Authors, do these 2 things before writing a book

Here we go again. Yet another author who shall remain nameless emailed me this week asking for advice on how to market her new book and generate publicity for it. She says she’s “too close to it” and doesn’t know where to start.

If you’re thinking of writing a book, I beg you to do two things before investing months or even years writing and editing it, and thousands of dollars publishing it.

First, read my article  10 Questions to Ask Before Writing Your Book. These aren’t trick questions. But if you can’t answer most of them, you have no business writing a book on the topic you’ve chosen. 

Second, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, learn from other authors who have figured out how to make their books best-sellers. Join Steve Harrison for a free telephone seminar this Thursday, August 13, at your choice of two times: 2 and 7 p.m. Eastern. It’s called “How To Make Your Book an Almost Instant Bestseller and Sell Tons of Copies Even If You’re A Marketing Novice”, and it will show you an ingenious, yet simple method any author can use to make their book an almost instant bestseller and sell tons of copies.

As a result of applying the “Bestseller Blueprint,” you’ll discover this Thursday how:

  • Peggy McColl’s book hit the Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and New York Times bestseller lists.
        
  • Gary Renard sold over 10,900 books and hit #2 on Amazon.
        
  • Kristie Tamsevicius got a deal to sell 25,000 books to ONE company and got national bookstore distribution after becoming an Amazon Bestseller.
        
  • Gary Rebstock hit #1 on Amazon and landed a deal with Random House.
         
  • Sandy Forster sold over $50,000.00 of books in a week and hit #5 on Amazon.

Plus, you’ll also learn how to adjust your bestseller campaign to accommodate recent rumored changes in how some top bestseller lists are calculated.

Even if your book isn’t going to be out for a while, this is a call you won’t want to miss. Register here for Thursday’s call.

The method you’ll hear requires no marketing expertise, no marketing budget and no technical expertise.  It works for works for all types of books, fiction or non-fiction, regardless of subject—whether your book is self-published, POD, or an ebook; newly-published or even a book that has been out for years. 

Wanted: Testers for my publicity tips newsletter

I’m looking for about 10 Publicity Hounds to test my newsletter, The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week, before I start distributing it through AWeber, my new list management company, next week.

If you’re on a Mac and you also use MacMail, Eudora or Entourage, I need you as part of my test group. What’s in it for you? Two free special reports of your choosing, a $20 value, if you help with the test. I’m looking for testers to receive the newsletter in HTML, not plain text.

Interested? Email Scott Buffaloe, my assistant, and he’ll get back to you with details.     


Intranet software company needs publicity ideas

intranetMartin Amm of Boston, Mass., writes:

“Our company, adenin Technologies, Inc., provides a complete intranet suite for businesses. We also offer software that turns your existing intranet into web 2.0, including blogs, a Twitter-like app and more.

“Employees communicate and interact with each other better using the intranet software. It’s a simpler and more user-friendly intranet than Sharepoint. 

“We’ve been using social media to build relationships with the intranet industry and prospects. We’ve also contacted specific publications with story ideas rather than pitching them. We’ve made great connections, but haven’t seen much results in terms of publicity and sales. What can we do to help our little company gain more attention?”

Entrepreneurial moms need PR ideas for chair skirts

Suzanne Fox Sevel of Melbourne, Fla., writes:

“I have a client in Atlanta, Ga., who just launched a new product called Scurtz: stylish, decorative skirts for chairs.  They’re very upscale, and some people see them as an alternative to tablecloths or place settings as a unique way of decorating for guests.

“They’re $49-$69 a pair and come in luxurious or traditional fabrics such as velvet and tulle.  Since they are so new, there are not very many customers.  The sales numbers are not impressive enough for the local business press to even write a story about it.

“Also, local newspapers and magazines are showing little interest in writing a feature story about these fabulous home accessories or the two entrepreneurial moms who invented them.

“They will be available in a major retailer very soon, but my job is to create some initial buzz and excitement about them first so that when they hit the stores, there will be a line of people waiting for them.  Do your Hounds have any ideas for low-cost, high-impact PR? The owner is not on Facebook or Twitter and has no interest in social networking as a means of promotion.”

Here’s a video that demonstrates how to tie Scurtz:

Subscribe to my publicity tips? I don’t want to lose you!

dog labradorI’m eternally grateful to the thousands of Publicity Hounds who read “The Publicity Hound’s  Tips of the Week,” my free ezine, every week.

You contribute incredible tips, helpful links, intelligent questions and doggone good dog jokes and videos, one of the most popular parts of the ezine. 

It’s time for me to change over to a AWeber, the company that will manage my email list. 

The switch to a new company will also let you choose whether you want to receive my ezine in HTML, or plain text.

 If you already subscribe,
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First, subscribe to the new version of the newsletter by entering your name and email address into this form. Specify if you want the newsletter in plain text or HMTL.

Second, check your email inbox for a message with this subject line:

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Click on the link inside the email.  If you miss this step, you’ll miss receiving the weekly tips and you’ll be like a lost puppy wandering the streets, looking for its mama.

If you have any questions about this process, please email me. If you ever suddenly stop receiving the newsletter, let me know and I’ll make sure you’re back on the list.

If you have a publicity dilemma you’d like help with, email the question to me and tell me where you live. I’ll consider it for the Help This Hound section of the newsletter. Each week, I include a question from a reader and invite my other Hounds to offer their best solutions and ideas.

And, of course, I’m always on the lookout for good, clean dog jokes, photos and videos for the “Hound Joke of the Week” section of the newsletter. If I use what you’ve submitted, I’ll thank you publicly.  

If you’re on Twitter or Facebook, how about giving your friends and followers a treat? Tell them about the ezine, and encourage them to subscribe at  http://www.PublicityHound.com/aweber/optin.htm. If they don’t care about receiving free publicity tips, they’ll love the dog jokes.