By L. Drew Gerber
Whether you are looking for a job, thinking of starting your own business or even steadily working for someone else, this is a good time to start marketing and branding yourself.
Companies have long known the importance of making a name for their products and services to set themselves apart from their competition. Today's rapidly shifting economy combined with our increasingly Web-driven communications make it essential for individuals to constantly assess, update and promote their skills.
OK, you say, I understand why Microsoft, Apple, Nike, Kellogg's, Campbell's and Nabisco brand themselves. I'm not a computer, a shoe or a can of soup.
Well, just like those companies, you face competition every day, whether you know it or not. Branding yourself is the key to standing out, no matter if you are selling a product, a service or yourself.
This economy makes it essential for us all to rethink how we view and market ourselves. Why? If you are searching for a job, you are up against who knows how many applicants, many of whom will be promoting themselves as the most qualified.
Even if you have a job, it is really important to brand yourself because, in an unstable economy, you don't know what may happen in the future.
Plenty of employees who thought they might spend their entire careers with companies like General Motors now find themselves in a job market that is vastly different from those faced by previous generations. Online employment services such as Monster.com, Indeed.com and CareerBuilder.com have a far reach for both job seekers and employers. Companies that are hiring are accustomed to being flooded with resumes.
Many available jobs, whether full time, freelance or contractual, are under the radar and never posted. That makes it more important than ever to network. And there have never been more tools and services, most of them free, to get your name and credentials out there.
Here are a few tips for creating and marketing your brand:
•Use online social networking: Beverly Shepard posted a reward of up to $6,000 on LinkedIn for help landing a new job after a newspaper eliminated her position as marketing manager. She was flooded with leads and publicity from her post on LinkedIn, which reaches an estimated 40 million people. Your Facebook friends list right now may hold the keys to new opportunities you haven't dreamed of. The exponential reach of social networking makes it an essential tool for extending your networking reach.
•Position yourself as an expert: Your interests, talents, skills, education, hobbies and perspectives are unique. You may have in-depth knowledge, experience or a passionate interest in a particular area but have never thought about using the Web to share it. Free services such as www.PitchRate.com help you to do your own public relations and get valuable exposure in the media. I developed PitchRate to connect journalists with expert sources. Sign up, and you may be contacted and asked to speak as an authority or share your story as it relates to a particular topic or trend in the news. It's another way to get the word out and brand yourself.
•Network through associations: Even if you have not yet made the change to a new career, joining and becoming active in a professional association is a proven path for marketing yourself. Meeting other people involved in the same line of work will help you get up to date on the latest trends affecting that business and build networks that can lead to future opportunities.
If you are looking for a job today, you can't rest on your resume. What wins the day is creativity, persistence and the motivation to promote yourself. There have never been more tools or a better time to do it.
About the Author: L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and creator of www.PitchRate.com, a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns such as Landmark Education, Grameen Foundation, the Ms. Foundation for Women and Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: ldrewg@gmail.com, or call him at 828-749-3182
Showing posts with label book publicity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book publicity. Show all posts
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Are Your Marketing Materials Selling the Wrong Things?
By Stacy Karacostas
A while back I was working with one of my consulting clients, and realized I was once again staring at what I've found to be an all too common marketing problem.
This problem is especially rampant in service industries. But I've seen it with products too.
What's so interesting is that this one, innocent mistake causes you to immediately be guilty of multiple marketing sins (If you haven't read my f*r*e*e report on the 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins, grab it here: http://www.7deadliestsins.com).
Once I explain it, if you've been making this mistake you're going to hit yourself on the head while howling out a big, fat "DUH!" But before I do, let me ask you a question
What do prospects really need to know to hire you?
Well, let's start by thinking about what you would want to know
"If you were looking for a chiropractor, bookkeeper, massage therapist, or other service provider, what would you need to know in order to choose them over anyone else?"
Chances are it would be things like:
•A bit about the types of services they offer
•If there is anything unique or different about what they do
•Whether or not the specialize in, or have experience with, your particular issue
•Who else uses them and have they been satisfied
•What you can expect and how long it will take
•How they are better or different than the competition
•Where they are located, their hours and how soon you can get in
•If they accept credit cards or your insurance
•What to do to make an appointment
What you probably don't want or need to know are the basics like:
•What is massage or chiropractic or bookkeeping
•The history of massage (or chiropractic, or bookkeeping)
•Why you need a massage therapist, chiropractor or bookkeeper
Yet time and again this is exactly the type of info service providers focus on in their marketing.
The result is that they end up spending all their time and money trying to convince people they need a particular service. What they should be doing is trying to convince prospects to hire them in particular.
Let's go back to the client I mentioned earlier The one that got me started on this train of thought.
When I first started working with her many months ago, she sent me her brochure to critique. As part of that process, I asked her to describe her ideal client.
She's a massage therapist, and her answer was "Active people who enjoy regular massages and understand that massage is a preventative measure. So they come in regularly for maintenance instead of just showing up when they are injured and in pain, then stopping when they feel better."
This is smart. Because it's going to be much easier to convince someone who already believes in massage to come to her. As opposed to having to convince someone who has never had a massage to try it for the first time.
Yet, except for a few testimonials, her entire brochure was devoted to explaining the basics of massage and why it is good for you.
Of course this makes no sense. If the people she wants to attract already understand the benefits of getting regular massages, and are just looking for the best provider, she's wasting paper (and money) with this brochure.
Because here's the thing
If someone is looking for a massage therapist, chances are good they've already decided massage is for them. Maybe they've had massage before. Or their doctor or someone else in their sphere of influence recommended it.
When they pick up her brochure, or go to her Website, they don't want to learn more about the wonders of massage. They're already sold on it. Instead they want to know why they should choose her as their new massage therapist.
In other words, they want to understand the benefits of getting massages from her, not the benefits of getting massage.
Unfortunately, far too many entrepreneurs are guilty of the same thing with their marketing. They just explain why you need their type of service, but they never explain why you should choose them instead of the guy down the street.
Are you selling the right thing?
You need to decide whether to spend time and money convincing people they need the type of services you offer Or convincing them to hire you in particular to provide that service.
I highly recommend focusing on the latter. It's cheaper and easier, and you're far more likely to get the kind of clients you want.
So worry less about explaining the basics of what you do, and focus more on the unique benefits of choosing you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Practical Marketing Expert, speaker and author Stacy Karacostas specializes in taking the stress, struggle and confusion out of growing your small business. For more down-to-earth, business-building wisdom that's sure to save you cash and bring you clients, grab a copy of her free report "The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins Are You Guilty?".
Stacy Karacostas. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.
A while back I was working with one of my consulting clients, and realized I was once again staring at what I've found to be an all too common marketing problem.
This problem is especially rampant in service industries. But I've seen it with products too.
What's so interesting is that this one, innocent mistake causes you to immediately be guilty of multiple marketing sins (If you haven't read my f*r*e*e report on the 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins, grab it here: http://www.7deadliestsins.com).
Once I explain it, if you've been making this mistake you're going to hit yourself on the head while howling out a big, fat "DUH!" But before I do, let me ask you a question
What do prospects really need to know to hire you?
