Bob Baker's Book Promotion & Marketing Blog

7 Reasons Every Author Should Publish a Blog

2012-01-31T12:13:00.000-05:00

Perhaps you've been hearing advice about starting a blog but haven't gotten around to it yet. Maybe you started one a while back but have let it sit idle for months.

Or perhaps you're a semi-active blogger who has lost steam and is wondering why you should bother anymore.

Whatever category you fall into, heed these words of advice. I've been blogging pretty consistently on my Music Promotion Blog since 2004 and on this Book Promotion Blog since 2007. I'm here to tell you, blogging does an author good.

Especially if you consider yourself a "writer" (in addition to being an author or book publisher) then I highly recommend you create a blog and add new content to it on a weekly basis.

Why? Here are seven important things a blog can help you accomplish:

Develop a following. When you create new content on a regular basis, you give readers a reason to reconnect with you and your topic time and time again. A static web site gives no incentives for repeat exposures, and short tweets or Facebook updates are too fleeting. Good blog posts help you connect with readers and build a fan base.
Expand your online presence. You may know by now that my Internet book marketing philosophy is all about outreach and creating a trail of topic-specific breadcrumbs that leads readers to your website. Every time you publish a new post to your blog, you create yet another trail that your ideal fans can find. Blogging (and sharing links to your posts via social media) helps you build your web presence.
Earn better search result positions. Google and other search engines love blogs because it gives them more content to categorize, and it demonstrates which sites are active and growing. The more active and relevant your blog is, the greater your chances of ranking higher in search results.
Hone your craft. Despite your work ethic or best intentions, you never "arrive" at being a great writer. It's a lifelong process that requires constant practice. What better way to motivate yourself to ply your craft than to commit to writing something new every week on your blog?
Produce material for future books. I love this aspect of blogs in particular! While you're honing your craft every week, you are also stockpiling a small library of content. And that content can some day be repurposed into articles, reports, white papers, and even new books. Creating new content (via your blog) should be an ongoing activity.
Know your industry. This is especially true for non-fiction authors. If you position your blog as a resource on your topic (which you should), that forces you to always be on the lookout for news, trends, and fresh ideas related to your subject matter. That makes you even more of an expert and the go-to man or woman in your field.
Create interaction and community with your readers. Most bloggers allow readers to leave comments. That's another thing that sets blogs apart from static web pages: people can interact with them. You should encourage and ask your readers to leave comments. That will make your blog a place readers want to visit often and express themselves at while there.

No doubt, I'm convinced that blogging should be an essential part of every author's routine. What do you think? I welcome your comments.

A great resource on this topic is 31 Days to Build a Better Blog by Darren Rouse of ProBlogger fame. I recently purchased it myself and love the way it's put together. It's not only a very helpful, step-by-step resource (even for a more a seasoned blogger like me), it's also a prime example of an excellent how-to report format. Take a look at Darren's sales page for it here - which is another great marketing model to emulate.

* Note: I do make a small commission on any sales of Darren's ebook via the links above.

You'll also find more advice about blogging, podcasting, social media, author website design, and lots more in my book, 55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet.

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with even more book promotion tips and author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

The Amanda Hocking Success Formula

2012-01-19T10:55:00.000-05:00

Want to know the secrets to self-publishing success? They may not be as mysterious and elusive as you might think.

A music business blogger named Bob Lefsetz wrote a great post on this topic recently. These two simple sentences in particular really stood out for me:

"Only the best and the brightest, the top of the elite, make it in the democratic Web/self-publishing world. Without all the marketing, without all the hype, all you've got is the naked product -- and it had better be damn good."

Brilliant!

What inspired Lefsetz was a New York Times article on 26-year-old author Amanda Hocking. As you may already know, over the past year or so, she's become the poster child for self-publishing success in the book world.

After writing several novels and honing her writing chops in obscurity since she was in elementary school, Hocking decided to write in a specific genre (paranormal romance) and in a style that she felt had potential commercial appeal.

Still, traditional publishers rejected her over and over again. In the spring of 2010, she self-published her first novel as an ebook on Amazon (which is fairly easy to do). She started getting a steady trickle of sales right away.

As sales grew she wrote and submitted more novels to the Kindle store and other online ebook retailers.

Things snowballed far beyond her wildest expectations. It's been reported she made about $2 million USD in 2010. And in 2011 she signed a $2 million deal with a major book publisher for a three-book series.

Of course, as Lefsetz points out on his blog, there are not a lot of indie authors out there enjoying Amanda Hocking's huge sales numbers (although I read about new modest success stories all the time). In the indie music world, the same can be said for success stories like Jonathan Coulton (who grossed a half million dollars in 2010 as an unsigned, independent artist).

It would be easy to write off both of these examples as flukes and discredit their success instead of celebrate it (and, believe me, MANY people do). But not honoring what led to their good fortune is shortsighted.

