Guest Post: Book Marketing Made Simple

I'd like you to meet my guest today. She is Valerie Allen, director of a couple of book fairs in Florida and an author in her own right. She is also as convinced as I am that all authors--no matter how they are published--flourish when the author herself is involved.  Enjoy! And contact her (e-mail below), for information on frugal marketing opportunities at her author events.

Monitor Your Marketing

Marketing made simple: You must tell to sell! Marketing is the business that ultimately leads to sales. There are six steps within the marketing process, some overlapping. Marketing is not one discreet step; it is an unending accumulation of many tasks over time.

1.  Promotion:  is used to encourage sales

Media Kit; may include items or gimmicks, free or at cost, used to sell your book or product

Gift of your book or related item; a free handout on your web page

Useful items people will keep and use and tell others about

Your byline at the end of a published article; book reviews online
Your email and web page contact information on all your materials

Endorsements/testimonials – try for a celebrity

2.  Publicity: a FREE process to attract public attention

 It is perpetual; perseverance is the key to success; frequency is critical

Use your book cover in as many places as possible

Find free online venues to post your books

Use newspapers to celebrate a book release, an award, a presentation

3.  Advertising:  is a PAID notice of the availability of a product or service

Used to reach the specific audience most likely to purchase your book

 Choose what is affordable

Offer infomercials and factoids disguised as articles in newspapers/magazines

4.  Branding:  creates the perception of you and your book in the mind of your target audience

It is the long-term cumulative result of all your efforts to create your image in the public eye

Your 25 words, your tag line, your pitch; dress the part when in public

One design format and color combination for your hard copy and online materials

5.  Platform: similar to a resume; builds your credibility for you and your book

Consider yourself an expert on the topic of your book; write articles in your area of expertise

Transfer skills/knowledge from your day job/career/education/experiences

Connect and associate with those in your area of expertise to gain recognition

Your personal and/or professional beliefs and worldview when you speak and/or write

6. Public Relations: connect with others and the media to help get FREE publicity

Makes others feel cared about, accepted, important, and noticed

Write and respond to emails/writers’ blogs/tweets/facebook/Google+/online newsletters/ etc.

Join and participate in writers’ groups or groups related to your genre/topic
Write letters/emails as follow up on media topics related to your book

Connect with friends/family/neighbors/coworkers as a writer

 Make a presentation; give a library talk; participate in school career days

Have a book party – each person donates a child’s book to be donated to an agency for children

Valerie Allen, psychologist, author, playwright, and speaker, writes fiction, non-fiction, short stories, and children's books. Her most popular book for authors is, “Write, Publish, Sell!” 2^nd Ed. Valerie can be reached at VAllenWriter@cs.com or ValerieAllenWriter.com

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 Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The multi award-winning second edition of The Frugal Editor; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .