Request for a Product/Book Review – The Monster on Top of the Bed

September 13th, 2009 by Alan | 1 Comment | Filed in Book Promotion, Marketing

If you know of any media people or bloggers who might want to review my book The Monster on Top of the Bed, would you either direct them to this blog entry (http://max-opp.com/salesandjobs/?p=467) or leave a response and suggest whom I should contact? Thank you for helping me to obtain this publicity.

Here is a link to a Request for a Book/Product Review that you may forward to an editor, producer, blogger, etc.
monbed4across

Your comments will be most appreciated. Thanks.

Alan

Share

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Successful Book Promotion Series – Meet Joel Schwartzberg – Author "The 40-Year-Old Version: Humoirs of a Divorced Dad"

September 12th, 2009 by Alan | No Comments | Filed in Book Promotion, Writing
When I spoke with Joel he told me, “I know a lot about web-promotion of books given my experiences promoting my own book (see www.divorceddadbook.com and note all the blogger reviews) as well as through my experience teaching Author Publicity to authors. I run an online and in-person mediabistro course that focuses on opportunities in new media.”

40YROLD.COVER.jpeg-278x430

We conducted an extensive audio interview on an Internet Radio Show, which you can listen to on http://www.career-boost-system.com. Here is a link to a time line for that audio interview.

Following is some of the information that we exchanged prior to the Internet Radio Show interview:

Q. When you look at http://www.divorceddad.com, there are tons of testimonials. How did you get so many?

A. I aggressively sought out and contacted “daddy bloggers” and other blogs that cover parenting or divorce issues. Basically, I traded them a free PDF for an interview, review, or article publication so long as they liked the book. So many of them agreed to be involved. I think I sent out about 100 emails, and a number of books. I kept offering the PDF to save trees, but also to save me money. I’m constantly looking for new contacts.

Q. I like the idea of combining “humor” and “memoir” in the title of your book, Was that your idea?
A. It was indeed my idea — I wanted to get across the point that these were mini-memoirs, often funny.

Q. What type of Twitter activity do you do?

A. I tweet whenever an essay of mine is published, I win an award, when there’s a new review, and other news related to the book, almost always including a link. I try to sound conversational and not too much like a miniaturized press release. Sometimes, I’ll mix it up with more banal tweets, so people know I’m a human being, not just a marketing machine.

I use Twitter first and foremost; it increases my exposure.

Q. How much time do you invest in Social Networking every day?

A. I spend about 90 minutes a day marketing my book in one way or another, typically emailing and/or pitching editors, bloggers and reviewers.

Q. How has Twitter helped you to network with other authors, and what benefit has it had for you?

A. It has connected me to other writers, but mostly it alllows me to share my work with a larger audience.

Q. How has Twitter helped you to hook up with other marketing companies, and what benefit has that had for you?

A. I really haven’t formed professional alliances through Twitter just yet. Facebook’s a different story.

Q. What has worked best for you from a copy-writing perspective?

A. What works best is a strong expression of the book’s mission. In my case: “Stories that encourage strong divorced dadhood and reconnections with children.” I also encourage authors to “pitch” more and “describe” less. I think good copywriting clearly shares not just what a book is, but how it helps.

Q. What, if anything, have you done to get a quality book review?

A. I wrote a damn good book. Next, I reached out to audiences most interested or experienced in its niche mission. I’ve also given out free PDFs of the book, knowing that having someone promote my book is even more valuable than having someone buy it.

Q. How much of your book’s content do you show on your website, and why?

A. Well, in my case, many of the essays were published in places like The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, and elsewhere, so I do link to them, but mainly I focus on the testimonials to sell for me. That said, I’m happy to share a free or essay or two, and do often republish essays on various blogs and sites that will take reprints.

I try to keep my website to one page, with all the vital information there, but I might add a sample essay or three.

Q. Are there any special tips or techniques that you would like to share?

A. Reaching out to niche bloggers is probably the most successful tactic I used. I also created a Facebook fan page will allows me to speak directly to the book’s fans. In my Author PR course, I encourage students to write articles, quizzes, essays, and lists for placement in newspapers and magazines. This builds a writer’s credibility, promotes the book in the byline, and — if online — increases SEO for the book’s webpage.

For more details visit http://www.career-boost-system.com, and download or stream the actual interview with Joel.

How did you get so many testimonials?

