Why Gorgeous Books Go Unread

Case Study;

Getting Professionalism Wrong
or Why Gorgeous Books Go Ignored

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

A long time ago, as time is measured in the publishing world, I received a beautiful hardcover book with a slick, arresting dust cover in the mail. Everything about it yelled “professionally published!” right down to the fact that it was written by the president of a well respected company. The trouble was, I hadn’t requested it, there was no personal note, and the letterhead on an enclosed sellsheet didn’t give me an e-mail address. I used the phone number supplied. A pleasant woman couldn’t answer my questions, took my number and I never heard back from either her or the author. I promptly forgot about it. Then I received a note from one of my SharingwithWriters newsletter subscribers who edited the book asking if I had received it. I told her I hadn’t so she had the author’s secretary handling the book send me another.

Horrors. I now had two copies of the book. I wanted to bury my head in the sand but instead I thought I’d admit my mistake like any good professional and maybe help the author in the process. Here is my apology and the letter I hope gave her the information she needed to help him:

Dear [Subscriber],

I apologize for my part in a minor marketing fiasco. It is story we can learn from—a minor disaster that could be a major one if it is repeated many times. A minor disaster caused by an omission of contact information and a failure to followup on contacts. I hope we can both learn from this experience.

I received the second book you had your PR person send. When I saw it, I remembered that I did get the earlier copy. There was a letter in it both times, but it neither mentioned you or the conversation we had. Though it is a beautiful book, I get about two or three unrequested and unexpected books a week and assumed it was one of those. Still, I take pains to try to contact people who send books to me as a matter of courtesy. There was no e-mail address so I called. There was no personal contact on the phone, either. Just a person saying they would give the busy author a message. I received nothing back. So, I did a little more than usual. I went to the website where there was also was no personal contact information so I added the e-mail it provided to my contact list thinking that might work eventually. Apparently the author’s agency/handler did receive one of my e-mails and unsubscribed. So, I finally wrote off the whole experience as an impossible mess.

I don't know what contact/relationship you have with the company who promotes this book or with the author, but as professional as everything looks from the book to the letterhead, there are some gaps in this approach to marketing this book. I suspect the author cares enough about having his book read to pay a small fortune to get the word out there either by using his secretary’s well-paid time or hiring a PR agency. I also suspect he is a busy businessman depending on other professionals to do what needs to be done to get it read.

And this is exactly why I wrote The Frugal Book Promoter. That is, I want authors to be very clear that no matter who publishers their books, does their publicity, their marketing...well, the more authors know and the more hands-on the process can be, the better it works.

I hope you'll pass this long to that author if you are in a position to do so. The author is lucky to have you on his side His book does seem to be full of information that will help many. It is a book that is professionally edited and produced and would therefore make a handsome gift. Still, I can't help—make that don't have time to help--anyone who has chosen a publishing path so different from what works and that is to make it as easy as possible on the media and other gatekeepers to give them the exposure they need to sell books.. I only hope I am an isolated case. For his sake and the sake of his prospective audience.

I hope you can see I wouldn't have taken the time to write you this treatise if I didn't care. I am certain you care!

Very best,

Carolyn

Note: I believe that part of the problem this author had was misguided professionalism. He believed (as I do) in empowering employees and designating tasks. After all, no one person can do it all. However, that must be accompanied with the advice I once read in a little book in the 70s. I think it was called “Management by Wandering Around.” I used this advice when I had gift shops in five cities and two states. It took a lot of traveling, but it was fun, too. If I were writing that book, I would add a subtitle: “ Management by Wandering Around: And Asking Questions, Designating, Doing a Lot of Training, Checking Up, Holding People Responsible, and Retraining.” Oops! The inside could be blank. The title says it all!

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS POST

Carolyn has been a proud contributor to WritersOntheMove since its inception. Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her experience as a publicist, journalist, marketer, and founder and owner of a retail chain to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program. All her books for writers are multi award winners including both the first and second editions of The Frugal Book Promoter and her multi award-winning The Frugal Editor won awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, the marketing award from Next Generation Indie Books and others including the coveted Irwin award. Her

newest book in the HowToDoItFrugally series for writers is How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically.

Howard-Johnson is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts. 

