Be a joiner
Speak
Write articles
Review books
Create web site
News releases
Events
Interviews
Other

* You must get the word out about your book in every location you can think of. One of the first things you can do to accomplish this is to use Google again. This time, search for other authors in your genre. Email them and ask if they’d like to cross promote – exchange links, banners, or blurbs in newsletters. Another idea is to share tag lines (Thanks to Billie Williams for this idea.  www.billiewilliams.com ) You add their tag line to your email signature and they do the same for you. Wherever their email goes, your name and web site URL or book title goes with it.

* Be a joiner.  Join internet groups of all kinds.  Sign up to receive digests instead of individual e-mails, or your inbox will be overflowing. Introduce yourself to each new group with a short e-mail, and be sure to mention your book in the text of the message as well as at the end, in your signature.  Then just wait and watch for messages from others that might provide an opening to talk about your book or its publication. Subscribe to newsletters whose editors might add a blurb about your book to their readers. To find the right newsletters, search directories like www.new-list.com 

Don't forget to join groups for writers, so you can network.  Authors often help each other, not only with writing, but with cross promotion like exchanging site links and/or newsletter ads, etc.

You may want to start your own newsletter to send to your contact list as you're building it. 

* A good way to tell people about your book is to offer to speak for church groups, organizations, and clubs. My mistake was believing that everyone would want to hear about my book. Wrong. I need to speak on other topics and subtly bring my book into the talk. Then, of course, I can sell books after my speech.

On "I love to write" day, I spoke to writing classes on simple techniques I use to make writing easier and more fun. For elementary students, I took my dog to school as a visual aid and read a couple of the essays I wrote about him. Sure, the kids aren't going to buy my book, but the teachers might. And I pass out pens to the kids, which have my book title and URL on them. Those pens are likely to fall into the hands of an adult at some point.

Go to www.independentpublisher.com  Scroll down to table of contents and click.  Then click on "The publishing Game - How to Play Better and Sell More." It's an article on how to be a sought after speaker. 

* Get your name all over the Internet by writing articles and submitting them to newsletters and ezines or posting them on free article sites such as www.prweb.com and www.ezinearticles.com  The articles can be excerpts from your book or they can be about things completely unrelated to the topic of your book. For instance, I wrote an article at Christmas time with ten tips to a less stressed and more blessed holiday. At the end of the article, I included a link and a blurb about myself, my web site, and my book.

In the middle of winter when everyone was tired of the cold and the lack of sunshine, I wrote an article on depression and ten tips that I found helpful in dealing with the mid-winter blues. Again, I used that as a way to reach people who would then read my information at the end of the article. I can pitch these articles to online e-zines as well as national magazines and even radio talk shows. You can find lists of magazines at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/su_bainbridge/links2.html  and http://homepage.ntlworld.com/su_bainbridge/0001b.usamag.htm

By the way, the title of your article is important. You want a title that will reel people in. "Ten Tips" is one that most people will bite on. Everyone wants to hear about a few easy, proven steps to accomplish a goal.

* Write reviews of other author’s books. If it’s posted on Amazon.com, the author’s web site, or the book’s back cover, your name, web site, and book title will appear with it.

* Create a web site. Don't use a free site with a long name that nobody will remember.  Reserving your domain name is very inexpensive - especially when you consider the additional traffic you'll gain because your visitors can actually remember your Web address. Use your own name or the title of your book.  

Think of your web site as a one page newspaper ad.  It must immediately capture the attention of the viewer or they'll click right out of there. Don't clutter it up with a bunch of graphics or too much text.  Remember the KISS method (keep it simple, sweetie).  Once completed, submit your site to search engines and directories. Here are some helpful sites: 
www.siteadd.com  
www.addme.com  
www.addpro.com  
www.addurlfree.com  
www.dmoz.org (Open Directory Project)

 The Wisconsin Regional Writer's Association web site says: One of the most inexpensive and effective forms of promotion for your writing or speaking is the Internet. Why should you have a Web site? If it's designed correctly, a writer or speaker Web site will attract new audiences, educate cyber-visitors on whatever topic you're passionate about, promote your books or speaking engagements, and show off your writing or speaking skills. (Writers can post articles or sample chapters; speakers, audio clips.) You can also announce your conference, speaking, or book-signing schedule.  See my site at www.hugsandhope.org/pb.htm  

