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.

[Diane Eble]

How do you go about selling an ebook? Well, I could give you a whole course on it (and actually, I am working on one), so it's not easy to say in one short reply!

However, it all comes down to: building a list (by offering some kind of valuable information your market wants, in exchange for their email addresses), building multiple web presences to drive traffic to your site (article marketing, blog, social networking, podcasting and teleseminars are my favorites), and then using strong copy to convert visitors into buyers. None of this is instant pudding; it takes time to build a presence and credibility.

As you do these things, you're going to want to be selling more than one ebook! The idea is to think of yourself as the message, and find as many ways and price points as possible to package and market your message.

It also means knowing your market and their needs. I love using Ask campaigns for this. A few simple Ask campaigns have given me plenty of things to write about, and best of all, I know I'm writing about what my market wants to hear!

That's the short answer. My sites are all about answers to this question, so I'm glad you did sign up. Take what tips and strategies from my site, and this group, and just start implementing!

Good luck!

[C. D. Williams]

I am using almost every marketing method mentioned on this thread. Website, news releases both mailed and online through prweb.com. I put flyers, book marks and book related business cards in all of my correspondense, even my bills. I hand out cards everywhere I go as well as putting flyers on bulletin boards. I do book signings, give talks to local literary and library groups. I have even had a weekend book sale and signing at our local Air Force Base exchange. I have also managed to get on local radio, and book related public TV shows. I even managed to get a half page in the Literary Las Vegas section of our news paper. Don't overlook book reviews. I just got a nice one from Midwest Book Review in Oregon WI. They have been around since 1976 and they give special consideration to small press and self published authors. What I'm trying to say is that it all works to some degree, but it takes stuborn perseverance. In polite terms I call it the "Poop theory of marketing" - "If you throw enough poop at the wall some of it is bound to stick"
My recent prweb release was read 26,000 times the first day and as a result my wesite reads were 300 plus for the same period. It cost me $80.00. Was it worth it? I'll let you know when I find out.

[Shelagh Watkins]

Arctic Monkeys' debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, released on 23 January 2006, became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history and received critical acclaim, winning both the 2006 Mercury Prize and the 2007 Brit Award for Best British Album. The band's second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare, was released on 23 April 2007 and sold over 225,000 copies in its debut week and was also nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize

Arctic Monkeys achieved their success through fan-made demo tapes and online file-sharing. They were heralded as one of the first acts to come to the public attention via the Internet, with commentators suggesting they represented the possibility of a change in the way in which new bands are promoted and marketed. The band eventually signed to the independent record label Domino Records.

Arctic Monkeys built their fan base by giving away their music for free on myspace. This could work for authors as well as musicians but writers have to write material that people want to read. Other bands have tried to emulate Arctic Monkeys without the same degree of success. Authors must know their market well and write to please their readers not to please themselves. If readers don't want to read your work when it is free, they certailnly won't pay to read it. You lose nothing by giving away free stories and could gain a great deal. You might learn a lot from your readers too!

~Shelagh

[Deborah Rummelhart]

Hi C.D.:

Was the PR web release worth it?

Best wishes,

Deborah Rummelhart

[Lorraine Harris]

I have had success in marketing, promoting, and selling my book. Some of the things that I do are as follows:

1. When I am scheduled for a book signing, I pass out postcards to people telling them about the book, date, time, and location.
2. I have held private book signings at my home, inviting neighbors.
3. Instead of using regular return address labels, I made my own, displaying my book cover, website address, and return address.
4. I made T-Shirts with eye catching phrases. Besides me wearning them, I give them away as door prizes or free drawings. One example--on the front of the T-Shirt is says--Listen to your...., On the back it says---INTUITION (The title of my book) and it has my website address and a picture of the book.
5. No matter where I go, I try to have a book signing. I was on a cruise and asked if I could have a book signing during one of the cocktail parties and I was granted my request.
6. I sponsored a charity event.
7. I joined amazon.com associate program and linked the site to my website.
8. I donated my books to the library but a review has to be conducted before the book can be placed in the library.
9. I put flyers on grocery store bulletin boards.
10. I add a tag to my email address, including my website address.

[Emily Bryan]

Great ideas. Thanks for sharing.

Just curious. Which cruise line did you do a signing for? I've written to Princess ahead of time and been turned down.

Best,
Emily
http://www.emilybryan.com

[Kristie Leigh Maguire]

My novel, Affairs of the Heart, has hit Number One in sensual romance at Amazon.com. I have used different methods in promoting this title. I think what has worked best in my promotional efforts are my video book trailers that I have posted at various sites. My book trailer is in the Top 25 Most Watched Videos at YouAreTV.com.