Well, let's start by thinking about what you would want to know
"If you were looking for a chiropractor, bookkeeper, massage therapist, or other service provider, what would you need to know in order to choose them over anyone else?"
Chances are it would be things like:
•A bit about the types of services they offer
•If there is anything unique or different about what they do
•Whether or not the specialize in, or have experience with, your particular issue
•Who else uses them and have they been satisfied
•What you can expect and how long it will take
•How they are better or different than the competition
•Where they are located, their hours and how soon you can get in
•If they accept credit cards or your insurance
•What to do to make an appointment
What you probably don't want or need to know are the basics like:
•What is massage or chiropractic or bookkeeping
•The history of massage (or chiropractic, or bookkeeping)
•Why you need a massage therapist, chiropractor or bookkeeper
Yet time and again this is exactly the type of info service providers focus on in their marketing.
The result is that they end up spending all their time and money trying to convince people they need a particular service. What they should be doing is trying to convince prospects to hire them in particular.
Let's go back to the client I mentioned earlier The one that got me started on this train of thought.
When I first started working with her many months ago, she sent me her brochure to critique. As part of that process, I asked her to describe her ideal client.
She's a massage therapist, and her answer was "Active people who enjoy regular massages and understand that massage is a preventative measure. So they come in regularly for maintenance instead of just showing up when they are injured and in pain, then stopping when they feel better."
This is smart. Because it's going to be much easier to convince someone who already believes in massage to come to her. As opposed to having to convince someone who has never had a massage to try it for the first time.
Yet, except for a few testimonials, her entire brochure was devoted to explaining the basics of massage and why it is good for you.
Of course this makes no sense. If the people she wants to attract already understand the benefits of getting regular massages, and are just looking for the best provider, she's wasting paper (and money) with this brochure.
Because here's the thing
If someone is looking for a massage therapist, chances are good they've already decided massage is for them. Maybe they've had massage before. Or their doctor or someone else in their sphere of influence recommended it.
When they pick up her brochure, or go to her Website, they don't want to learn more about the wonders of massage. They're already sold on it. Instead they want to know why they should choose her as their new massage therapist.
In other words, they want to understand the benefits of getting massages from her, not the benefits of getting massage.
Unfortunately, far too many entrepreneurs are guilty of the same thing with their marketing. They just explain why you need their type of service, but they never explain why you should choose them instead of the guy down the street.
Are you selling the right thing?
You need to decide whether to spend time and money convincing people they need the type of services you offer Or convincing them to hire you in particular to provide that service.
I highly recommend focusing on the latter. It's cheaper and easier, and you're far more likely to get the kind of clients you want.
So worry less about explaining the basics of what you do, and focus more on the unique benefits of choosing you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Practical Marketing Expert, speaker and author Stacy Karacostas specializes in taking the stress, struggle and confusion out of growing your small business. For more down-to-earth, business-building wisdom that's sure to save you cash and bring you clients, grab a copy of her free report "The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins Are You Guilty?".
Stacy Karacostas. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
How to Get All the Clients You Can Handle Banging Down Your Door
By Stacy Karacostas
Do you struggle to get new clients?
Are you uncomfortable selling yourself or your services?
Do you hate the very idea of sales or selling?
If so, you are not alone. Let's face it We've all had the experience or at least heard horror-stories of being "sold" something we really didn't want or need. And few people enjoy being pressured into buying anything.
So it's no wonder the mere thought of selling leaves a bad taste in so many people's mouths. Luckily there are plenty of ways to get people to buy without "selling" a thing.
In fact, the best salespeople I know avoid hard-selling like the plague. And they often don't cold-call either. Instead they position themselves as helpful experts.
How? By offering solutions to their prospect's and client's problems�By providing useful information without being asked And by becoming someone their prospects and clients know, trust and like.
When you do this, over time, people come to see you as the expert. Then, instead of you chasing after them, they end up chasing after you. Because they've decided you are the person they need to solve their problems and help them achieve their goals.
Thankfully, you are probably already an expert at something related to what you do. Otherwise you wouldn't have the business you have today, right?
So all you have to do is become known as the expert you already are. The most effective way to do this is by publicly offering useful ideas and information.
Best of all, it's easy to do. Here are six simple ideas to get you started on the road to expertdom
1) Publishing: Nothing screams expert like a book (or e-book) with your name on it. And these days you don't have to be a writer or get a publisher to enjoy all the benefits of having a book.
If you do write articles, compile a bunch on a similar topic into an e-book. If you don't write, you can interview other experts and record a CD. Or, have the interview transcribed into an e-book to sell online. You can also collaborate with a writer or have a book ghostwritten for you.
If you want to have a print book, the easiest way is by using a print-on-demand publisher. That way you don't risk ending up with hundreds of unsold copies in your closet. And many can even drop ship books to buyers without you lifting a finger.
2) Public Speaking: Entertaining, informative workshops and seminars draw new clients like bees to honey. Why? Because they automatically position you as an expert. And they give people a chance to get to know, like and trust you.
If you're good speaker�with helpful advice or insights to offer chances are people in your audience will want your products or services.
3) Teleseminars: If you hate standing in front of an audience, but like teaching, you can enjoy many of the benefits of public-speaking by hosting free or paid teleseminars (speaking engagements held on the phone). They're cost effective and becoming more popular every day.
Plus teleseminars have a whole host of uses You can record and sell them later. Give 'em away for free as bonuses or viral marketing tools. And post them on your Website to build credibility.
4) Free Reports: No one likes being sold, but most people enjoy getting things for free! Especially if what they get actually solves a problem, answers an important question, or fills a need.
So don't create a Website or send sales letters with the primary goal of getting people to buy from you. Instead, offer them something useful in the form of a free report, audio or other helpful item. If they're impressed with the info they'll remember you and want to buy without you ever "selling".
5) Press: It's hard to beat the value of getting your name in magazines or business journals. And you don't need to be a writer to make it happen.
If you are doing something different, or valuable to your community, chances are it might make good news. And many papers and social networking sites have events calendars you can take advantage of. A simple press release can get your event listed, staff writers interested, and you interviewed.
6) Article Writing: If you like writing, articles can quickly increase your standing as an expert. Write your own newsletter to regularly get your wisdom in front of clients and prospects. Articles published in magazines and newspapers make you an instant expert. And posting articles in online article databases and social networking sites gets your name out into the world.
Just be sure to always include your Website in your signature or byline so anyone who is interested can contact you. Send them to your Website for a free report is even better. Then they have even more opportunity to get to know you and what you can do.
The beauty of all these ideas is they're fairly inexpensive and extremely effective. Plus, some even generate revenue directly!
Of course, the key to making these ideas work is consistency. So pick two or three and commit to doing them regularly. Before you know it, your phone is going to be ringing with new clients wanting to hire you and only you and you won't have to sell a thing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Practical Marketing Expert, speaker and author Stacy Karacostas specializes in taking the stress, struggle and confusion out of growing your small business. For more down-to-earth, business-building wisdom that's sure to save you cash and bring you clients, grab a copy of her free report "The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins Are You Guilty?".
