-- Quote of the Day --
“Public Relations is
promoting a product through Earned Media – instead of buying an ad, we’ll tend
to place a story in a newspaper or an interview on TV. The interesting thing
about publicity is what happens to the mind when you see an ad your mind will
turn off, but if you see a story it will peak your interest and it will stay in
your mind longer. …Advertising is very expensive; but if you want to get a full-page
story you’ll get the exposure but not have the big expense. …You have to keep
up the publicity is that people have short memories. Each campaign should be at
least 6 months to a year before starting a new campaign; it is a constant
process – you can’t just start and stop erratically. …One of the trickiest
things is measuring the results of the PR; it depends on what the client is
expecting to see – are you looking for more people to know the name of the
company, see more hits on the website or selling more product? …With social
media you are reaching the whole world we have to be careful of gray areas –
such as criticizing others or expressing your political belief because it may
offend other cultures or individuals. You need to have a social media policy.
…Knowing the media member’s deadline time is very important, because if they
are on deadline they aren’t going to want to take time for you.”
~ Emmanuel Otiko
Today’s quote originates
from the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio episode that aired back on February 10th, 2013 … titled: Publicity Advice
(*Click on the title to access the full
discussion)
Promoting
Your Book on a Budget
Today's post was written by
Jan Hill - an e-book author and a freelance journalist writing for Vistaprint,
offering customized marketing products for do-it-yourself authors, such as business
cards,
address labels, postcards, and much more. Jan has covered entrepreneurship,
small business and branding topics for years.
So
you're not a New York Times
bestselling author, and you don't have a publicist. Business cards are just one
do-it-yourself way to reach your audience and sell some books.
Printed
Materials Get the Word Out
Although
many people think of email marketing, social media, websites, and blogs as the
primary tools available to inexpensively promote their book, printed materials
are also affordable and necessary, especially if you plan to make some personal
appearances at book signings and other marketing events.
Business
Cards Are Essential
Business
cards are not only to hand out when you're looking for a job or attending a
networking event. If you are self-publishing, not only are you choosing to
publish your own book, but to promote it yourself as well.
Web
developer Michael Ross has written
that when many authors gather the promotional materials they think they'll need
for an event like a book signing in a retail store, they almost always think of
posters, flyers, bookmarks, postcards, and a display featuring their book, but
they frequently overlook business cards, despite their obvious advantages over many
larger marketing items.
These
advantages include affordable price, simplicity, ability to quickly deliver the
message to busy shoppers, and the fact that they can be given to prospects to
be taken with them and reviewed again later, or even passed on to another
prospect who didn't come to the event.
According
to Publetariat.com, two-sided
business cards can be used to feature an author's work on one side and his or
her contact information on the other. When using two-sided cards, you should
make sure there is some type of sales message printed on your cards, not just an
image of the cover and the title of your book, and always include your website
address with your contact information. This is your call to action that will encourage the prospect to visit your website and
read more about you and your book.
Bookmarks,
Posters, Postcards, and Flyers
Bookmarks
and posters are also useful for distributing at libraries, book fairs, events,
and bookstores that will be carrying your book. One often-overlooked piece of
printed material that can be mailed, handed out, or displayed to promote a new
book is a postcard. Although
postage is expensive, if you plan to mail more than 200 pieces you may be able
to use a bulk-mailing rate.
Before
you distribute your postcards, make sure you have a good mailing list that
includes family, friends, and business contacts. You can also rent or buy
mailing lists for a specific target market.
A
sell sheet is a
flyer that is used to promote books to libraries and bookstores, is often
included in press kits, and can even be shared online as a PDF. The sell sheet
typically features an image of the book's front cover, information about the
publication date, list price, size and page specifications, ISBN number,
publisher, and contact information for the author. It also usually features
some copy that summarizes what the book is about, and includes some
testimonials about the book and the author.
Do What
Works for You
The
ways an author can inexpensively promote a book are as varied an unlimited as
the number of books available today. The Infinity Publishing website offers
some unique ideas from a variety of self-published authors on ways they've
chosen to promote their books and encourage sales.
GalleyCat also discusses some novel ways to endorse your book on a budget, including free websites, writing articles for media outlets, and even hosting a book giveaway.
GalleyCat also discusses some novel ways to endorse your book on a budget, including free websites, writing articles for media outlets, and even hosting a book giveaway.
*Check out the hyperlinks in this article above to find a host of resources... and also this resource for self-marking authors: http://brummet.ca/promotebooks.html
Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, their radio program, blog, and more at: http://brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, clicking those social networking buttons, or visiting the Brummet's Store - and help raise funds for charity as well!
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