The author loves to travel. She has visited eighty-nine countries and has studied writing at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom; Herzen University in St. Petersburg, Russia; and Charles University, Prague. She admits to carrying a pen and journal wherever she goes. Her Web site is www.howtodoitfrugally.com

Treacy Colbert Sells Book Using Great First Impression Book Proposal

I was editing the praise page for my coming book, Getting Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically and ran across this old review by Treacy Colbert of one of the quick and easy booklets in my multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of booklets . Her comment "'This is a really smart proposal,' was one comment from an agent who went on to sell my nonfiction book to a publisher. The "smartest" thing about it? I used Carolyn's guide to write it!" made me think it has been a long time since I gave my SharingwithWriters subscribers and visitors information on book proposals. Then it occurred to me that for $6.95 and only 30 minutes you should get all the information in the booklet. You just don't have to read a tome on this subject to succeed!
  

TheGreat First Impression Book Proposal:
Subtitle: Everything You Need to Know to Impress a Publisher in Thirty Minutes or Less
HowToDoItFrugally Series for Writers
Genre: Nonfiction: How-To, Writing, Marketing
ISBN: 9781453690956
Available on Amazon as a paperback and e-book
Paperback: $6.95
Free digital copy when you purchase paperback with Amazon’s Matchbook program

Reviewed by Treacy Colbert originally for Amazon

I have relied on this wonderful little guide when writing previous book proposals, and got it out again this morning as I am starting a new one. Carolyn strips all the intimidation out of writing a book proposal. Her clear, hands-on advice makes proposal writing not only less daunting, but in fact enjoyable. 

"This is a really smart proposal," was one comment from an agent who went on to sell my nonfiction book to a publisher. The "smartest" thing about it? I used Carolyn's guide to write it! 

----

Treacy Colbert is a medical writer based in Southern California. She is co-author of End Your Menopause Misery and Before It's Too Late. When she isn't writing about health and medicine, she explores love, death, and 3-In-One Oil on her blog, The Green Side of the Grass.

-----
 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 .

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

-----

 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 .

Open Letter to B&N Pasadena

Dear Barnes and Noble in Old Town Pasadena:

I am so sorry to see your windows draped with kraft paper and only darkness beyond that. Still, I tried to share with management how they could raise their daily sales by 15% based on my combined knowledge of 30 years experience as a retailer and a decade as friend and coach for writers. I even sent your principals a copy of my book A Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotion with the chapter on how to partner with authors flagged.

And when authors brought me copies of your thoughtless refusal to partner with an author in their very own communities, I cried with them. I cried for you, too. If only you had honored the very people you need to be in business--authors. You needn’t have stocked their books. You could just have featured them in your store for a day, applauded them, and reaped the profits and good will. Your local authors are readers, too. They do talk to their neighbors. Most do have lists--some of them very long--of people in your immediate neighborhood who...yes, read.l 

Sincerely,
From someone who browsed your aisles and, yes, bought books and other things from you—but not nearly as much as if you had been supportive of the local writing community

-----
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 Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; 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 .

Top 3 Things You Need to Sell a Ton of Books

I sometimes select one of my fave tips from my SharingwithWriters newsletter to share with you--subscribers and visitors of this SharingwithWriters blog. I just returned from a trip and thought this would be the time to drop one in because I don't want you to think I forgot you:

Tip:  What are the top three things you need to work on to sell a ton of books?

·        Killer contact lists you build using your own research and the people you know.

·        A query letter template that can be adapted to sell everything from your book (to agents or publishers) to your ideas for publicity. 

·        A social media platform you can call on—preferably on the day your book is released.

 

 

So, now you know. If you don't think your skills are what they should be on any one of these, please I promise you you'll find detailed instructions on how to do all three in the most frugal and time-saving way in my The Frugal Book Promoter. 

And if you want all my tips (resources, writing tips, tech tips and even what's in the news for the publishing industry), please sign up for the newsletter and get your free little wordtrippers e-booklet at http://howotoditfrugally.com. The subscription form is in the upper right corner of most every page.   
-----

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 Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; 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 .

Penny Sansevieri Shares 12 Secrets to Selling More Books at Events

Penny Sansevieri has graciously agreed to a  SharingwithWriters guest spot while I take a little time off. I hope you'll utilize some of the other benefits she offers; they're listed at the end of this post. And do know that you'll find even more detailed information on making events of all kinds (bookstores, book fairs, writing conferences, etc. ) in my The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo).

By Penny Sansevieri

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 and 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 Cliffhanger I 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:

1. Marketing: First and foremost is the marketing of your event. But I'm not talking about the marketing you do the media (though that is great too) I'm speaking of in-store marketing, this is what most folks seem to overlook. This is where you supply things to the store to help them market your event. Because the first phase of a successful event is driving people to it. Here are a few thoughts.
   1. Do bag stuffers. You can easily do this in your favorite computer program, do two up on a page, meaning that you use one 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper to do two fliers. You'll want to ask the store first if they mind that you provide this, most stores or event venues don't.
   2. Bookmarks: While most in the industry see these as passé, people still love them. You can do bookmarks and bag stuffers (or staple them to the flier) or you can do custom bookmarks with the date and time of your event. Nowadays it's pretty easy to get these done cheaply. Keep in mind that if you are having the event in a mall or other type shopping area, you might be able to drop the bookmarks (or bag stuffers) off at the nearby stores to see if they'll help promote the event.