* Send tons of news releases. Send your press release to the right person and to a specific individual, rather than "editor."  Most newspapers have editors for a variety of subjects--science, health, sports, lifestyle, travel, and so forth, so find the editor over the department in which your book fits best. And don't forget the book review editor, of course. There are many other places in the newspaper where your book can be reviewed. Once, I was focusing on a specific editor to review my book when I happened upon the name of another writer at that particular paper.  For the heck of it, I sent a release to her.  The original contact I'd made never did result in any coverage of my book; but that lady that I took a chance on gave me a full page write up that praised my book!  

Of course, it goes without saying that you’ll send releases to every media outlet in your local area, but think outside your own backyard. I sent news releases to towns where I once lived with the title "Former resident releases new book." I also sent releases to towns where my relatives live, with the title "New Author linked to local area." The same day I sent those releases out, I received requests for several interviews, which led to newspaper articles in various towns.

NOTE:  Be sure to follow up with a phone call after emailing or faxing a news release.  I once sent three releases to a specific editor and wondered why she never contacted me or printed any of the information I'd sent her.  When I finally called her, I learned that she hadn't received my emails.  Don't just send a news release and forget about it.  Follow up!

* Clip those newspaper articles and make copies of them to send to radio stations and other media outlets.

*Ask yourself "What need does the audience have that my book fills?" If they don't think they need your book, they won't buy it. For instance, the hook for one of my press releases is "Discouraged? Need a Laughter Break? Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter hits the spot" After that line has gotten their attention, I go on to explain how and why my book will uplift anyone who faces difficulties, how it will make them laugh, etc. EVERYbody has been discouraged at some time and everyone can use a laugh, so that hook (hopefully) makes just about everybody feel like they need this book.

I vary this hook for specific audiences.  When I'm trying to get a mothers' magazine or web site to review the book, I emphasize how busy, stressed out moms need encouragement to keep them going; and after a rough day, they deserve a dose of laughter. 

OR, to appeal to the reader's personal feelings, I use a hook like this:  "What if it were YOUR child who was fighting cancer?"  I  follow that up with an explanation that the HUGS and HOPE Foundation strives to cheer up kids who are battling for life and the sale of our book provides money for gifts like teddy bears, etc.

* Target several different types of media outlets. For instance, I have arthritis, so I play that up when pitching to magazines that target people with arthritis. I was temporarily blinded once, and I use that story to demonstrate that I know how it feels to be in pain, frightened, and unsure of the future. This angle appeals to health magazines. I even use my dog to get into publications that otherwise would never advertise my book. I write articles about him for dog lovers' magazines and I always include information about my book at the end of the article. For instance I might say "If you enjoyed this, you might like to read more in my new book, Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter." Then I give the URL, etc.

* Write several press releases using different themes. I save them in my email program. When I come upon a web site or publication related to one of the themes, I copy the appropriate release and shoot it off in an email. For instance, I have one press release for senior magazines and web sites. It talks about how the baby boomer generation is reaching sixty years old now; and while most of those people are thinking about retiring and taking it easy, there's one boomer who is just launching a new career as an author.

The release I use for mother's magazines and web sites plays up the fact that I raised a son and am now a grandmother who writes about issues that women relate to, like pressures of raising children and working, dealing with in-laws and husbands, etc. (I learned that I can pitch women’s publications with just about any subject I write on because I can emphasize that it helps women specifically. For instance, the generic article I wrote on depression. I can say that depression is common among women and is a topic the publication should address for their female readers. I can say the exact same thing to a men’s publication, emphasizing that men suffer from depression almost as much as women do, but they are reluctant to admit it and ask for help, so it’s a topic that needs to be addressed for male readers.

For Christian magazines and web sites, I use a release that talks more about my faith and background in that area, and whatever topic I’m emphasizing can be pitched as a "Christian" article because it relates to Christians as well as other groups of the population.

For humor publications and web sites, my release talks mainly about awards I've won for humorous essays, etc. Once these basic releases are written, it's simple to use them whenever needed.

