 | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE BOOK MARKETING EXPERT NEWSLETTER! A newsletter all about SUCCESSFUL publishing and POWERFUL promotion. March 1, 2012 Issue #267 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ in this issue -- Note From The Editor -- Facebook: Did you know? -- Feature Article: How to Create a Powerful Media List -- Are You Making These 7 Mistakes with Your About Page? -- Check Out AME's Book Marketing Resources -- Book Bits and Bites -- Why You Must Suck It Up & Create Your Facebook Business Page Today -- Taking Submissions: The 2012 Indie Excellence Awards -- Sign Up for Social Media Magazines Today! -- AME in the News -- Hear What The Publishing Insiders Have to Say -- Facebook + Twitter = More Exposure -- The Beginner's Guide to Blog Analytics -- The Future of Sharing on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ -- 8 Powerful Tips for Marketing Your Business With Ebooks -- 6 Tips to Resuscitate a Dying Author Blog -- Social Media Snippet: 56 Ways to Market on Pinterest -- Social Media Snippet: Increase Your Facebook Page Visibility -- Reader Tip! -- WHO ARE WE -- ------------------------------------------------------------ Penny C. Sansevieri, Editor penny@amarketingexpert.com Welcome to a new issue of THE BOOK MARKETING EXPERT NEWSLETTER.
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Note From The Editor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to another issue of the Book Marketing Expert Newsletter! Dear Author,
Can you believe it's March already? It seems like winter just flew by, and now our thoughts turn to spring. We have a great issue for you this week and it's packed with tips! Our feature story is all about how you can build your own media list without subscribing to the expensive online databases. While it takes time to create a comprehensive list, those contacts you've developed will come in handy when it's time for pitching. We also have a great special offer in this issue for our newsletter subscribers - a free copy of Social Media Magazines. We hope you enjoy them! Wishing you publishing success, Penny, Paula, Amy and everyone at Author Marketing Experts, Inc. |
Facebook: Did you know? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ According to a study by Roost.com, after evaluating 10,000 Facebook fans across 50 industries, the following strategies are the best tactics for social engagement on Facebook: * Photo posts get 50% more impressions than any other type of post
* Quotes get 22 percent more interactions
* Questions generate almost twice as many comments |
Feature Article: How to Create a Powerful Media List ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Building a media list is often tricky. Traditionally PR firms spend a lot of money on yearly subscriptions to online databases that give them access to every media contact in the US and sometimes the world. As a business owner, speaker or author you don't need to have that big of a media list, you just need a strong set of contacts that you can go to when you have a news item, a launch, or an interesting story to tell. When we consider our publicity budget, we don't often take into account the pricey subscriptions to these services. It's generally not a good idea, or a prudent use of your marketing budget, to sign up for a database such as this. But the problem is that you still need the contacts. There is, however, an alternative that does require some work and planning but will help you build a strong, long-term list. * Start early: This process, while it will save you money, will take you anywhere from three to six months to pull a good list together. The longer you work this process, the more comprehensive a list you will develop. * Topics: Be clear on the topics you feel you can cover and if you're unclear on how many areas you can address, spend some time with a professional publicity person who can help you brainstorm some areas. The more areas you can cover, the better and more fruitful your media campaign will be. * Google Alerts: First and foremost you want to keep track of any news breaking in your market. You also want to keep tabs on other speakers, authors, or businesses that are similar to yours so you can see where they are popping up. This will also alert you to the various media (including online media, i.e. bloggers) who work in your particular area. * Which media: Not all media is created equal, so be clear on which media you want to go after and what's doable for you. As you start building your list, you might find that your topic is very popular (lucky you) and there are opportunities in both broadcast and print media. Are you ready for prime time? Only you know the answer to this, but if you're just starting out the answer is probably no. Don't go for the big time media just because everyone else is. If you've had media training and you're not a novice then great, but likely you're just starting out. It's rare when a national morning show will feature a "green" guest. By that I mean someone who's never been on media or has no media training. If you're getting your feet wet start locally and build from there. * Networking: The next phase of this will be networking with your media contacts. And even though I cautioned you not to shoot too high if you're just starting out, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't start networking with them early. By networking I mean connecting with them on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Comment on their posts, their news and be sure to connect with them if the stories they publish are also featured online. As you get to know your target media (and they get to know you) you'll begin to build a relationship with them and, if you're lucky, even become a source for their stories. Most media folk are pretty well connected. If they do broadcast media and you can't find their stories online, check out the station website to see where you might find them in the social media world. * HARO: Don't forget to sign up with HARO (Help a Reporter Out). If you aren't familiar with this I have an article on media leads that will guide you through this process: (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/penny-c-sansevieri/maximizing-media-leads_b_748574.htm). Responding to media leads, even in the early stages of your project, will really help you build your media database and potentially get interviewed. * Staying in Touch: Once you have a story you are actively pitching, I recommend "touching" each of your media contacts at least once every six months or once a quarter if you have a really hot topic. You can keep contact with them through a quick email telling them you enjoyed their story, or through a pitch idea, but this contact should be direct. A posting on Facebook or response to a Google+ update is just part of your daily/weekly communication but it can't and shouldn't replace direct contact. * Events: As you go to industry events, always be alert to the media attending so you can network with them. Some events might publish their attending media list, but if they don't you can often spot media by their badge (many press passes have special colors on them so they are easy to spot). Be sure to attend evening functions, which is always a great place to identify new, potential media who may be interested in your pitch. Building a media list is more than just creating a list, it's about building long-term relationships with media (both online and off) that you can turn to again and again. Once you have this media list, you'll want to keep enhancing it. As your message and media data base grows, these relationships can grow with you. Like any relationships, they'll take time so it's best to start early. Once you implement these action items, they should become part of your daily/weekly/monthly marketing goals. At some point, as you continue networking and connecting with the right media, you'll find that media opportunities become almost second nature. There's no substitute for a mention in a popular blog, magazine, radio or TV show - you just have to be ready when opportunity knocks. Good luck! |
Are You Making These 7 Mistakes with Your About Page? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Learn what to avoid - and what to include - to make this important page on your site shine: http://www.copyblogger.com/how-to-write-an-about-page/ |
Check Out AME's Book Marketing Resources ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Put AME in your circles on Google+ at: https://plus.google.com/u/0/117877257839352379062/. Please "Like" our Facebook Page for marketing articles and tips, YouTube videos from our book marketing channel, notices about upcoming webinars, Publishing Insider shows, and more: http://www.facebook.com/bookmarketingame. Want Book Marketing Content? Visit the articles page on our AME website and you'll find a range of articles by Penny, which may be used along with her byline (provided at the top of the page) at no cost. The complete list is at: http://www.amarketingexpert.com/articles/. See "David Meerman Scott on News Jacking" and much more on AME's Book Marketing Channel on YouTube. New videos are added regularly to keep you up to date on all things book marketing! http://www.youtube.com/user/BookmarketingAME. |
Book Bits and Bites ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Rediscover Those Books: A survey says re-reading books can offer mental health benefits: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2101516/Reading-book-really-better-second-time-round--reading-offer-mental-health-benefits.html * For Book Lovers: The Top 10 book sites on Technorati: http://workflowwriting.com/655488/top-ten-book-sites-on-technorati.php * Mini Checkout: See the repurposed phone booth library in NYC: http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/19325/repurposed-phone-booth-library-in-nyc.html * Single-Minded: Famous authors and their unlikely obsessions: http://flavorwire.com/261579/famous-authors-unlikely-obsessions |
Why You Must Suck It Up & Create Your Facebook Business Page Today ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If kids, soon-to-be-adults and millions of not-so-young adults are your future audience, then you need to have a Facebook Business Page as you need to be where your audience is. And, today, our children, teens, young adults and even older adults like my former room mates and my ex (who deny they are addicted to Facebook) can be found updating their profile, commenting and changing their status updates regularly. The New York Times even wrote an article recently that showed kids are finding crafty ways to get around the increasing number of Facebook bans their schools are implementing. One eighth grader, who preferred not to be named, said he coached a school administrator on avoiding the ban last year. "She hated not being able to get on Facebook at work and asked for my help one day in the office," the boy explained, more than a little sympathetic to her plight. "What could I do?" It came as no surprise to me, and it's speaking volumes of the need for small businesses, as much as they want to continue down that stream of FB Denial, to get on board and create a Facebook business page. It is time for them to put themselves in front of this next generation of Facebook addicts. Need more proof? 5 Reasons Why You Must Set up a Facebook Fan Page Fast!