In celebration of this milestone, I am selling autographed copies of Affairs of the Heart to Book Marketing Network members fot the special price of $20.00 plus free shipping by media mail. Payment must be made to my PayPal account before I can ship the book. Email me at [e-mail] and state that you are a member of Book Marketing Network if you would like to take advantage of this limited time special.

For more information on Affairs of the Heart, go to my website.

Kristie Leigh Maguire

[T. M. Moore]

Well, so far I have created a newsletter for my books in txt and html formats which I send to my contacts. The html is great for making up a hard copy to send to those contacts which do not like spam or who prefer snail mail contact. I send out a single email about once a month; more frequency than that is pushing it. I used to send a matted copy to the art shows I participate in, but that did not produce more than eyeball contact, and I stopped handing out flyers because people use them for airplanes or origami or file them in the circular container. I do not send out press kits because I am trying to save a tree or two as well as postage, so most of my contact is online. The internet is vast and full of wonders. Explore it. For every site you find, there will be links to three or four more which you can also contact. It's very much like a tree in its own way.

When I purchased the ISBNs for my books I also bought a distribution program through my printer. My books are featured on Google Books Search and several other major search engines. You click on the title and can see a portion of your book as a preview, along with pertinent information. When I published my anthology NAGRASANTI, Google not only put up a preview, it was a sectional preview with the interior illustrations displayed, a gallery of the full page interior illustrations, and a map showing all the places I mentioned in the stories. This in itself can be a worthy marketing tool.

In addition to Google you can check your book listing sites and send out free press releases through sites designed specifically for that purpose. Some ask for a money upgrade but for a beginner free is the best way. If you really want to roll with the big boys then you will have to pay for it.

Another successful method of getting the word out is to join sites like this one and promote your product. The exchange of ideas makes it easy to find the best method for you. But above all, don't let people pressure you into making a choice you are not prepared to. Take all advice and let it swish around, then pick the pieces you are comfortable with.

Attached to this reply is a copy of my html flyer that I send to bookstores and contacts. You can look at it and take whatever you will from it. The pictures are not embedded so they will be gone. They contain everything you would say in a particular press release except for faq about the company. It takes up two pages back to back. You can say a lot on a single piece of paper.

[Shannon Janeczek]

We had a lot of success with submitting our books to book awards. One of our children's books won 3 awards just in the month of October alone! We're trying to figure out how to reprint with 3 different seals on the front cover! A good problem to have.

It takes a few months to get results, not unlike getting reviews, but award submissions are something you can do once the book is out, rather than having to send out ARCs or galleys before publication.

[Afrika Midnight Asha Abney]

Greetings,

What has worked for me, is joining listservs, community/networking groups, subscribing to newsletters, writing articles, never giving up and doing what I do. Additionally, posting press releases, submitting ads, and posting announcements about my books.

Thanks for asking.

Cordially,
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney

[Lisa Copen]

When collecting your testimonials or "blurbs" for your book make sure to not have all of them be from experts. Yes, a well-known celebrity can add a bit of sparkle to your sales sheet. For example, who wouldn't want a quote about your new adoption scrapbook album from Angelina Jolie?

Testimonials from experts and celebrities catch the attention of both media like radio producers as well as your audience of potential readers. They will think, "Wow! That's nice that she was able to get a recommendation from her. That took some effort. Must be a decent book."

And it will add credibility that the book isn't a real flop.

But in my opinion, it's the average reader who will influence a person to buy the book.

Which blurb would make you want a book?

One by Stephen King that says...

"Intriguing. Excellent read."

Or a testimonial from Suzy that says...

"Your book completely turned my life upside down—or should I say, 'right side up?' I've made so many changes in both my actions and my attitudes and it's improved my health, my relationships—everything! Thank you helping me get my life back!"

Stephen King's remark is nice, but it doesn't make me think I need this book. Suzy’s review makes me think "I need this book so I can get my life back too!"

Don't cover your books front and back covers with just vague endorsements from celebrities. Be sure to add at least one "real person's" testimonial that will make the shopper think, "This person sounds just like me and if this book helped her (or entertained her) it will help me too."

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Lisa and Joel Copen have a variety of experience in founding a nonprofit that receieves over 80,000 visitors per month, music and sound editing, web design, and book marketing and publishing. They look forward to your ideas to make the series of ebooks on book promotion a practical tool to help you sell more books!

[SusieSunshine]

Your link to sign up won't work. I believe you have an extra "n" in it between the words "you" and "can". Just wanted to let you know.

Blessings from my spirit to your spirit!