I was promoting before I knew I could write. I worked in the publicity department of a book publishing company. It was my job to get authors booked on TV and radio talk shows. All I knew about writing was that I had to find out interesting details about each author and elaborate on them, making the author sound fabulous. I just carry that over now into writing about myself and my book.

Here's my secret: I pretend I'm writing about someone else and I look for anything and everything positive to say. If you pretend it's someone else, you are not modest and you can lavish the author (you) with generous praise. For example, I read a press release I'd written to my husband recently about an award winning writer who is known nationwide and celebrated for her work with children, etc. He didn't know who I was writing about!!!!

When promoting yourself, you can't be shy. Believe me, I really AM very shy in person. When I write about myself and my book, however, I do it from the third person perspective; and I’m able to brag about all my best qualities, because I pretend that I’m writing about someone else.

Here are a few sites where you can send your releases:  
www.netread.com
www.prleap.com
www.emediawire.com
www.press-world.com
www.press-base.com
www.ebookbroadcast.com/submit.shtml
www.cyberpathway.com/whispers
www.prweb.com (charges $$)
http://press.heliographica.com/
www.pressbox.co.uk/cgi -bin/links/add.cgi
www.free-press-release.com/submit/
www.24-7pressrelease.com/
www.free-news-release.com/Submit.aspx
Click2newsites
ClickPress
Common Dreams Progressive Newswire
Dime-Co
E-Boom Websolutions
eWorldWire / PR Free
Expressseek
I-NewsWire
PR.com
Press Arrivenet 
Pressmethod
Web NewsWire (charges $$)
Webwire

* Schedule some events. Everybody talks about book signings, but many authors consider them a waste of time. I don’t think they are a total waste; because even if you don’t sell books, you’ll be making friends and getting media coverage. However, your goal is to use your energy where it will do the most good. Typical book signings don't give you much bang for your buck.  Don't expect them to accomplish a lot unless they're in your hometown.  I don’t put much effort into doing signings, unless it’s at an out of the ordinary location like beauty shops, housing complexes for seniors, places where you wouldn't normally think to sell books. Museums are possible venues for signings, as well as your child’s school, or the local college. If you offer to donate a portion of sales to the museum or school, how could they turn you down? My book is primarily for women, so I might target stores where women shop like children’s clothing shops, toy stores, gift shops, maternity clothing or lingerie stores, etc.

* Take part in events that will be advertised at no cost to you. For instance, a large book store in a town about an hour from me has an event twice a year where they invite several authors. This is good for a couple reasons:

        1) They do a lot of advertising, so I don’t need to spend a penny.

        2) I live near enough that people consider me a "local" author, and

        3) people who are attracted to the event because of one of the other
            authors may find my book to their liking as well. The more authors
            there are involved, the bigger the crowd is likely to be. And when
            you can get your book before bigger crowds, that’s always a good
            thing.

* Have a book launching party. Regular book signings are boring, attract few people, and usually don't sell many books (if any).  Even if you sell books, you split the profit with the store, so chances are you don't make much money. A better idea is to have a party to celebrate the book's release. (You might even want to get together with other authors and combine your efforts -- you can each invite your own contacts and share the preparation work.)

The party must provide a way for you to warm up to the audience, either a brief talk about the book or a related subject or SOMEthing. In my case, for my book, "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter," I had a peanut butter recipe cook off. I hung posters all over town and arranged for two television interviews in advance, as well as three local newspaper articles. I asked entrants to pre-register by phone. When they called, I chatted with each one for several minutes so we could get to know each other. When they arrived at the event, we chatted again. After the winners were announced, I gave a consolation prize to each of the entrants (a coupon for a free pint of peanut butter ice cream).  By the time I passed out those coupons to everyone, we were pretty chummy with each other.  After the event, I sent a note to each contest entrant, too, thanking them for participating.  When people begin to consider you a new friend, they're sure to not only buy your book but to tell others about it as well.  

The name of the game is making friends.  That's why, when my charity (The HUGS and HOPE Foundation) sponsors a fundraising event, I don't call it a fundraiser.  I call it a "FRIEND RAISER."  And I don't judge an event's success by how much money is made.  I judge success by how many people I've met and made aware of the charity, the kids we serve, and the book we sell.

