The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts with label nonfiction: book promotion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nonfiction: book promotion. Show all posts

Friday, January 25, 2019

Guest Blogger Shares How To Combine Marketing and Pleasure

Lois W. Stern is a frequent contributor to both this #SharingwithWriters blog and my The New Book Review blog. I always enjoy having her as a guest blogger. 

MARKETING YOUR BOOK WHILE ON VACATION
by Lois W. Stern

Going on vacation? Bet you can’t wait! But with a little advance planning, you can combine your fun in the sun with some book marketing.

Here are a few ideas to set your marketing wheels turning.

1. Can you find an audience who might be interested in a topic that relates to one of your books? If so, consider inviting them to an informal gathering to discuss your subject. If your book is non-fiction, share some interesting information about your topic. If it is a work of fiction, share a segment that will hold your audience in rapt attention. Avoid a ‘salesy' approach. Instead, encourage your audience to get involved. You might want to ask them to predict the outcome or relate to your story by sharing a similar experience or emotion. 

Example: The condo where my husband and I winter each year holds a regular Thurs. evening cocktail hour. We decided to host one Thurs. evening, providing hot and cold h’ors d’oeuvres while I told a few inspiring stories from my Tales2Inspire books. I then invited audience members to share their own inspiring stories.

Outcome: One member of the audience told such an incredible story! We titled it “Hand of Destiny” and it is now included in my Emerald Collection of Beyond Coincidence stories.

2. .Think of a topic for a workshop you could relates to one of your books, but isn’t just about selling books. 

Example:
My current books are filled with inspiring, true stories that come to me through an “Authors helping Authors” project I initiated seven years ago. I decided that I could create a workshop on “How to Write a Winning Short Story”. using stories from my books as vehicles for honing some specific writing skills. (See #4, below for details about that workshop,)

3. Create a flyer with your name and headshot, title of your presentation, and its proposed length. Be sure to include your contact information: phone and e-mail address.

4. Find a venue for your workshop.

If you want to present at a local library, you should begin well in advance of your trip, as libraries often schedule their events as much as six months ahead. Do a Google search for the closest libraries. Get their phone numbers. Call and ask for the name and e-mail address of the person in charge of booking presentations. Talk directly to that person if you can. it always helps to learn what topic would interest them and perhaps tweak your presentation to meet their needs. If e-mail communication is all that’s available, send a brief message putting:“Follow up to my phone call” in the subject line.

Example:

I gave a presentation at the Venice, Fl. library one winter, using some of my inspiring stories as a vehicle for practicing skills such as developing an elevator pitch, creating one central story theme, and building a compelling story based on that theme.
Outcome: Aside from selling some of my books,I received an honorarium and met a motivational speaker who entered and received a Finalist Award for her story: At Least Nothing Bad Happened, a story now added to my Topaz Collection of Personal Awakenings stories. So it was a winning day for her as well as me.

5. Think of other venues that relate to the topic of your book. If you have a book about photography, think about art centers or museums. If your book relates to an historical event ,try to connect with a like minded group or club. The local reference librarian might have just the right venue for you. Again, a Google search is often helpful in connecting you with just the right venue.

Example:

Cruise ships often hold talent nights, another good venue with a captive audience. Why not plan a moment of storytelling where you share a compelling scene from one of your books. Add a bit of drama to hold your audience in rapt attention: wear a special hat, bring a significant object, use different voices, add some background music - anything to grab their attention. 

6. Call the local book store in the area where you plan to vacation. Introduce yourself and your book, inquiring if they would be interested in scheduling a book talk/book signing event while you are in the area. There always seems to be an element of mystique surrounding the person from fifty miles or more away!.Be sure you understand and agree on all terms in advance: (i.e. who purchases and returns the unsold books, net to you the author, what publicity they provide and expected audience size.)

7. Think “Outside the Box” for other venues.

Example:

A favorite little gift shop I frequent in Venice, Fl. carries an interesting assortment of costume jewelry, knick knacks, women’s purses and more. I am a regular customer there but never noticed their small book corner. Once I did, I brought in proof copies of my Tales2Inspire books and she ordered six of them, paying me cash up front at a 60% 40% ratio. 


Our bottom line is to sell our books. But how we go about it makes all the difference. Think in terms of how you can give back and you will stay ahead.
___________________


Get a FREE sampler of 6 Tales2Inspire stories at: www.tales2inspire.com/gift/


MORE ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST BLOGGER AND HER TALES2INSPIRE PROJECT



  
Lois W. Stern's Tales2Inspire was a kernel of an idea that started in 2012 and has grown to proportions even she didn’t dare to envision. Her innate curiosity about potentially fascinating human interest stories was the spark that ignited this idea. Tales2Inspire delivers exactly what it promises as both an ‘Authors Helping Authors’ project and a contest. Winners get their stories published in print, e-book and sometimes even in video formats, with their names, headshot photos, and mini-autobiographies included. Then she spreads the word about the winners and their stories on her blogs, social media and monthly newsletter. FREE to enter, this is a great competition for talented newbies and seasoned authors alike.  Learn more here:
Tales2Inspire websitehttp://www.tales2inspire.com

GET A F*R*E*E TALES21INSPIRE E-BOOK AT:
www.tales2inspire.com/gift



Tales2Inspire websitehttp://www.tales2inspire.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tales2inspire2
Facebook author page: www.facebook.com/tales2inspire
Tales2Inspire trailer: https://youtu.be/FuDgXkYMHvo
Blog: http:://www.tales2inspire/blog

Tales-2-inspire-free-gift-new-book-review-post


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.



Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 


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Friday, July 28, 2017

California Book Watch "Very Highly Recommends" California Author's Newest Book


Title: How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically
Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career.
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Third in the #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers
Author's Website: http://howtodoitfrugally.com
ISBN: 9781536948370
$17.95 PB
$9.95 Kindle

Reviewed by Diane Donovan originally for California Book Watch 
"Writing and Publishing Shelf"

Photo by Joy V. Smith
How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally 
and Ethically should be on the reading lists of anyone interested in gaining and, even more important, using book reviews. It informs both self- and traditionally-published authors of the ins and outs of getting and utilizing reviews; but most importantly, it discusses some of the tips and tricks for doing so - and reveals many approaches to avoid. From making the most of the best review from the most authoritative source to knowing what to do if the review process goes awry, this outlines the entire process of media promotion in the course of explaining the difference between a good and bad review, how they can be effectively utilized, and what to avoid. Very highly recommended!

MORE ABOUT CALIFORNIA BOOK WATCH

This online journal features a regular feature "The Writing/Publishing Shelf." It is a good place to find reviewers who specialized in different genres and--of course--great reading, too.   http://www.midwestbookreview.com/calbw/jun_17.htm#Writing/Publishing


California Bookwatch
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575 



MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ). This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.