� Stacy Karacostas. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Do you struggle to get new clients?
Are you uncomfortable selling yourself or your services?
Do you hate the very idea of sales or selling?
If so, you are not alone. Let's face it We've all had the experience or at least heard horror-stories of being "sold" something we really didn't want or need. And few people enjoy being pressured into buying anything.
So it's no wonder the mere thought of selling leaves a bad taste in so many people's mouths. Luckily there are plenty of ways to get people to buy without "selling" a thing.
In fact, the best salespeople I know avoid hard-selling like the plague. And they often don't cold-call either. Instead they position themselves as helpful experts.
How? By offering solutions to their prospect's and client's problems�By providing useful information without being asked And by becoming someone their prospects and clients know, trust and like.
When you do this, over time, people come to see you as the expert. Then, instead of you chasing after them, they end up chasing after you. Because they've decided you are the person they need to solve their problems and help them achieve their goals.
Thankfully, you are probably already an expert at something related to what you do. Otherwise you wouldn't have the business you have today, right?
So all you have to do is become known as the expert you already are. The most effective way to do this is by publicly offering useful ideas and information.
Best of all, it's easy to do. Here are six simple ideas to get you started on the road to expertdom
1) Publishing: Nothing screams expert like a book (or e-book) with your name on it. And these days you don't have to be a writer or get a publisher to enjoy all the benefits of having a book.
If you do write articles, compile a bunch on a similar topic into an e-book. If you don't write, you can interview other experts and record a CD. Or, have the interview transcribed into an e-book to sell online. You can also collaborate with a writer or have a book ghostwritten for you.
If you want to have a print book, the easiest way is by using a print-on-demand publisher. That way you don't risk ending up with hundreds of unsold copies in your closet. And many can even drop ship books to buyers without you lifting a finger.
2) Public Speaking: Entertaining, informative workshops and seminars draw new clients like bees to honey. Why? Because they automatically position you as an expert. And they give people a chance to get to know, like and trust you.
If you're good speaker�with helpful advice or insights to offer chances are people in your audience will want your products or services.
3) Teleseminars: If you hate standing in front of an audience, but like teaching, you can enjoy many of the benefits of public-speaking by hosting free or paid teleseminars (speaking engagements held on the phone). They're cost effective and becoming more popular every day.
Plus teleseminars have a whole host of uses You can record and sell them later. Give 'em away for free as bonuses or viral marketing tools. And post them on your Website to build credibility.
4) Free Reports: No one likes being sold, but most people enjoy getting things for free! Especially if what they get actually solves a problem, answers an important question, or fills a need.
So don't create a Website or send sales letters with the primary goal of getting people to buy from you. Instead, offer them something useful in the form of a free report, audio or other helpful item. If they're impressed with the info they'll remember you and want to buy without you ever "selling".
5) Press: It's hard to beat the value of getting your name in magazines or business journals. And you don't need to be a writer to make it happen.
If you are doing something different, or valuable to your community, chances are it might make good news. And many papers and social networking sites have events calendars you can take advantage of. A simple press release can get your event listed, staff writers interested, and you interviewed.
6) Article Writing: If you like writing, articles can quickly increase your standing as an expert. Write your own newsletter to regularly get your wisdom in front of clients and prospects. Articles published in magazines and newspapers make you an instant expert. And posting articles in online article databases and social networking sites gets your name out into the world.
Just be sure to always include your Website in your signature or byline so anyone who is interested can contact you. Send them to your Website for a free report is even better. Then they have even more opportunity to get to know you and what you can do.
The beauty of all these ideas is they're fairly inexpensive and extremely effective. Plus, some even generate revenue directly!
Of course, the key to making these ideas work is consistency. So pick two or three and commit to doing them regularly. Before you know it, your phone is going to be ringing with new clients wanting to hire you and only you and you won't have to sell a thing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Practical Marketing Expert, speaker and author Stacy Karacostas specializes in taking the stress, struggle and confusion out of growing your small business. For more down-to-earth, business-building wisdom that's sure to save you cash and bring you clients, grab a copy of her free report "The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins Are You Guilty?".
� Stacy Karacostas. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Using Pitchrate.com to Maximize your Publicity
By L. Drew Gerber
PitchRate.com, which connects journalists with expert sources, is getting more traffic than ever these days as more reporters discover the free service.
Less than 10 months after we launched it in February, PitchRate.com passed a major milestone with more than 100 active requests from journalists on the site.
"There is now a request at PitchRate for almost anyone to pitch," says Shannon Nicholson, vice-president of sales for Blue Kangaroo, Inc., our web products company.
At the same time, our new Publicity Results Web site has been drawing massive traffic since we launched it Oct. 20 as the products site for our PR firm, Wasabi Publicity, Inc. We have been getting great feedback from people on sharing the pitch that landed one of our clients an appearance on Dr. Phil just eight hours after she signed up. (You can find out about it at: http://www.PublicityResults.com/PerfectPitch.)
In addition to publicizing or products, the new site will be a place where you can find the goods on getting free publicity. And when it comes to getting great free publicity and being a media expert, all cursors point to PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com).
Not only is it free for both journalists and sources, but PitchRate is the only service that rates the expertise of sources based on reporters' reviews from previous interviews and other criteria. Here's how it works:
When preparing for a story, print journalists and broadcast producers use PitchRate to make a request for experts or firsthand sources they can interview. PitchRate.com sends these queries out each day in emails to our experts who can then pitch the journalists on their area of interest. It costs nothing to sign up as an expert.
As PitchRate.com becomes more and more active, this is a good time to discuss how to use the site to maximize opportunities for free PR. This was the topic of an email I recently received from Shel Horowitz, author and entrepreneur (you can find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/l/;frugalmarketing.com and http://www.facebook.com/l/;shelhorowitz.com).
"I've been on PitchRate every now and then, but have never figured out how best to use it," Shel wrote. "If you were me, what would be the first two or three things you'd do on PitchRate?"
My answers are to follow these tips:
■Step 1: Your PitchRate profile is attached to every pitch you make. Therefore, in order to make the best use of the resource, you need to make sure your profile will grab the media's attention. The cornerstone of your profile is your bio, so make sure it's interesting and creative. Writing your own bio can be a daunting task, and Joan Stewart offers some great advice about how to do it right on her blog, The Publicity Hound (http://publicityhound.net/ ). In your profile, you should also include links to your Web site and any other relevant documents for journalists, such as photos or press releases.
■Step 2. Search PitchRate.com for journalist requests that match your area of expertise and make a great pitch. You can do this by either scanning the daily emails sent to your in-box or logging in to your account and searching the Web site. Both are updated daily with the most recent journalist requests.
■Step 3. Prepare to meet the media. We offer an array of resources including PR Happy Hours, teleseminars and videos to help you prepare to put your best foot forward when the media calls. You can find these at http://www.PublicityResults.com.
PitchRate.com is great resource, but using it to generate PR isn't a passive process. You get out of it what you put in. By taking these three steps when starting out, you're setting yourself up for success.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
PitchRate.com, which connects journalists with expert sources, is getting more traffic than ever these days as more reporters discover the free service.
