The BookMark . . . publishing industry information and tips from BookMasters.

Volume 5, Issue 2 February 2007

The BookMark is our free monthly newsletter featuring news and information of use to publishers, authors, retailers, and others involved in the publishing industry. On the first of every month, The BookMark will deliver useful tips, helpful news, and upcoming events directly to your electronic in-box. If you would like to receive a free copy of the The BookMark in your monthly e-mail, please visit http://www.bookmasters.com/subscribe.htm and complete the subscription form.

IN THIS ISSUE: Industry News & Events

Four Ways Authors Can Attract More Readers (and Buyers) Faster

Save Early, Save Often

Trade Show News

Upcoming Events

Four Ways Authors Can Attract More Readers (and Buyers) Faster
by Bob Baker

Bob Baker is the author of "Unleash the Artist Within," "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," and "Branding Yourself Online." Visit his Web site at PromoteYourCreativity.com.

Attracting new fans. Admit it, that's what having a book published is all about—getting more people to read your words, know about you and buy your books. And hopefully, getting a LOT more people to do those things.

Marketing is the thing that helps you reach that goal. But marketing is also a subject that confuses a lot of writers. Whether they write fiction or nonfiction, are self-published or traditionally published, writers the world over know they need to promote themselves. But many don't know where to start, much less how to continue marketing effectively. Does this describe you? If so, consider the following scenario:

Let's say you went to an average U.S. city and rounded up 1,000 people and gathered them in a giant VFW hall. These 1,000 folks would be randomly chosen and made up of people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Next, you'd distribute information about your book, talk to these people and even let them read sample chapters.

After this direct exposure, what are the chances that one person out of those thousand would be attracted to your ideas and personal identity enough to buy your book? Most writers, regardless of how obscure their subject matter is, should feel pretty confident about being able to win over at least one new fan from this group of 1,000. That's a one-tenth of one percent conversion rate.

Now let's multiply that reasonable formula by the entire U.S. population of 285 million people. One-tenth of one percent would be 285,000 people. That would be enough fans to make you a bonafide bestselling author. Right?

So how do you find and connect with those one-in-a-thousand buyers (without the use of VFW halls across the country)? Most likely, you can't afford the massive advertising budget of major companies. These corporations spray their marketing message over the masses, knowing that it'll only stick to a small percentage of the population.

The solution: You must find creative, low-cost ways to go directly to those fans who make up that one-tenth of one percent. Don't waste your time and money promoting yourself to people who will most likely never embrace your words. Here are four steps to take to reach those new fans:

Define Your Distinct Identity
You must have a firm grasp on what your writing (or latest book) is about. And you must be able to define it clearly and quickly. What sets your book apart from others in its genre? What attitude or social statement do you (or your book) make? Generic self-help, romance, or science fiction titles won't cut it. Dig deeper and discover your unique identity. When you do finally reach some of those rare potential fans, don't lose them by not being clear about who you are.

Describe Your Ideal Fan
Once you have a handle on who you are as a writer, it's time to paint a clear picture of your ideal fan. Can you articulate how your readers dress, where they work, what TV shows they watch, what they do for fun, and who their favorite cultural heroes are? Observe the types of people who come to your public speaking engagements or readings, and note what they have in common. Conduct simple online surveys with people who visit your Web site or subscribe to your e-zine. Knowing precisely who your fans are will dictate what avenues you use to reach them and how you communicate your message once you do reach them.

Determine How to Get Access to Your Ideal Fans
Once you know exactly what type of fan you're going after, start making a list of the various resources these specific people are attracted to. What magazines and newspapers do they read? Where do they hang out? What radio stations do they listen to? What retail outlets do they frequent? What Web sites do they surf to? What e-mail newsletters do they subscribe to? For example, if your fans are mostly Harley riders, go to a search engine like Google and start entering keywords related to motorcycles. Evaluate the search results and compile a list of the many good sources you uncover.

Network and Promote Yourself and Your Book
Armed with this targeted list of contacts, get busy! Send e-mail press releases to niche media outlets. Contact the webmasters and editors of appropriate publications. Post messages in specialized forums. Visit and interact via the Web sites of similar authors or reading groups. Contact organizations and charities related to your writing niche.

In short, go to where your ideal fans are. And market yourself through these outlets relentlessly. Why spend too much time and money trying to promote to everyone...when you can save money and be far more effective by going directly to those valuable one-in-a-thousand fans?

If you would like additional assistance or advice on marketing your book, please contact BookMasters' Marketing Services Department or call 1-800-537-6727 and ask to speak to a sales representative for guidance. Visit http://www.bookmasters.com/services/marketing.htm for more information on marketing strategy, direct mail marketing, display advertising, and online marketing.

Save Early, Save Often

There is nothing more disheartening than having your computer crash or freeze up after a particularly long writing session. You could lose hours of work or—if the crash is particularly severe—your entire manuscript could be corrupted and irretrievable. Do you know the best ways to protect yourself and your book-to-be from technological tragedy?

