Just out of curiousity, what do you feel is the best on line marketing for authors to market thier books? What, where and why?

I just finished reading a post at a blog I visit consisting of many mid-list authors of major publishers.

That blogger, with four Harper Collins books, said the best marketing was "shouting it out." In other words, someone who reads the book telling others that it was a great read.

Otherwise, it takes treating the publication of a mid-list book (not one of the few the publishers support full force) as a new business including all the costs of a marketing campaign.

This can include becoming a super blogger - not pushing the books, but sending out information people want who then choose to buy the book of the blogger. A blog with no following (advertising....) is a shout in the wind.

Good post DK. I like your last sentence.
It's like winking at a girl in the dark.

Some great advice, and I agree on the blog part. I have this one blog that I have been somewhat disapointed with the numbers; 549,767 Visitors Since April 2007.

Shouting it out. I like that. How about reviews? What are your thoughts on reviews.

dkchristi wrote:

I just finished reading a post at a blog I visit consisting of many mid-list authors of major publishers. That blogger, with four Harper Collins books, said the best marketing was "shouting it out." In other words, someone who reads the book telling others that it was a great read. Otherwise, it takes treating the publication of a mid-list book (not one of the few the publishers support full force) as a new business including all the costs of a marketing campaign. This can include becoming a super blogger - not pushing the books, but sending out information people want who then choose to buy the book of the blogger. A blog with no following (advertising....) is a shout in the wind.

On another note, what would you say is a fair price for a marketing budget for one book say monthly, quarterly and yearly with regards to online marketing? and where would be the best places to spend that money for online advertisement and marketing?

Say the top 5 to 10 best choices?

I do understand the shouting it out deal, yet I'm wondering what a author should expect to spend to actually market his/her book.

So far, I have yet to hear of any blog-tour, Internet-style marketing that does much good when compared to the old-media marketing widely known authors are getting.

I hear of many ideas and websites and plans, but they're all noticeably short of any evidence that any author who used them for fiction ever sold enough copies to be called a success.

I keep hoping, though.

Malcolm

The big success stories are all non-fiction.

Thanks for your reply. I'd love to hear more about old-media marketing.

Blessings,

Malcolm wrote:

So far, I have yet to hear of any blog-tour, Internet-style marketing that does much good when compared to the old-media marketing widely known authors are getting. I hear of many ideas and websites and plans, but they're all noticeably short of any evidence that any author who used them for fiction ever sold enough copies to be called a success. I keep hoping, though. Malcolm

Since we are to regard ourselves as businesses, I would recommend hooking up with SCORE, a non-profit, free source consisting of retired business people. They'll help with business and marketing plans and looking for funding.

Then, I guess I'd ask myself what drives me to buy a book? 1) a friend recommends it 2) I read a great review 3) I read about it in the paper 4) it has big posters at the local book store 5) there are sixteen copies on display at Target 6) all the talk shows are talking about it including interviewing the author 6) the author is signing books 7) the remainders at the dollar store that are by known authors (branding).

If you walked into a bookstore and saw two books lying on the table, one in a hardcover marked, "New York Times Bestseller" for $27.95. Lying next to it is a softcover by an unknown author priced at $27.95. Which book would you pick up to view?

In the same vein, softcover books by known authors at half the price of unknown authors, makes the job even more difficult to market.

First impressions stick with us. The prospective reader doesn't always analyze his thinking process when making a selection. The cover, the title and how the book is viewed by other readers together with price play a role in the selection process. Since our books are not in bookstores, we first need to get the attention of a prospective buyer so that we can make the sales pitch. That is the problem we face.

When you shop for a book online, where do you go? What leads you to the book you want to buy? If you buy anything from Amazon or other online booksellers, they send emails with promotion of new books usually accompanied with special offers. How does one get on that list?

Those of us with books by small publishers are faced with this dilemma. How to promote our work without shelling out huge sums of advertising dollars is the answer we all seek.

The question: "What is the best On Line Marketing?" I don't think there is a single answer.

