Models can't read?

Writing stars, you've got to check out one of the most subversive sites on the net: Models Can't Read. Tons of photos show models posing with newspapers, magazines and books like Blade Runner and Patti Smith's Just Kids.

One of my favorite photos takes place in a laundromat. Two models, a man and a woman, are posing in front of a row of dryers. The woman is wearing an outfit that would probably fall apart after one go-round in the wash, and the guy is reading a book with his shirt off. I guess he's waiting for it to dry (the shirt, not the book). To be honest, I couldn't decide what to look at: the book or his chest. (For my in-depth critique of this photo, see my post on Pinterest here.)

Now imagine if he were holding your book in his hot hands. Now that would be quite the marketing coup, wouldn't it! Getting any ideas?

I could go on and on about literacy statistics, etc., but I won't go there. 

Just enjoy the eye candy! And who knows, maybe some aren't just posing. Maybe some are actually, gasp, reading!

Donna Marie

Pinterest for writers

Have you ever had an addiction? One so compelling you couldn't stop?

One word: Pinterest. Yes, writing stars, I've caught the Pinterest bug. Simply, you set up topic-oriented bulletin boards and then post pictures and videos with brief sub-captions. Visitors to your boards can follow you, make comments, like specific images, and re-pin to their boards.

I love how I can let images, vs. words, do the communicating for me. It's a relief from writing, to tell the truth, which can be challenging sometimes.

Here are a few ways Pinterest can be useful for writers:

Creative process – use images to:

• Get out book ideas that have been swirling around in your head
• Cure, or at least take the edge off, writer's block
• Work through characterization
• Storyboard plot ideas
• Test out illustration styles for children's books

You can make your boards public or private, which ever you choose. If you're not ready to reveal your innermost thoughts to the world, make them private.

Marketing
The social media analytics firm Simply Measured found that 69 of the world’s top 100 brands now have Pinterest accounts. Pinterest drives more traffic to sites than Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, or YouTube. Writing stars, you need to be on Pinterest.

• Build your marketing platform
• Generate excitement for a soon-to-be-released book or information product
• Link to your website or blog
• Link to your sales page(s)
• Build a community of readers
• Tell the story of your brand
• Allow followers and visitors to get a glimpse into the real you
• Build your all-important email list
• Get immediate feedback for title ideas, book covers, price points, illustration styles, etc.
• Conduct special promotions

"Out of the heart, the mouth speaks," says the Good Book. This could be the motto for Pinterest, because the pictures and videos you choose say a lot about the authentic you, your unique voice, your brand.

If you're not sure what your personal brand is, Pinterest can help you figure it out. As you post, you'll begin to see themes emerge. You'll smile and your heart will quicken as your page grows with beloved images. But I encourage you to be true to the process. Don't post images that you think will sell books. Post images that are near and dear to your heart, no matter how demented and twisted. :) (However, I believe Pinterest has morality laws, so beware.)

Pinterest and The Celebrity Editor

Using images to tell a story is nothing new, but using them to cure writer's block may be. I'm evolving a board just for that purpose, to help writers stir up their creative juices: bookmark this board ( here ) and check in from time to time. Too often, writing prompts are too complicated or too cerebral. My approach is to go for the gut. Let me know if they help! Send ideas!

I've also created a board that compliments The Celebrity Editor blog. Bookmark this board ( here ) and check in from time to time.

Visit my boards, follow, re-pin, and comment – and when you've created your boards, come back here and let us know so we can do the same!

Donna Marie

p.s.: great Pinterest articles

Pinterest Users are Sales-Ready: Why Every Business Should Be On Pinterest 

A Brief Guide to Pinterest Marketing

Pinterest Secrets for Writers

Cool Pinterest boards:

Writer's Relief

a few self-publishing boards

 

 

New book trailer: 'Infinite Reality'

Yesterday I had a Stargate Universe marathon TV watching session. I had given up on this franchise when Stargate Atlantis proved so boring, but I was pleasantly surprised by SU. The plots revolve around consciousness technologies, which is straight out of the Matrix movies. Very cool.

