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THE BOOK MARKETING EXPERT NEWSLETTER!
A newsletter all about SUCCESSFUL publishing and POWERFUL promotion.
October 18, 2007 Issue #155
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In this issue
-- Note From The Editor
-- How to Build Your (Email) List
-- Your Rockin' Red Hot Media Room
-- Relish Magazine
-- Never Use a Squeeze Page as Your Main Website
-- Online or Offline, This is the Key to Success
-- Book Bits and Bites
-- SEO Like a Pro!
-- What's Your Headline?
-- Best Guest Digest
-- About Outbound Links
-- Bookpleasures.com Hosts Author Interview Series
-- Get Action With The Red Hot Blog Tour
-- Tips For Successful Book Promotion!
-- Red Hot Internet Publicity Virtual Class!
-- How to Buzz Your Book!
-- Ezine launched for San Diego area writers
-- Are Virtual Tours for You?
-- Reader Tip!
-- WHO ARE WE
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Penny C. Sansevieri, Editor penny@amarketingexpert.com
Dear Reader,
Have you given your media room much thought? If you're like most people, probably not. But did you know that, according to a recent study, media rooms on websites are becoming almost as popular as blogs? Why? Well, it's a great place for your customer to get more information on you and your book! If your media room is a bit lackluster, you're in luck! This week we're looking at ways to make your media room rock!
If the letters SEO trip you up (Search Engine Optimization), we've got tips and tricks sprinkled throughout this issue to help you make the most of your online experience.
Wishing you publishing success,
Penny and the entire AME staff
P.S. Check out our blog!
We offer great tips and insights, such as 'Marketing With Electronic Mini-Courses:'
http://amarketingexpert.com/ameblog/?p=68
P.P.S. Hear me live on Nov. 2, when I'm appearing on Writers in the Sky Podcast to talk about Red Hot Internet Publicity! http://www.yvonneperry.net/WritersintheSkyPodcast.ht m#Podcast_Shows
How to Build Your (Email) List
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So you have a newsletter - great! But now you're wondering how you'll get subscribers. Here are a few quick tips to help grow your subscriber list and bring more people into your fabulous marketing funnel!
1) Make sure you have an ethical bribe: this is something you give to get something. A free eBook, special report, whatever it is, it must have value to your reader. If it doesn't, you won't attract new subscribers. The idea is that if they want the freebie they have to give you their email address.
2) Create some "Top 10 Tips" articles: People love those "Top 10 Ways to" articles, so why not create some of your own? Even if you're a fiction author you can still offer suggestions for Top 10 ways to get published, simple solutions for character development, research, etc. If you're stumped for ideas consider this: add the following words to the end of the title string "Top 10 Tips to" Create, Solve, Prepare, Start, Prevent, Save, Improve. These should get you started!
3) I tell authors this over and over again, and I'm surprised how many folks still forget to do this. Your email signature line may be your most powerful asset. Always include a link to the subscribe page for your ezine (if it's on your home page refer them there) - don't forget to tell them about the fabulous freebie they'll get just for subscribing!
Your Rockin' Red Hot Media Room
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Did you know that second only to your blog, the media room should be the most updated page on your website? When was the last time you updated your media room? For most of us, it's probably been a while. We tend to put up media rooms and then forget about them. But more and more, a good, informative media room should be consistently updated. We've found through research, reading, and our own experiences that often it's not just the media that visits this page, that's why the term "media room" is a bit misleading. It's actually a great place to inform, entertain, and educate your reader on you, your books, your message or product, and the things you've been up to, and often it's the first place a prospective buyer will go to for more information on you and your work.
In order to compete in the digital age, more and more authors are turning to their media rooms to attract readers to their book. Why? Well it's a great one-stop-shop place to get all the latest data on your books, new editions, new products and new speaking events (should you decide to list them).
The old way of doing media rooms was to have a list of your press releases, maybe a link or two to media and that was that. Now media rooms are almost the nerve center of your entire website. Here's a quick rundown of what should (and shouldn't) be in your media room. Keep in mind that components of a media room will vary, depending on your topic, genre and focus, so if you can't include all of these, that's ok. Better to have only those components related to your book/product/topic than ones that don't make any sense at all:
1) Downloadable picture of your book cover or covers, your photo and other related artwork you want to offer.
2) About You: people want to know who you are, so tell them! Make sure your bio is on the media room and ready to download. It's especially helpful if a media person is trying to gather information for an article and wants some background on you.
