There are several thousand ways to successfully publicize a book that I’m aware of, and some are more effective than others. For example, you can promote your book by selling it back-of-room during speaking engagements, and you may actually make thousands of sales this way. The problem with this approach is that your own involvement limits the number of sales …
Book Reviews: How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon
As an author, the best thing that can happen for your book is that titillating four-letter word we all love and fear at the same time: BUZZ. Getting people to read and talk up your book is what it’s all about. Buzz is the reason for those late nights hunched over your keyboard with an empty cup of something at …
Book Endorsements: The Power of Third Party Validation
In the realm of book marketing, there’s an axiom that goes like this: “If I say it, it’s up for debate; if someone else says it, it must be true.” Third-party validation is a sure-fire method of getting people to draw a conclusion about me or my book. In fact, a well-known endorser has proven to add instant credibility to …
The Write Stuff – Choosing the Best BISAC Genre for Your Book
In the beginning, the world was void – formless, nameless, unreadable. Then everything got categorized, and we’ve been trying to file it ever since. It makes sense, doesn’t it? So too with books. Just as soon as an author writes something, somebody comes along and categorizes it. The most successful authors categorize their work first, then write it. When you …
How to Write a Press Release for a Book Launch
For authors seeking that elusive “best-seller” status, self-promotion can be your best tool for driving laser sharp traffic and increasing book sales. Of all the self-promotion options available, distributing press releases is probably the most overlooked method. It’s unfortunate because it can be highly effective – especially if your press release is picked-up by a major news outlet, journal or …
Smarter Amazon Listings for Books, eBooks and Audiobooks
Getting a book into tens of thousands of readers’ hands is no easy task. One of the greatest challenges an author faces is overcoming the problem of obscurity. Digital book catalogs have unlimited shelf space, making it increasingly difficult for interested readers to find your book. Over the weekend, I had an interesting conversation with a senior executive from Amazon.com. …
Self-Publishing History: It Didn’t Start With Gutenberg
Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock (or a clay tablet), you probably know that the publishing industry is in the middle of a revolution right now. You see the evidence everywhere. Mass publishing has seen greater changes in the past ten years than at any other time in history since the invention of the Gutenberg press. In 1436, Johannes …
Book Marketing – The Achilles Heel of Authors
He was in his 50’s and his steel-blue eyes could bore a hole through a sheet of steel. “What do you mean I need to launch a $25,000 marketing campaign?” Rod’s voice was steady, from years of practice leading teams for technology companies. “Listen Bryan, I didn’t sign up for this – press releases, blog posts, cowtowing on social media, …
LIBRARY DISTRIBUTION: THE SWEET “Shhhh” OF SUCCESS
When you write a book, getting book distribution is a major component of publishing success. Getting the widest distribution possible for your book should be your main goal. Once you’ve gone to the trouble of writing your best ideas and publishing them, you’ll want as many people as possible to engage with you. As a publisher, a number of the …
PUBLISHING – Blessing Humanity with Words & Ideas
“I don’t know if I can do this anymore. Sometimes I think I just might have to quit.” I looked at my friend across the table from me as he spoke. The cheerful chatter of the coffeehouse around us played a striking contrast to his mood. It was obvious he was carrying quite a burden. The pastor’s brows knit together, …