Virtual book tours continue to grow in popularity with authors. From
the comfort of their own computers, authors can tour the world, saving
time and money while reaching a potentially large audience. Bloggers
benefit as well since tours can drive new traffic to their sites. If
you’d like to host a virtual author book tour on your blog, here are
some quick and easy tips to ensure you are a good host.
1. Stick to book topics that will appeal directly to your blog readers.
2. Ask for a review copy of the author’s book and read it ahead of time.
3. Decide whether you’d like the author to do a guest post, answer
interview questions, or post a book excerpt. Let the author know if you
have a word limit.
4. If you go with interview questions, develop a list of questions
that will allow the author to discuss their book but which will also
provide valuable content for your blog readers. Make sure you get these
questions to the author so he or she has plenty of time to provide
compelling responses.
5. Ask the author to provide a head shot, photo of their book cover, and a brief bio.
6. Add the author’s blog to your blog roll.
7. Decide when you’ll post the author’s “appearance,” and make sure
he or she will be available that day to answer questions or respond to
comments your readers post.
8. Find out whether the author has a web page listing all the stops
on their virtual author book tour, along with the topics they’ll be
discussing. If he or she does, post the link to this page.
9. Include a link to the book’s Amazon.com page; or if you are an Amazon affiliate, add a buy link for the book.
10. Remind the author to be sure to blog about the visit on his or her own blog—with a link back to your blog, of course.
11. Publicize the blog post once it’s up via social media groups you
belong to, including any forums, discussion groups, and ListServs. If
you’ve got an ezine, include a link there as well.
12. It’s recommended that you put the post up early in the morning—shoot for prior to 8 am Eastern time.
13. Check the post regularly so you can respond to comments and answer questions. (Your author should be doing that as well!)
A few final notes: Remember to thank your author for including your
blog on his or her virtual tour. It’s also nice if you post a review of
the book on sites such as Amazon and GoodReads.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Target Your Customers
Few
of us have the resources to market to the world at large, and it's much
easier to sell a book to people who already have an interest in the
subject or genre. Your book marketing plan should define several target
audiences and outline strategies for reaching them.
Here are some examples target audiences:
* Readers -- people who buy the book to read. This includes your primary audience (the "ideal customer" that the book was written for) as well as secondary audiences who have an interest in your topic. For example, this article in Book Business Magazine demonstrates that a large percentage of "young adult" books that are bought and read by adults, rather than teens.
* Purchasers -- people who buy the book for someone else. For example, people buy books as gifts, parents purchase books for children, and women buy men's health books. Who would be likely to purchase your book for someone else, and how can you reach those folks?
* Influencers -- people who communicate with your target customers and can let them know about your book. Think about how much you can multiply your book promotion efforts when other people like bloggers, reviewers and journalists spread the word to their own readers and customers.
Who are your target audiences, and how can you reach them with the message about your books?
Here are some examples target audiences:
* Readers -- people who buy the book to read. This includes your primary audience (the "ideal customer" that the book was written for) as well as secondary audiences who have an interest in your topic. For example, this article in Book Business Magazine demonstrates that a large percentage of "young adult" books that are bought and read by adults, rather than teens.
* Purchasers -- people who buy the book for someone else. For example, people buy books as gifts, parents purchase books for children, and women buy men's health books. Who would be likely to purchase your book for someone else, and how can you reach those folks?
* Influencers -- people who communicate with your target customers and can let them know about your book. Think about how much you can multiply your book promotion efforts when other people like bloggers, reviewers and journalists spread the word to their own readers and customers.
Who are your target audiences, and how can you reach them with the message about your books?
Sunday, September 16, 2012
When book reviews go bad–or how to react when a reviewer hates your book
Back when I was in college, I had two English lit professors one semester who I would frequently see on campus lunching together, having coffee, and so forth. They were so different from each other, it was always kind of surprising to see them hanging out. Professor Uptight was always quite serious in his approach to his teaching and even his wardrobe since he wore a suit and tie each day; I disliked him on site—and apparently the feeling was mutual. Professor Flannel was much more laid back, both in his teaching methods and his choice of clothing, which amounted to jeans and flannel shirts. We had a great rapport, and he loved everything I wrote.
I was stuck in Professor Uptight’s class against my will. It was a mandatory class I needed to obtain my degree, I was in my second to the last semester before graduating, and the time it was going to be offered the following semester just didn’t work. So I couldn’t drop it like my instincts told me to after the first day of class when I suspected our personalities were not going to mesh well.
The class was a literary criticism class, which, as an English lit major, came pretty easy to me at this point in my college career. But regardless of what I wrote, Professor Uptight hated it and graded accordingly. When I made an appointment to discuss this with him–after all, this was my major and I could not afford a C or a (gasp!) D in the class–I will never forget the way he looked with disdain at my outfit (early glam rock circa 1985) and my Walkman (the cassette version, for those of you who even remember those) upon learning I was listening to Megadeth (he asked!). I kind of knew right then and there that I didn’t have a chance in his class.