3) Press releases with live links: a few issues back we wrote that live links in a press release are a great way to get traffic back to your site, but guess what? It works well in reverse, too. News posted to your site gets spidered very quickly, so including links and keywords will greatly enhance the visibility of both the media room and your press release. In fact another quick tip is this: instead of placing ads, issue a press release. No kidding. Press releases are a far better alternative than an ad on the Internet. You'll get spidered, you'll get ranking and best of all, you'll get traffic. In a future issue we'll take another look at optimizing a press release, so if this is confusing, sit tight - we'll go more into this in detail later!
4) New book/product information: this is the perfect place for sharing past, current, and future information on your book. Be boastful! This your chance!
5) Tip sheets: we all know that the media loves tip sheets, but guess what? Your readers/consumers do, too. Fill your press room with any that you've created.
6) Where you've been featured: be very generous with this. Don't assume that if you have only been featured online that you should not list that. List everything! The more you can populate this room with links that make you look like the busy marketing person you are, the more attractive you'll be to your buyer and to the media.
7) Ideas for stories: if a reporter is perusing your site looking for story ideas, why not give it to him? Creating a pop up box that says "Here's how (insert your name) can help you with your story" is a great way to generate ideas for the media and get yourself a mention in an upcoming story or feature.
8) Bragging rights! If you have testimonials or reviews, place them here, too. While it's always good to sprinkle testimonials/reviews throughout your site, this is another great place to list them. Regardless of whether the visitor to your media room is the media or a reader, people like what other people like!
9) No hunting allowed! Don't make people hunt for information. The other day I was on a site looking for book pricing. I had to send an email to get a list of pricing, and why? Because it was confidential? Doubtful. But most people don't think to remove the extra steps. Shorten the staircase. Meaning: remove needless steps to the close. Put pricing, information sheets, whatever you have up on your media room so folks don't have to go on a hunting expedition for it.
10) Events: I took events off of my website a long time ago. Why? Because I do so much pop up stuff that I had a hard time keeping up with it. There's nothing worse than an outdated events page, but if you can keep yours up, great! Keep it current, the activity will look great on your media room.
A few final tips: don't even consider cramming all of this information onto your site if you're not going to deliver this in pop-up form. Check out http://www.amarketingexpert.com/media.html for an example of this. (depending when you click on this you might see different information; our media room is being updated *again* as you read this). Also, deliver your text content in both PDF format as well as in text format so the search engines can spider it.
Don't limit yourself to the items mentioned above, experiment with other media room ideas that might not be listed here. Book videos, for example, might be another great addition to your media room. The key is, start thinking of your media room as a place to present yourself not just to the media, but to the world! This will change how you view this very important page on your site and help turn a ho-hum page into a rockin' red hot media room!
Relish Magazine
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Relish is a monthly magazine that appears as an insert within weekly and daily newspapers nationwide. Relish's editorial mission is to celebrate America's love of food. Each issue brings features on cooking, dining and entertaining, whether it's a formal dinner or a tailgate party, health oriented or a sweet indulgence, a hidden roadside restaurant or a family picnic. Relish is a resource for cooking tips, recipes and new products for the kitchen. Relish has a Sunday circulation of 6,830,771
Coverage of people and places must have broad regional or national relevance. Articles should be topical but have a long shelf life. Work on seasonal stories begins a year in advance so seasonal ingredients can be tested.
Each month, Relish features:
This & That-Short descriptions or announcements of a new book, a new food, a good website or a cool kitchen gadget or tool, plus kitchen tips and nutrition nuggets.
Tastes of America-Food festivals across the nation, in both small, off-the-beaten track locales and big cities, and a recipe from the featured festival.
Good Health-From antioxidants to good fats to whole grains, this column focuses on food that tastes good and is good for you.
Road Trips-American eateries and the food they serve, including a recipe from each restaurant featured.
Good Food Fast-Simple, quick and accessible describes the recipes in this column designed to solve the weeknight dinner dilemma.
Recipes-Readers supply the recipes featured in this column, which provides a forum for hometown cooks across the nation and sometimes even the parties and get-togethers they host.
Seasons-Focuses on the season, from the bounty of summer's farmers markets to fall pumpkins to outdoor grilling to cozying up with a bowl of soup.
Wine-Full of practical advice and a good dose of humor, this column offers useful information about wine and steer readers through the maze of choices available.
Holidays-New and traditional foods for the holidays, from Valentines Day to Easter and Passover, from Halloween to Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Who You Know-Celebrates the folks who are making a difference in the way Americans eat, from cooks and cookbook authors to chefs and nutrition advocates.
Key contacts:
Charlie Cox, executive editor
Candace Floyd, food editor
Jill Melton, editor in chief
The editorial staff likes submissions sent via email to the main email address, editorial@relishmag.com.
To submit an article that meets the above guidelines, send a one-paragraph query with clips to queries@relishmag.com. No phone, mail or fax submissions.