1. Kids, soon adults, and millions of young and not-so-young adults are your future audience and they are all there, "friending" Justin Bieber under their covers (like my daughter last night) when they should be asleep. 2. With over 600 million users and almost 50% of them on Facebook daily - stop - think about it - AND over 40% of existing businesses already up and running on it, you want your business to be where your customers and potential customers are going, right? If you knew that your customers were passing by one of the huge billboards in Times Square every day and those billboards didn't cost millions per month to be advertising there, you would want to be up there - wouldn't you? 3. Your Facebook business page is like the huge billboard in Times Square except for the fact that it's free. Your customers are there, their friends are there. And you can say a heck of a lot more on a FB page than you can on a billboard. 4. The search engines love a Facebook Business Page. Because a business page is a public URL and not a private one, your site will have a much easier time making it to the top of a Google search than your website. That's unless you've invested a lot of $ into SEO (not that there's anything wrong with that). 5. As mentioned earlier, your competition already has a Facebook business page, and not because they want to share about their favorite rice and beans recipe. The "Like" button has become the new "link." Many online marketers, myself included, now believe that the Facebook "Like" button is becoming just as significant as backlinks to a website. In other words, the more "likes" your page has, the greater the chance of it ranking high in the search engines for your specific field and keywords. So think of it as a link and encourage your customers to press it. Every time you update something on your page these customers will now see it as they have been "linked" to it. There are so many good reasons to create one of these Facebook business pages I could blather on and on about them forever. For now, think about the math. The average Facebook page has 140 friends. When you post to Facebook, your "friends" and all their "friends" will view your post. Can you spell V-I-R-A-L? As insane as it might sound, there's a reason why Shop Rite wants you to "Like" them on Facebook. Guest post by Suzen Pettit: Suzen specializes in designing, building, marketing and maintaining optimized websites and social media profiles for busy small business owners. By using her strategic internet marketing techniques you will ensure your business is being found and that clients are seeing what YOU want them to see on the Internet about you. For even more free tips, tools, strategies and resources, read her free articles at: http://www.omaginarium.com/blog/ |
Taking Submissions: The 2012 Indie Excellence Awards ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Indie Excellence Awards contest is taking submissions! NIEA celebrates overall excellence, including design and promotional text. To enter, please send one copy of your book per category entered. Books with publication dates of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 are eligible. Books published anywhere in the world may be submitted as long as they are in English and can be purchased in the United States. For more information, expanded category listings and entry forms please visit: http://www.indieexcellence.com |
Sign Up for Social Media Magazines Today! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Get your free copy of Social Media Magazines, compliments of Author Marketing Experts: http://tweetingandbusiness.com/customissues/ame-authors http://fbandbusiness.com/customissues/ame-authors http://liandbusiness.com/customissues/ame-authors http://thebiggandbusiness.com/customissues/ame-authors |
AME in the News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Penny was interviewed by M.O., where you can view and vote on the article: http://www.mo.com/Penny-Sansevieri-Author-Marketing-Experts * Penny's article "Social Media Savvy" was published by Small Business Opportunities: http://www.sbomag.com/features/social-media-savvy/ * Keep up with Penny's latest articles for Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/penny-c-sansevieri * Penny has a series on book marketing underway at BookBuzzr: http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/?s=Penny+Sansevieri&x=0&y=0 |
Hear What The Publishing Insiders Have to Say ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Be in the know and hear what the publishing insiders: Penny Sansevieri, CEO of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. - and her guests - offer in terms of tips and insights into the industry! Listen here. Publishing Insiders is now available on iTunes, so you can keep up with the show wherever you go! Upcoming show:
Tuesday, March 6 at 4 p.m. Pacific: "Like" My Stuff
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepublishinginsiders/2012/03/07/like-my-stuff
Learn to boost sales, promote your brand, and increase your online presence with the author of "Like My Stuff: How to Get 750 Million Members to Buy Your Products on Facebook."
Dr. Natalie Petouhoff helps companies understand how social media affects the bottom-line and to create strategies that provide real business value. She does this by benchmarking your "As Is" and compares it to your "Could Be" best practices. With this insight, you can create a world-class social media and digital presence. You'll be well-armed to devise a social media roadmap, track your progress, gather the right metrics to transform into a social media ROI analysis, articulate the business case, and justify the plan to upper management. Shows available for download include:
* Secrets to Creating Children's Book Apps
* Lead Without Followers with Dave Ursillo
* Facebook Facts from Social Media Expert Mari Smith
* Special Guest Mike Stelzner on social media marketing
* Special Guest Amy Porterfield on Facebook Marketing
* Special Guest Chris Brogan on Google+
* How and Where to Sell Your Self-Published Book
* Speaker Tips for Authors
* How to Get Your Book Reviewed
* The Future of Author Events
* What Authors Must Know About Book Cover Design
* SPECIAL GUEST Seth Godin: Poke the Box
* Smart Self-Publishing: Why Book Design & Editing Matter
* Smart Self-Publishing: Making Money with eBooks
* Smart Self-Publishing Series: Becoming Your Own Publisher |
Facebook + Twitter = More Exposure ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Did you know that blog posts shared on Twitter have 63% more page views than those just shared on Facebook alone? Combined sharing on Twitter and Facebook increased inbound links by 149%. |
The Beginner's Guide to Blog Analytics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Learn some basic methods for tracking and analyzing your blog stats: http://www.mackcollier.com/beginner-blog-analytics/ |
The Future of Sharing on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check out these predictions for social media sharing and how people will use Twitter, Facebook and Google+: http://mashable.com/2012/02/15/future-of-sharing-facebook-twitter-google/ |
8 Powerful Tips for Marketing Your Business With Ebooks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Creating ebooks is a great way to build - and keep - your following: http://mashable.com/2012/02/10/ebook-marketing/ |
6 Tips to Resuscitate a Dying Author Blog ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Your blog does require some maintenance, but an author who's been there offers some advice on keeping things relevant: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/6-tips-to-resuscitate-a-dying-author-blog |
Social Media Snippet: 56 Ways to Market on Pinterest ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pinterest may be a lot of fun for users, but it's also proving to be a potent marketing tool: http://workflowwriting.com/654695/56-ways-to-market-your-business-on-pinterest.php |
Social Media Snippet: Increase Your Facebook Page Visibility ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Begin with a schedule, so your fans know when to expect new content. Here are additional ways to keep your Facebook Page going strong: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-ways-to-increase-your-facebook-page-visibility/ |
Reader Tip! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you've got a Reader Tip you'd like to share, please send it to penny@amarketingexpert.com with the subject line "reader tip." Submissions should be 75 words or less. |
WHO ARE WE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author Marketing Experts, Inc. is a full-service book marketing, promotion, and publicity company. We serve authors at all stages of marketing and promotion. We offer a full range of packages and services to choose from. To see a price list or schedule a free consultation, send your e-mail to penny@amarketingexpert.com with the subject line "Author Services Info." You can also visit our website at www.amarketingexpert.com. Reprint permission
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Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com |
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