We’d love to see what you’ve come up with! About The Author: Storagepipe Solutions provides world-class corporate data protection solutions, including online backup and recovery, electronic archiving and business continuity. Thanks, Patrick, for this contribution! I’m sure my readers will find this helpful for their marketing, sales, lead generation and brand building efforts. Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa 12 Strategies to Sell More Books at EventsJune 23rd, 2010Hi All! I came across this great article written by Penny E. Sansevieri, CEO and Founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. It’s entitled, “12 Secrets to Selling More Books at Events”. It’s filled with great info, so I hope all of you authors benefit from these great tips! Article Excerpt: So you got a book event, great! Now you want to maximize it, right? You’ve heard your writing buddies (or perhaps read online) about the lack of attendance at signings, so figuring out how to maximize the event, regardless of the numbers might be tricky. While I spend a lot of time addressing online marketing, the offline component is one you shouldn’t overlook. If book events are where you want to focus, then bringing in some ideas to help you sell more books is something you should consider. Some years back when I was promoting The CliffhangerI ended up at a book signing in the driving rain. I mean, it was pouring and the store was all but empty. It was amazing I sold even one book, let alone seven. While not a big number, the copies were all sold to people who were seeking refuge in the store from the rain and not there for my event. This signing taught me a lot about events and connecting with consumers in stores. If you have an event coming up, consider these ideas before you head out:
Those are only five of the great tips she shared out of 12…so CLICK HERE to read the other 7! Cheers and Happy Marketing! Lisa Teleseminars: Are They a Wise Business Choice?June 09th, 2010Hi All! The following post is courtesy of Kathleen Gage, (hugely successful) Online Business Building Expert, and she is a teleseminar pro. Truly. Here are some great insights from her to get you started, or to think about if you’re already doing teleseminars… Teleseminars: Are They a Wise Business Choice? By Kathleen Gage Teleseminars are one of the most incredible ways to build customer loyalty, provide incredible value, position yourself as an expert and make fantastic revenues. The fact is, there are many experts for which teleseminars are the cornerstone of their business and marketing model. To optimize your effectiveness (and revenues) with teleseminars, or any aspect of your product or service offerings, you not only need to know how to develop a great teleseminar you also need to know who is interested in your information, how to market your offerings and how you will sell. Let’s begin with foundation. In virtually any marketing course, a primary area of discussion is defining your target market. Without knowing specifically who your market is, it is difficult to develop products and services your customers will be interested in and be willing to pay for. Here are a few considerations.
A consideration many people never take into account is, “Who do you ideally want to do business with?” Start from the space of, “Where are qualities I look for in my clients that will enhance our working relationship.” After all, you will be putting time, energy and effort into any working relationship. Why not make them the most enjoyable relationships you can? This is just the beginning. The challenge many professionals have is they have not taken the time to identify who wants and needs what they have to offer, but who they ideally want to work with. Without knowing this you may drastically miss the mark. Take time up front to do your homework so that you will benefit your market over the long run and have a great time doing so. To learn more about effectively using the Internet to generate great revenues go to http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm to access the FREE ebook The Truth About Making Money on the Internet.Thanks, Kathleen! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa The Ten P’s for How to Produce a Successful WebinarJune 03rd, 2010Hi All! I came across this helpful info written by the HUGELY popular Web Strategist, Jeremiah Owyang. The guy travels all over the world consulting with corporations on their web and social media strategies, plus he’s also an in-demand speaker globally and frequent media guest. He recently wrote an article outlining the Ten P’s that he recommends following to produce a successful webinar. Here’s 5 of the 10 tips: 1) Philosophy: Most approach webinars realizing they are different than all other mediums. Despite being primarily one-way they have a social element as attendees will interact with each other in the provided chat features, or on tools like Twitter. Secondly, many webinar producers don’t offer helpful content to the audience, and instead treat it like a sales pitch. Lastly, speakers that are great on stage in the real world, may fall short and appear lackluster in an online faceless webinar. 2) Purpose: Many webinar producers fail to pick a succinct goal, in fact this is key as it will define how you measure success. Some objectives can include: Thought leadership, association, customer references, lead generation, sales material, accelerating the customer life cycle, or education. 