Relish
341 Cool Springs Blvd.
Ste 400
Franklin, TN 37067
Phone: (615) 468-6000
Fax: (615) 468-6100
Website: www.relishmag.com
Email: editorial@relishmag.com
Never Use a Squeeze Page as Your Main Website
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Squeeze pages are popular among web-marketiers. These are pages designed to "squeeze" you out of your email by offering you fabulous (free) incentives or opportunities to buy. When done correctly, squeeze pages can be a great way to grow your list, but the problem is, many folks use these as standalone websites, which is a huge mistake. Squeeze pages are fine if they're a page within your site, but when they're a site onto themselves this becomes tricky.
Why? Well, the squeeze page is designed to block consumers from getting to content unless they give you their email address. The same is true for search engines, but the problem is, search engines can't fill out forms. This means that they can't spider your site either, since they can't get to all of your fabulous content. Second, journalists are not going to give up their email address to get to your media room. So if a press person lands on your site and finds nothing but a squeeze page, you've now lost a media interview, too.
Online or Offline, This is the Key to Success
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There is one key to success online and let me tell you now, technology is a piece of it.
Yes, the technical side is important and has a very key role to play. Get the technology right without another critical ingredient and failure is guaranteed.
What is this magic sauce? People.
"People" are the key to your success, online or off.
What a bizarre thing to say! But it is true. Let me explain.
Take a look at this list and tell me what they all have in common:
Subscribers
Traffic
Links
Social Media Votes
Comments
Search Engine Results
Advertisers
Sales
Got it? They all rely on other people!
You might think that SEO is all about technical tweaks and tricks. Black arts, keyword stuffing, getting the right number of keywords in the right places. But I would argue the best Search Engine Optimizers are actually masters of psychology - Social Optimizers if you will.
Your best links come from other bloggers. Links and anchor text are key to search results. Social Media is partly about phrasing headlines and descriptions, but it is mostly about getting votes. Votes come from people.
Get the people side right and you have won over half the battle.
Focus on people first; when your audience is happy, you will find the rest a whole lot easier!
~ Tips offered by AME's SEO expert Susan Gilbert
Book Bits and Bites
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Imitation is the sincerest form of ? Hot on the heels of the Barnes & Noble website redesign, Borders has launched a beta version for consumers to check out. You can look - but you can't buy - until early 2008. Check it out here.
Amen to That: There's nothing like being a good neighbor, as the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles proved. During a recent sermon, parishioners were urged to buy books at the nearby Eso Won Books, as noted by Shelf Awareness, highlighting an article in the LA Times.
Payola: Publisher's Weekly brought this nugget to our attention - apparently people were paid for attending The Donald's (Trump) book signing Oct. 17, possibly lured by an ad in Metro New York. The Donald is promoting his new book, Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life. Here's the scoop.
Book Buying on the Berry: Who buys books in a bookstore anymore? Now, you will be able to buy Barnes & Noble titles on your Crackberry, through an agreement the bookseller struck with the mobile commerce service provider Digby to sell books, CDs and DVDs on BlackBerry-compatible devices through www.digby.com. The full B&N title database is accessible, according to Publisher's Weekly.
SEO Like a Pro!
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If you think being your own Search Engine Optimization Expert is too tough of a job, think again. There's a very simple thing you can do right now to get more of those fantastic incoming links to your site. Google (aka controller of the Internet) loves incoming links, but the trick is, they must be high-quality and relevant. What this means is that you can go after sites, blogs and online magazines and offer content in the form of an original article or comment on their blog postings. All of these links will get spidered in Google - and viola! Welcome to the wild world of SEO.
What's Your Headline?
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If I had a dime for every letter, email, or voicemail that buried the headline at the end of the message, I would be a rich woman! Remember that every interaction with the media is an opportunity to make an impression. In order to make a good impression, list your most compelling, most important points first. Consider the people you are addressing and the type of stories they cover. No matter who they are they will certainly appreciate knowing your headline up front. It will save both of you time and it is also the fastest way to a good impression.
~Tip offered by Aileen Martinez,
Television Producer/Media Consultant
www.mediainsider.tv
aileen@mediainsider.tv
Best Guest Digest
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Michael Carruthers, host of the syndicated radio show, Something You Should Know, has launched a new glossy, 4-color magazine called Best Guest Digest. The first issue (October 2007) is out to 5,700 radio and TV hosts and producers. If you mention Mike's name, you are entitled to 25% off your first ad.
You can see the first issue online at www.bestguestdigest.com. Click on "Current Issue."
Approximate rates are: Full page $950; half page $575 and ¼ page $390. For a free media kit call or email mikec@bestguestdigest.com; 203 256 5884.