Less than 10 months after we launched it in February, PitchRate.com passed a major milestone with more than 100 active requests from journalists on the site.
"There is now a request at PitchRate for almost anyone to pitch," says Shannon Nicholson, vice-president of sales for Blue Kangaroo, Inc., our web products company.
At the same time, our new Publicity Results Web site has been drawing massive traffic since we launched it Oct. 20 as the products site for our PR firm, Wasabi Publicity, Inc. We have been getting great feedback from people on sharing the pitch that landed one of our clients an appearance on Dr. Phil just eight hours after she signed up. (You can find out about it at: http://www.PublicityResults.com/PerfectPitch.)
In addition to publicizing or products, the new site will be a place where you can find the goods on getting free publicity. And when it comes to getting great free publicity and being a media expert, all cursors point to PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com).
Not only is it free for both journalists and sources, but PitchRate is the only service that rates the expertise of sources based on reporters' reviews from previous interviews and other criteria. Here's how it works:
When preparing for a story, print journalists and broadcast producers use PitchRate to make a request for experts or firsthand sources they can interview. PitchRate.com sends these queries out each day in emails to our experts who can then pitch the journalists on their area of interest. It costs nothing to sign up as an expert.
As PitchRate.com becomes more and more active, this is a good time to discuss how to use the site to maximize opportunities for free PR. This was the topic of an email I recently received from Shel Horowitz, author and entrepreneur (you can find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/l/;frugalmarketing.com and http://www.facebook.com/l/;shelhorowitz.com).
"I've been on PitchRate every now and then, but have never figured out how best to use it," Shel wrote. "If you were me, what would be the first two or three things you'd do on PitchRate?"
My answers are to follow these tips:
■Step 1: Your PitchRate profile is attached to every pitch you make. Therefore, in order to make the best use of the resource, you need to make sure your profile will grab the media's attention. The cornerstone of your profile is your bio, so make sure it's interesting and creative. Writing your own bio can be a daunting task, and Joan Stewart offers some great advice about how to do it right on her blog, The Publicity Hound (http://publicityhound.net/ ). In your profile, you should also include links to your Web site and any other relevant documents for journalists, such as photos or press releases.
■Step 2. Search PitchRate.com for journalist requests that match your area of expertise and make a great pitch. You can do this by either scanning the daily emails sent to your in-box or logging in to your account and searching the Web site. Both are updated daily with the most recent journalist requests.
■Step 3. Prepare to meet the media. We offer an array of resources including PR Happy Hours, teleseminars and videos to help you prepare to put your best foot forward when the media calls. You can find these at http://www.PublicityResults.com.
PitchRate.com is great resource, but using it to generate PR isn't a passive process. You get out of it what you put in. By taking these three steps when starting out, you're setting yourself up for success.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Six Steps for Getting National Media Coverage
By L. Drew Gerber
Getting national media coverage in top print, broadcast or online media can boost your business in ways it is hard to imagine.
A single placement in a glossy national magazine is worth tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes a lot more, and not just in the value of ad space in the publication. Getting covered by national media lends a level of credibility, prestige and buzz that money cannot buy.
At Wasabi Publicity Inc., we sent out a pitch that landed author Dr. Jill Murray on Dr. Phil's TV show less than eight hours after she had signed up as a client. Within one week, that same pitch also got her coverage with CNN Weekend News, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell, 20/20, syndicated radio shows, and several magazine articles. Sales rankings of Dr. Jill's newest book But He Never Hit Me shot up to number 16 on Amazon.com and number 23 on Barnes & Noble within hours of her Dr. Phil appearance (see the exact pitch at http://www.publicityresults.com).
Despite the enormous value of national publicity, many business owners and entrepreneurs don't understand how to go about attracting the media's attention. It's not complicated if you follow six basic steps:
Brand your message. Be crystal clear about who you are, what makes you unique and why the media should care. Assure you have a consistent message by having all your press materials ready before the press calls. A great way to do this is to get an online press kit. We created a technology called PressKit 24/7 (http://www.presskit247.com) which allows people to create press kits simply and easily without any special technical knowledge. More than 90 percent of journalists prefer to get their information from the Web. Having an online press kit is crucial to giving them the facts they need to cover you, your product, service or business.
Develop your pitch. Pretend you are in an elevator with Oprah and have 30 seconds to tell her why she should have you on her show. Your pitch should be concise, reflect your passion and stress what makes you unique. As PR professionals we have found that short pitches are often more effective for getting the media's attention than long press releases.
Find the media: The Internet provides countless ways to research media that may be interested in you. Pitchrate.com (http://www.pitchrate.com) is a free service we created to connect media and sources. You can also research media list sites such as http://www.usnpl.com. Watch your favorite show and find out the producer's name from the credits, or read your favorite newspapers and magazines to find out who covers your topic area. When you contact reporters, compliment their work to let them know you have taken the time to research.
Respond immediately. When the media calls or emails expressing interest in covering you, respond immediately. Reporters usually work on very tight deadlines, so the sources that respond fastest with the most concise and useful information are most likely to get covered.
Be prepared. Thoroughly prepare for your interview. Decide what you want to say and practice saying it in short, concise sound bites. This is where professional media coaching can be valuable, since many people have had little experience in front of cameras and microphones.
Keep it simple. Try practicing what you plan to say in front of an 8-year-old. Really! If you do this and the child can repeat back to you what you have said, you know that you're communicating in a way that's easy to understand.
So remember: brand your message, hone your pitch, find your media and give them what they need to make interviewing you interesting and rewarding. That brings us to a final piece of most important advice: Focus on what the reporter needs and how you can provide content that is useful to the audience, rather than hard-selling yourself or your product. Remember, you are getting great publicity for free, and pay it forward!
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
Getting national media coverage in top print, broadcast or online media can boost your business in ways it is hard to imagine.
A single placement in a glossy national magazine is worth tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes a lot more, and not just in the value of ad space in the publication. Getting covered by national media lends a level of credibility, prestige and buzz that money cannot buy.
At Wasabi Publicity Inc., we sent out a pitch that landed author Dr. Jill Murray on Dr. Phil's TV show less than eight hours after she had signed up as a client. Within one week, that same pitch also got her coverage with CNN Weekend News, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell, 20/20, syndicated radio shows, and several magazine articles. Sales rankings of Dr. Jill's newest book But He Never Hit Me shot up to number 16 on Amazon.com and number 23 on Barnes & Noble within hours of her Dr. Phil appearance (see the exact pitch at http://www.publicityresults.com).
Despite the enormous value of national publicity, many business owners and entrepreneurs don't understand how to go about attracting the media's attention. It's not complicated if you follow six basic steps:
Brand your message. Be crystal clear about who you are, what makes you unique and why the media should care. Assure you have a consistent message by having all your press materials ready before the press calls. A great way to do this is to get an online press kit. We created a technology called PressKit 24/7 (http://www.presskit247.com) which allows people to create press kits simply and easily without any special technical knowledge. More than 90 percent of journalists prefer to get their information from the Web. Having an online press kit is crucial to giving them the facts they need to cover you, your product, service or business.