My friend wrote a book,
The Conflict Pattern Revealed

by Faith Deeter, MFT

She sells lots of the books by holding conferences at $100/person to follow the teachings of the book; and the book is part of the conference fee. I see this method working well for people with the credentials to draw in participants. She is an experienced, highly credentialsed, licensed therapist with some innovative therapies such as using horses.

She has had people come in from international locations to partner with her in conferences, etc. Yet, she has a day job. She has not been on a national television show or had national press - her publisher is Lulu.com . Locally and in horse related publications, she has quite an extensive following. She is located near Santa Barbara, CA, a good location for her subject.

She has an Internet presence. She has all the Internet tools. She is connected in her field. She is an attractive and charismatic presenter and workshop leader.

Her book is only available online and at her workshops.

I am a participant in the Local Author Event at Barnes & Noble October 31, 2009 in Naples, Florida Waterside Shops.

The event is set up by B&N as their "two events per year that may feature small presses and self-published books." That lumps small presses with self-published - and they are a world apart.

The News-Press, Ft. Myers called to interview me for the event. My news release clearly states the name of my "publisher." The reporter was insistent that I was self-published because I am participating in the B&N local author event for self-published authors.

This lumping self-published with small press (because of POD technology) is a relatively new thing. It's also happening with book reviewers who exclude small presses that use POD technology. They want to review books "with sufficient print runs to indicate major sales to book stores across a wide market."

Well, I know some self-published authors with 5000 books in their warehouses. I wonder if that counts? I know authors with small presses that far outsell mid list authors with major houses.

I don't know the answer, I only know it's as frustrating as runing my alternative school where every day is one filled with new issues and old buttons.

Thanks Abe, I like what you wrote.

I also agree with "The question: "What is the best On Line Marketing?" I don't think there is a single answer.

I fully agree.

I think there's something else to consider here, for example:

I have over 150 separate blogs in three different networks that I started building three plus years ago. The blogs are networked with some of the blogging industries high end communities and networks and the overall network's visitor's numbers are very high.

Link wise, we are talking of upward of 30,000 plus links under various word and sentence searches.

Whenever I market a new site, blog, product or service, within 2 weeks to 30 days thier online presence and links dramatically multiply on the major search engines and through various feeds into other blogging communities and networks.

I can market a web site, a blog, a product or a service and know that my network will drive traffic to that site, blog, product or service.

What I can't do, is twist peoples arms to purchase the products once they get to that web site, blog or service.

How would this apply to authors media sites and blogs?

Once marketing drives visitors to a site or blog, that site or blog has to hold the visitors attention and close the sale.

It doesn't matter if you drive 100, 1,000, 5,000 or 10,000 visitors to a site through online marketing, the products, services and layout of such, is what sells the product.

Blessings,

Abe F. March wrote:

If you walked into a bookstore and saw two books lying on the table, one in a hardcover marked, "New York Times Bestseller" for $27.95. Lying next to it is a softcover by an unknown author priced at $27.95. Which book would you pick up to view? In the same vein, softcover books by known authors at half the price of unknown authors, makes the job even more difficult to market. First impressions stick with us. The prospective reader doesn't always analyze his thinking process when making a selection. The cover, the title and how the book is viewed by other readers together with price play a role in the selection process. Since our books are not in bookstores, we first need to get the attention of a prospective buyer so that we can make the sales pitch. That is the problem we face. When you shop for a book online, where do you go? What leads you to the book you want to buy? If you buy anything from Amazon or other online booksellers, they send emails with promotion of new books usually accompanied with special offers. How does one get on that list? Those of us with books by small publishers are faced with this dilemma. How to promote our work without shelling out huge sums of advertising dollars is the answer we all seek. The question: "What is the best On Line Marketing?" I don't think there is a single answer.

My suggestion is SQUIDOO.com; you earn money from driving traffic to your pages (aka "lenses"); so in effect, you're being paid to market your book. Therefore, I include my primary link with my Internet communications.

--Joe Breunig
Author, Reaching Towards His Unbounded Glory
http://www.squidoo.com/book-isbn-1419650513