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FEATURED ARTICLE DECEMBER 2012
Marketing Your Book Should Begin as
Soon as You Decide to Write It
by Laura Orsini
It was the second Tuesday in October when I received a phone call from  Jenn Laurent, a new author. She was referred by my longtime networking associate, Gilat Ben-Dor. Jenn asked if I could help her market her book, Excerpts from the Heart of Mom, a book about conscious parenting. I told her I was pretty sure I could help and asked when her book was due to be published.
"It's going up for sale on my website tomorrow," Jenn told me.
Wow! "Is there any strategic reason you're starting to sell it TOMORROW?" I asked.
"Well, it's arriving from the printer," was Jenn's response.
Now, to Jenn's credit, she knew she needed help with the marketing. The thing is, she did what far too many new authors did: she waited until her book was rolling off the presses to start marketing it. If you REALLY want to get a jump on selling your book, you'll start developing your marketing plan as soon as you begin writing it.
One of the most important terms in the publishing industry is PLATFORM. An author’s platform is his/her ability to reach their audience of book-buyers, or their plan to do so. It is a measure of your EXISTING INFLUENCE and your ABILITY TO SELL to your market. As soon as you start writing your book, you need to begin growing or developing your platform.
Here's the order in which I encourage my clients to do things:
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Begin with the end in mind. Set your tentative PUBLICATION and LAUNCH dates as soon as you're drafting your outline or writing your first chapter.
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Start your marketing as soon as you begin writing. This means blogging, social media, speaking, etc. TELLING PEOPLE about your book as you're writing it offers two advantages: you're starting to get out the word about it, and once they know about it, they can support you and cheer you on!
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Give yourself the largest window possible for marketing and launching your book. You will be much more successful if you allow six months to build a platform than six weeks.
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Leverage every resource available to you. Who are the most influential people you know? Get them on board to help you build your platform — but don't go to them with your hand out. Find a way to make their involvement beneficial to them.
The good news is that Jenn's November 27th book launch was a success. In just 6 weeks' time, we were able to take her to No. 99 on Amazon in the category of Spiritual Titles. With 6 months or more to plan, an even better ranking would have been possible! ■
NEXT MONTH: Building Your Author Platform from the Ground Up
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Clients we're supporting...
Natasha Deonarain's new book about finding true health may challenge everything you've ever believed about healthcare. It's due out in early 2013. Click the image above to visit her site and learn more! |
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Blogs we're following...
Robert "Chazz" Chute is the most prolific writer I know. He blogs DAILY for both the readers of his thrillers and for other authors. Well worth the subscription! Click the link above to visit his blog. |
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Sites we're using...
Want an easy way to create contact forms for your blog or website? Use the MyContactForm.com service for free if you put their link on your page. But for just $19/year, you can create limitless forms without including the link.
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Resources we're recommending...
Bill Greaves, at Concept West, is my go-to book designer! Professional, reliable, creative ... everything you want in the person who will crate the cover and interior pages for your books! Click the image to see samples of his work.
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Conferences upcoming...
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Authors, performers, prizes, exhibitors, and more! April 20-21, 2013 on the USC campus in Los Angeles. Click the image above for further info.
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Contests for submitting...
The Cabell First Novelist Award offers an annual prize of $5,000 for a first novel published the previous year. Winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to the First Novelist Festival at Virginia Commonwealth U. Deadline: 1/12/13.
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Books we're reading...
Tim Sanders discusses the 3 actions that, when implemented fully, will make any business owner truly successful:
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Be a resource.
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Be a connector.
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Be compassionate.
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Movies we're watching...
Best movie I've seen in a LONG time. Explores what defines happiness, who is happy, and how you can become happier. Has some subtitled sections, but WELL worth the effort. Available on Netflix.
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Freebies we're offering...
If you're a savvy marketer, you're getting and using testimonials. But are you using the right kinds of testimonials in your business? Click the image above to download your free copy of Testimonials Made Easy. |
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Places Laura's speaking...
Facebook Fan Page Basics | Glendale Business Forum | Wednesday, January 2nd,
530-715 p.m. | Glendale Public Library, 5959 W. Brown Street, Glendale, AZ 85302 | Info/Register
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THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL...
eBook Basics. This eBook will teach you everything you need to know to publish your first eBook, from conception to marketing. Get your copy today and save $2.99 off the regular price.
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To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written [about] the flea, though many there be that have tried it.
Herman Melville
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Mark your calendar for January 15, 2013, as the new 52-week,
self-paced program for women authors launches.
If you’ve been thinking about writing a book for some time now, you probably have lots of very good excuses for why you haven’t done it yet. Time. “Who has time to sit down and write a book!??” Skill. You may have a great idea … but lack confidence when it comes to actually writing a book. Planning. You have a great idea, but you have no idea how to get the ideas out of your head. Panic. There’s just too much to know and you’re not sure you’ll ever be able to pull all the pieces together to write your book.
Courses cover specific topics in the areas of:
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MINDSET
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HONING YOUR WRITING SKILL
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WRITING PROCESS
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GENRES
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TURNING YOUR WRITING INTO A MANUSCRIPT
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PUTTING THE BOOK TOGETHER
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FORMATS
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PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION
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THE BOOK BUSINESS
EMPOWERINGWOMENWRITERS.COM
Miss the November issue of Creative Quill?
Catch up here!
<<First Name>>, wishing you the happiest of holidays: a belated Hanukkah, a joyous Solstice, a merry Christmas, a happy Kwanza, a spectacular Festivus, or whatever you may celebrate!
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loved one lost to gun violence.