Develop your pitch. Pretend you are in an elevator with Oprah and have 30 seconds to tell her why she should have you on her show. Your pitch should be concise, reflect your passion and stress what makes you unique. As PR professionals we have found that short pitches are often more effective for getting the media's attention than long press releases.
Find the media: The Internet provides countless ways to research media that may be interested in you. Pitchrate.com (http://www.pitchrate.com) is a free service we created to connect media and sources. You can also research media list sites such as http://www.usnpl.com. Watch your favorite show and find out the producer's name from the credits, or read your favorite newspapers and magazines to find out who covers your topic area. When you contact reporters, compliment their work to let them know you have taken the time to research.
Respond immediately. When the media calls or emails expressing interest in covering you, respond immediately. Reporters usually work on very tight deadlines, so the sources that respond fastest with the most concise and useful information are most likely to get covered.
Be prepared. Thoroughly prepare for your interview. Decide what you want to say and practice saying it in short, concise sound bites. This is where professional media coaching can be valuable, since many people have had little experience in front of cameras and microphones.
Keep it simple. Try practicing what you plan to say in front of an 8-year-old. Really! If you do this and the child can repeat back to you what you have said, you know that you're communicating in a way that's easy to understand.
So remember: brand your message, hone your pitch, find your media and give them what they need to make interviewing you interesting and rewarding. That brings us to a final piece of most important advice: Focus on what the reporter needs and how you can provide content that is useful to the audience, rather than hard-selling yourself or your product. Remember, you are getting great publicity for free, and pay it forward!
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Getting Into Bookstores
Penny C. Sansevieri
Let's face it, regardless of the odds we authors still want to get into bookstores. But if you've been having a hard time with this, take heart. It's getting harder and harder to get into stores but not impossible. We're going to look at some of the possibilities here.
First, it's important to understand the pressure stores are under right now. With the increased focus on publishers to get their authors out there, bookstores are being given most of their marching orders by their corporate office. Bookstore shelf space is bought and paid for by the New York publishers, making getting on the shelves or display racks a bit tricky, if not impossible. So here's a game plan for those of you trying to survive outside of the traditional market.
1) Get to know your local store. I know this might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many authors don't really know the people in their local store. The thing is, if you know them, they know you - and when you're ready to promote your book they might be more open to having you in their store if you have taken the time to get to know them.
2) Start to follow the types of events they do at the store. Get an events calendar or get on their email list. You'll start to see trends emerge. For example, they might have an independent author night you could participate in. Also be cautious for big releases like the recent Stephenie Meyer events many stores had planned. If you are trying to capture the attention of a store when they're in the middle of a major book launch, you're likely to get ignored.
3) Buy a book. Don't just wander the store trying to make friends: shop there. Support your local stores regardless of whether they are a chain or independent. You'd be surprised what a difference this makes when you're trying to get to know the folks who could book you for an event.
4) Book signings are boring, offer to do an event instead. Events are a draw, book signings aren't unless you're a celebrity. Plan to do a talk, educate, entertain, or enlighten. This will be a more attractive pitch to the bookstore and will draw more people to your talk.
5) Get to know the local authors in your area and then offer to plan events for them. Here's how this works: Bookstores are inundated with local authors asking for a time slot, but what if you went to the bookstore manager and said that you'd be willing to coordinate a once a month event featuring all the local authors. The bookstore could just refer all local Independently published authors to you, you could coordinate this, and guess what? Not only are you helping the store but guess who's getting a monthly showcase in their store? You. You can do this with more than one store if you have the time, but keep in mind that with cut backs often one store manager will oversee a few locations so you might only have to go through one person.
6) If they won't let you coordinate a monthly event, suggest that they have an Independent author night if they haven't already started this. If they have an Independent author night you should definitely participate, it's a great way to gain exposure, not to mention network with some local people.
7) Try as best you can to funnel everyone to one store to purchase your book. If you're having a tough time getting shelf space (and aren't we all), funneling folks to one store might prompt that store to keep a few copies of your book on hand. Whenever you do local speaking or media, let them know by name and address where they can get your book. Stores have been known to take in books that they're getting lots of requests for, regardless of how they are published, so if you're sending people to one store instead of fragmenting them to a bunch of different ones you could start building an ongoing interest in reorders.
Getting into bookstores isn't impossible, but it does require a dash of creativity. Keep in mind that if bookstores aren't receptive after you've tried the tips in this article then maybe you're sitting in a tight market. Areas like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago might be tough areas to get noticed because these are often the first stops traditional publishers seek when planning author tours.
If you're near those areas, try looking outside of the city for alternatives that are often overlooked by New York. If that doesn't work for you then consider non-bookstore events. Over the years we've planned events for our authors in all sorts of non-bookstore venues such as: video stores, electronics stores, gyms, even grocery stores - so if events are your focus, keep an open mind and remember: often the biggest piece of getting an event in bookstores are the relationships you build with them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a book marketing and media relations expert whose company has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns. Visit AME
Let's face it, regardless of the odds we authors still want to get into bookstores. But if you've been having a hard time with this, take heart. It's getting harder and harder to get into stores but not impossible. We're going to look at some of the possibilities here.
First, it's important to understand the pressure stores are under right now. With the increased focus on publishers to get their authors out there, bookstores are being given most of their marching orders by their corporate office. Bookstore shelf space is bought and paid for by the New York publishers, making getting on the shelves or display racks a bit tricky, if not impossible. So here's a game plan for those of you trying to survive outside of the traditional market.
1) Get to know your local store. I know this might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many authors don't really know the people in their local store. The thing is, if you know them, they know you - and when you're ready to promote your book they might be more open to having you in their store if you have taken the time to get to know them.
2) Start to follow the types of events they do at the store. Get an events calendar or get on their email list. You'll start to see trends emerge. For example, they might have an independent author night you could participate in. Also be cautious for big releases like the recent Stephenie Meyer events many stores had planned. If you are trying to capture the attention of a store when they're in the middle of a major book launch, you're likely to get ignored.
3) Buy a book. Don't just wander the store trying to make friends: shop there. Support your local stores regardless of whether they are a chain or independent. You'd be surprised what a difference this makes when you're trying to get to know the folks who could book you for an event.
4) Book signings are boring, offer to do an event instead. Events are a draw, book signings aren't unless you're a celebrity. Plan to do a talk, educate, entertain, or enlighten. This will be a more attractive pitch to the bookstore and will draw more people to your talk.
5) Get to know the local authors in your area and then offer to plan events for them. Here's how this works: Bookstores are inundated with local authors asking for a time slot, but what if you went to the bookstore manager and said that you'd be willing to coordinate a once a month event featuring all the local authors. The bookstore could just refer all local Independently published authors to you, you could coordinate this, and guess what? Not only are you helping the store but guess who's getting a monthly showcase in their store? You. You can do this with more than one store if you have the time, but keep in mind that with cut backs often one store manager will oversee a few locations so you might only have to go through one person.
6) If they won't let you coordinate a monthly event, suggest that they have an Independent author night if they haven't already started this. If they have an Independent author night you should definitely participate, it's a great way to gain exposure, not to mention network with some local people.