My launch party was at a movie theater rather than a book store. Why?

        1) It had a huge lobby, perfect for a cook off,
            allowing lots of people to mill around

        2) Hundreds of families were passing through the lobby that day
             because the movie "Ice Age 2" had just opened the same day.

The local YMCA had agreed to let me use their lobby, and so did a mall; but I decided on the theater because it would provide the most exposure. I still may have events at the other locations too, at later dates.

I gave out free peanut butter cookies and peanut butter flavored jelly beans (all donated), so kids flocked to my table. And with them came their parents. (Great how that works, ha?)   Though my book is for adults, targeting kids worked to my advantage because, of course, where there are kids there must be parents!  Kids had their pictures taken with the giant, walking talking peanut. ( I borrowed the costume from the National Peanut Board)

When I told a writer friend of mine about this giant peanut idea, she said, "Please tell me you're joking. You're not REALLY going to do that, are you?" But I've read that writers should be a little zany, so I went for it. I can say for sure that nobody walking into that theater on April Fool's Day was able to miss my book table.

Those who did not purchase a book took home one of my small recipe booklets "Favorite Recipes from the Peanut Butter Queen." Besides recipes, it includes peanut butter trivia, peanut butter jokes, the table of contents and cover graphic from my book, my bio, and a book order blank. (I give these out wherever I go)

Mr. Peanut and the recipe cook off were great visuals for television crews who appreciate having more than a talking head to film. Click to see photos.

Culinary arts instructors from the local college judged the entries. This drew more media attention, and photos of them taste testing entries made the front page of the local paper.

I got a lot of publicity mileage from this one event.

    1) First, papers published my call for peanut butter recipe entries.
    2) Then they announced the actual date of the event
         and all that would be offered at it.
    3) They came to the event and took photos for the next morning's paper.
    4) Later in the week,  they announced the winners of the contest.
    5) A few days later, I sent them the actual winning recipes and
        suggested that they print those along with interviews
        and/or photos of the winners.

* Ask friends to have Tupperware-like "meet the author" parties where they invite friends and you just talk for 5-10 minutes without pressure for them to buy. Even if you don’t ask them, some people will buy a book. I'd like to try incorporating some other activities into these parties -- like a wine tasting or craft, yoga, or cooking demonstration. I've even thought about sponsoring a "Girls' night out" and having someone at the party who will give a five minute massage to each lady after I've talked about my book.  

Even is people don't buy your books at these parties,  they might tell others about the book and maybe even invite you to come to their own homes for a similar gathering.  I'd like to get together with a few other authors in my area, so that we can take more than just our own books to these gatherings.  I'm not sure where I read about this concept, but it's called "Have books, will travel."  Say three authors are involved in such a group.  Each of the three would have books written by everyone in the group.  So, for instance, if I go to a "party," I not only talk up my own book, but I tell about the other two author's books as well.  And they do the same for me.  If you're an author who would like to work together on this idea, email me!

* Create a contact list and continually add names to it.  Wherever you go, offer a contest.  You can give a free book to the winner, or you can use a seasonal theme.  When I set up a booth at events like fairs, I give away a gift basket.  Once it was a Valentine's theme with candy, bubble bath, and wine glasses, etc.  People must fill out a form to register for whatever you're giving away.  You take the addresses and email addresses from those forms and add them to your contact list.  Later, you can send them a reminder about your fabulous book or any signings or other events you have coming up. 

* Make the most of every means of communication. Put information about book signings (or any event you’re involved with) on your answering machine so whenever you miss a phone call, you'll be advertising your book to the caller. Hang an acrylic holder on your car window to hold your postcards. Whenever you stop at a store, pull out your holder. Passersby can take a postcard while you're shopping. If you have some laser labels around the house, make stickers announcing your next event and put them on all your outgoing mail (and any other place you care to stick them -- hehe)  Create your own return address labels and between your name and your address, include your book's title.  I even put a small graphic of my book cover on my address labels.

* After you’ve sold a few books, you need to get good reviews from readers. I made an offer to my newsletter subscribers and everyone in my email address list that if they would review my book on amazon.com I would send them a free gift and enter them in a drawing to receive a copy of my book. My free gift is the 8-page brochure of peanut butter recipes and trivia. One page of it is devoted entirely to the book’s description and an order form. I give these brochures away at signings too. You could use bookmarks instead, if you can't think of a related topic for a booklet.

* Get radio interviews. You can reach thousands of listeners if you’re interviewed on a popular talk show. Check out http://www.newslink.org     Remember, though, that radio hosts are not interested in helping us sell books. The only reason they might want to interview you is if you have something their listeners want to hear. They're looking for entertainment value, so I try to find unusual angles that will make their show more interesting for listeners. For instance, when a local church held a spaghetti supper to raise money for the Hugs and Hope Foundation (which benefits from sales of my book), I wrote a news release offering to come on the show and provide a trivia quiz about spaghetti and give away a couple books to listeners who correctly answered the questions. How much more interesting for listeners than to hear just a dull announcement about ANOTHER spaghetti supper!

Another way to provide entertainment value is to use personal stories. I can go on the radio and talk about my charity that benefits sick kids, but what listeners really want to hear are stories about the kids I've met and how they've been helped by the organization. I give details about each child, like little two year old Annabelle with long blonde curls who lost an eye to cancer. I tell the story about the ten year old boy who died just days after the foundation granted his last wish for a guitar. I have on my bulletin board a picture of Zack holding that guitar and smiling from ear to ear. That picture warms my heart every time I look at it, because I'm reminded that I helped make Zack's last days on earth happier.

Heart tugging stories that arouse the emotions are what people want to hear. The story about how I went blind is another example. And when I tell the story about my grandson being badly burned, that makes people sit up and listen. So you can use your worst life experiences to help people get to know and remember you.

Before radio interviews, come up with a list of sample questions you'd like your host to ask. Submit those a few days before your interview. That way, you can rehearse how you will answer and you'll be sure to get all the important information into the interview. I made a list of "sound bites" that I try to work into interviews. They’re short sentences that I’d like people to remember after the interview or blurbs that I think will be meaningful enough to people that they’ll remember me. One of my sound bites is the quote that my book title is based on: "Love, joy, and hope are sticky like peanut butter. When you spread them around, you can’t help but get some on yourself too." When I keep a list of these sound bites in front of me during phone interviews, it helps to ensure that I will stay focused on these main points.

Prior to radio interviews, help the host get to know you better.  It will be easier for them to interview someone they feel they know a little, and they may give you more time than they would someone that they know very little about.  For instance, I once set up an appointment for an interview on a specific date.  A few days before the scheduled phone call, I emailed the person and sent them a couple photos, my bio, a list of frequently asked questions, and background on how and why I started the HUGS and HOPE Foundation.  Because I'm silly, I often include some funny photos as well, just to give the interviewer a laugh.  I sent this gal a photo of me with my grandson wearing those plastic glasses with big noses and fake mustaches.  I asked if she could see the family resemblance.  She called me right away and said she'd laughed till she cried when she saw that photo, and we talked on the phone for an hour!   This was BEFORE my scheduled interview.  We chatted about our families, what we found funny, what we did for fun, etc.  She ended the conversation by saying that she was so glad she'd gotten to know me and now she could say she had a friend in Wisconsin!!   If an interviewer calls you "friend" before the actual interview, you've got it made in the shade, folks!  Don't you just naturally put more effort into an interview with a friend than you would with a stranger?

Before your interview, ask the program host if you can give away a book every five minutes. After a caller wins the give away book, you can add "If you didn't win, you can still get a copy of the book by logging on to our web site at _____________ or calling __________________." That way you are repeating your book's title and your contact info several times during the interview.

Many authors recommend having a toll free 800 number, because it will encourage people to order right then before they change their minds. Having a number that’s easy to remember will help get orders from listeners who are driving in their cars. An example would be something like 800-calljoe.

* Here's another idea!  Host a book giveaway contest at Writer's Gazette.  Donate a book and they set up a contest page with your book info.  They advertise it in their newsletters.  Email authorinterview@yahoo.com and put "book donation" in the subject line.

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