Save often.
It sounds like obvious advice, however, if you're on a roll, you may just forget to stop and save every once in a while. Unless you can remember to save your work every 10 minutes, you may wish to set up your computer to autosave your file for you.

Keep a backup of your work.
Even though you may have a copy of your file on your computer's hard drive, you'll want a duplicate file stored on a CD, Zip disk, flash memory drive, or other portable device. If something catastrophic happens to your computer, you won't have to rebuild your entire file from scratch. Even a week-old file is better than no file at all.

Update your virus protection regularly.
Try to ensure that your computer is protected from any viruses, trojans, or worms that may corrupt your system. It's best to make sure your system never becomes infected in the first place rather than trying to recover everything after the damage has been done.

BookMasters to Attend Trade Shows in February

In the month of February, Deb Keets, Operations Manager, Publishing Services, will represent BookMasters at two publishing trade shows.

From February 5th–7th, Deb will be in Washington DC at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel attending the AAP/PSP (Association of American Publishers/Professional/Scholarly Publishing) trade show. This year the show will focus on Global Publishing: Emerging Market, New Models. BookMasters will be located at booth #7.

From February 16th–18th, Deb will attend the Southern University Presses 2007 show in Jacksonville, Florida, at the Crown Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront. This show will have many interesting and informative sessions such as Publishing in a Digital World, New Trends in Book Manufacturing, and All Markets Great & Small.

If you have the opportunity to attend the trade shows, Deb would like for you to stop by and say “Hi.” She welcomes the opportunity to talk shop and discuss your organization’s publishing endeavors. To contact Deb to set up an appointment, email her at dkeets@bookmasters.com.

February 5–7, 2007
Association of American Publishers/Professional Scholarly Publishing (AAP/PSP) Conference, Washington, DC
http://www.publishers.org/conference/eventdetail.cfm?EventID=68

April 16–18, 2007
The London Book Fair, Earls Court, London, UK
www.londonbookfair.co.uk

June 9–10, 2007
Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair, Chicago, IL
www.chicagotribune.com/extras/printersrow/

June 1–3, 2007
BookExpo America, New York, NY
www.bookexpoamerica.com

June 8–11, 2007
BookExpo Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
http://reedexpo.ca/bookexpo/

July 5–8, 2007
Tokyo International Book Fair, Tokyo, Japan
http://web.reedexpo.co.jp/tibf/english/

This calendar was up-to-date and accurate as of January 29, 2006. Information was culled from a number of sources. BookMasters cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the information within. Please visit the listed Web sites for more information.