7) Try as best you can to funnel everyone to one store to purchase your book. If you're having a tough time getting shelf space (and aren't we all), funneling folks to one store might prompt that store to keep a few copies of your book on hand. Whenever you do local speaking or media, let them know by name and address where they can get your book. Stores have been known to take in books that they're getting lots of requests for, regardless of how they are published, so if you're sending people to one store instead of fragmenting them to a bunch of different ones you could start building an ongoing interest in reorders.
Getting into bookstores isn't impossible, but it does require a dash of creativity. Keep in mind that if bookstores aren't receptive after you've tried the tips in this article then maybe you're sitting in a tight market. Areas like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago might be tough areas to get noticed because these are often the first stops traditional publishers seek when planning author tours.
If you're near those areas, try looking outside of the city for alternatives that are often overlooked by New York. If that doesn't work for you then consider non-bookstore events. Over the years we've planned events for our authors in all sorts of non-bookstore venues such as: video stores, electronics stores, gyms, even grocery stores - so if events are your focus, keep an open mind and remember: often the biggest piece of getting an event in bookstores are the relationships you build with them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a book marketing and media relations expert whose company has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns. Visit AME
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
A Love Potion for Media Attraction
By Michelle Tennant
I've worked at building relationships with the media for more than 20 years and over that time I've come to realize there are no shortcuts. What works with journalists are the same basic rules we all learned in kindergarten.
To open the media floodgates and become a sought-after expert, follow those same rules for building relationships. Here are a few simple tips to get you started:
■Make media friends — One of the best places to connect with reporters seeking interviews is PitchRate.com (http://www.pitchrate.com). Go there to sign up as a source in your area of expertise.
■Know what you're talking about — Pitch responses that relate to your area of expertise. You'd think this was obvious, but it bears repeating. Stick close to home when pitching and your credibility will shine through.
■Early bird gets the worm — When the media contacts you, get back to them ASAP! Make it a high priority and never take more than 24 hours. Even on weekends.
■Pay attention — To be a great interview, you need to be a great listener. When talking to journalists, listen closely to what they're saying and what they're asking. Don't force your agenda. Allow things to develop organically.
■Be helpful — Send journalists articles, stats and research to help them with their story. You're the expert and you've done a lot of research in your field. Share relevant information and help your interviewer shine and you'll ensure that you'll get callbacks!
Keeping the Love Alive
Once your "Love Potion" has taken effect — that is, once you have a journalist's attention — here are a few tips on how to keep it:
· Get to the point — Keep it simple. When talking to the media, it's time to break out your "elevator pitch" – that one to two minute snappy description of what you do and why it's newsworthy right now. Stay on message and keep it simple. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly) will win the day!
· Make it easy to contact you — If you're hard to reach or you're slow to respond, the media will just go to the next person on their list. Here's a simple trick I swear by: Use a landline while talking to media. We all know how frustrating static and dropped calls can be. Being a clear voice on the phone can take you farther than you think.
· Give them what they want when they want it — Journalists are under tight deadlines. Make their job easier and you're sure to get repeat PR. If you're difficult to work with, you won't be contacted again.
· Be amazing in your interview, so you'll be sought out again and again. Two tricks to being amazing: 1. Do your homework — Have your pitch prepared, know the points you want to make and stay on message! 2. Listen carefully to find out what the journalist is asking you. Not sure? Ask them directly what more you can do to help them with their story. The more positive the interaction, the more the journalist will want to work with you again.
This leads to my last point, the one that will help you in the future as well as now. Build a relationship. Be concerned about the journalist's needs, not yours. As budgets get cut and news outlets struggle, journalists' jobs are becoming more and more stressful. Be a resource for them. Filter out relevant information and supply them with additional resources. Make their jobs easier and you will become their go-to contact in your field. That's priceless.
——————————————————————————————————————————
About the Author:
Wasabi Publicity co-owner, Michelle Tennant Nicholson, specializes in breaking news, only takes on clients who make a difference, and has been called a five star publicist by Good Morning America producer, Mable Chan. In 2009, Michelle placed a new client on Dr. Phil within 8 hrs of contract signing. She blogs about PR at http://www.StorytellerToTheMedia.com. For more great free publicity advice, go to http://www.publicityresults.com.
I've worked at building relationships with the media for more than 20 years and over that time I've come to realize there are no shortcuts. What works with journalists are the same basic rules we all learned in kindergarten.
To open the media floodgates and become a sought-after expert, follow those same rules for building relationships. Here are a few simple tips to get you started:
■Make media friends — One of the best places to connect with reporters seeking interviews is PitchRate.com (http://www.pitchrate.com). Go there to sign up as a source in your area of expertise.
■Know what you're talking about — Pitch responses that relate to your area of expertise. You'd think this was obvious, but it bears repeating. Stick close to home when pitching and your credibility will shine through.
■Early bird gets the worm — When the media contacts you, get back to them ASAP! Make it a high priority and never take more than 24 hours. Even on weekends.
■Pay attention — To be a great interview, you need to be a great listener. When talking to journalists, listen closely to what they're saying and what they're asking. Don't force your agenda. Allow things to develop organically.
■Be helpful — Send journalists articles, stats and research to help them with their story. You're the expert and you've done a lot of research in your field. Share relevant information and help your interviewer shine and you'll ensure that you'll get callbacks!
Keeping the Love Alive
Once your "Love Potion" has taken effect — that is, once you have a journalist's attention — here are a few tips on how to keep it:
· Get to the point — Keep it simple. When talking to the media, it's time to break out your "elevator pitch" – that one to two minute snappy description of what you do and why it's newsworthy right now. Stay on message and keep it simple. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly) will win the day!
· Make it easy to contact you — If you're hard to reach or you're slow to respond, the media will just go to the next person on their list. Here's a simple trick I swear by: Use a landline while talking to media. We all know how frustrating static and dropped calls can be. Being a clear voice on the phone can take you farther than you think.
· Give them what they want when they want it — Journalists are under tight deadlines. Make their job easier and you're sure to get repeat PR. If you're difficult to work with, you won't be contacted again.
· Be amazing in your interview, so you'll be sought out again and again. Two tricks to being amazing: 1. Do your homework — Have your pitch prepared, know the points you want to make and stay on message! 2. Listen carefully to find out what the journalist is asking you. Not sure? Ask them directly what more you can do to help them with their story. The more positive the interaction, the more the journalist will want to work with you again.
This leads to my last point, the one that will help you in the future as well as now. Build a relationship. Be concerned about the journalist's needs, not yours. As budgets get cut and news outlets struggle, journalists' jobs are becoming more and more stressful. Be a resource for them. Filter out relevant information and supply them with additional resources. Make their jobs easier and you will become their go-to contact in your field. That's priceless.
