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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Ah, a masterful technique - piggybacking off the promotions of other authors.

That's one of the reasons I founded The Book Marketing Network - so authors would work together to sell more books.

John

When you least expect it!

Today, I attended a reading at a "tiny" cafe' that sells books; mine included.  I went because my publisher is due to print my book in March and she was putting the event on.  About 30 showed up and I got to read "short" sections from two books; alcoholic memoirs about losing a husband and daughter from this disease.

Near the end, I'm shameful to say, I was ready to go.  Three women from a writer's group loved my books and gave me their business card to speak there.

I sold one book but who knows what can spread since she's from a hospital.

An Author was introduced to me by my publisher.  He loved my talk.  He is a recovering alcoholic.  He is also a speaker getting into a school to talk to 900 kids and will try to help me get in. I invited him to come to the NBTV-95 as a guest of mine when it's my time to host a new author.  He was thrilled to have been asked. He also wants to contribute to my upcoming book for the alcoholics, written by alcoholics.

My publisher plans on having him and I in one of her workshops to speak from the alcoholic's view with his struggle and mine from as the family member suffering in silence watching them.

I belong to the Cape Cod Writers Center and met the "president" of the organization.  I gave him my card and hope to speak sometime in the future.

So as I stated above,  "You Never Know!"

 

 

Alberta, how encouraging! I'm doing a small independent bookstore/cafe in a few months, so this charges me up! You never know...

As authors, we want the steak without working at the hamburg first.  If and when we get it, the benefits and taste are so much better knowing we worked to get there.

Yes, it would be nice if it fell in our laps but that doesn't happen often. 

Steve, I "always" go with 3-5 media kits just in case someone real important comes to the event.  It's easy to hand a business card to them and then the person may lose it, forget who the person on the business card is or feels it's a lot of work to look you up.

Fill a folder up on one side with a bio and your media appearances with website, blog and email and any media write-ups.  On the other side, put the One Sheets with your books that I talked about (if you forgot, I'll send it again) which contains all the book info without them going to Amazon or B&N.  Put a business card in the slot or with a "gold" clip; not silver.

When someone shows interest, especially if they have to talk to someone first about having you come in, he or she can present your folder to the correct person without trying to remember or omitting important things about you. 

Good Luck!

Alberta

Great tips Alberta! I'm bad about forgetting to bring key information, even as basic as business cards. The sheets with all the information makes sense, especially since these key people are inspired when they are with you, but need the information to present to others later.

Some time ago, we were talking about Press Kits, and I've begun working on mine. Alberta mentioned putting a price on any and all speaking engagements, and yet I hesitate to do that. I don't want to scare people off by the price. It seems like someone would look at that and think "Well, we can't afford that so we won't even contact her." On the flip side, what if I put a price too low when I could have made more by letting them volunteer a price? Finally, I live in Montana. It's a HUGE state...with few people. If I put a low price, but have to drive to the other side, I would actually be PAYING to go there.

So I guess my questions are this: How much do you charge for speaking events? And what about a sentence like "Contact for prices" in the press kit?

Vicki, people are all over the board with this. Would like to hear others chime in on how they handle charging people for events. The bookstore I'll be speaking at is in an economically struggling town and is probably struggling itself. I'm not charging anything, but the manager is very good about making sure that there will be an audience before she signs me on, so I feel pretty certain that I'll be able to sell some books. One time when I did an event like this, a good many people bought my books, but additionally someone said that "the social networks lit up after I spoke" - so that people spread the word virally. So you never know.

Typically, I'm not traveling too far, since I live in Metro Atlanta and I can't travel far because of home responsibilities (I care for my 106-year-old Grand mom). I don't see myself being a "much in demand" speaker any time soon, so when someone invites me, I just ask them what they normally pay a speaker. If it's nothing, I tend to speak for nothing. But some offer more than I would have asked, so I try to get them to make an offer first, that way I get a price range.

I know some people say to charge a lot and people will respect you more and pay what you ask, but I think that especially when we're starting out, we've got a build a platform of good blurbs and references about our speaking, so I'm willing to start at the bottom. If you speak somewhere free, sometimes people feel they owe you something, so they're more motivated to purchase your books and help you by doing reviews or passing on the word.

