Book Marketing Information

Buzz-Based Book Marketing


Once upon a time, people went to bookstores when they wanted to buy a book. Or at least, that was the theory. Actually, non-bookstore channels have been a big part of book sales for decades-at least since people like Joe Karbo ("The Lazy Man's Way to Riches") back in the 1960s. For my own books, whether they were s elf-published, done with a small commercial house, or by a New York conglomerate, I've found that se lling direct is more secure, more financially rewar ding, and far less hassle than sweating out the returns game with the b ookstore channel. All along, I've sold through speeches (I love getting pai d to do my own marketing), over the Web (the f irst of my four websites went live in 1996), to clients at my office, wh o stare at a rack of my work throughout their entire appointment, and thr ough

an extensive effort to create "buzz." The great thi n g is that *anyone* can generate buzz. Three of my techniques: 1. Be a sourc e or guest for conventional m edia. I've been quoted in Reader's Digest, the New York Times, Woman's Day, Bo ttom Line, the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Los Ange les Times, Inc, and dozens of other well-known and obscure publications (s ee a detailed list at http://www.principledprofits.com/pressroom.html) . I'm also a call-in guest on at least a dozen radio shows per year. Whether

or not I sell a lot of books directly through t hese interviews, I definitely create a lot of buzz (search for my nam e at Google and see for yourself)--and the best interviews sell a number o f books through my websites or toll-free numbers. Here's my "secret weapon" f or getting coverage: a service that sends source queries from journalist s working on

stories. (Find out more at http://www.frugalmarketing.com/prleads.shtml) 2. Find your niche on line, and participate actively. There ar e literally hundreds of thousands of "communities" online: virtual watercoo lers where people gather to tal k shop: mystery, historical novel reading groups, professionals in every l ine of work. Find a group whose audience is the same as your book,

and participate often. I currently participate in three groups for small

press publishers (a primary market not only for my books but for my co pywriting services, a group for Internet marketing profess i onals, three fo r professional PR and copywriters, and several others. Yes,

I spend an hour or two per day keeping up with--and participating on--th ese lists, but the impact on my business is huge. 3. Distribu te content. A r ticles, book excerpts, blogs...if you write often enough about a subject,

you become an expert. And you can find dozens of websites, discus sion groups, print newsletters, 'zines, even radio shows--all hungr y for well-written, informative material. You get "paid" with a

few lines of blurb and contact info. For my new book, "Principled Pr ofit: Marketing That Puts People First," I am addi ng two things to

the mix: a network of independent representatives who will sell my book on commission--thus reaching new networks I've not been a ble to reach on my own--and aggressive pursuit of corporate sales. I've h ad my first success with the latter: 1000 copies to a prom i nent airline. And that means the book was already profitable before it ro lled off the press!

Shel Horowitz, author of *Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First,* *Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World,* and four other books, offers affordable, effective copywriting and strategic marketing planning to clients on three continents. He is the originator of the Ethical Business Pledge Campaign to change the World at http://www.principledprofits.com/25000influencers.html. His sites at http://www.frugalmarketing.com and http://www.principledprofits.com offer hundreds of useful articles for entrepreneurs and marketers, including the complete back issues of his FREE Monthly Frugal Marketing Tips. Shel will be glad to help you create your next press release, sell sheet, web site, or other marketing material. He can be reached at shel@principledprofits.com, 800-683-WORD.


MORE RESOURCES:

NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)

Free E-book Marketing Plan Guide for Real Estate Agents Shows How ...
NewsReleaseWire.com (press release) - May 14, 2008
Krista Baker, founder of RealtyBizCoach.com, a Web site providing marketing tips and strategies for real estate agents, offers a complimentary e-book ...


Hot type: new Roald Dahl comic writing prize announced
Times Online, UK - 2 hours ago
No they are not, said Book Marketing Ltd a week later: respondents to its survey claimed that booksellers' recommendations - usually advertised in displays ...


B2B in a Web 2.0 World, Part 2: Social Media Marketing
CRM Buyer - 11 hours ago
based W2 Group and author of the book Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build Your Business. "There will be more rich video on ...


8 Signs You May Not Need a Support Group For Your Illness
American Chronicle, CA - May 12, 2008
Lisa loves being an entrepreneur online and has taken her knowledge of internet and book marketing to a new level with www.scrapbookmyadoption.com where she ...


Fast Company

John Kremer
Fast Company - Apr 23, 2008
... QuotableBooks.com, TenMillionEyeballs.com, and a number of other websites. book marketing, Internet marketing, online book marketing, book publicity, ...


Study Shows New-Car Shoppers Cut Spending in Wake of High Gas Prices
Earthtimes (press release), UK - Apr 24, 2008
The April 2008 Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research study showed that 47 percent of new-car shoppers would seriously consider a more fuel-efficient vehicle ...


NABE Announces Winners of The 2007 Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Live-PR.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - May 13, 2008
To view a list including this award winning book, visit the website at Book Marketing Profits. Every once in a while something comes along that changes ...


Ventura Author Patricia Kokinos: "Angel Park" Wins Two New Awards
American Chronicle, CA - May 12, 2008
... independent filmmakers have reshaped the film industry, according to Ellen Reid, the publisher and book marketing expert who originated the contest. ...


Folio Magazine

People on the Move | 05.12.08
Folio Magazine, NY - May 12, 2008
Rodale has appointed Beth Lamb as associate vice president of book marketing. Most recently, Lamb served as marketing director.


The Bookseller (subscription)

BA: Price trumps bookseller picks
The Bookseller (subscription), UK - May 12, 2008
Putting a price offer on a book is the best inducement to get purchasers to buy it, according to a new report by Book Marketing Limited. ...

Book-Marketing - Google News

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