How to market your book online

[argenianpoet]

For a minute there, I thought you were talking about the cosmos; man that was deep! Okay, I must admit that I would be no good at all of that, because somehow, some way I would mess up and get zapped. I think it's always easier to hire professionals to figure that stuff out for you then try to do it yourself when really you are only kidding yourself, because underneath your false confidence you don't really understand what you are doing. However, it was a very good, in-depth, view of how-it-works and what-not-to-do. I can only assume that you have mastered this yourself or you would not be posting it, right? Keep up the good work man; it's people like you that fledgling writers learn from...

[LeoCrow]

Very sound and reliable advice.
until recently,i thought that if you make something good,world of mouth would be the only thing you could want.as it turns out though,it is hard enough to make some friends get in your website, how can someone expect them to built word of mouth too?

as for the "search engine friendly" part,it is definatelly harder than it sounds.just today i was trying to make the sitemap etc that google want in order to consider your site "search engine friendly" and failed miserably.

about part of dave and davina,even if they are good in what they are doing, they will stil find it difficult to care enough in order to do you justice.that includes professionals.so either do it yourself or make sure that the professionals to all that you want,the way you want it and accept nothing less.

i do not think that pay per click advertising is a desperate thing to do,in fact i think it is a good idea.most people are annoyed by graphic ads,while ppc text ads are a simple was to be advertised in the right places and pay only for the result of it. spamming is a desperate thing to do but they usually think that even if one person submits to their spam,it is a success.besides spamming is free and quick.

anyway advertising is good but only if you intent to actually gaining money from your work (thus advertising does not apply to me). therefore can you suggest any alternate methods of promotion? do webrings etc help? thank you!

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

It's worth underlining that it's only a perspective from an internet marketing viewpoint - I wouldn't be surprised if Mark Robson has a different take on it from a publishing business point of view.

I can't believe I missed this thread for so long! I must admit that when it comes to on line marketing I bow to Brian's experience. I do have a website. I don't have a clue how to get it noticed, but I've found that putting the website in my books and on my publicity material is bringing a bit of traffic my way.

I shall certainly look into some of the marketing techniques that Brian has mentioned, but I will probably pay someone else to do it, as I'm a complete technophobe!

As for spamming forums, well I suppose you could say that I shamelessly use this site to advertise my books, but I did not join for that purpose. This is the only forum style website that I belong to. I do have a membership at writing.com, but I don't go there much. My motto has always been "Be nice." That applies to me in any avenue, whether in the real world or the virtual. I've tried to make myself a part of this community. As a result, some of the members here have read some of my books - that is a bonus. Most of my marketing has been real world, one on one stuff. It's a slog, but it's paid dividends in the end. The more people that meet me, the more people read my work ... it's a simple philosophy, but it works.

I'd love to use the internet to its full potential, but I'm afraid there are not enough hours in the day for me to learn how.

[dragula_66]

Originally Posted by Mark Robson

I'd love to use the internet to its full potential, but I'm afraid there are not enough hours in the day for me to learn how.

This is not necessarily true, learning the basics of internet marketing is not a particularly difficult task, if you have the right resources. I have done two courses in it as part of the degree i am completing, and have come accross a very useful book, which is fairly simple and easy to read, yet quite descriptive. if you would like to learn the basics check it out. its called:

"Internet Marketing: Building advantage in a Networked Economy"
by - Rafi Mohammed, et al

Heres a link to it http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/007...lance&n=283155

Its quite expensive ($114 from amazon), but you could probably find it at a library.

Hope thats useful

[I, Brian]

For books on marketing, the big author to look at is Seth Godin (The Purple Cow, the Big Moo, the Big Red Fez, etc) - also check out Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" for viral issues that can relate to marketing. A free book online is the Cluetrain Manifesto which predicted the shift to a new marketing economy for the web:
http://www.cluetrain.com/

The big daddy of all marketing books is Kotler's "Marketing Managament", but may be too detailed and comprehensive for smaller projects - but may still be worth it for a few chapters.

2c.

[Stuart Jaffe]

Something that is connected to all this (I believe, anyway) is SFF conventions. We are so lucky to have so many opportunities to connect with potential fans -- more than any other genres. I have my website and podcast info on my card that I hand out at conventions, and I've noticed that the week after the convention, my online hits goes up -- often times recording more unique visits then I gave out cards for. While getting listed high on Google is important, this type of marketing, directly getting people to know about your site, is also highly effective. Not only that, but it occurs to me now that those people who visit your website from a personal contact at a convention, already feel closer to you, the author, than if they had just stumbled upon the site via a search engine or such.

[dustinzgirl]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

For books on marketing, the big author to look at is Seth Godin (The Purple Cow, the Big Moo, the Big Red Fez, etc) - also check out Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" for viral issues that can relate to marketing. A free book online is the Cluetrain Manifesto which predicted the shift to a new marketing economy for the web:
http://www.cluetrain.com/

The big daddy of all marketing books is Kotler's "Marketing Managament", but may be too detailed and comprehensive for smaller projects - but may still be worth it for a few chapters.

2c.

I love Kotler, very smart guy. Especially his statistics and engineering quality books. I'll have to find the marketing managing one. Thanks Brian!

[Brown Rat]

Excellent advice, Brian. And thanks to the rest of you for your tips. This is exactly that sort of information I need right now; I'm in the process of putting one of my books together to publish through Lulu.com, and I'll be re-designing my domain-named site to help market the book. (Robert Blevins, I'm glad to hear that you recommend Lulu.)

[Robert M. Blevins]

I recommend lulu.com only as a springboard until you have a minimum of ten titles under ISBN, then register with Lightning Source/Ingram. They require ten titles with your isbn, a legitimate account, and a business license. Then, you can start getting your books for about 3-4usd apiece.

Get that far and you can start approaching bookstores with your catalog. Bookstores require a big discount and the traditional 90-day sale or return policy. Good luck...

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by Stuart Jaffe

Something that is connected to all this (I believe, anyway) is SFF conventions. We are so lucky to have so many opportunities to connect with potential fans -- more than any other genres. I have my website and podcast info on my card that I hand out at conventions, and I've noticed that the week after the convention, my online hits goes up -- often times recording more unique visits then I gave out cards for. While getting listed high on Google is important, this type of marketing, directly getting people to know about your site, is also highly effective. Not only that, but it occurs to me now that those people who visit your website from a personal contact at a convention, already feel closer to you, the author, than if they had just stumbled upon the site via a search engine or such.

Very much agreed, Stuart - Mark robson has especially made himself the paragon of offline promotions.

[I, Brian]

Some people I think just don't get the marketing message.

There's one self-published writer who was suspended for self-promoting his work on chronicles. Rather than email a "I'm sorry, won't do it again", he instead tells me it's an obvious error, tells me to buy the book, and also points out that he's putting profits to a certain "good cause" that any behaviour on his part is easily excusable.

Had three emails from him now insisting on his right to promo here, and I consider it aggressive and unwelcome.

If someone gives money to a good cause, that's great - but using it to promo your book and insist on advertising privileges because of it I consider emotional blackmail, and akin to using kids as human shields. Personally I find it very off-putting.

From what he says, he's had some advertising opportunities because of it - but he'll never get to advertise it here because of his sheer cocky arrogance and insistence that he can do what he wants.

Promotion should never be aggressive in that sense, IMO, and when promoting you should be willing to play withn the rules, rather than insist on the right to be outside of them.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Being cocky and arrogant seems to work well for some writers -- after they've already earned a certain measure of success, and people are willing to put it down to genius, and take them at their own valuation.

When you're just starting out, it simply comes across as pushy (and a little pathetic).

[the_faery_queen]

people just aren't realistic i guess. get a book out, they think that makes them famous and brilliant. and it doesn't. a lot of people have books out! there's a woman on lj, who im friends with, but she once made a post, has anyone ever heard of me? and no, was the answer! she writes young adult fantasy, which isn't my thing anyway, but sells a lot in ebooks. she was basically wondering how she can sell a lot of copies, yet still have no one know who she is. and i guess she forgot she sold copies worldwide, that the world is huge and we're not all going to be clumped together in one place

so i guess my point (somewhere) is, the guy's an idiot. he thinks selling a few books makes him special or clever or worth of special treatement and recognition and it doesn't, because lots of people have done it, or are doing it. it's fine to be confident in your work, and self promote, but not to be rude or think you deserve to be an exception to the rule.

besides, he'd probably not sell anything even if you did let him piost his advert. people online tend to buy books from epople that they've chatted to, that they know. at least, that's what i find. cos there are SO many books out there, why buy one strangers book, when you can buy one friends?

[Teresa Edgerton]

Does anyone know anything about a website called bookhitch.com that is supposed to promote authors and publishers for free? I received an email from them (or rather Madeline did) offering to list my book, and I'm wondering what the, um ... hitch ... might actually be.

[I, Brian]

Not heard of it, I'm afraid.