J. Steve Miller
Author of Social Media Frenzy “Rethinking social media for authors.”
Author of Sell More Books! “What really works for low profile authors.”

It is a touchy subject and I did mention charging something because I met Tory Johnson, author and speaker and a TV show host, at the Mass Women's Conference in Boston, and she said change something; even $50. I had asked her the same question, Vicki.

I'm going to be contacting a school system that has about six schools connected to them. If I save okay to a free talk at one location, that means I'm stuck with them expecting the rest to be free. I'm in the process of another speaker coming in with me to contact locations to talk. He is a recovery substance abuser and I'm a person who lost two from it.  Love the idea.  Problem; he hasn't been charging and I am. 

If any of you listen to Steve Harrison on his telephone seminars, his guests all said that schools and other locations have the money to pay. You want to pass out? One on Steve's guest said that an "unknown" speaker going into a college or university should not charge under $2,500 because you are sharing your experience.

This is a topic that we all have to decide how and who to charge.  I always say on my business cards, and website, and talks, "Call for a quote for your event. "  This way, before they contact you, they already know that there will be a charge.

I'm going to a library in a bad section with alcohol and drug problems and they don't have the money. They will allow me to sell books. Will they sell? Probably not because the abusers don't have money.

I'm sorry, Vicki, this may confuse you.  I just play it by ear.

Do I do it all the time; no.  I have a talk coming up next month to a women's group from a church and one for a writer's group.  We all know they don't have the money so I can't charge.  But we all don't want to lose the chance to get know, so I just ask to sell my books.

Here's another situation.  I have some substance abuse rehabilitations pay and some won't.  My problem? What if they somehow connect in the business and some hear I didn't charge another one?

I had to laugh at your reply, Alberta! I'm not confused...I just have a headache! :)

One of the issues we have out here is that since it's so far to places, and most towns are so small, people don't have the same opportunities as in the bigger cities. For example, going to a writer's conference can add up quickly when you add in driving costs, etc. And, of course, farming and ranching don't make a lot of money. I hate to set a price because I know a lot of places wouldn't be able to pay anything. And I feel like my speaking is not just to make me money, but to help others. On that side, I know of one very well-known author (who I won't name) who was asked to speak at a camp. They are dirt-poor, but it would have helped them out a lot. S/He named his/her price, which was leagues and leagues out of the ball park. I understand that a lot of people probably hound him/her for speaking engagements, but I've always thought less of this author for not being willing to help out.

I think I'll just put something about gas prices rising and any compensation would be appreciated. That way if somehow they find out that another place paid more or less, I can say "Well, they chose to pay less..." I like your idea of a "call for a quote".

Yeah, it's complicated! :)

Hi everyone! 

I found this forum to help me finish a book up ( just like everyone else here :) )  I can see there is tons of information and I am just finding my way around.  I am not a " trained" writer. I suck at writing and I dread forums because you have to type everything out and you cannot physically hear the tone of the speaker to get the full message.  So I apologize  ahead for my spelling errors. Please overlook my grammar.     I think I will like his place.

That said....   Public Speaking has to be treated like a business.   hoping that "sometimes" people will buy your book because you spoke for free is not a good business model to  try and execute.

Free speeches have their place  and it is the best way to get used to speaking AND to fine tune your message.   But this process has to be balanced with the other side which is 'value'.

To jump ahead, my brother and I were doing speaking engagement around the country a few years ago.and  we learned that there are almost expected price point that speaking rates fall into it was  Free,  $2500 and $10,000.

   Back to my point .  When you are first starting out, you are actually getting more value than they are  that is why it is free.  Give your free speeches to the groups that can't afford to pay but need the information. Hone your skills and tell them ahead of time that you will want to get written quotes ( blurbs).  Once you have your talk down pat, you need to value your product and you want to attract people who value it also. IF  you do not give the message that you have a valuable product no one else will do it for you.

Patrick,

Good, reasoned advice from practical experience. Thanks! And welcome to a great forum!

J. Steve Miller
Author of Social Media Frenzy “Rethinks social media for authors.”
Author of Sell More Books! “What really works for low profile authors.”

I have to check out your book about selling more books.  But i am not to that point yet. I bookmarked it.

Thanks for your time!

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