My point after this long-winded narrative? As the old adage says, you just can’t please all of the people all of the time. Working for a publishing company now, I am learning that there are people who will criticize your work—some of them like to do it over and over again. They will have a list of reasons–some of them valid. So what to do when they tell the world about it?
You have two basic choices: You can ignore it. Or you can pay attention to it. (Well, I guess the third choice is to freak out about it, but I definitely don’t recommend that!)
I like to pay attention to it. I often agree with some of the criticism (books that are traditionally published, get some of the points of contention are about things that will be out of the hands of the author hands–a testament to one of the reasons why people are self-publishing), and I will generally mention that. Other points I will adamantly disagree with, and I like to say so. But I keep my tone professional, and I don’t bear a grudge against the reviewer. If you are going to put a book out there, you need to put on your big girl panties (er, big boy boxers?) and suck it up when someone doesn’t like it.
Another reason to listen to harsh criticism is because you can learn from it. Try to see your book from the reviewer’s point of view. There are probably areas you can work on in your next book. Essentially, a reviewer might be providing a valuable service in helping you improve your writing and your next book.
It’s tough not to take bad reviews personally. But it’s helpful to remember that the review is (usually) about the work not the person. You can’t be all things to all people, and neither can your book. Plus, reviews (like grades for literary criticism papers) are subjective. Repeat. Reviews are subjective. Just because one person doesn’t like your work doesn’t mean it’s bad or that everyone will dislike it.
Incidentally, I got a C in Professor Uptight’s class; it was the only C I got in any class in my major and brought down my entire college GPA. I got an A in Professor Flannel’s class. But I also learned a valuable life lesson beyond the course work: You cannot control a person’s perception of you, but you can control how you react to it.
I was stuck in Professor Uptight’s class against my will. It was a mandatory class I needed to obtain my degree, I was in my second to the last semester before graduating, and the time it was going to be offered the following semester just didn’t work. So I couldn’t drop it like my instincts told me to after the first day of class when I suspected our personalities were not going to mesh well.
The class was a literary criticism class, which, as an English lit major, came pretty easy to me at this point in my college career. But regardless of what I wrote, Professor Uptight hated it and graded accordingly. When I made an appointment to discuss this with him–after all, this was my major and I could not afford a C or a (gasp!) D in the class–I will never forget the way he looked with disdain at my outfit (early glam rock circa 1985) and my Walkman (the cassette version, for those of you who even remember those) upon learning I was listening to Megadeth (he asked!). I kind of knew right then and there that I didn’t have a chance in his class.
My point after this long-winded narrative? As the old adage says, you just can’t please all of the people all of the time. Working for a publishing company now, I am learning that there are people who will criticize your work—some of them like to do it over and over again. They will have a list of reasons–some of them valid. So what to do when they tell the world about it?
You have two basic choices: You can ignore it. Or you can pay attention to it. (Well, I guess the third choice is to freak out about it, but I definitely don’t recommend that!)
I like to pay attention to it. I often agree with some of the criticism (books that are traditionally published, get some of the points of contention are about things that will be out of the hands of the author hands–a testament to one of the reasons why people are self-publishing), and I will generally mention that. Other points I will adamantly disagree with, and I like to say so. But I keep my tone professional, and I don’t bear a grudge against the reviewer. If you are going to put a book out there, you need to put on your big girl panties (er, big boy boxers?) and suck it up when someone doesn’t like it.
Another reason to listen to harsh criticism is because you can learn from it. Try to see your book from the reviewer’s point of view. There are probably areas you can work on in your next book. Essentially, a reviewer might be providing a valuable service in helping you improve your writing and your next book.
It’s tough not to take bad reviews personally. But it’s helpful to remember that the review is (usually) about the work not the person. You can’t be all things to all people, and neither can your book. Plus, reviews (like grades for literary criticism papers) are subjective. Repeat. Reviews are subjective. Just because one person doesn’t like your work doesn’t mean it’s bad or that everyone will dislike it.
Incidentally, I got a C in Professor Uptight’s class; it was the only C I got in any class in my major and brought down my entire college GPA. I got an A in Professor Flannel’s class. But I also learned a valuable life lesson beyond the course work: You cannot control a person’s perception of you, but you can control how you react to it.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
How Front and Back Matter can Stimulate Book Sales
Most people wouldn’t think the front and back matter—those things that come before and after the main text in a book—would have much bearing on how it sells. Not so. This material can have a dramatic impact on your book’s success! Let’s first consider the front matter.
Face it: You want to stand out. Right? One of the more positive things you can do to accomplish that is to get a person widely recognized in the field to write a Foreword. (Notice it’s spelled “Foreword” not “Forward”!) Physicians, attorneys, and certain other professionals can be tapped for Forewords. They are often thrilled to get their names on book covers. And there may be an additional benefit for you; a doctor, for instance, will read your manuscript for accuracy as well because he or she would be embarrassed by errors.
Acknowledgments are another place to mention key names—not only those you genuinely wish to thank for their help, but also people you want to favor and impress. Sometimes they will be so flattered to be singled out they will buy your book and help with promotion by recommending it to others.
