The Book Marketing Network

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

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.

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You can start a group pertaining to the topic but make sure it's not a direct promo for your book or you won't have a lot of interest. Look for groups already set up - writing groups, reader groups, reviewers groups, alcoholism groups etc. Add your feedback to discussions in said groups but be subtle, be wise and include your link., Don't try to sell, try to connect. :)
Hope this helps.
The very best use of the social media areas you mentioned (Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin) are to provide valuable information to people on your specialty topic (family members dealing with alcoholism).

The very worst use is to always push your book without any valuable information provided to the reader. I unfollow those people and hide them on Facebook. They're irritating and they're all about themselves.

Find a way to insert yourself lovingly into conversations already going on. Are there groups created on Facebook or Linkedin for family members struggling with alcoholism? If so, can you provide a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on? That's more valuable than a sales pitch.

Good luck!
Sarah and Cherie provide great advice. Among other tips, you can create a fan page as well.

But, most important, you have to interact with the people in your network (fans, followers, etc.). The more you interact, the more people will pass on what you have to say.
Alberta,

I agree that with Cherie and Sarah's advice about concentrating on "going where people are already gathering," rather than trying to draw a bunch of people together to talk to them about your book.

On the other hand, I think it's also good to have a central place where people can come and interact with you about your book, particularly since it's such a heartfelt topic. Perhaps John's suggestion of a fan page for your book (on Facebook) would meet this need. After you speak, both verbally and in your handout, you could direct people to interact with you in a certain place, like your blog or your Facebook fan page.

Starting a fan page might not sell books over the short run, but if it becomes a place where people are starting to interact and get their needs met, they may tell their friends and these friends would find your book there.
I had been so busy with writing my sequel that I didn't have time to get involved with Facebook the way I should.
Another mistake is that I don't have a schedule. I read once on this site someone had mentioned to pick out days for certain involvement. Like Monday, do the promoting, Tuesday check with chat rooms, Wed. look for speaking engagements, Thurs. send out emails to introduce books, etc.
I get up and try to accomplish five different tasks in one day with getting half done.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Alberta
I started using Facebook months ago, not to promote my book but to socialize. The closer I get to my publishing date the more I realize the value of FB in terms of name recognition.
Because of the variety of "friends" I have I believe that some of them will be potential buyers of my book.
I love blogging, though I am still learning which blogs attract the most attention! My blog feeds into FB and Twitter.
I am learning how to use the three to my advantage.
I am still new at this. My first book came out in November 2009, and I called a Pastor who I have been knowing for years and I called him and told him I wrote a book. The next thing he said, is you have to do a book signing (duh) I didn't have a clue on what he was talking about. So, I spoke that Sunday and did a book signing. I have had approximately 100 book signings, speaking engagements, radio interviews at different venues. I just back track where and who I have met over the years and schedule a book signing / and or speaking engagements.


Also, I speak to the VIP authors who have covered some ground. What I find some authors won't share, but most of them will help you. Facebook is where I started in Nov and to date I have 5,000 friends, and I started a fan page to attact people who are aspiring to achieve.

One can't be afraid to achieve.
Congratulations, Anita. That's something to be proud of. I'm really lost with Facebook. All I get is close friends and family members.
I want to reach the media and professional with health issues on alcohol/drug abuse and don't know where to start. I'd love to know how to blog them.
I have a blog and spent the day with my brother for him to teach me how to set wordpress up. I love the site, but again, I have no knowledge on who or where to start to blog health care and substance abuse sites.
For both Facebook and Twitter you can do a search. For example with Twitter do a "writer" search and become friends with those on the list.
For both FB and Twitter you can become Friends of Friends- this is how you build a base. With Facebook you have to request to be a friend.
Once you have developed a friend look at their list and become friends of their friends. Remember you can always undo a friend.
I don't have 1000 friends yet but it is getting there also more poeplo are now requesting my friendship. Note my FB page is not all about my writing. Topics cover the full spectrum: faith, music, humor, politics (heavy on the politics). Don't limit who you communicate with.
Thanks Marsha, I'll try it.
I am listed as Marsha Randolph see you on FB!
Hi John,

I think a new forum would be a positive thing. In the meantime, I'll share some things that are working for me.

Firstly, I've worked hard to engage the writing community on Twitter and it has been extremely rewarding. I look at Twitter as a way to find people who share common interests with you. You're profile acts as a billboard, and the goal is to get those who visit your profile to click the link to the webpage that contains your marketing material / call to action. It's best not to try to sell things directly on Twitter, better to use it as a traffic pump to drive engaged and interested people to the page of your choice.

Secondly, I'm using a free ebook, Call of the Herald, to promote my fantasy trilogy, The Dawning of Power. The second and third books, Inherited Danger and Dragon Ore are available for $0.99. Keeping the prices low on the subsequent books is recommended, and it's best to let people know if the offer will expire. I prefer to make the offer permanent so people will be encouraged to share the link with others.

Lastly, polite promotion. I search the web for places where my genre is being discussed and self-promotion is acceptable. Forums with a "Promote yourself here" or similar thread are good places to spread the word. If you're not sure if self promotion is acceptable in a specific venue, either refrain from posting or at least make sure you provide some value to the audience members.

As a result of these techniques, Call of the Herald is now 2,074th on the B&N charts, and the rest of the trilogy is doing well.

Best of luck on your promotional efforts!

Sincerely,
Brian Rathbone
http://brianrathbone.com
http://twitter.com/brianrathbone

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