Here are the traits that both Hocking and Coulton share:

They are both prolific; they have created a vast body of work over the years
Through years and countless hours of effort, they have honed their craft and created books and music that a certain slice of the population deems "damn good"
They have been willing to use the Internet and the digital tools available to them to connect with an audience
They create even more books and music to feed the appetite of their existing audience, which further grows their fan base and income streams

There's your modern day formula for success -- at indie book publishing, music and anything else, for that matter!

To reinforce these steps, here's the "business model" that musician Jonathan Coulton recommends:

"You need to work extremely hard, make music that is great, and find people to buy it from you. The end."

What are YOUR thoughts on these modern DIY success traits? I welcome your comments.

-Bob

P.S. Here are links to the Bob Lefsetz blog post, the Amanda Hocking article, and Jonathan Coulton's blog.

St. Louis Writers Guild Workshop Feb 4

2012-01-12T13:26:00.000-05:00

For those of you in the St. Louis area, I hope you can attend this workshop. Here are the details:

The St. Louis Writers Guild presents

The E-Revolution: Creating, Promoting, and Selling Your Work Online

presented by Bob Baker

Date: Saturday, February 4, 2012
Time: 10 AM till 12 Noon

Kirkwood Community Center, 2nd floor
111 S. Geyer Rd.
Kirkwood, MO 63122

Get map and directions here

SLWG members attend for FREE; $5 admission fee for non-members

You can register in advance on this page.

Workshop description:

Whether you want to publish your own book, get exposure, connect with readers, sell a lot of books, or make money (while making a difference) with your written words — or all of the above — Bob Baker will reveal how he has done it successfully, while helping countless writers, musicians, and other creative people along the way.

In this two-hour session, Bob will cover the current state of ebooks and the best ways to publish and sell them, along with his nuts and bolts formula for marketing yourself online.

Bob has been making a good living publishing his own books, reports, audio programs, and more since 2003. His publishing journey dates back to 1992, when his first book was published. He’s learned a lot of hard lessons along the way, and on Saturday, Feb 4, he will show you how he did it — and how you can too!

Bob Baker is an author, musician, and workshop leader who is dedicated to helping creative people of all kinds get exposure, connect with fans, and increase their incomes through their artistic passions. Bob's books include "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet," "Unleash the Artist Within," "Guerrilla Music Marketing Online," and more. Among his many credits, he is the current President of the St. Louis Publishers Association.

Amazon Author Page URL - How to Grab Yours

2011-12-01T08:26:00.001-05:00

Good news. Amazon has finally jumped on the bandwagon of sites that allow you to create a customized web address (URL) for your profile.

This new feature affects authors who have already created a page for themselves using Amazon's Author Central.

My author friend Kim Wolterman posted the following instructions on how to claim your custom author URL on Amazon:

I just learned that you can get a designated URL for your author page on Amazon now. (Note that you must first have an Author Page on Amazon to do this.)

Go to https://authorcentral.amazon.com/ and log in to your Author Central account.

When you come to the "Welcome to Author Central" page, click on Author Central Profile.

You should then see your page listing Biography, Blogs and Events on the left hand side, and Author Page URL, Photos, Videos and Twitter on the right.

Click on Author Page URL and it will show you if the URL with your name is available. If so, all you have to do is accept it.

It takes about 30 minutes for the new URL to show up.

More detailed instructions can be found on this Amazon Help Page.

I just set mine up yesterday, and it worked like a charm.

Here's my new Amazon Author Page

https://www.amazon.com/author/bob-baker

And here is Kim's:

http://www.amazon.com/author/kimwolterman

Go claim yours!

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get my latest book promotion tips delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with lots of author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

How to Make Instant Connections with Authors & Experts

2011-11-17T11:01:00.000-05:00

Many people who aspire to accomplish things in life get dejected because they focus on perceived obstacles -- usually in the context of what they DON'T have.

"Sure, I could make a lot more progress with this project," they complaint, "if I only had more money" or "more experience" or "more free time."

(Hint: Proactive people get things done every day with no money, no experience and little free time. So get over that silly hurdle right now.)

Another scapegoat often used is "if I only had more connections ..." -- and that's what I want to address with this post. How do you get people -- especially authors, experts, bloggers, and other thought leaders in your field -- to know about you and even correspond with you?

There are many ways. You can attend their live events and attempt to meet them. You can hire them if they offer consulting services. You can try to have a mutual friend connect you.

Or, you can do what author Debra Atwood did and use a simple technique I call "shining the light on others" to expand your network.

You see, Debra recently bought a copy of my book, "55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet." In one section I write about how I've connected with a number of prominent authors over the years.

It's a very sneaky and complex method, which I will reveal to you now. Grab a notebook. Here goes ...

I write or record something about a person I admire and respect. It could be a book review, a riff on a recent blog post he or she published, or simply some genuine praise about how the person has impacted my life.

I post this content as either a blog post, an audio podcast, or a video -- depending on what format seems appropriate.

