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We all know a great deal of people collectively here. I know my various email lists are quite large. I also know a great joke can be passed to over 2 million people in 24 hours (reuters). I was curious...

Has anyone had success (as measured by purchases) from utilizing their personal contacts to notify of your book release and these contacts in turn forwarding to their lists?

If so, I would love to hear about it!

-James T.

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Hi, James
I would like to share my experience about email lists and notifying others. I recently send emails using lists from my husband's, son's, friends who are always send emails with numerous addresses. There must have been over 1,000 addresses combined. I had a few people email me back to ask questions about the book. A small percentage (10% )said they would purchase it and 20% emailed to say, they would forward it to others. I did not see an increase in sales. I don't know if it was because of maybe the subject or just people aren't really interested.
Hi:
The best method I've seen used has been the "Amazon Campaign" with people sending announcements about a book and the buyer getting a gazilloin dollars in bonus products for buying the book on a particular day.

I've participated in sevral of these both offering bonus products and sending emails and plan to do one in April for one of my books.

As played out as this may seem to those of us in the business, for the customer it's a great deal and people are happy to take advantage of it.
Hello,
related to Jim Donovan's post I have heard of this method on Steve Harris' free seminar. It sounds plausible, as it presents a sense of urgency to the buyer. However, I am not knowledgeable on where these bonuses/prizes come from. The seminar guests mentioend that there are people practically falling over to have their products used but where do you find these partners? Is there a way or method of identifying these partners?
Amaal, Excellent question. I write of the soul so should I get some soul music sponsors? Actually the idea seems excellent but wouldn't it come with a great deal of cultivation to desirable sponsors?

Mr. Donovan, can you enlighten us a bit?
I certainally can't stand in for Mr. Donovan but then again, I must say that he had begun to ignite fire into me over a year ago and the brainstorming just doesn't end... smile... (sorry, Jim, I couldn't resist)
Anyway, as I often tell authors, first of all, your product never really should end with your book -- once you think about it, many other products can spring from that one initial idea. Article writing can really be two-fold: 1. to gain further exposure and develop a following and 2. develop into another book or e-book and be offered as an add-on product -- Audio talk cd's also can be a valuable give away and actually eventually sold as a volume set. This process , once set in motion, can really be brainstormed into a number of products but should be of genuine 'value' to the customer.
Someone I recommend who has 'inventory' of this sort for exactly this purpose is Cody Moya -- but with his products, you have to determine if it would be a fit with your image and audience -- it all boils down to the type of audience you are looking to attract.
As far as seeking out partners, that's a great way to do a campaign and would take time and research in deciding who you would want to align yourself with. This network that John Kremer generously began would be a great start in building relationships to find if there's a match for co-partnering within a campaign. From this point on, I will hand over this to Jim - he is never ever out of ideas so get ready...
I cover Amazon Bestseller Campaigns in my book, 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, Chapter 12. I describe how to do it step-by-step.

As for where you get the bonuses to give away, you get them donated by the same people who will be mailing out a notice of the campaign to their email list, or will be blogging about the campaign, or will be putting a notice on their website.

Why do people mail out notices? And why do they donate bonuses? Simple. The bonus generally is a report or audio that gives good value but also sells other things that they have to sell. In essence, when you offer a bonus report, that report includes links to your website, book sales page, etc. So I get two values out of contributing to someone else's campaign. I get the exposure of my name and bonus to everyone who is sent an email or reads a blog. That can be as many as a million people. But I also get my marketing message directly to everyone who downloads my bonus product.

It's a win for me. It's a win for the author running the campaign for their book. And it's a win for the buyers of the book.
Highlighting yet another way to sell your book....I shall go purchase a copy. Thanks. I'm sure your
instructions will provide me great benefit. Can't wait to read it.
This Amazon Campaign sounds interesting....great idea. I'm digging into it now...
Hi James,

My book, The Law of Achievement, became an Amazon.com bestseller in May
of 2006 with the help of lots of great Joint Venture partners. My co-author and
I also recruited the support and help of Executive Women International to get
the word out. Within 24 hours word spread near and far. We sold more books
on the day of the campaign than the World is Flat, Freakonomics and the DiVinci
Code.

It was a very effective campaign that I still enjoy a great deal of benefit from.

Kathleen Gage
Kathleen,

Can I assume that "The Law of Achievement" had some gravitational resonnance with Executive
Women International? Does it propogate their agenda in some way?

If so, then I can see how this came about. If not, then what drove the large adoption? I too, would
like to find a global vertical "sponsor/partner" and would like to know the compelling drivers
that underpinned your success...other than spectacular penmanship of course.

-James T.
Hi James,

EWI has a membership that is very much our target market on the book.
We put a full proposal together as to the benefit of EWI partnering with
us on the marketing, for example, their ability to reach readers who may
not be familiar with the organization. (They began in 1938)

We also chose to donate a portion of each book sale back to their signature
fundraising program, The Reading Rally. In addition, we solicited thoughts
on achievement from all of the 2006 Chapter Presidents.

It turned out to be a win/win all the way around.

It was essential to have a very well thought out proposal in that we had to be
be able to address any concerns or objections.

Kathleen
Hello Everyone!

I am currently putting together an Amazon Best Seller Campaign for
Apirl 12th. I took a course run by Peggy McColl and Randy Gilbert on how
to do one.
According to them, you need at least 500,000 emails going out to break the top
10 on Amazon. That is alot of emails!
I currently have commitments from people with a combined list total
of close to 100,000. So I still have a long way to go.
I am donating 100% of the profits from the day of the campaign to the Child
Support Disaster Relief Fund(A.C.E.S-childsupport-aces.org).
I am collecting bonuses from anyone who wants to get involved, the subject
does not have to be divorce or children. I recently contributed a bonus on the
Sugar Shock book campaign and the Think Two Products Ahead
campaign , both completely unrelated to my book subject,
and got close to 400 new subscribers.
I am also going to include anyone who participates in my campaign
in several press releases I am sending out. I will also include
their links to their websites.
Some of the other strategies I am using to get the word out is
contacting groups on myspace and contacting bloggers, podcasters
and other website owners who may have an interest in helping
to raise money for children who are owed child support.
Currently there are 17 million children in the U.S. who are
suffering from the non-payment of child support. Many
of the parents who are caring for these children are
working two jobs, have lost their homes or have had
to go on welfare.
My ex-husband did not pay support for my kids for
one year and spent a month in jail, so I know what
these families are going through.
If anyone here would like more information on how
I am organizing my campaign, I would be glad to share.
If you would like to give a bonus or help get the word out
about the campaign,let me know.

Christina

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