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]

Steve, I would think a good category for you would be the ever-expanding world of "coaches." Have you tried anything with coaches? They often get involved with their clients' financial situation and can be adept at long-term planning. Might be a match.

[Steve Miller]

Joel,

I actually have a family friend who's a life coach. I put it into her hands months ago and need to follow up with her. If I could get a blurb from one life coach (a little platform), I could use that to try to hit the various organizations that life coaches belong to.

Thanks for the tip!

As an aside, November has been a good month for Amazon sales so far. ENJOY YOUR MONEY! is averaging a bit over one sale per day, which is better than normal for this book. I wonder if it's just people buying for Christmas, or if word of mouth is picking up, or something else?

I'm also thinking that, for a self-published book, marketing is more of a slow build over a long time, whereas a traditionally published book by a major publisher tends to make the big splash early and tapers off over time. In 2010, I'm gonna concentrate on marketing this book, rather than publishing a new one. When I look at life coaches, home schoolers, public schools, etc., there seem to be almost unlimited avenues for getting the word out.

[Joel Friedlander]

Steve, totally agree with your analysis of the difference between self-publishers' marketing timeline vs the traditional publishers. The difference, of course, is that traditional publishing is a business made possible by a backlist--the frontlist may consist of nothing but "loss leaders" until they prove their long-time worth.

You might also think about mortgage brokers (a vanishing breed, but still there). They often engage people about their overall financial strategies because the mortgage is most people's biggest financial move.

[Sara L Stein MD]

Do you do coaching? I think if I bought your book I would want to hire you as a coach for an hour or two.

Thinking of doing that with mine. Maybe speaking opportunities that are interactive rather than just "presentations".

I realize that I cant just "market" or I'll die of boredom. (sorry marketeers). I tried that for the last month and found it incredibly demoralizing to be saying the same soundbytes over and over again. It isnt that they dont work, and they are true, but it wasnt interesting or fun for me, just kinda draining.

Then I'll put together a workbook or something from the material and the questions. Have that on website for free.

I'm very glad to have met all of you - these forums help me work it out in my head.

Best, Sara

[Steve Miller]

Coaching for a couple of hours about the book...great idea! Never though of that. One of those extras that marketing experts would say you should bundle with your book.

On interactivity in presentations, I've found that to be very effective. I taught/led a teen leadership group through a chamber of commerce a year ago. Rather than flapping my jaws for an hour, I handed out a full outline of all I wanted to tell them. Then I said, "don't worry about taking notes. It's all there. I want you to think and interact with me."

So I'd tell a true story of how clothes-washer Oseola McCarty saved a fortune and ask them what they learn about personal finance from the story. Then I'd hit another point and tell the story of how Warren Buffett saved today's equivalent (factoring inflation) of about $47,000 by the time he graduated from high school. Then I'd say, "What do you get out of this?"

Hands were shooting up everywhere and they all just kept interacting. I'm learning from them; they're learning from each other. I don't think I got past my second point (out of 6), but the kids and the organizers loved it and have asked me back in 2010 to present to the teens again and businessmen in a separate seminar.

The wide-open interaction means that I'm learning and they're learning from each other. I get to find out what concepts fascinate them, what concepts are totally counter-intuitive to them, etc. If they ask me stuff I don't know, I just say, "I don't know. Great question! E-mail me and I'll do some research."

[Joel Friedlander]

Great story, Steve. It seems like you're a natural.

I've been getting consulting work from my blog and from attending trade group meetings. What I like about the consulting work is that it is the perfect entree for a larger project. If someone wants to pay to talk about their plans and get advice on direction, they have already identified me in their mind as a "trusted expert" and I have, in effect, just cleared the biggest hurdle to being awarded a contract.

[Sara L Stein MD]

Thinking of lowering ebook and Kindle prices to sell more copies - anybody with any experience before and after with price change?

Sara

Sara L Stein MD
Author, Obese From The Heart: A Fat Psychiatrist Discloses
http://obesefromtheheart.com

[Sara L Stein MD]

just did after reading the boards, now 3.98 ebook or kindle

It's important to me to sell more volume, even at half the price.

Best, Sara

[Joel Friedlander]

Sara, it would be interesting to hear what this price change does for your sales, thanks.

[Gary Eby]

Hey friends: We having a Twitter book interview today at 12 Noon Pacific with out own Helena Harper. Just go here http://twitter.com/qlcoach Or contact Helena here http://twitter.com/helenaharper And Tweet me if you want to try it yourself...Gary.

[Lynda O'Connor]

The very best way to get readers of your book is to go directly to the editors of the magazines that target your audience. For instance, one of our clients wrote a book called "Retirement Without Borders". It is about how to retire abroad..in Costa Rica, Mexico, France, etc. So I contacted all of the retirement magazines. I sent them a photo of the author, his bio, the book cover, and a press release on what the book is about. Fourteen magazines responded and they did stories. The client even got a cover story in the Wall Street Journal in the Retirement Section. This is targeting your audience. You want to be in the publications that your audience reads.

[albertasequeira]

Great idea, Lynda. Thanks, I'll try it.