What's Working for You?

[John Kremer]

I'd like to start a new forum where people can talk about what's working for you right now in marketing your book.

I think this will help other authors to prioritize their activities if they can find out what's working for other people. This would be especially valuable to new authors.

I've share the hottest tool that I'm using right now. And that's Twitter. As you will note on the main page of this Book Marketing Network website, both my http://www.bookmarket.com website and this network have been rising in Alexa ranks (and visits) because of my use of Twitter.

[Joel Friedlander]

Thanks, Tim. So I'll ask you: what do you hope to achieve by investing in a trailer? Do you have any measurable objectives, or is it just one more thing to "do for your book"?

[Edie Jarolim]

I have a great trailer that my publisher invested in, and that everyone loves -- but no one seems to be able to figure out how to get lots of people to look at it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C5FYjHgAHM

I'm told that it's a viral marketing tool but I can't seem to spread the contagion!

[Joel Friedlander]

Edie, just watched your trailer (#6). I'm amazed your publisher did 6 of these. 1 wasn't enough? 3? Anyway, it's very cute and it looks like you've got over 200 views on Youtube, which isn't bad. Is it your dog in the trailer? Terminally cute.

[Edie Jarolim]

Joel, the first five were lead-ins to the 6th; they were released one a week for six weeks, to create buzz... which they didn't. The first one got the most views (over 500, I think), so I was disappointed that there wasn't a buildup.

But yes, it's my dog, and he's a star!!

[Tim Baker]

The short answer...it's just one more thing to do for my book.

The more in depth answer...I think that the book buying public has been, by and large, conditioned to respond to visual stimuli. You could take twenty people and put them in a room while a speaker tells them how bad a book is then put them in front of a computer screen or TV and have them watch a 60 second video that is visually appealing and I believe they would give the video more credence than the speaker. Even though he warned them about the shortcomings of the book - they'll REMEMBER the video better.

Just my own theory - actually I'm trying everything I can think of and just "going for broke." (literally!)

[Joel Friedlander]

I think you're probably right, Tim. I'm more curious about the rationale of doing these trailers for the reasons you cite--how do you get people to watch? Book trailers just seems to be the meme of the moment, you have to have one, "regardless of the facts." That's what led to my inquiry.

Maybe someone else has a book trailer that's produced actual results? Just asking.

[Tim Baker]

Edie - my advice to you is to get yourself a facebook page and post it there as well as myspace. Things go viral on these sites in milli-seconds!

[Edie Jarolim]

Tim, I have it on Facebook, but I don't have enough friends/fans to spread it around, I'm afraid. It doesn't seem to be an instant process.

[Tim Baker]

Edie - if you go to facebook and become one of my fans I'll post the trailer and get it out to my ever-expanding universe of fans!!

My fan page is called "Blindogg Books (Author Tim Baker)"

[Edie Jarolim]

Done! I'll await your the adulation from your ever-expanding universe...

[Tim Baker]

Almost forgot...I need the link to your video!

[Edie Jarolim]

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C5FYjHgAHM