——————————————————————————————————————————
About the Author:
Wasabi Publicity co-owner, Michelle Tennant Nicholson, specializes in breaking news, only takes on clients who make a difference, and has been called a five star publicist by Good Morning America producer, Mable Chan. In 2009, Michelle placed a new client on Dr. Phil within 8 hrs of contract signing. She blogs about PR at http://www.StorytellerToTheMedia.com. For more great free publicity advice, go to http://www.publicityresults.com.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
7 Ways to Sell More Books at No or Low Cost
Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Your goal is to sell more books – and sell those books without spending a lot of money. Therefore, your number one goal is to make it easy for people to find you and say yes to you:
• Yes to buying your book
• Yes to reviewing your book
• Yes to having you on their radio show
To make it easy for people to find you and say yes to you – you must be where these people are. Where they can "meet" you, like you, and want to help you promote your book.
Here are seven good ways to do this:
1. Join social networking site Twitter.com and use Tweetbeep.com to alert you when people on Twitter talk about book marketing or their books.
If appropriate you can join in the conversation. Thus people on Twitter will start to pay attention to you as a book author.
2. Have a call-to-action book website (call-to-action to buy your book or books).
Share one or more chapters on your site. Let people get hooked enough to buy the book NOW. And, of course, have a BUY THIS BOOK NOW option on every page of the website.
3. Blog about your nonfiction book's topic or a related topic to your novel.
Many elements in a novel can spawn blog posts – from recipes of the book's locale to posts on the construction work your protagonist does to all kinds of things. If you're a novelist, you make up stories. Use your imagination to think of blog posts that connect to your novel. Showcase your writing and make an emotional connection with people who can buy your book.
4. Leave comments on other book authors' blog posts where appropriate to lead readers of similar books back to your own book blog or website.
If you choose wisely where to leave worthwhile comments, you'll be reaching fans of the type of book you've written. This is another way for people to learn about you and then find your online "home" where they can visit you.
5. Join LinkedIn and then search publishing groups and writing groups to join.
Get email notifications of the questions posted in those groups and answer those questions if you can add something of value. Extra tip: Try to be one of the first to answer. If several people answer before you do, your response may be buried too far down for most people to see it. Share your information with others, which will help attract people to you.
6. Consider which of the numerous book sites such as Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com fit your personality and time commitment schedule.
It's better not to spread yourself too thin over so many book sites that you can't be a real presence on any site. Choose one or two book sites and go deep (make connections). Engage in conversation about your book whenever it's appropriate as long as you share about other books too. People want to know what other books you like.
7. Join one or two other online communities whose mission has an affinity with your book.
If you write about a medical condition, join one or two sites focused on that condition. If you write graphic novels, join one or two sites focused on this type of fiction writing. Becoming known in the online community is important, followed by sharing of what you do and how this might interest the community's members.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://budurl.com/internetbusiness as well as a book author, and her company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com provides internet marketing information with easy-to-implement solutions to promote your brand, book or business.
Your goal is to sell more books – and sell those books without spending a lot of money. Therefore, your number one goal is to make it easy for people to find you and say yes to you:
• Yes to buying your book
• Yes to reviewing your book
• Yes to having you on their radio show
To make it easy for people to find you and say yes to you – you must be where these people are. Where they can "meet" you, like you, and want to help you promote your book.
Here are seven good ways to do this:
1. Join social networking site Twitter.com and use Tweetbeep.com to alert you when people on Twitter talk about book marketing or their books.
If appropriate you can join in the conversation. Thus people on Twitter will start to pay attention to you as a book author.
2. Have a call-to-action book website (call-to-action to buy your book or books).
Share one or more chapters on your site. Let people get hooked enough to buy the book NOW. And, of course, have a BUY THIS BOOK NOW option on every page of the website.
3. Blog about your nonfiction book's topic or a related topic to your novel.
Many elements in a novel can spawn blog posts – from recipes of the book's locale to posts on the construction work your protagonist does to all kinds of things. If you're a novelist, you make up stories. Use your imagination to think of blog posts that connect to your novel. Showcase your writing and make an emotional connection with people who can buy your book.
4. Leave comments on other book authors' blog posts where appropriate to lead readers of similar books back to your own book blog or website.
If you choose wisely where to leave worthwhile comments, you'll be reaching fans of the type of book you've written. This is another way for people to learn about you and then find your online "home" where they can visit you.
5. Join LinkedIn and then search publishing groups and writing groups to join.
Get email notifications of the questions posted in those groups and answer those questions if you can add something of value. Extra tip: Try to be one of the first to answer. If several people answer before you do, your response may be buried too far down for most people to see it. Share your information with others, which will help attract people to you.
6. Consider which of the numerous book sites such as Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com fit your personality and time commitment schedule.
It's better not to spread yourself too thin over so many book sites that you can't be a real presence on any site. Choose one or two book sites and go deep (make connections). Engage in conversation about your book whenever it's appropriate as long as you share about other books too. People want to know what other books you like.
7. Join one or two other online communities whose mission has an affinity with your book.
If you write about a medical condition, join one or two sites focused on that condition. If you write graphic novels, join one or two sites focused on this type of fiction writing. Becoming known in the online community is important, followed by sharing of what you do and how this might interest the community's members.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://budurl.com/internetbusiness as well as a book author, and her company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com provides internet marketing information with easy-to-implement solutions to promote your brand, book or business.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Keep a Personal Touch Online
By L. Drew Gerber
Have you ever had someone tell you they were slammed with work, only to find their Facebook page full of frequent frivolous activity?
Or maybe you have been surprised by a rude, off-the-cuff remark on Twitter?
Social networking offers boundless potential for authors and writers to promote their works to a wide audience online. Just remember to avoid some common etiquette pitfalls.
Keeping a personalized touch makes all the difference. Let the Golden Rule govern your behavior online and treat people and situations as you would face to face:
Share — Provide valuable information that people can use. When I am networking online, I offer great content for free, whether it be seminars, newsletters or even articles that I find that would be interesting for the community.
Don't just promote yourself — Engage with people online just as you would if you were building a business relationship in person. If someone comes in and all they want to do is promote, promote, promote, that approach is likely to go nowhere.
Be polite — People have a tendency to say things online they would never say face to face. I have seen instances where people on Twitter have a personal beef or a problem with a person and tweet it out publicly. Don't say anything you would be embarrassed for your loved ones to read.
Don't lower yourself — With electronic communication, whether email or social networking, there is no way to read facial expressions or body language. If there is a question about a person's intentions, give them the benefit of the doubt rather than calling them out for being rude.
Be responsible — Not only for what you say, but for your time and your image. It will hurt your credibility if you tell people how busy you are and they see you taking those "Who am I?" and "5 Favorite" quizzes on Facebook everyday. When you are online you should assume everyone is watching and behave accordingly.
Don't butt in — If you are participating in an online discussion, let other people have a chance to share their ideas and perspectives. Wait your turn and you will get your chance.
Have fun and be creative — Think of ways you can share information about your article, book, writing service or yourself that are fun and make people want to follow you.
These tips work because social networking is all about building community. Just like in the community you live in offline, the people who have credibility online who are those who engage others and provide value for the community.
Interested in Branding Yourself
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and creator of http://www.PitchRate.com, a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: ldrewg@gmail.com or call him at 828-749-3182.
Have you ever had someone tell you they were slammed with work, only to find their Facebook page full of frequent frivolous activity?