Book signings are boring: Regardless of where you do the event, plan to do a talk instead of a signing. People are drawn into a discussion and are often turned off by an author just sitting at a table. Marketing is about message and movement so stand up and speak. If speaking in public is intimidating to you, go to Toastmasters or some other local networking/speaking group and see what you can learn.

Unique places: If you want to get more attention for your event, consider doing events in unique places. We've done them in video stores, electronics stores, gyms, even restaurants (on slow nights), doing outside-the-bookstore events is a great way to gain more interest for your talk. Why? Because you aren't competing with everyone else at the bookstore for your crowd. When you do an event at a local that doesn't normally do events, you'll gather more people just because it's considered "unique."

Show up early and talk it up: OK so let's say you're in the store and there are a ton of people in there shopping (a book event dream, yes?) I suggest that you take your extra bag stuffers or custom bookmarks and just hand them to the people in the store. Let me know you are doing an event at such and such time and you'd love it if they can sit in. You'll be surprised how many new people you might pull in this way.

Customize: Regardless of what your talk is about, poll the audience first to see a) what brought them there, or b) what they hope to learn if your talk is educational. I suggest this because the more you can customize your discussion, the more likely you are to sell a book. If you can solve problems (and this is often done during the Q&A) all the better. You'll look like the answer machine you are and readers love that. If you have the answers they'll want to buy from you. I promise.

Make friends: get to know the bookstore people, but not just on the day of the event. Go in prior and make friends, tell them who you are and maybe even hand them your flier or bookmark (or a stack if you can). Often stores have Information Centers, see if you can leave some fliers there instead of just at the register. Getting to know the people who are selling the book is a great way to help gather more people into your event. If your event isn't in a bookstore but attached to a shopping area or mall, go around to the stores (and perhaps you did this when you passed out the fliers) and let them know you have an event and what can you do to help them promote it. If you can rally the troops to help you market your talk, you could triple the numbers of people at your event. No kidding.

Take names: I always, always recommend that you get names and (email) addresses from the folks who attended. Sign them up for your mailing list is a great way to stay in touch with them and stay on your reader's radar screen. If you have a giveaway or drawing, great! This will help you to collect names. If you don't, offer them a freebie or ebook after the event. Often if I'm doing a PowerPoint presentation I will put together a set of them (delivered in PDF) after the event. Attendees need to sign up to get them and then once they do, I include them in our newsletter list which helps me to stay on their radar screen.

Pricing: Make sure your book is easy to buy. If you are doing this outside of a bookstore this is easy to do and will help your sales. I find that a rounded number like $10 or $20 makes for a quick and easy sale. If you can round up or down without adding or losing too much to the price, by all means do it.

Book pairing: One way you might be able to round up is by pairing your book with a freebie. When I paired Red Hot Internet Publicity with a second, but smaller, marketing book I took the awkward pricing of $18.95, bumped it up to $20 (so 2 books for $20) and quadrupled my sales after an event. Now the pairing doesn't have to be a book, it can be a special report or even an ebook that you send to them after the event.

Product and placement: As you're doing your talk (especially if it's in a non-bookstore venue) make sure that you have a copy of the book propped up in front of you so event visitors see it the entire time you are speaking. Hold up the book when appropriate and use it as an example when you can. This will help to direct the consumers eye to the book - and making eye contact with the product is a good way to make sure it stays on their radar screen throughout your talk. When I do a speaking gig at an event that allows me to sell books in the room, I will sell four times more than I would if the attendees have to go somewhere else to buy it so make the buy easy. If you can, make sure your books are for sale in the room.

Ease of purchase: Aside from pricing, if you're doing your own check out make sure that you have many ways consumers can buy your book. I take credit cards at the event, checks and cash. Don't limit yourself as to what you can take or you will limit your sales.

Post event wrap up: So the event is over, what now? Well, if you got attendees to sign up for your newsletter (you did do that, right?) and now it's time to send a thank you note for attending and remind them (if they missed the chance at the event) to buy a copy of your book at the "special event price."