Have you ever gone to a bookstore and watched browsers? At first they look at the front cover. If the book still holds their attention, they turn it over and examine the back cover. The next thing they’ll usually do is flip through the pages, then turn to the Table of Contents and either decide to buy—or move on to another book.
Therein lies a profound revelation: The Table of Contents is one of your most valuable sales tools! Make it meaty. Exciting. Benefit-oriented. Include the subheads as well as the chapter titles. Tell potential buyers specifically what the book delivers, what problem it solves for them. Use punchy phraseology and active verbs.
If the book will be rolling off the press at the end of the year, use the next year in your copyright notice. It will seem fresh for a much longer time and have a better crack at ongoing reviews. It’s an industry standard to do this for any book coming out from September on.
Now let’s examine some of the ingredients that come after the main part of the book—the back matter—and can mean extra dollars in your pocket.
Fat Appendices pay big dividends. In fact, some people buy a book solely because of the unique reference information presented in the Appendix.
I had a client a few years back who had written an autobiographical expose decrying slipshod medical practices. Her topic lent itself to listings of various associations dealing with specific diseases, consumer medical advocacy groups, state medical policing agencies, and so forth. We counseled her to add these additional sources of information in the Appendix to increase the book’s worth. That way her autobiography became a “reference work” because it included a compendium of valuable resources not previously collected in one place.
Adding a Glossary can also be a smart move, especially if you use a lot of unfamiliar terms. Sometimes people who need to know the terminology of a certain industry will buy your book strictly for its Glossary.
A nonfiction book without an Index is like bread without butter. Readers want—and deserve—to be able to locate specific pieces of information quickly. The only way they can do that is through an Index. Librarians expect them; educational sales will be dampened for a book lacking one.
Last, but certainly not least, should be sales information. It is amazing how seldom books include this obvious sales opportunity. How often do you check out a library book, and subsequently want to purchase a personal copy? Or borrow a book from a friend, then want one yourself? Make it easy for people to buy your book by including information on where they can buy it. Remember to indicate that you offer a discount on quantity orders. (You do, don’t you?)
Keep in mind that all of these ideas should be done early in the writing or editing process. Good marketing planning begins when you first start thinking about the shape of a manuscript. By using these types of strategies at that early stage, you have a much better chance of stronger sales throughout the life of the work.
Face it: You want to stand out. Right? One of the more positive things you can do to accomplish that is to get a person widely recognized in the field to write a Foreword. (Notice it’s spelled “Foreword” not “Forward”!) Physicians, attorneys, and certain other professionals can be tapped for Forewords. They are often thrilled to get their names on book covers. And there may be an additional benefit for you; a doctor, for instance, will read your manuscript for accuracy as well because he or she would be embarrassed by errors.
Acknowledgments are another place to mention key names—not only those you genuinely wish to thank for their help, but also people you want to favor and impress. Sometimes they will be so flattered to be singled out they will buy your book and help with promotion by recommending it to others.
Have you ever gone to a bookstore and watched browsers? At first they look at the front cover. If the book still holds their attention, they turn it over and examine the back cover. The next thing they’ll usually do is flip through the pages, then turn to the Table of Contents and either decide to buy—or move on to another book.
Therein lies a profound revelation: The Table of Contents is one of your most valuable sales tools! Make it meaty. Exciting. Benefit-oriented. Include the subheads as well as the chapter titles. Tell potential buyers specifically what the book delivers, what problem it solves for them. Use punchy phraseology and active verbs.
If the book will be rolling off the press at the end of the year, use the next year in your copyright notice. It will seem fresh for a much longer time and have a better crack at ongoing reviews. It’s an industry standard to do this for any book coming out from September on.
Now let’s examine some of the ingredients that come after the main part of the book—the back matter—and can mean extra dollars in your pocket.
Fat Appendices pay big dividends. In fact, some people buy a book solely because of the unique reference information presented in the Appendix.
I had a client a few years back who had written an autobiographical expose decrying slipshod medical practices. Her topic lent itself to listings of various associations dealing with specific diseases, consumer medical advocacy groups, state medical policing agencies, and so forth. We counseled her to add these additional sources of information in the Appendix to increase the book’s worth. That way her autobiography became a “reference work” because it included a compendium of valuable resources not previously collected in one place.
Adding a Glossary can also be a smart move, especially if you use a lot of unfamiliar terms. Sometimes people who need to know the terminology of a certain industry will buy your book strictly for its Glossary.
A nonfiction book without an Index is like bread without butter. Readers want—and deserve—to be able to locate specific pieces of information quickly. The only way they can do that is through an Index. Librarians expect them; educational sales will be dampened for a book lacking one.
Last, but certainly not least, should be sales information. It is amazing how seldom books include this obvious sales opportunity. How often do you check out a library book, and subsequently want to purchase a personal copy? Or borrow a book from a friend, then want one yourself? Make it easy for people to buy your book by including information on where they can buy it. Remember to indicate that you offer a discount on quantity orders. (You do, don’t you?)
Keep in mind that all of these ideas should be done early in the writing or editing process. Good marketing planning begins when you first start thinking about the shape of a manuscript. By using these types of strategies at that early stage, you have a much better chance of stronger sales throughout the life of the work.
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