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 fifteenth of every month, The BookMark will deliver useful tips, helpful news, and upcoming events directly to your electronic inbox. If you would like to receive a free copy of the The BookMark in your monthly
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Publishing Industry News
Marketing and Distribution
Trade Show News
BookMasters Installs Web Press
BookMasters continues to expand its capabilities with the installation of a 40" Timsons book press. This Timsons press is only one of six in the world with three interchangeable cylinder sizes covering nearly all of the most popular trade trim sizes. Designed primarily for long run, this press 
will significantly increase capacity by delivering folded signature ready for binding. Due to be online by mid-February, BookMasters is currently pricing projects on this press reflecting the savings expected from web printing compared to sheet fed.
Book Marketing Simplified
by Sophfronia Scott
Lately I've been attracting questions from first-time authors on how to get their books "out there". In other words, now that your book is done, how do you tell as many people as possible about it? Book marketing! Since my conversations with these writers were brief I kept the tips as simple as possible. But then it occurred to me: This was exactly how I was planning the marketing of my newest book. I'm purposely keeping it simple so I don't get overwhelmed. And being overwhelmed is common. After all, according to John Kremer there are 1,001 ways to market your book. You can't possibly do them all! So here's the easy way to look at book marketing. Make good choices and you'll find just the audience you're looking for.
Decide What Media You'll Target
You don't have to use all media in your marketing plan. Choose what you're most comfortable with and what would bring you superior results. Perhaps you prefer print (newspapers and magazines) to radio and television. Or maybe you'll limit your choices to radio and the Internet because that's where you're most likely to find the types who will read your book. Is direct mail your cup of tea? Making this choice will help you focus. It will also save you money: Pursuing everything can get really expensive.
Set Specific Goals for Each Target
Some writers will try for a mention of their book and feel triumphant if they get one review or one interview. That's great, but a real marketing strategy will help you to secure more than one review or more than one interview. But it won't happen unless you set goals and shoot for them. Let's say you choose the internet, magazines and radio as your desired media.
Your goals could be Internet: Get enough partners to do an email blast to 2 million people.
Magazines: Get mentions and/or reviews of your book in four magazines read by your target audience.
Radio: Do four to six radio interviews a month.
Write Down Action Steps
Now that you have these goals, what exactly do you have to do to achieve them? For your internet goal, your tasks may include seeking out like-minded partners who have lists of their own to send an e-mail on your behalf. For your magazine goal, you'll probably send out regular press releases and story ideas to the editors of the magazines. Likewise for your radio goal. Once you see the steps written down, it's that much easier to put them in a calendar and schedule time to get them done.
Take Action Daily
Make sure you do something everyday to forward your goals. That's exactly what Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen did to make Chicken Soup for the Soul a success. They called it "The Rule of Five" and they made sure they did five things from their action plan every single day. It paid off for them big time. You can do the same. Remember to go back to your plan and read it again if you get distracted or become overwhelmed. Your plan will remind you of what you want to achieve and what choices will help you to do so. It's like they say about eating an elephant - you can do it. It just takes a while and you have to take small bites!
Sophfronia Scott is executive editor of the Done For You writing & publishing company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, "How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author" and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.
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Book Sales and Media Events
Marcella's Magic
(Marcella Smith, Small Press Business Manager, Barnes & Noble)
You have heard it said that practice makes perfect. However, that is not necessarily true. Practice makes permanent, so you have to make sure you are rehearsing the right things. Before you appear on any media event – including a bookstore event - engage the services of a professional media trainer so the techniques you make permanent are the right ones.
You're On The Air
(Eric Marcus, former producer for Good Morning America and CBS This Morning)
A good guest is an engaging guest. Lively. Funny, if appropriate. Someone who knows the length of the show and can adjust the length of his or her answers accordingly.
Author 101
(Excerpted - with permission - from Author 101: Bestselling Book Publicity, by Rick Frishman and Robyn Spizman; contact Rick at FRISHMANR@PlannedTVArts.com or www.author101.com)
You can’t just pick up the phone or make a wish and, presto, you’re on Oprah. You have to build incrementally, step-by-step. Start small and locally; approach civic, community, and religious organizations. Develop a series of talks for the Y, your church, or the Rotary Club and then move up. Talk to everyone you know, network, beat the bushes. Find places to start, get bookings, and work your way up. Make your initial mistakes locally and build a devoted following close to home. Take speaking, voice or acting lessons, or hire a media coach. Join Toastmasters and the National Speakers Association. Tape your performances; critique them; and practice, practice, practice.
Savvy Self-Promotion
(Penny Sansevieri, author of From Book to Bestseller, penny@amarketingexpert.com.
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bookgal)
Twitter for All. If you’ve pondered using Twitter but aren’t sure how to use it effectively, here are some quick tips to give you some great twittering-ideas:
- Teach stuff – Teach a little mini-lesson on Twitter. Delve into your area of expertise or just talk about book publishing and how to get published
- Showcase your book – Don’t do this in a “my book is so fabulous” kind of way but offer to give advice (like I mention in Teach Stuff) or share with your Twitter followers how the promotion of the book is going
- Widen your network – Follow other Twitter folk, this will not only give you some ideas for your own “tweets” but it’s a great way to network with other writers or professionals
- Keep the buzz going when you’re on the move – It’s hard to keep blogging when you’re on the road (trust me I know this first hand) – so when I travel, I tweet. I share what I’m doing, what’s happening in my world (but I keep it interesting, save the “I’m washing the cat” for your diary) and try to offer insight and advice…
- Market yourself – Remember that while Twitter may seem like a fun little tool, it’s also a great way to market yourself. Just like the ideas we mention above, there are a hundred+ more things you can do.
Upcoming Events
Publishing Business Conference and Expo
New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square
New York, NY
March 23-25, 2009
www.PublishingBusiness.com
Bologna Children’s Book Fair
Bologna Exhibition Centre
Bologna, Italy
March 23-26, 2009
www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it
Colorado Independent Publishers Association College 2009
Red Lion Hotel
Denver, CO
March 26-28, 2009
www.CIPAbooks.com
London Book Fair-
Earl’s Court
London, England
April 20-22, 2009
www.londonbookfair.co.uk
Society for Scholarly Publishing Annual Meeting
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
Baltimore, MD
May 27-29, 2009
www.sspnet.org
Book Expo America 2009
Jacob K. Javits Center
New York, NY
May 28-May 31, 2009
www.bookexpoamerica.com
American Library Association Show
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
July 9-15, 2009
www.ala.org
This calendar was up-to-date and accurate as of January 15, 2009. 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.