Speaking and book events are great ways to build your platform, but if you aren't selling books there's little point in doing them. For many of us, our book is our business card and thus, if we can sell our "business card" we can keep consumers in our funnel. If your book isn't your business card you still want readers, right? So the marketing both post and during an event is crucial to building your readership. While it's easy to say that events sell books, they often don't. I find that if you don't "work it" you often will find your time wasted. Seek the opportunities when they are made available to you and then maximize them when they are, you'll be glad you did!

Are you ready for your own success? Then let's schedule a call! Call us at: (866) 713-2318 or contact me directly at: info@amarketingexpert.com

About Penny:
Penny C. Sansevieri, Adjunct Instructor NYU
Author Marketing Experts, Inc. http://www.amarketingexpert.com/
Find her on HuffPo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/penny-c-sansevieri
Ready for your own success? Ask us about the 10 Bestsellers we've worked on! Will your book be next?
Office: 858/560-0121 Hotline: 619/808-BOOK
Follow @Bookgal on Twitter: < http://twitter.com/Bookgal>
AME's Facebook Fan Page < http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Author-Marketing-Experts-Inc-AME/43882181670?ref=sgm>
Get some great scoop on publishing and marketing! Listen to The Publishing Insiders on Blogtalk radio < http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ThePublishingInsiders>

-----
SharingwithWriters blogger Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the 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 Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; 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 .

Yvonne Perry Talks About Authors Selling Books

Yvonne Perry is the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is also the self-published author of six books. As part of her blog tour to launch her latest book, I’ve asked her to share some insight on how she is marketing Shifting into Purer Consciousness ~ Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience. You may learn more about Yvonne and her book at http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com.

Authors Must Learn to Sell What They Write

By Yvonne Perry

Many a writer aspires to be a published author—by any method whether self-publishing or being accepted by one of the “big six publishing houses,” such as Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Group, Random House, or Simon & Schuster, or one of their imprints (subsidiaries).  What most new authors don’t realize is that once a book is published, it requires a lot of time, effort, and money to market it. The book, like any other product other than toilet paper, won’t sell itself; it has to be presented to its target market over and over.

Promoting a book can become a lot like owning a business. I learned this the hard way when I published More Than Meets the Eye, True Stories About Death, Dying, and Afterlife (http://deathdyingafterlife.com) in 2005. I knew little about book marketing at the time, so the book didn’t start selling until two years later when I published my second book, Right to Recover ~Winning the Political and Religious Wars Over Stem Cell Research in America. That’s when I paid a publicist about $3,000 to do my book marketing for me.

A book is a product and must be sellable. It’s not just about packaging. A poorly-written book, with a so-so cover, or an ambiguous title/subtitle that lacks keywords is not as marketable as a page-turner that jumps off the shelf and causes the reader to say, “This is just what I’m looking for.” That reader becomes a fan and automatically starts helping you promote your book via word of mouth. If I don’t enjoy a book, I won’t write a review (at least not a positive one) or recommend the book to others.

I had a “first” when an author told me he wasn’t sure he was ready to be an author because of the time he would need to spend marketing his book. Usually, new authors have no idea of the amount of time and energy involved in successful authorship. I recommend authors do as many of the following things as possible:

• Create a marketing plan
• Maintain a blog specifically for the book
• Get domain names and build a Web site for the book
• Query to obtain radio and TV interviews
• Be available to record radio and TV interviews
• Create promotional videos and post them to YouTube and other social sites
• Conduct a book tour (in-person or online)
• Participate in the launch of other authors’ books
• Do an Amazon launch campaign
• Write and send media releases
• Write and post articles to online article directories
• Write and send articles to print magazines
• Participate in online forums pertaining to the topic of your book
• Social marketing such as Facebook or Twitter
• Comment on and link to other peoples’ blogs

I am employing these methods in promoting my latest book, Shifting into Purer Consciousness ~ Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience (http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com).

In an age of social marketing, we authors are able to befriend and interact with our readers. Because I had built the buzz the entire time I was writing the book, I sold two copies of the e-book within a matter of hours after its debut on Amazon’s Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00821TFWI . I have a virtual tour planned for June 16 through July 5 to launch the printed version of this book. See the tour schedule at http://dld.bz/byrF7.

###

Yvonne Perry holds a bachelor’s degree in metaphysics from the American Institute of Holistic Theology and provides personal coaching for spiritual seekers. The host of We Are One in Spirit Podcast, she enjoys speaking about a wide variety of topics to help people realize their own creative power. http://weare1inspirit.com.  Find a review of Yvonne's new book today at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com.

Tomorrow the tour will be at Jacqueline Stone’s blog, On the Journey and I invite you to visit that site to learn more about the spiritual transition we are currently in. See the full tour schedule at http://dld.bz/byrF7 .

-----
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 ediction of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; 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 . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about this blog: