Book Marketing Success Stories

[John Kremer]

This is a forum to allow people to showcase the things they've done that have worked well for them in marketing their books. Please share your stories here. Then we can all read them and learn from them. If we work together, we will all be much stronger and more successful in marketing our books.

[Stonemagick]

Well for me..I just jumped in the deep end, with little to no idea how to 'swim' the market place.
I cared little of the money I may have now or in the future, either for promotional work or other...and that had been one of my down falls.

Now that the book is out, I have no money for an ISBN code, no money to advertise on payed sites or anything else really.

So to remedy that to some degree, I added my link to a many of web crawlers and free "add your URL" sites. Not to mention bing, google,yahoo and so forth. Have I sold any copys? Well that is a double edges sword so to speak, because I have sold a few copys, but not enough to move to a castle in transylvania, or reopen the family castle in Nottingham. I don't think I've even made enough money to fill my fridge with food so to speak. But the that was never the point.

I actually was worried that one day I would die, sooner than later, and all the knowledge my parents (Pagan born) had passed down to me would be lost. I have been teaching my children what I could, but in order for them and I to 'feel' like I had left them something of worth, I wrote a book, my first book.
With my wifes mother and mine passng early in life from Cancer, that was one of my fears...so now, besides the many paintings, soapstone carvings and information I have passed on, they (my children) now have a book for them waiting for them to come of age to read it. That being said, not only as I have mentioned I did not have enough money for an ISBN code at the end of completion, but to this date I still have not even baught a copy of my own book - But it is out there, waiting.

[Linton Robinson]

One of the new ways of getting books sold to publishers, and retail sales to readers is by the use of online serializaions.

There are couple of interviews with guys who did exactly that on THIS SITE

[Launa McNeilly]

Those that I talk to in the world of authors are somewhat surprised that I emailed B&N and asked them to stock my book in their store closest to my town and they did. I'm not saying that they ordered in many but to see my book on the shelves under New Mystery along side some pretty well known authors was, need I say, thrilling at the very least. I will be forever grateful to Barnes and Noble for doing that. So far, that has been my biggest accomplishment in the world of marketing.

[John Kremer]

That's a great story. Too many authors don't even try. Or try once, get a no, and believe it.

Never believe a NO. Wait for the yes. Actively wait for the yes.

[Randy Hignight]

my book was self published Nov 08 and we just celebrated the one year it has been out. Many lives are being changed in a great positive way (testimonies are on my site). The first thing that happened is Chris Piper son of Don (Don wrote 90 minutes in heaven) . Chris read my book and I was able to use his endorsement right away. I called the newspaper near the Hastings books and got a review by the editor, it is now listed on my website. What I have done is got business card size advertisement (website printed) that mention the attention getter of the book. Next I have tri-fold brochures that are a fast breakdown of the subject matter. When I meet people I give out a business card and mention they can read Chapter One of my new book FREE on my website www.Godexpectsperfect.com. I have a continued book signs at Hastings books because they accept Local Authors. I got online and found radio stations that allow you to list an event so I list at several whenever Ii am going to do a book sign (its FREE) I am keeping a journal of how the BOOK PROJECT is unfolding, maybe I will write a book of how to book finally got out to the market. My lastest thing is I just cut a new music single and am giving the MP3 away on e-mails. One lady heard my new song ( at the end of the song it mentions my website) So the lady went to my website and read Chapter One free then, bought a book. My song has gone to a production company and they are suppose to do a video. I wrote of my facebook if anyone wants my new song e-mail me at [e-mail] (people are responding) I tell people if they read Chapter one for FREE and like it then they will LOVE the book.

[Smitty]

This is a very informative post Randy. Thanks for sharing and many blessing to you.