Swiping Marketing Ideas from Other Industries

Those of you who read this blog regularly know I am in love with Joan Stewart, steward of The Publicity Hound newsletter. One of the things I like about it that she does lots of things specifically for authors; the other thing I like about it is she sees how authors can learn from the marketing cues from other industries! An example: I missed this United Airlines snafu, but I sure didn't miss the leggings marketing ploy from Spirit airlines.  This piggyback/switch technique works on serious subjects, too--and lots of the news is serious these days.  But a little humor is especially refreshing, don't you think? I can't tell you how many articles I have written about book marketing based on the book marketing booboos other authors have made.  (I usually don't name the authors but sometimes--if I think my article will help them--I do.)

Here, with permission from Joan is her article.  Bet you'll want to subscribe to her letter after you've read it! Subbscribe here so you can get your own tips every Tuesday and Saturday. 

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Let Them Wear Leggings

When United Airlines landed in hot water for banning two girls from boarding a plane on Sunday because they wore leggings, competitor Spirit Airlines wasted no time using the controversy for its own promotion.

An email arrived this morning with the subject line "Bring Your Leggings." When I opened it, I saw the illustration above and this message:

"Because of recent headlines, we thought we'd double-check our etiquette atlas. Turns out wearing leggings are not a big deal. We thought everyone knew that, but guess not. Well at least at Spirit, we're united (cough) about letting young girls dress how they want. If you fly with us, get your leggings on ladies. Or even gentlemen. No judgments here. Unless you're wearing those new clear-knee mom jeans, then some judgments. But you can still fly with us. Just use this deal so that next time you can buy a complete pair of pants."

It linked to a page where travelers could get 75 percent off selected flights.

Now that's clever.

To do: Look for opportunities to piggyback off breaking news stories like this one for publicity, a special sale or a promotion. That's what I'm doing. Today only, you can grab my giant package of 52 special reports, regularly $247, for 75 percent off. Knock $185.25 off the price when you use the coupon code LEGGINGS at checkout. Grab this deal here.

MY FRUGAL COMMENT: Oh, by the way. Frugal me buys her leggings at Rite Aid for $14.95. That's their most expensive pair they carry and sometimes they have two-for-one sales!  

MY FRUGAL WARNING: Notice that this play fits with Spirits' . . . well, "Spirited" branding. It goes without saying that our promotions should all do that--in content and in tone.  In fact, this blogpost is a piggyback and I hope it achieves the tone of "helpful."

 MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER

  Howard-Johnson is the author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including the award-winning second editions of The Frugal Book Promoter and The Frugal Editor. Her latest is in the series is  How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically. Learn more on her Amazon profile page, http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile. Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers is one of her booklets--perfect for inexpensive gift giving--and, another booklet, The Great First Impression Book Proposal helps writers who want to be traditionally published. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it will help them convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is 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. In addition to this blog, she helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs at all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor (http://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com )

Before-It-Gets-Too-Busy Essential for Authors

I love it when my favorite PR experts share their expertise!

If you aren't using email marketing to build a base of raving fans who want to read your books, you're leaving money on the table.

Most authors aren't because, they say, "I wouldn't know what to write about. Anything I want to say is already in my book." Or they hate the idea of being lumped in with all those other "spammers." 

My friend, publicity expert Joan Stewart, aka The Publicity Hound who's also an author, has a super-loyal base of fans who devour her weekly email tips on how to get publicity. Joan has created a free sheet on "10 Profitable Ways to Use Email to Create SuperFans Who Help You Sell Books." It will give you ideas galore on content you can share with your fans--content that goes far beyond your book. You'll also get her email tips chock full of clever, creative ways to generate publicity for your book, your products and your expertise.

Access the cheat sheet at http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/?Clk=5479199

and make 2016 the year you make emailing marketing the power tool in your book marketing toolbox.

You can reach Joan with question, too! Tell her I sent you. 

Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound
Box 437
Port Washington, WI 53074
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central Time) Skype: joan.stewart3

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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 .

New Year's Gifts, Endorsements and Learning from the Pros

One of the best ways to make friends (even influence enemies if you have any) is to do what Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound, did recently. That is, just send someone an unsolicited endorsement. And what a nice way that is to thank someone at the beginning of a new year! Here's what she sent to me:

"Carolyn, from one newsletter publisher to another, I just wanted to let you
know how super your newsletter is. I know how much work goes into these
things, and yours is one of the very best---consistently chock fully of
meaty tips--a must for authors and publishers!
"Joan
"P.S. Yes, you may use this as a testimonial."

Now, do you really think there would be many who pass up an opportunity like that? And unsolicited endorsements tend to be more credible than those we ask for, especially if we label them as such. Of course, we usually must ask and information about how to do that can be found in The Frugal Book Promoter. In fact, I'm in the process of doing that for a new book to be released this spring. (It's on prootion for retailers.)

And look, because Joan is so generous, she gets a credit from me(also unsolicited) and a link to her website and a recommendation to subscribe to her newsletter back. So it appears that giving an endorsement from the heart may also be one of the best out there for people who need to promote anything! So find her at http://publicityhound.com.

And notice how she (being the great publicist she is) made it easy for me. I didn't have to write back begging on my hands and knees to use what she said. Her offer and permission didn't lessen her beautiful gesture. It increased it! We're all busy people.

So as they say, these days, I'm "passing it forward." And I hope you will, too. Especially at this season.

Happy promoting! And yes, writing and editing, too!
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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 two how to books, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". 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 blog.