I aggressively sought out and contacted “daddy bloggers” and other blogs that cover parenting or divorce issues. Basically, I traded them a free PDF for an interview, review, or article publication so long as they liked the book. So many of them agreed to be involved. I think I sent out about 100 emails, and a number of books. I kept offering the PDF to save trees, but also to save me money. I’m constantly looking for new contacts.

Share

Tags: , ,

Successful Book Promotion Series – Meet Stacey Kannenberg – "Ready to Learn Mom"

September 12th, 2009 by Alan | No Comments | Filed in Book Promotion, Marketing, Writing

Stacey Kannenberg was able to sell 60,000 copies of her self-published book line, break into the school market, garner over 700 mom blog reviews, and build a national media platform–all with only a shoestring budget! In this interview, she shares her experience. Says Stacey, “My biggest tip: take advantage of all the free resources on-line!! (See below) I have broken every single rule in traditional publishing and have built a brand that will sustain for generations to come! I would love to share what has worked for me!”

Two of Stacey Kannenberg's Books

Two of Stacey Kannenberg's Books

Q. Stacey, I’ve self published The Monster on Top of the Bed, and I’m delighted that you are willing to be so candid helping others. Could you start by sharing your most important marketing techniques?

A. Certainly, Alan, here are my top 7 marketing techniques:

  1. Take “Google Alerts” out for your name and company and also on “keywords” that target your marketing niche. I have Google Alerts on “kindergarten” and “Let’s Get Ready for School”. Everyday Google sends me a list of free leads that tag all the stories and blogs that include my key word(s).
  2. Post genuine comments on those blogs contributing to the conversation, not “buy me, buy me, buy me”. “I see you are worried about your son going to Kindergarten; I would love to send him a set of my books to enjoy!” It works and those 700+ mom blog reviews are priceless! Yes giving away products will come back to you!!! I want those bloggers to have my books to see and touch and share with someone else! Those blogs are amazing, many with pictures of their kids with my books and actually quotes from the kids playing with them! They will live forever on-line and increase, as I like to call it, your “Google Footprint” or the number of records on the search engines. This is free and natural SEO.
  3. Elevate your platform by networking with movers and shakers in your industry. If you want to be an author, start reviewing your favorite author’s books on Amazon.
  4. Put yourself in a position to network with and meet other authors! I reviewed Jim Stovall’s Ultimate Gift and a few years later he emailed me asking if I would like an advanced copy of Keeper of the Flame. A few weeks ago he sent me a nice note with The King’s Legacy. PRICELESS connection that elevates my platform too!
  5. Belong to all the free sites for media leads: www.helpareporter.com; pitchrate.com; and reporterssource.com to name a few. I have been interviewed on hundreds of radio shows, over 30 parenting magazines, over 30 television segments and 15 newspapers! Can you say, “free credibility?”
  6. Develop a platform to be bigger than you – for me it’s about educating preschoolers at the core to empower parents, kids and teachers to all be involved. If you teach a child to wear their seat belt they will re-teach and train everyone to wear it too. If you teach a child what they need to know for preschool, they will empower their parents to be involved in the process every step of the way! “Mom, let’s practice shapes and colors because I need to know them for Kindergarten!” I am creating a brand that will live long after me!! When parents, kids and teachers think Kindergarten they are starting to think of my books! So my goal is to be the “Good Night Moon” of Kindergarten!
  7. Become the expert and pitch your local media to develop long-term relationships and start your media platform. The local media can help you grow to the national media. Many of my favorite local media stars are now some of my biggest fans!! I would never have gotten this far without all their support!
  8. Create social networking profiles on all the sites that match your target market as well as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. I am on over 40+ sites. Even the sites that I am not active in get traffic. I have one that has over 24,000 page views, another over 5,000, 6,000, 150 — now times that by 40 and that’s free exposure for YOU! The more people that know your name, the bigger you will be!

Here is a list of my favorite FREE resources:

For running your business:

For daily marketing tips:

For free media:

For a killer media list:

  • An unlikely, but helpful source for local media is the official website for the American Academy of Family Physicians at http://capitol.aafp.org/aafp/dbq/media/. Select a state on the map and you will be provided with a list of print and broadcast media.