Then ... here comes the sneaky and complex part ... I send an email to the person letting them know that I just posted something about them, and I provide a link to the item in the email. I don't ask for anything in return. I simply post something about them and let them know.

There you have it.

Okay, I guess it wasn't that sneaky or complex after all. The truth is, most effective actions in life are actually quite simple.

Another effective thing smart people do is take action on good ideas when they come across them -- and that's what Debra Atwood did. She took the simple idea she found in my book and used it ... on me!

Here's the email she sent me the other day:

Hi Bob,

I wanted to let you know I favorably reviewed your book on my blog -- and am telling you about it because of the advice contained in your book!

Here is the link:
http://peninherhand.wordpress.com/tag/resources-for-writers/

Thanks for a great book!

Sweet. That's what I mean by shining the light on others to expand your network.

Will everyone you contact respond? No. Will everyone you write about return the favor with a blog post like this? No.

Is this unselfish practice worth doing? Absolutely! It's helped me make many valuable connections over the years - and many of them have grown into rewarding relationships.

Think about it ... then put this practice to good use!

I welcome your thoughts and encourage you to leave a comment below.

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get my latest book promotion tips delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with lots of author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

Meet My New Assistant, Kendra!

2011-06-13T15:32:00.003-04:00

For more than two decades, I've prided myself on living the DIY (do it yourself) ethic that I preach. Years ago I made a decision to create and run a publishing business I could operate by myself, working from home without a staff, office space or much overhead.

I feel very blessed that I attained that goal.

Over the past few years, as my book publishing and teaching efforts have grown, my girlfriend (and very significant other) Pooki has taken on a few responsibilities. But the bulk of the workload still fell on my shoulders (plus, she has her own interests that I encourage her to pursue).

All of this led to my current situation:

Working a LOT of hours on all aspects of the business
Feeling like I'd hit a ceiling on the impact I can have and the number of people I can reach as a one-man show

So in recent months I began entertaining the idea of getting help ... which led to a perfect solution and the ideal person to step into a new role in my life.

Meet Kendra Wright!

I asked Kendra to write her own introduction, and she came up with this clever Q and A. I hope you take a moment to read it and welcome her to this new adventure!

How did you meet Bob?

I have to say I'm pretty resourceful when it comes to finding ways to meet people. I'm a networking master. If I want to connect with someone, I'll make it my personal mission to find a way in.

I was reading Bob's blog and Twitter feed for a while before I realized we lived in the same city. In the summer of 2009 I found out Bob was giving a workshop for aspiring authors at an expo in St. Louis. I showed up determined to meet him.

I remember Bob asking how everyone found out about the speaking engagement, and I told him I had been online stalking him for a while. We laughed about it, and the rest is history.

Nearly two years and a few projects later, now I'm his right-hand gal.

What projects are you looking forward to working on with Bob?

Helping him get some downtime! Seriously! If you knew the massive amount of projects Bob has in the works on a daily basis, your head would explode. I have to take notes just to keep up with him.

He works hard, and he works a lot. He loves it, but he also needs some time to chill and recharge his batteries. So I'm looking forward to helping lighten the load for him. I'll know I'm doing my job well when he finally takes a day off.

Who are you? How did you get into the music world?

I’ve been working with the local St. Louis music scene for about six years now. I have a Bachelors in Media Studies from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

I’ve done everything from artist management, image consulting, production work and PR to branding, merchandise and driving rock stars around the city. (Ask me about the time I got lost in East Saint Louis with the Reverend Horton Heat in my car.)

In my free time I enjoy reading, finding new adventurous things I haven't done (I just gave skydiving a go), hanging out with my pooch, traveling, and volunteer work. I'm addicted to anything with sugar, anything Apple, and only wear slip-on shoes.

I'm also the most organized person on the face of the earth, which is why Bob and I make a great team; his world can be pretty chaotic!

A few pet peeves: Cold weather, arrogance, awkward silence, and books with bent front covers.

Favorite guilty pleasure: My apple products and organization.

Song you could listen to on repeat forever: "4am" by Our Lady Peace.

How can you help me, Kendra?

Bob is a busy guy! Really, "busy" is stating it lightly. Even though he tries to answer every email personally, he just can't always get around to it.

If you have a truly important message, and you don't want it to get lost in the shuffle of Bob's crazy world, feel free to shoot me an email at Kendra AT bob-baker.com. If it makes it to my inbox, there's a much better chance it'll actually get on Bob's radar.

Indie Book Publishing Q&A - My Answers to 11 Questions

2011-05-25T18:30:00.003-04:00

Sue Collier just posted my answers in the latest installment of her 11 Questions for the Indie Publisher series.

Here's a peek at just two of the questions and answers:

4) What has been the biggest surprise about self-publishing?

That so many people are still resistant to self-publishing or intimidated by it. I've often said that many authors suffer from SPIS -- Self-Publishing Inadequacy Syndrome. It's the outdated stigma that implies you only publish a book on your own if it's not "good enough" for a regular publisher. Baloney!

I believe you should put out your own book because it's a great way to get it out into the world. And your readers (the only people who really matter) generally don't care what entity published your book. They are most interested in the subject matter and you as the author.

Sure, there's a lot of effort involved in self-publishing and a bit of a learning curve (especially with your first book). But it's quite doable, and you're foolish not to take advantage of all the amazing tools at our disposal these days. Using "I'm confused about self-publishing" as an excuse won't do much to cement your legacy as an author.

5) Describe your writing process.

Luckily, I never suffer from writer's block. Years of working with magazine deadlines cured me of that long ago. I write something practically every day -- from tweets and Facebook updates to blog posts and work on my next for-sale title. I think you should always be in the process of cranking out some type of content: text, spoken-word audio, video clips, public speaking ... whatever suits your communication style.

As for the mechanics of writing, I like to come up with a strong title and topic focus first. I use that to create an outline of the chapters. Then, one by one, I focus on each little content piece as I write it.

To me, an author's life is all about sharing your message with the people who need to hear it the most. Quite often that content is freely given away in small chunks. Doing so builds awareness and, hopefully, an audience. And that growing audience is what will eventually support you financially.

Other questions include:

What have you found to be the biggest challenge in self-publishing?
How do you stay disciplined?
How are you financing your publishing project?
What is your favorite self-marketing idea?
What advice do you have for burgeoning self-publishers?

Read all my answers on this page.

Thanks to Sue Collier for posting these on the Self-Publishing Resources site!

-Bob

The question mark photo above comes from Segozyme on Flickr.

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get my latest book promotion tips delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with lots of author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

How to Publish Your Own Book - Two Self-Publishing Routes for Authors

2011-04-28T10:28:00.002-04:00

Publishing your own book -- especially the first time -- can be confusing for a lot of authors. Which route do you take? Who should you work with and trust?

In this video clip, I explain the two basic choices every author has to independently publish his or her own book. (I'll probably get some flack on this from companies that fall into the Route #1 category.) But I believe that understanding these two paths will give you more clarity and help you determine the best indie book publishing route for you.

Your thoughts? I welcome your comments below.

-Bob

Self-Publishing Success Secrets: What Every Author Should Know About Book Publishing in the Digital Age

Unlike many of the hefty book publishing manuals out there, this resource gives you a quick crash course on the most important things you need to know to become a successful self-published author.

Ebook and audio package. Learn More ...

A Special Moment for Every Author - Captured on Video for the First Time!

2011-04-07T12:24:00.001-04:00

The birth of a new book. Holding a printed copy in your hands for the very first time.

It's a special moment for every author. And it only happens once for each book.

Last week I captured just such a moment on video ... for the first time.

How have you celebrated your own book baby birth?

And if you haven't experienced this moment yet, what will it take to finish your book and get there?

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get my latest book promotion tips delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with lots of author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

Excellent Book Trailer Idea for a Non-Fiction Book

2011-04-05T11:33:00.002-04:00

Book trailers have been a hot topic among authors and book publishers in recent years. And for good reason. With so many people consuming video content on YouTube and many other websites -- and doing so from desktop and laptop computers, as well as smartphones and tablets -- it makes perfect sense to communicate with readers and potential buyers using video.

But a lot of authors have the wrong idea when it comes to creating video clips that promote their titles.

Some think they have to spend a ton of money on slick production to do it right. The truth: Going the expensive route might impress some people, but it isn't necessary to be effective.

Other authors put together video clips that are simply blatant sales messages: "Just published: The new book from Joe Blowhard! Buy Now!" Reality: Unless you're Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, this type of announcement message will fall flat and lead to few sales.

There's a better way, especially for non-fiction authors wanting to gain traction in the marketplace. This video promo for Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steven Johnson is a prime example of an effective book trailer:

Why this book trailer works:

It actually teaches you a small lesson based on the subject of the book. If the topic of "where ideas come from" intrigues you, there's a good chance this video will leave you feeling like you learned something. It might even inspire an "Ah-ha" moment of your own. And that's your real goal with any form of book marketing: to get a reader to think and feel something when they are exposed to your message!

If you get to the end of this four-minute video and think, "Hey, that was pretty cool," there's a good chance that Steven Johnson and your new awareness of his book will occupy a favorable spot in your brain. And that's exactly how audiences are grown and author careers are built.
It uses a good combination of audio information and visual stimulation. Obviously, a lot went into creating this video and coordinating the spoken-word elements with the time-lapsed artwork. You don't have to go to that extend to be effective, but you should think of creative ways to meld audio and video to share a story or make a point related to your book.

One low-cost option I just came across is YouTube's new feature that allows you to create animated videos, slide shows, and other clips in your web browser -- all for free. Visit www.youtube.com/create for details.

The bottom line, when it comes to creating video book trailers for non-fiction books: Share something of real value based on a section of your book, and do it in a way that will please the eyes and the ears of anyone who takes the time to watch and listen!

