Archive for the ‘Book Publishing’ Category

Ninety-five per cent of authors don’t think about the marketing of their book until after it is printed. Book publishing expert and best-selling author Dale Beaumont shares why this is a big mistake! Discover how to develop a killer marketing plan for your book, which will help you to sell tens of thousands of copies.

Who is today’s book consumer, what are they buying, where are they shopping, what motivates their purchases, and how successful are we at reaching them?

If you’re interested in finding out, you might want to register for the hour-long webinar for industry professionals offered by Bowker and the Association of American Publishers on Thursday, October 22, from 2:00 p.m – 3 pm EDT.

“A program that sheds some light on the mindset and purchasing behavior of book buyers is particularly timely in light of the recession’s impact on retail markets, the rapidly growing demand for e-book content and burgeoning interest in devices and formats, and the real need for a better understanding of book consumers as we head into a critical holiday season,” said Tom Allen, President & CEO of the Association of American Publishers. “We hope the program is informative and provides useful insight for all members of the book trade.”

Attendees will be able to follow the audio presentation and ask questions in real time. Bowker’s Kelly Gallagher, Vice President, Publisher Services, Bowker will present, with the virtual audience Q&A facilitated by AAP Vice President Tina Jordan.

The October 22 event is the first of what is expected to be a series of webinars the two organizations will host in the coming months. A second webinar, “Emerging Book Trends for 2009,” is scheduled for 2 PM ET on Wednesday, December 9. That program will provide an overview of the changing climate of book buying in 2009 including e-book buzz, online social networks and marketing, changing channels, buying versus library patronage, as well as highlight the connection between what publishers publish and what consumers buy.

To register for the October 22 webinar ($49 per individual participant; $99 multiple participants using one login at a company), visit www.bookconsumer.com or email PubTrackInfo@bowker.com.

I finally did it. After ignoring all the hype about Dan Brown’s latest book for weeks, I finally broke down and bought a copy.

I’m not sure why. While I sort of enjoyed The DaVinci Code before people started taking it seriously, Angels and Demons was a complete bust for me. I passed both books on to my friend to read after I was done with them, and I’m absolutely certain she never made it through A&D. Neither did most folks. I can presume this because she dragged me to the movies to see Tom Hanks struggle through the mess, and I seemed to be the only person in the theater that wasn’t surprised at the ending.

Why did I buy? I can’t figure it out.

Part of it, I suppose, was curiosity. Part of it was that I can’t honestly say all the nasty things I want to say about it until I’ve read it.

One thing’s for certain, though. I WILL NOT be going to the movie adaptation IF I make it to the end of the book. If I see the movie, I want to be as surprised as everyone else in the theater for a change.

by Dana Lynn Smith

Social networking sites like Facebook are a terrific way to promote your book, but many authors don’t optimize their Facebook profile or venture beyond their profile. Here are six ways to effectively promote your book on Facebook:

1. Take full advantage of the promotional opportunities on your Facebook Profile. Just below your photo is a small box where you can enter a concise description of what you do, including the title of your book. The About Me box (under Personal Information) is a good place to describe your book and your business. In the Contact Information section you can enter multiple website addresses. Post your book cover in your photo album or another application and display it in the left column of your profile.

Remember, your Facebook profile must be registered in your real name. If you create a profile for your book or business, you risk having your account cancelled.

2. Facebook Fan Pages are similar to personal profiles, but they are created for business use. You can create a page to promote your book or your business, or even create a page for one of the characters in your novel. People join a page by becoming a fan.

You may want to offer an incentive to join (or at least visit) your fan page, such as a free download, a coupon for one of your products, or a contest. Another way to attract fans is to set your page up as an information hub, offering links and resources.

3. Facebook Groups are a great place to meet people who share your interests and find new friends. Search for groups by entering keywords in the Search box at the top of the page and then clicking on the Groups tab. You can gain visibility on a group page by introducing yourself on the wall, participating in discussions, and posting your book cover, photos or videos.

Forming your own group is another good way to subtly promote your book. Be sure to encourage discussions and offer valuable information such as free downloads and links to resources. You can send direct messages the entire group.

4. Joining relevant Facebook Events is a good way to get visibility by writing on the event wall and posting photos. In addition, you can subtly promote your book and yourself by promoting your own live or virtual events through a Facebook event.

5. Facebook displays pay-per-click ads on most pages on the site, and ads can be targeted by age, gender, location, education level, relationship status, or keywords in people’s profiles.

6. The Facebook Marketplace is a free classified advertising area where you can post a listing to sell your book. It’s worth an experiment if you have a book on a topic that someone might search for on a classified advertising site.

Dana Lynn Smith is a book marketing coach and author of The Savvy Book Marketer Guides. For in-depth information on how to promote your book through Facebook, see the Facebook Guide for Authors athttp://www.SavvyBookMarketer.com. Visit the Book Marketing Maven blog at http://www.BookMarketingMaven.com for more book marketing tips.