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Volume 5, Issue 2 February 2007 The BookMark is our free monthly newsletter featuring news and information of use to publishers, authors, retailers, and others involved in the publishing industry. On the first of every month, The BookMark will deliver useful tips, helpful news, and upcoming events directly to your electronic in-box. If you would like to receive a free copy of the The BookMark in your monthly e-mail, please visit http://www.bookmasters.com/subscribe.htm and complete the subscription form. IN THIS ISSUE: Industry News & Events Four Ways Authors Can Attract More Readers (and Buyers) Faster Save Early, Save Often Trade Show News Upcoming Events Four Ways Authors Can Attract More Readers (and Buyers) Faster by Bob Baker Bob Baker is the author of "Unleash the Artist Within," "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," and "Branding Yourself Online." Visit his Web site at PromoteYourCreativity.com. Attracting new fans. Admit it, that's what having a book published is all about—getting more people to read your words, know about you and buy your books. And hopefully, getting a LOT more people to do those things. Marketing is the thing that helps you reach that goal. But marketing is also a subject that confuses a lot of writers. Whether they write fiction or nonfiction, are self-published or traditionally published, writers the world over know they need to promote themselves. But many don't know where to start, much less how to continue marketing effectively. Does this describe you? If so, consider the following scenario: Let's say you went to an average U.S. city and rounded up 1,000 people and gathered them in a giant VFW hall. These 1,000 folks would be randomly chosen and made up of people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Next, you'd distribute information about your book, talk to these people and even let them read sample chapters. After this direct exposure, what are the chances that one person out of those thousand would be attracted to your ideas and personal identity enough to buy your book? Most writers, regardless of how obscure their subject matter is, should feel pretty confident about being able to win over at least one new fan from this group of 1,000. That's a one-tenth of one percent conversion rate. Now let's multiply that reasonable formula by the entire U.S. population of 285 million people. One-tenth of one percent would be 285,000 people. That would be enough fans to make you a bonafide bestselling author. Right? So how do you find and connect with those one-in-a-thousand buyers (without the use of VFW halls across the country)? Most likely, you can't afford the massive advertising budget of major companies. These corporations spray their marketing message over the masses, knowing that it'll only stick to a small percentage of the population. The solution: You must find creative, low-cost ways to go directly to those fans who make up that one-tenth of one percent. Don't waste your time and money promoting yourself to people who will most likely never embrace your words. Here are four steps to take to reach those new fans: Define Your Distinct Identity You must have a firm grasp on what your writing (or latest book) is about. And you must be able to define it clearly and quickly. What sets your book apart from others in its genre? What attitude or social statement do you (or your book) make? Generic self-help, romance, or science fiction titles won't cut it. Dig deeper and discover your unique identity. When you do finally reach some of those rare potential fans, don't lose them by not being clear about who you are. Describe Your Ideal Fan Once you have a handle on who you are as a writer, it's time to paint a clear picture of your ideal fan. Can you articulate how your readers dress, where they work, what TV shows they watch, what they do for fun, and who their favorite cultural heroes are? Observe the types of people who come to your public speaking engagements or readings, and note what they have in common. Conduct simple online surveys with people who visit your Web site or subscribe to your e-zine. Knowing precisely who your fans are will dictate what avenues you use to reach them and how you communicate your message once you do reach them. Determine How to Get Access to Your Ideal Fans Once you know exactly what type of fan you're going after, start making a list of the various resources these specific people are attracted to. What magazines and newspapers do they read? Where do they hang out? What radio stations do they listen to? What retail outlets do they frequent? What Web sites do they surf to? What e-mail newsletters do they subscribe to? For example, if your fans are mostly Harley riders, go to a search engine like Google and start entering keywords related to motorcycles. Evaluate the search results and compile a list of the many good sources you uncover. Network and Promote Yourself and Your Book Armed with this targeted list of contacts, get busy! Send e-mail press releases to niche media outlets. Contact the webmasters and editors of appropriate publications. Post messages in specialized forums. Visit and interact via the Web sites of similar authors or reading groups. Contact organizations and charities related to your writing niche. In short, go to where your ideal fans are. And market yourself through these outlets relentlessly. Why spend too much time and money trying to promote to everyone...when you can save money and be far more effective by going directly to those valuable one-in-a-thousand fans? If you would like additional assistance or advice on marketing your book, please contact BookMasters' Marketing Services Department or call 1-800-537-6727 and ask to speak to a sales representative for guidance. Visit http://www.bookmasters.com/services/marketing.htm for more information on marketing strategy, direct mail marketing, display advertising, and online marketing. Save Early, Save Often There is nothing more disheartening than having your computer crash or freeze up after a particularly long writing session. You could lose hours of work or—if the crash is particularly severe—your entire manuscript could be corrupted and irretrievable. Do you know the best ways to protect yourself and your book-to-be from technological tragedy? Save often. It sounds like obvious advice, however, if you're on a roll, you may just forget to stop and save every once in a while. Unless you can remember to save your work every 10 minutes, you may wish to set up your computer to autosave your file for you. Keep a backup of your work. Even though you may have a copy of your file on your computer's hard drive, you'll want a duplicate file stored on a CD, Zip disk, flash memory drive, or other portable device. If something catastrophic happens to your computer, you won't have to rebuild your entire file from scratch. Even a week-old file is better than no file at all. Update your virus protection regularly. Try to ensure that your computer is protected from any viruses, trojans, or worms that may corrupt your system. It's best to make sure your system never becomes infected in the first place rather than trying to recover everything after the damage has been done. BookMasters to Attend Trade Shows in February In the month of February, Deb Keets, Operations Manager, Publishing Services, will represent BookMasters at two publishing trade shows. From February 5th–7th, Deb will be in Washington DC at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel attending the AAP/PSP (Association of American Publishers/Professional/Scholarly Publishing) trade show. This year the show will focus on Global Publishing: Emerging Market, New Models. BookMasters will be located at booth #7. From February 16th–18th, Deb will attend the Southern University Presses 2007 show in Jacksonville, Florida, at the Crown Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront. This show will have many interesting and informative sessions such as Publishing in a Digital World, New Trends in Book Manufacturing, and All Markets Great & Small. If you have the opportunity to attend the trade shows, Deb would like for you to stop by and say “Hi.” She welcomes the opportunity to talk shop and discuss your organization’s publishing endeavors. To contact Deb to set up an appointment, email her at dkeets@bookmasters.com. February 5–7, 2007 Association of American Publishers/Professional Scholarly Publishing (AAP/PSP) Conference, Washington, DC http://www.publishers.org/conference/eventdetail.cfm?EventID=68 April 16–18, 2007 The London Book Fair, Earls Court, London, UK www.londonbookfair.co.uk June 9–10, 2007 Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair, Chicago, IL www.chicagotribune.com/extras/printersrow/ June 1–3, 2007 BookExpo America, New York, NY www.bookexpoamerica.com June 8–11, 2007 BookExpo Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada http://reedexpo.ca/bookexpo/ July 5–8, 2007 Tokyo International Book Fair, Tokyo, Japan http://web.reedexpo.co.jp/tibf/english/ This calendar was up-to-date and accurate as of January 29, 2006. Information was culled from a number of sources. BookMasters cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the information within. Please visit the listed Web sites for more information. Recommend The BookMark to a friend. Click to Subscribe to The BookMark. If you feel you have received this newsletter in error, please click to Unsubscribe. Questions, comments, or content for The BookMark? Let us know. Suggest topics you'd like to see appear in The BookMark. Prefer a text only version? Subscribe. © 2001 — 2007 BookMasters^® © 2001 — 2007 The BookMark All Rights Reserved