3) Planning: There are many decisions and steps that need to happen in this crucial phase. From deciding if the event should be recorded in advance, or done live, when to schedule the event (taking into account a global audience and conference and travel sesaons) and then selecting the right platforms between Adobe, Microsoft, WebEx, and Go To Meeting. One biggest fail point is not having the right hardware and software (including compatible browsers) and waiting to the last-minute-scramble to get this done. The truly savvy producers will integrate the webinar with existing community and tie with direct marketing systems and then funnel leads to the CRM system. 4) Professionals: There are many talent considerations to make during this performance. Just as you would bring forth the best speakers at your customer conference, you should apply the same thinking here. Your internal team will include the following duties, but keep in mind, often one person will conduct multiple duties such as: Internal Stakeholder, Webinar Producer, Coordinator, Marketer, Community Manager, and Technical Support of both the platform, hardware, and software. The performance team will include any of the following: Speaker, panelists, emcees, and should have a backup speaker. 5) Programming of Content: Once a kickoff meeting has been set in place, the internal and performance team should discuss content. The producer should offer details about the event, goal, audience, and suggest topics. Decisions around this being a one-off event, or an ongoing series needs to occur, as well as the presentation style (keynote vs panel, or some type of hybird). The hosting company needs to clearly think through the risks of ‘pitching’ wares as it will have both negative and positive impacts. BUT, don’t stop here! CLICK HERE to read his entire article and read the last 5 P’s!! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa Authors: 10 Solid Tips for Selling More of Your Books on AmazonMay 27th, 2010Hi All! I’m a bit behind on by blogging because I’ve been on a much needed vacation, enjoying some sun, ocean and fun. While on vacation I read Brent Sampson’s book “Sell Your Book On Amazon“. And I will tell you it’s worth the $15 (you may even be able to get a used one for less on Amazon). Not only does he list all the strategies to be aware of, but he goes into details about “how” to implement them and provides real world examples (so that you get “why” they are important). There are TONS of strategies to get more exposure for yourself and your book(s) on Amazon, yet most authors I know only know of a few…heck, I’ve written 2 books, and they are on Amazon, and I didn’t even know about many of these tips. OR, I was aware of them but didn’t totally get the “benefit” or the strategy around them. And I will say that Brent states several times in his book that Amazon doesn’t make it easy on authors to find or execute these strategies. That’s why I liked his book! It gives step-by-step instructions for each tip he shares. I won’t go into all the “how and why to execute these ideas” here, because that’s what a book like Brent’s is for (and I don’t want to rewrite his book on my blog). But here are 10 tips (out of MANY) that he suggests, and you can research how and why they are important for marketing and selling more of your books on Amazon. You can also see my video about selling more of your books on Amazon. Click here to view it! And, please note, whether you self-published your book, or published through a traditional publisher, these tips apply. 1. Start and AmazonConnect account 2. Create an Author Profile Page 3. Make sure you upload a professional photo on your Profile Page and make sure you add a caption under it. You can include your name, book name, web address, etc. Use it for marketing! 4. Complete the About Me info on the Author Profile Page, and make sure to write a good “signature”. Your signature will show-up on all the posts you do on Amazon (e.g. reviews of other peoples’ books) so it will help market you. 5. Write “So You’d Like to…” Guides (a feature on Amazon) 6. Make sure you implement the Search Inside feature on your book’s page 7. Check out Amapedia: This is Amazon’s version of a wiki. You can post factual info pertaining to your book and info related to your topic. 8. Write as many reviews for other peoples’ books as possible…even for your competition. But don’t write one to “trash” them! If their book was good, give them a 5 star rating and a good review. And everyone who reads it will see your signature and book title in your review, and this can drive traffic to your book page. Why? Because if someone is reading that author’s reviews, they are interested in his/her topics and may want more books pertaining to that topic! Plus, the more reviews your write, the higher your Amazon reviewer ranking climbs. This all gives you more exposure. 9. Use the Tag This Product feature on your book’s Detail Page. 10. Look into, and participate in, the Listmania feature. OKAY! Those are the quick tips. So do some research on the ones that are new to you and start implementing! Or, if you are like me, and you don’t want to spend tons of time researching, just pick up a copy of “Sell Your Book on Amazon“. Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa |
