For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers

What's Working for You?

I'd like to start a new forum where people can talk about what's working for you right now in marketing your book.

I think this will help other authors to prioritize their activities if they can find out what's working for other people. This would be especially valuable to new authors.

I've share the hottest tool that I'm using right now. And that's Twitter. As you will note on the main page of this Book Marketing Network website, both my http://www.bookmarket.com website and this network have been rising in Alexa ranks (and visits) because of my use of Twitter.

Tags: book marketing, book promotion, book publicity

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Permalink Reply by John Kremer on June 30, 2009 at 1:54pm

If you want to learn how to use Twitter effectively, check out http://www.bookmarket.com/50WaystoTweet.htm and download the free Word document: Twitter Mania Manual. 82 pages of free advice on how to use Twitter to build the audience for you and your book.

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Permalink Reply by Marilyn Z.Tomlins on July 2, 2009 at 8:34am

Hi John;

I joined Twitter a while back and you know I can't figure out what it is all about. On my first view days I received invitations to join groups and then these stopped and to be honest until I now read your post I'd forgotten that I had joined Twitter. I find LInkedIn a much better tool to get known and to get to know people. Unfortunately I just do not have the time right now to download and read the 84-page Twitter Mania Manual so I will remain 'in the dark'

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Permalink Reply by Susan Klopfer on September 21, 2009 at 2:31pm

It ain't that hard! Just start slowly. I recently got a great interview with Christian Science Monitor because of twitter. LinkedIn is great too, but seems to take a lot more time. I agree that twitter can be sort of intimidating at firs.t

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Permalink Reply by jeremy bates on July 10, 2011 at 7:59pm

im opposite... im finding twitter useful, but i havent gotten into linkedin yet... im just not sure how to use it! lol

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Permalink Reply by Susan Klopfer on September 21, 2009 at 2:33pm

Isn't John the greatest? He IS a good model. I've been trying to really follow his suggestions on relationship building and it is working. Twitter has made a big difference, too. I just need to spend more time following the RULES. ;>)

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Permalink Reply by Monica T. Rodriguez on July 18, 2009 at 2:51pm

Thanks for the link! I'm also trying to figure out Twitter, but like others here have said, I'm just not seeing how it's so different than Facebook (minus the pics & stuff). Unless you spend hours on it (how do these people find the time?) you're just skimming through and not really getting out of it what I hear it's good for.
It would be great to know about some Twitter pages that are important for writers. I've found WeFollow, but you can't customize what comes up, so again, you're swimming through a lot to find the nuggets. Recommendations would be welcome! And of course, I'll read the article. ;-)
Monica

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Permalink Reply by Kira Rosner on August 4, 2009 at 6:20am

Hi Dr. Mani, I have over 5,000 followers on Twitter and it continues to grow. While it has helped me practice promoting myself and my books, I agree with your comments about the importance of finding a target audience. I welcome any suggestions you have. Right now my focus is on promoting an Ebook version of a book on understanding death and coping with grief. Blessings, Kira

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Permalink Reply by John Kremer on August 19, 2009 at 3:04pm

You create such alerts using TweetBeep.com or TweetLater.com. Those are two services I use for this purpose.

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Permalink Reply by Susan Klopfer on September 21, 2009 at 2:34pm

I've found that sending out updates when I post to me book blog has made a difference. Daught the eye of an international reporter..

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Permalink Reply by Simone Clare Bailey on October 31, 2010 at 4:28am

Might try this, if my blog site will 'allow' it, ie, if it has that function. I blog a lot and get a lot of hits. What a shame you can't physically force someone to buy your book!

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Permalink Reply by Jeanette A. Fratto on November 24, 2010 at 7:53pm

Simone,

I love your comment that it's a shame we can't physically force someone to buy our books. This marketing thing is sooooo time consuming. I blog, use Twitter, and Goodreads, but I find my best results are personally contacting book clubs, senior centers (they're always looking for someone to entertain them) and writing classes. I always sell a few books too after my presentation. Jeanette

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Permalink Reply by Aileen Stewart on June 28, 2011 at 11:02am

Twitter is about building a network of friends and fans so to speak. I started following other authors, bloggers, moms, etc... I try and comment on pictures they post, what is going on with their children, newest book, recipes, and so on. As I build relationships, people begin to take an interest in me and my book. They post about me as an author on #Writers Wednesday or #Follow Friday which causes others on their pages to see and possibly follow me. I met a mother from Georgia this way, and she was the first person to buy my book Fern Valley-A Collection of Short Stories on Amazon. She is a home-schooling mom and she and her daughter read one story every day before school until the book was finished. She shared that her daughter literally cried when the last story was read because she didn't want to stop reading. Her daughter also sent me the cutest letter and my first piece of fan mail.

Although I do post about my book and events I will be at, I don't do it constantly which would certainly prove annoying. I often post my Goodread links to books I have read, and I tout other authors as well. I usually post ten minutes or so in the morning and in the evening. Sometimes a few minutes mid day. It doesn't take a lot of time and some of the people you meet are really interesting. It's about showing others that you are not a diva author, but a regular, likable, human being they can relate with.