For networking – geared for mom entrepreneurs:

  • The Mom Entrepreneur
  • Woman Business Owners
  • Woman Owned Businesses
  • Savor the Success
  • Twitter Moms
  • eWomen Network
  • National Association of Women Business Owners
  • Work It
  • Working Mother
  • Work At Home Moms
  • Home Based Working Moms
  • Moms in Business
  • Start Up Princess
  • Make Mine a Million
  • The Joy of Connecting
  • Mom Inventors
  • Moms Town
  • Twitter Moms
  • Hybrid Moms
  • Moms-for-Profit
  • BlogHer

For social networking and marketing:

Q. Did implementing these ideas consume all of your time? If not, what’s your secret?

A. Yes, I have been known to work 17 hour days!

Q. What rules have your broken, and how did you succeed?

A. I used the power of organic word-of-mouth to elevate my platform and opened my lines of distribution myself. I empowered parents, kids and teachers to be part of my network during the writing and editing stages and they became my first customers!

Q. What was the biggest challenge to creating a brand?

A.Trying to all keep in the spotlight and keep reinventing your message to keep you timely all year long!

Q. How much time do you invest in each of

  • Twittter,
  • Linked-In
  • Facebook

I am on 40 plus social networking sites so I would say an hour a day to networking!

Q. Which of these do you feel is most important? Why?

A. The three you listed because they are the most prevalent across the board!
Q. How has each of the above social media sites helped you? Exposure, exposure, exposure – free, free, free that will live for ever – these sites still give page views whether I am active on the site or not!

Q. Did you do any Twittering?

A. Yes

Q. What type of Twitter activity do you do?

A. I share what I am doing, where I am speaking, great articles or people that I think others will find interesting.

Q. How much time do you invest in it every day?

A. 15 minutes a day.

Q. How has Twitter helped you to network with other authors, and what benefit has it had for you?

A. I have made some amazing connections via twitter!!! It’s been priceless and instant!

Q. How has Twitter helped you to hook up with other marketing companies, and what benefit has that had for you?

A. I have booked a few speaking events via twitter and have found other’s gigs as well due to cancelations!

Q. What is the most important piece of the marketing puzzle that you would most like to have done for you?

A. I have someone do my website and work on all the techy stuff that is over my head!

Q. Do you use any Search Engine Optimization (Organic Search)?

A. Only organic search.

Q. What, if any, has been your experience with book publicists?

A. I have only used Ann from Orca and Pitch Public Relations and I love her – she gave my company instant credibility!

Q. Would you please provide details about any profitable amount of sales you may have made by running or using ads on blogs?

A. I have not had much success with my advertising efforts with all of those listed below so I have drastically cut my advertising budget in favor of PR!

Q. What has worked best for you from a copy-writing perspective–Conversational, the long carnival hawker style, e.g. “If you can’t make a 6-figure income with this book check your pulse, you could be lifeless…” or another style, and why?

A. Content, cause and conversational [approaches] have all been much more effective for me!

Q. Do you use graphics to establish credibility with your website? If so, how?

A. Yes, see inside my books!

Q. Have you used video to make sales? If so, what worked best for you?

A. I will be moving to more vlogging and have had a video book trailer out for years!

Q. What, if anything, have you done to get a quality book review?

A. I went directly to my mom bloggers using keywords!

Q. How much of your book’s content do you show on your website, and why?

A. A few pages.

Q. Have you obtained testimonials?

A. If so, how did you do it? Blog reviews – already discussed above.

Q. Have you made sales through affiliate networks like Clickbank.com,PayGearz.com, PayDotCom.com, RegNow.com, etc.? If so, have they been profitable? Would you do it again?

A. No – tried but did not result in sale – traffic yes, but not sales!

Comment: Thanks for joining us today. I’m certain that many readers will be inspired by this interview.

Answer: Smiles – Stacey

Contact Information:

Stacey Kannenberg
“Ready To Learn Mom”

Cedar Valley Publishing, Mom Central Consulting & Mother Talk

“Ready To Learn Mom” with Stacey Kannenberg Radio Show coming

Proud to have sold over 60,000 copies!
Award Winning Author of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!
Now available: Spanish/English Edition of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! iA Prepararse Para Kindergarten!

www.cedarvalleypublishing.com

www.cedarvalleypublishing.com/blog

http://readytolearnmom.com/

www.twitter.com/StaceyKann

http://www.facebook.com/stacey.kannenberg

http://www.linkedin.com/in/staceykannenberg

http://elementaryeducationnews.com/

Author, Publisher, Consultant, Speaker, Motivator, Blogger, Keynote, Spokesmom & Mom CEO

Share

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,