What are your thoughts on effective book trailers? I welcome your comments below.

-Bob

For more book promotion and indie author success tips:

Your #1 Goal as a Nonfiction Author

2011-03-31T10:50:00.001-04:00

I've heard it a thousand times from nonfiction authors. I bet you've uttered some form of these words yourself ...

"People can find anything online these days. Why should they pay for my book when they can find similar information on the Internet for free?"

Good question.

I heard comments along those lines many years ago when I aspired to publish books and resources on music marketing.

"There are already books out there that cover music promotion," they said. "Plus, you don't have that much music industry experience and you don't even live in one of the major entertainment cities."

Naysayers (including that not so small voice in your head) will always have plenty of reasons why you can't or shouldn't pursue something. But I wrote about and published books on music marketing anyway. And over the years I have attracted a fairly sizeable audience of readers and book buyers that now allows me to make a comfortable living.

I accomplished that not by simply regurgitating facts that were widely available elsewhere. I did it by bringing my perspective and conversational tone to the topic, by demystifying a subject that confuses so many people, and by presenting it in a way that my musician readers understood and could act upon.

To make sure your books are worth paying for, you need to bring your own fresh spin to the subject at hand -- a perspective that can't be found in all the free information sources out there.

In his book Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds writes, "Just possessing information alone is hardly the differentiator it used to be. What is more important today than ever before is the ability to synthesize the facts and give them context and perspective."

Even though his book is about creating better PowerPoint presentations, Reynolds' advice in the quote above is especially important for nonfiction authors.

Anyone can recite or publish a list of facts. All you need is access to Google or Wikipedia to find a mountain of info on just about any subject. So, it's true, there's not a big market for paid content that duplicates what's easily available online.

However, there is a great need and desire for nonfiction resources from authors who can ...

Make sense of the jumbled mess of facts on any given topic
Give meaning to the avalanche of info that's available
Put current trends and events into a context that offers insight
Paint a big picture perspective regarding a topic so it makes more sense
Take a complicated subject or process and simplify it for the average person
Go beyond the shallow coverage of most blog posts and video clips and dive deeper into the nuances of your subject
Take a timeless popular theme (like how to lose weight or make more money) and give it a fresh approach for a new generation

Readers can find facts and information all over the place. But when they come to you, make sure they get it in a way they won't find anywhere else -- a way that only YOU can deliver it to them!

-Bob

P.S. I welcome your thoughts in the Comments below.

Amazon's Author Central Adds Sales by Week & Geography Stats

2010-12-10T09:09:00.001-05:00

This is good news for authors who are signed up for Amazon.com's Author Central ... (If you're not, visit this page for details.)

Here's part of the official blurb from Amazon:

"We're happy to announce that - for the first time ever - authors can see weekly sales trends of their print books as reported by Nielsen BookScan. On the new Sales Info tab you can view your print book sales geographically, as well as by paperback or hardcover."

There are three new Author Central features that provide helpful data: Sales by Geography, Sales by Week, and Bestsellers Rank History.

After poking around on it for a few minutes, I discovered that one of my bestselling books (Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook) had sold a number of copies in Boston, New York, and the Mobile-Pensacola area.

And by using the Bestsellers Rank History, I learned that over the past year the book hit as high as #9,064 on April 5 and dipped as low as #262,595 on November 11. It's currently ranked #89,722 out of more than 8 million books.

Having access to these statistics could really come in handy. For instance, knowing where your books are popular might help you plan author tours or speaking events. The data could also help you rate the effectiveness of promotional campaigns.

Kudos to Amazon for making this valuable information available to authors and publishers who are signed up for the free Author Central program!

Again, if you have at least one book available for sale on Amazon, consider signing up for Author Central.

-Bob

For more book promotion and indie author success tips:

Seth Godin & the Problem with Traditional Publishing

2010-12-09T10:47:00.003-05:00

On his blog today, Seth Godin announced his new publishing venture, The Domino Project. In the post he highlighted four factors that drive the traditional book publishing business model. Here's an excerpt from the post:

Trade publishing (as opposed to textbooks or other non-consumer ventures) has always been about getting masses of people to know about, understand and read your books. The business has been driven by several foundational principles:

1. The middleman (the bookstore) has a great deal of power. There’s only a limited amount of shelf space, and there are more books (far more books) than we have room for. No display, no sale. That's one reason books are published with the economically ridiculous model of 100% returns from bookstores. Huge stores can carry thousands of books and return them if they don't sell. Large chains get a say about what's on the cover, what the title is, and they even get paid for shelf displays.

2. The audience (the reader) is largely unknown to the publisher, and thus to the author. Authors with large followings still have to start over with each book, because they don’t have permission (or the data) to contact loyal readers directly.

3. Pricing and product are static and slow. Once a book is published, the price is set forever. Add to that the glacial speed from conception to publication date and you see a system that is set up to benefit neither the publisher nor the reader.

