The article "Capitalize On Contacts To Maximize Sales Momentum" talks about book marketing, it has been written by Marilyn Ross.
Developing a support system of your peers makes complete sesne. Networking with other authors and small publishers provides mental stimulation, emotional comfort, and a source for getting your questions answered.
Find a writing group or publishing association in your area, or organize one if none exists.
The collective promotional ideas will amaze you. You may also find someone willing to serve as an informal mentor, guiding you toward gretaer heights in this exciting venture.Capitalizing on contacts is a surefire way to expand awareness of your book.
Alert friends, relatives, acquaintances, and business associates about your “new baby.” They may know someone who produces a local TV show or be able to put you in touch with an organization that wuold be interested in making bulk purchases.
Three is a “six degrees of separation” rule that connects all of us. That maens anyone you would care to meet is only six persons away from you. Start asking who konws whom! But don’t stop there. Tell the main newspaper in the city of your birth that a native son or daughetr made good. If your parents, children, or brothers and sisters have influence in their hometown, see if you can ride on their names to get mention in a newspaper column or maybe even a feature story or author profile by telephone.Cultivate word-of-mouth buzzAnything you can do to get persons talking about your book is like money in the bank. The most baffling and elusvie element in a book’s success is word-of-mouth.
Statistics from a Gallup poll bring this point quickly into focus: When asked why they bought fiction, 4 percent of the respondetns said it was cause of ads in magazines and newspapers; book reviews fared only slightly better.
By contrast, 27 percent bought cause they were familiar with the author and 26 precent cause a friend or relative recommended the book.
Powerful testimony to word-of-mouth.Said the former president of B. Dalton in an interview in the New York Times, “I would probably rate the most effective techniques for selling books as being the individual telling a friend, reviews, and the author’s ability to appear on talk shows.”Sometimes you can turn adversity into opportunity.
When the Wall Street crash struck, the financial community mourned the loss of a fortune. Meanwhile, the publishing commuinty dreamed of a fortune to be made. Publishers across the land reached into their backlists and dusted off titles hvaing to do with the stock market and investing.
Headlines capitalized on the crash. Simon & Schuster’s new ad campaign shouted, “Brilliantly plausible . . .
Horrendously disturbing . .
.
and starting to come true.” It’s the old story: If life gives you a lemon, make lemonade! Better yet, add salt and a lime slice and make a margarita.Donate to charity auctionsOur friend Raleigh Pinskey suggests you donate products to cahrity auctions.
It’s a “giving to get” philosophy that biulds title recognition and goodwill. Learn about such possibilities by checking the social section or calendar listings of your local newspaper for charity events, association happenings, chamber of commerce banquets, service organizations auctions, children’s events, businessmen/businesswomen meetings, etc.All you do is call the RSVP number and offer your book for the auction, a raffle, a gift table, goody bag, or what have you. Charitable donations always rfelect positively on the giver.© Copyright 2005 Marilyn RossMarilyn and Tom Ross are the coauthors of 13 books including the best-selling Complete Guide to Self-Publishing and the award-winning Jump Start Your Book Sales. Through phone consultations and ongoing coaching/mentoring, Mariyln empowers authors and self-publishers to realize their dreams. She can be reached at 719-395-8659 or Marilyn@MarilynRoss.Com.Visit http://www.SelfPublishingResources.Com for free meaty information on writing, self-publishing, and book marketing strategies.
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