You may also submit material for "Guests At A Glance." This is a free editorial listing. You must submit a high resolution photo (jpg or gif) of you and a pitch as to why you would make a great guest and what it is you talk about (just like you are pitching a show). Space is limited. Send to: info@bestguestdigest.com.
About Outbound Links
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It's true that outbound links do not help much when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but they are still a good thing. Here's why: search engines are looking to see if you are offering something of value on your site. Chances are if you offer outbound links, Google will see that as a good thing. Every little bit helps.
Be sure to have links open in a new window so you do not lose your visitor. And be careful that you do not send them away from your Index page - a great place for links is on a Resource page.
This is a great way to give your visitors added value. Just be sure that your links indeed offer something of value! Also, remember to check your site for broken links at least once a month. Broken links affect how search engines index your site and can hurt your page ranking.
Here's a F~REE tool to check for Broken Links: http://www.dead-links.com/
Also, your webmaster should be running a test as well.
Tip offered by Jeniffer Thompson of Monkey C Media http://www.monkeycmedia.com a full design house offering website design and development, print design and multi-media services.
Bookpleasures.com Hosts Author Interview Series
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At Bookpleasures.com, publisher and editor Norm Goldman conducts a series of author and expert interviews for books in several genres: art, fiction, self help, business, non-fiction, travel guides, children's and history.
Check out his latest with Rob Costelloe, author of Coinage of Commitment: http://www.bookpleasures.com/Lore2/idx/0/3032/article /A_Conversation_With_Rob_Costelloe_Author_of_Coi nage_of_Commitment.html
Get Action With The Red Hot Blog Tour
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Have we got a promotion for you! Our Red Hot Blog Tour will get you the kind of action you never thought possible. We'll tour your book on high-traffic blogs with links back to your site. If you're ready to promote your book on the 'Net, try our Red Hot Blog Tour today! For more information send us an email at info@amarketingexpert.com
Tips For Successful Book Promotion!
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Are you ready to kick your marketing into high gear? Then we've got a podcast you're gonna love! Tune in to Book Promotion Made Easy, a weekly podcast packed with tips, tricks and insider advice about all things marketing. For a complete list, visit: http://www.amarketingexpert.com/#
Red Hot Internet Publicity Virtual Class!
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Internet publicity insider Penny Sansevieri shows you how to publicize and market your book on the Net, in an upcoming virtual class at AuthorLink.
Three one-hour classes, 4 p.m. Pacific/7p.m. Eastern Time, November 13, 14, 16, 2007.
If you think you have your Internet marketing covered with just a website, you might be missing out on a bucket of Internet gold. This class is packed with information on everything from creating the perfect website to demystifying keywords and how to create a great blog. We'll also discuss how to turn website visitors into customers and how to maximize your Internet promotional efforts through blogs, Internet articles, chat groups, and ezines.
Learn more at: http://www.authorlink.com/classroom/coursedescriptio ns.php#c_20
How to Buzz Your Book!
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We've designed our products with your success in mind! Regardless of where you are in your publishing journey, we've got a product that will suit your needs. Check out our books, special reports, and our audio programs, all designed to help you reach publishing success!
http://amarketingexpert.com/store/
Ezine launched for San Diego area writers
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San Diego WriteWay is a new eZine and website for all San Diego county writers and publishers. Go to www.SDWriteWay.org or send a blank email to subscribe@sdwriteway.org today and sign up for your free monthly eZine with a calendar of all writing events by all organizations county wide, authors resources, forum and bulletin board, articles, and much, much more.
Are Virtual Tours for You?
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If you're still not convinced that the Virtual Author Tour (TM) pays off, consider this. A title we worked with (Cookin' for Love), which was featured in MORE Magazine, soared to 18,000 on Amazon when it was featured in several blogs. We never got that kind of a spike - even after the MORE feature came out.
If you haven't considered touring yourself virtually, you might want to. For more information on how we conduct our Virtual Author Tour (TM), send a quick email to: virtualauthortours@getresponse.com
Reader Tip!
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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.
Expert Recommendation
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Every so often we find a great product or service and this one is certainly in that category. If you're ready to offer your book in an e-book format on your site but aren't sure where to begin, this service will help you create an e-book in only a few minutes and once you're done with it, you can add it to your site and start selling! http://www.ebookgenerator.com/cmd.php? af=329134
WHO ARE WE
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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 Web site at www.amarketingexpert.com.
Reprint permission
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You are welcome to reprint any items from "The Book Marketing Expert Newsletter." However, please credit us as a source with the following paragraph:
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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We never rent or sell subscriber lists to any third party. Your privacy is very important to us. Always.
To subscribe to this newsletter, click here: subscribe@amarketingexpert.com.
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Contact Information
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email: penny@amarketingexpert.com
web: http://www.amarketingexpert.com
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