4. Books are inherently difficult to spread. The ideas in books might travel, but the act of recommending a book, having the idea stick and a new sale get made is slow or broken. Given how important the ideas in books are, this chain has many weak links. It's worth rethinking how a publishing house could organize around its ultimate goal, which is to spread ideas.

If you're a savvy author or indie publisher, these factors won't be news to you. But it merits repeating the message that we live in an incredible time of change. Huge shifts in the way people create and consume books, music, film, games and other forms of entertainment and education will continue to take place.

If you sincerely have an interest in delivering your message to your ideal audience, you must be open to operating in new ways. You must embrace the latest tools, formats and avenues that will help your ideas spread.

Holding out hope that some outdated corporate entity will come along and do all the dirty work for you won't serve you or your readers well.

Embrace the flow!

-Bob

Making Money Online: 3 Steps for Authors

2010-11-23T12:46:00.006-05:00

There's a LOT of wisdom in this short excerpt from Darren Rowse's latest post about his new blogging venture:

... monetization is not my main focus at this point. My initial focus is more around:

1. developing quality content
2. building an audience
3. building community

In my experience, monetization comes more easily once you've got those other three elements in place.

Darren may be talking about blogs, but these three key steps apply to authors and their books as well:

Freely share bite-sized chunks of what you write about (and make sure it's meaningful for the intended reader)
Allow those free samples to get passed around, attract attention, and build an audience
Let that growing audience interact with you and each other -- thereby building a community around your topic

Are you doing this with your book or blog?

I welcome your thoughts in the Comments section below.

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with even more book promotion tips and author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

ISBN 101 for Authors & Self-Publishers

2010-11-20T19:46:00.003-05:00

Here's the beginning of another helpful post from Joel Friedlander:

"One of the parts of book publishing that seems to confound newcomers to the field is the purpose and use of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN). Usually the ISBN appears to be the same thing as the ubiquitous Bookland EAN scanable barcode that graces the back covers of almost all books printed today.

"Not only that, but since the rise of companies that perform publishing services for authors, there has been even more confusion about whether you need to own your own ISBN, whether free ISBNs from these companies are "just as good" as getting your own ISBN, and if it's a good idea to buy ISBNs from re-sellers who offer lower prices for a single number.

"Let's review the basics of this unique identifier and explain what is so important about it, how it benefits self-publishers, and when you can safely forget about it."

Read the entire post at thebookdesigner.com

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with even more book promotion tips and author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

3 Steps to Effective Book Promotion - Free Download

2010-11-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

This free report is an excerpt from the book 55 Ways to Promote and Sell Your Book on the Internet.

You can also listen to and download a free MP3 audio version of this report at this Internet Book Promotion Podcast page.

3 Steps to Effective Book Promotion

Here's a simple question for you:

What is book marketing?

Sure, you know it's something you have to do. You have at least some grasp of what is it. You recognize it when you see it (most of the time). But at its most basic level, can you explain what it is?

And more importantly, can you spell out the basic elements of effective book marketing? Because, after all, if you're going to invest your time and energy in Internet promotion, it better be effective. Right?

To read the rest of the report, download the free 4-page PDF file using this 3 Steps to Effective Book Promotion link.

Enjoy!

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with even more book promotion tips and author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

How to Become a Book Marketing Ninja

2010-11-12T13:10:00.000-05:00

To be effective in today's noisy world, you can't be lazy when it comes to marketing and selling your books. You have to stretch your thinking and your methods. You must break old paradigms and shatter trusted formulas.

You must become a book marketing ninja!

Here are three ways to do that:

1) Reconsider all of your marketing tactics. One of the biggest promotional mistakes you can make is doing something just because that's the way it's always been done before. Just because everyone else pursues book reviews, bookstore distribution, library sales, and media exposure in a certain way (or even Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn), that doesn't mean you have to.

Your marketing decisions should be based on what's best for your particular situation, genre, target fan base, etc. Don't mindlessly follow the flock. Be different. Think creatively. Get focused on how you can most effectively reach new readers and fans -- regardless of how the established authors or "experts" (including me) say it needs to be done.

2) Think in terms of opposites. Make a list of all the specific things that major book publishers and mainstream authors do to promote their books. Then imagine what would happen if you did the exact opposite.

What if you never did public appearances or book signings? Or made your books available only on USB drives? What if you were mysterious and never displayed your photo and never did interviews? Or ... what if you did book readings live only on tennis courts, city buses or roller coasters? In short, what could you do to radically set yourself apart?

3) Redefine your small-scale, independent status. One of the reasons independently published authors feel they need to "act" like they are traditionally published is because of an inferiority complex. Without a publisher's or a literary agent's official backing, indie authors often feel they're imposters and aren't worthy of pursuing their dreams.

Guess what? That's nonsense!

Embrace your independence! Don't hide it. Flaunt it! As an indie, you have the unique ability to communicate on a far more personal level with your fans. You get to call the shots and control your destiny. You have freedom. Celebrate it!