Or maybe you have been surprised by a rude, off-the-cuff remark on Twitter?
Social networking offers boundless potential for authors and writers to promote their works to a wide audience online. Just remember to avoid some common etiquette pitfalls.
Keeping a personalized touch makes all the difference. Let the Golden Rule govern your behavior online and treat people and situations as you would face to face:
Share — Provide valuable information that people can use. When I am networking online, I offer great content for free, whether it be seminars, newsletters or even articles that I find that would be interesting for the community.
Don't just promote yourself — Engage with people online just as you would if you were building a business relationship in person. If someone comes in and all they want to do is promote, promote, promote, that approach is likely to go nowhere.
Be polite — People have a tendency to say things online they would never say face to face. I have seen instances where people on Twitter have a personal beef or a problem with a person and tweet it out publicly. Don't say anything you would be embarrassed for your loved ones to read.
Don't lower yourself — With electronic communication, whether email or social networking, there is no way to read facial expressions or body language. If there is a question about a person's intentions, give them the benefit of the doubt rather than calling them out for being rude.
Be responsible — Not only for what you say, but for your time and your image. It will hurt your credibility if you tell people how busy you are and they see you taking those "Who am I?" and "5 Favorite" quizzes on Facebook everyday. When you are online you should assume everyone is watching and behave accordingly.
Don't butt in — If you are participating in an online discussion, let other people have a chance to share their ideas and perspectives. Wait your turn and you will get your chance.
Have fun and be creative — Think of ways you can share information about your article, book, writing service or yourself that are fun and make people want to follow you.
These tips work because social networking is all about building community. Just like in the community you live in offline, the people who have credibility online who are those who engage others and provide value for the community.
Interested in Branding Yourself
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and creator of http://www.PitchRate.com, a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: ldrewg@gmail.com or call him at 828-749-3182.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
How to Have an Effective First Website
Phyllis Zimbler Miller
The saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" could be applied to the need for local businesses, book authors, or anyone with an idea or product for sale to have a website. Nowadays more and more people tend to first look up information on the web.
If you want your business, book or idea/product to stand out in the marketplace, you have to have an online place where potential customers can find you.
But the truth is, for people who have no website expertise, getting started having a website can be overwhelming:
· Which website designer/programmer to hire?
· How much will the project cost?
· How long with the project take?
· Does the website designer/programmer understand marketing principles?
· Will he/she make the website effective for online marketing campaigns?
· Will he/she make the website user-friendly?
While these questions can be paralyzing — it's easier to do nothing than to tackle these unknowns, you're risking losing your potential customers to local businesses, book authors, and others who do have an effective presence on the internet.
Where do you start?
First you need to get a domain name that effectively supports your business or project.
Make sure that you get one that is memorable, can be spelled easily, and is a .com (people try .com first if they're looking online for a specific website). If you get a domain name with .biz or .net, your online marketing efforts may send potential customers to your competition.
Second, you need to consider whether you want to capture the email addresses of people who come to your website and are interested in what you have to sell.
This "email opt-in box" can be a highly effective if you offer, in exchange for the person's email address, something for free that has perceived value. This can be a report or a discount coupon or something else that is related to the reason the people came to your site in the first place.
And, yes, the placement of an email opt-in box is important. If should definitely be "above the fold" — as high up on the home page as possible. And for maximum effect the box should be on every additional page. This way, if people decide on another page that they want to join your email list, they can do so without having to search for the email opt-in box.
The most important "real estate" of a website is the home page area first seen when a visitor comes to the site. This means that it is no longer considered effective to waste time with a cute flash intro that prevents a visitor from immediately getting to the heart of the site.
Another big negative is to waste real estate announcing in large letters "Welcome to my company site." The most important real estate should answer the question what you are offering in information or products that makes sticking around on your website worth it.
An additional website goal is creating a relationship with potential customers. Nowadays people want to know who is behind the site. Whose authority is being presented online? Thus home page pictures of company buildings are out; home page pictures of company personnel are in.
These are only some of the important elements that you should consider when starting your online presence.
While even these elements may seem overwhelming, if you find a website designer/programmer who understands marketing and is willing to be guided by your website goals, you can make these elements work for you without paying a bundle for your first website.
And once that website is up, you can move on to your next project: utilizing your website as part of an ongoing marketing campaign to attract more potential customers and to convert more potential customers into buyers. – P.Z.M.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://budurl.com/internetbusiness as well as a book author, and her company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com provides internet marketing information with easy-to-implement solutions to promote your brand, book or business.
The saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" could be applied to the need for local businesses, book authors, or anyone with an idea or product for sale to have a website. Nowadays more and more people tend to first look up information on the web.
If you want your business, book or idea/product to stand out in the marketplace, you have to have an online place where potential customers can find you.
But the truth is, for people who have no website expertise, getting started having a website can be overwhelming:
· Which website designer/programmer to hire?
· How much will the project cost?
· How long with the project take?
· Does the website designer/programmer understand marketing principles?
· Will he/she make the website effective for online marketing campaigns?
· Will he/she make the website user-friendly?
While these questions can be paralyzing — it's easier to do nothing than to tackle these unknowns, you're risking losing your potential customers to local businesses, book authors, and others who do have an effective presence on the internet.
Where do you start?
First you need to get a domain name that effectively supports your business or project.
Make sure that you get one that is memorable, can be spelled easily, and is a .com (people try .com first if they're looking online for a specific website). If you get a domain name with .biz or .net, your online marketing efforts may send potential customers to your competition.
Second, you need to consider whether you want to capture the email addresses of people who come to your website and are interested in what you have to sell.
This "email opt-in box" can be a highly effective if you offer, in exchange for the person's email address, something for free that has perceived value. This can be a report or a discount coupon or something else that is related to the reason the people came to your site in the first place.
And, yes, the placement of an email opt-in box is important. If should definitely be "above the fold" — as high up on the home page as possible. And for maximum effect the box should be on every additional page. This way, if people decide on another page that they want to join your email list, they can do so without having to search for the email opt-in box.
The most important "real estate" of a website is the home page area first seen when a visitor comes to the site. This means that it is no longer considered effective to waste time with a cute flash intro that prevents a visitor from immediately getting to the heart of the site.
Another big negative is to waste real estate announcing in large letters "Welcome to my company site." The most important real estate should answer the question what you are offering in information or products that makes sticking around on your website worth it.
An additional website goal is creating a relationship with potential customers. Nowadays people want to know who is behind the site. Whose authority is being presented online? Thus home page pictures of company buildings are out; home page pictures of company personnel are in.
These are only some of the important elements that you should consider when starting your online presence.
While even these elements may seem overwhelming, if you find a website designer/programmer who understands marketing and is willing to be guided by your website goals, you can make these elements work for you without paying a bundle for your first website.
And once that website is up, you can move on to your next project: utilizing your website as part of an ongoing marketing campaign to attract more potential customers and to convert more potential customers into buyers. – P.Z.M.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://budurl.com/internetbusiness as well as a book author, and her company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com provides internet marketing information with easy-to-implement solutions to promote your brand, book or business.
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