And let your fans know you are doing this on your own, and how much you appreciate their help. Make them a part of your success story. So don't you dare shy away from your independent status.

If you agree (or disagree), please leave your thoughts in the Comments section.

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with even more book promotion tips and author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

The Unconventional Book Launch: Could YOU Do This?

2010-10-25T19:39:00.000-04:00

Kathleen Gage called it "One of the most creative book launches I have seen."

She is talking about what I started doing last week, when I opened the door for my music marketing readers and fans to get their name in my next book -- and start reading it now!

The thing is, I haven't even finished writing the book yet!

This new title is called "Guerrilla Music Marketing Online: 135 Free and Low-Cost Strategies to Promote and Sell Your Music on the Internet."

It's about 90% done. But the coolest part (besides getting paid before the book is complete) is that these early buyers -- my most supportive readers -- will give me important feedback that will make the final product even better.

Sure, I could have waited until this new book was completely done and polished before letting anyone have a peek at it.

But that's soooo 2007 :-)

That's what a major book publisher would do -- make their customers wait. But I'm an indie author and always have been. I'm also a musician who likes to bring a little rock and roll attitude to everything I do.

I prefer to do things different -- things that benefit the people who matter most: my awesome readers and fans!

I did something similar when I launched my book "55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet." But I turned things up a notch with this one.

Take a look at how I structured the Guerrilla Music Marketing Online offer, which expires November 16, 2010. So take a look soon.

Then consider this question: Could you do something like this with YOUR next book?

Or are you firmly entrenched in the traditional ways of creating, publishing and selling books?

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Full-Time Author ezine -- filled with even more book promotion tips and author career-building advice. Go grab your free subscription now.

What's Wrong With Your Social Networking Numbers?

2010-10-13T11:48:00.003-04:00

Here's some food for thought regarding the "bigger is better" mentality some authors have about social networking, friends, followers, and online promotion:

The more people you know, the less you know them. If you have 50,000 friends online, how can you possibly manage those relationships? The answer is, you can't.

Stop thinking about the numbers! The whole point of social media is to cultivate relationships with your market; it's not a popularity contest.

Concentrate on developing a rapport with people who engage with you online. The numbers will take care of themselves.

The quote above is my edited version of a paragraph from this Three Things You Must Do to Be Successful With Social Media blog post at Entrepreneur.com.

What's your opinion and experience with the Quantity vs Quality debate?

-Bob

Top 7 Book Promotion & Self-Publishing People to Follow on Twitter

2010-09-28T18:22:00.001-04:00

So many tweets, so little time.
But when it comes to consistently good information on book promotion & self-publishing, these are the Twitter streams I follow to get the latest book news and ideas.

Joanna Penn
@thecreativepenn
Joanna runs one of the better written and most truly useful blogs on book publishing and marketing you'll find.

Tony Eldridge
@TonyEldridge
Tony is another constant source of solid, sensible book marketing ideas for authors.

Penny Sansevieri
@Bookgal
The author of Red Hot Internet Publicity and President of Author Marketing Experts dishes out a steady stream of helpful links.

Joel Friedlander
@JFbookman
Joel's The Book Designer site is filled with a ton of incredibly useful info on the indie publishing life.

Roger C Parker
@Rogercparker
This veteran author and book coach offers lots of tips to help you plan, write, promote and profit from books.

Freya
@BookBuzzr
Here you'll find even more links and tips for publishing and promoting books.

April L Hamilton
@indieauthor
From the author of The Indie Author Guide comes more fine tweets on publishing, book promotion, and more.

Also check out my Book Promotion list, which follows even more insightful book people on Twitter.

Oh yeah, you can also follow me on Twitter @MrBuzzFactor

Who else would YOU add to this list? Please add them in the Comments section.

-Bob

Top 10 Book Promotion & Self-Publishing Links Roundup

2010-09-10T12:19:00.001-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I crank out dozens of links to useful articles, podcasts, and blog posts every week.

Here are 10 of the best and most popular book-related links I shared in the past week or so:

8 Reasons Self-Publishing Is Entering a Golden Age

"3 Steps to Effective Book Marketing" podcast episode

12 Secrets to Selling More Books at Live Events

Ebook News, Sales Figures & Trends

10 Ways to Sell More of Your Books on Amazon

The D.I.Y. Book Tour (New York Times - free registration required)

2 Paths to Successful Book Distribution for Self-Publishers

How Authors Really Make Money: The Rebirth of Seth Godin & the Death of Traditional Publishing

3 Ways to Use Scarcity to Sell Books

How to Promote Books (& Other Stuff) With Keyword Rich Articles

Happy reading!

-Bob

Reserve a One-Hour Book Consult Session w/ Me to Help You Publish, Promote & Sell Your Book

2010-09-02T13:19:00.002-04:00

Could you use some personal advice from a seasoned self-publisher to gain clarity and focus with your book publishing and marketing efforts?

Would you like one hour of my undivided attention to help you?

If you said YES, visit this page right away.

I don't do very much consulting or coaching work at all. And when I do, my starting rate is not cheap.

But I have some openings in my September schedule, so I thought I'd offer a very special discounted rate on a one-hour session with me via Skype (video or audio) or regular telephone.

I'm offering only six of these slots, and I expect they will go quick.

So if you'd like one (or just want to learn more), please go to this page now for the details.

To your success!

-Bob

Get Serious About Internet Book Marketing!

This resource reveals the most practical and cost-effective ways authors and publishers can market themselves and sell books online. It demystifies Internet book marketing and makes it accessible to any self-promoter at any skill level.

Learn more about it here ...

Ebook News, Sales Figures & Trends

2010-08-11T16:41:00.000-04:00

Ebooks have been around for some time, but for years they seemed to languish on the publishing backburner. But that is changing rapidly.

Here are some recent ebook news items that demonstrate how consumer demand is growing quickly -- and what lies ahead for authors and book publishers:

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Author First to Sell 1 Million Ebooks via Kindle

Amazon Says Ebooks Will Overtake Paperback Sales by the End of 2011

Amazon Kindle Books Now Outselling Hardcovers

Barnes & Noble Captures 20% of Ebook Market

Borders Launches Ebook Store

Traditional Publishers Release Enhanced E-books for iPhone and iPad

Ebook Wars: The Specialist (Kindle) vs. the Multitasker (iPad)

Yes, the formats and reading devices can be a bit confusing. But there's no denying that ebooks are here to stay.

What are your thoughts on these ebook trends? And how are you staying ahead of the curve? I invite you to leave your comments below.

-Bob

Your Next Million-Dollar Book Idea

2010-06-22T14:24:00.001-04:00

Here's a quick but powerful thought that hit me yesterday. It's an idea that just might help you reach more people, make more of an impact, and make more money with your books.

Over the weekend I was considering making an investment in a program produced by a well-known marketing expert. And at close to $300, it wasn't exactly an inexpensive program.

I appreciate the value of education. No doubt. But I am also frugal when it comes to the way I spend money -- as I'm sure you are too. I had to justify the purchase.

So here's the thought process that went through my head ...

"OK, if I make this investment, I must make a commitment to finding at least one good idea in this program that will earn back the price of it, and hopefully a lot more."

I envisioned sitting down with the material for at least an hour a day, taking detailed notes, and seriously brainstorming on how I could implement the ideas. I thought how fun it would be to turn it into a personal challenge:

"Your mission is to find the one or two idea nuggets in this program that will help you make a difference in people's lives while also earning a profit you deserve. Don't hold back. Think big!"

Then it hit me ...

Why should I limit this mindset to this product alone? Why should I limit it to high-priced learning materials only?

Couldn't I apply that same opportunity-seeking mentality to everything I read, listen to, and watch?

Of course. And so can you!

Therefore, I issue the following challenge ...

Select a book, a DVD, a collection of blog posts or podcasts, or a workshop you plan to attend. Trick yourself into believing that you are starring in a reality TV show, and imagine the producers have hidden a million-dollar idea in the book, blog, audio, video, or live event.

It's now your mission to discover the idea and put it to use!

(To add more mental leverage, imagine that you had to pay $10,000 to star in the TV show. And finding the million-dollar idea is the only way you'll earn back your investment.)

Have faith that the idea is there. Don't worry about how you will implement it. Just know that once you uncover this gem of an idea, it will lead to greater exposure, contribution and reward for you.

Are you up for the challenge?

Great. Go forth and find the hidden idea!

Then come back here and report your results in the comments below.

-Bob

Marketing Yourself: You Get a Do-Over

2010-04-08T12:31:00.001-04:00

If you've ever read any of the YOU health books by Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, you may be familiar with their idea of a "do-over."

Here's an excerpt from a Q&A with them that explains it:

"You get to control your rate of aging if you want to. It isn't that hard and doesn't take that long ... Your cells basically have a memory of three years. So by changing your habits now, within three years, it's as if you have done your healthy habit all your life ... That's right: You get a do-over in life if you want it."

What does this have to do with book marketing?

A lot!

Just because you haven't put a lot of time and effort into book promotion up until now, that doesn't mean you are doomed to a life of obscurity.

So what if you are confused by all the marketing and book sales choices you have. Hint: We're all in the same boat here -- trying to figure it out and do the best we can as we go.

Just because you feel uncomfortable "selling yourself" now, that doesn't mean you can't get on friendlier terms with it and do better in the near future.

Promotion and sales don't have to be hard. They don't have to consume all your time and money. Doing a little something every day is all it takes to slowly gain traction and make progress over time.

Yes, you get a do-over with book marketing and sales if you want it. And like the cells of your body, if you do some simple things on a consistent basis for three years, you will reap many rewards.

And before long, other authors will come up to you and ask, "You're so good at marketing and make it look so easy. What's your secret?"

-Bob