This morning a book trailer for Infinite Reality: Avatars, Eternal Life, New Worlds, and the Dawn of the Virtual Revolution by Jim Blascovich and Jeremy Bailenson synchronistically crossed my path. 

Would this trailer persuade you to buy the book? What elements could you reproduce (on the cheap) in your own book trailer?

Tim Ferriss' amazing new book trailer (pt 2)

Tim Ferriss doesn't know it, but he's become a mentor to me. During a 4-hour road trip this week, I listened to The 4-Hour Workweek and became an instant convert. He describes a life of freedom and discovery that I've always wanted to live. The nest is finally empty, and the little birdies have flown the coop. Now's a perfect time for me to redesign my life and have a little fun for goodness sake!

When I reviewed the video book trailer for Ferriss' new book, The 4-Hour Body (read here), I was so smitten that I decided then and there to buy the book. Well I bought it as a Christmas present for myself. It's big (592 pages), so I doubt if I'll read it from beginning to end. I'll probably jump around a lot to chapters that pertain to my situation (read here).

Ferriss is a marketing machine, and his Amazon stats tell the story: Body is #4; Workweek is #51. His blog was already attracting more than a million visits per month (an author platform that would make any publisher drool), but the video book trailers sent him into the stratosphere.

Here's another trailer promoting Body:

Why am I promoting Ferriss' books? I've always loved the idea of setting "impossible" goals, but that's not why I've devoted now 2 articles to Tim Ferriss. His marketing is a thing of beauty. He understands what we authors must do to market and sell our books. He really gets the mindset we need to have to be successful. Now Ferriss is published by Crown, but the principles still apply to self-publishers -- more so given that we have to do it all ourselves.

Here are some words of wisdom from his HuffPost article:

Authors need to come to terms with a sobering reality: no one is going to care about your book as much as you do...

You are responsible for shepherding your book onto the bestseller list and into the hands of millions. From the idea to finished product, from the marketing plan to windowing, you need to be informed and act as a driving creative force...

Fight for what you believe, using data and compelling arguments. Beyond the satisfaction of a book you've produced with blood, sweat, and tears, there is a science to the bestseller.

Source: The Huffington Post

Donna Marie

How a once broke single dad is self-publishing his way to success

J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, was once a single mother on welfare. Now she's a zillionaire. Her widely reported rags to riches story is the stuff of publishing legend.

Today I read another inspirational story, but what makes this one even sweeter is that the writer is self-publishing his way to success via Smashbooks, "an e-book publishing and distribution platform for ebook authors, publishers and readers." Brian S. Pratt, writer of fantasy novels and single father of 3, is, as Smashwords founder Mark Coker put it, "the future of publishing."

Can I tell you that reading this article gave me goosebumps? It made me give thanks to God. I'm telling you, writing stars, the power to publish is in our hands, and it's getting cheaper to do so every day. 

Don't let the bad news media make you succumb to all the financial gloom and doom. Yes, we're in a recession, and unemployment is unacceptably high. You may be so depressed you can't get out of bed. But like He said, "Take up your bed and walk." 

In other words, get up, wipe your eyes, sit at your computer, and get to writing. 

According to Coker, 

"Last quarter, [Pratt] earned over $18,000 from sales across the Smashwords retail distribution network. This quarter, with three weeks to go, he's on track to break $25,000. He's on track to earn over $100,000 in 2011 at Smashwords, and up to $200,000 total when he includes his projected Amazon sales."

Visit Smashwords here. Read Coker's interview with Pratt here. Pay special attention to his marketing approach. Do you know how hard it is to market fantasy fiction? Yet he's doing it. 

I haven't used Smashwords (yet), but as soon as I go through the publishing process, I'll give you my report. In the meantime, if you or someone you know has experience publishing with Smashbooks or any other ebook publisher, please share! 

Donna Marie

Tim Ferriss' amazing new book trailer

If you've been following The Celebrity Editor, you know that I tend to go on and on about boring book promotions. See here and here. 

Well, what do you think about this book trailer promoting Tim Ferriss' new book, The 4-Hour Body? 

I love a good book trailer, but how can the book ever live up to this hype? 

If I took a flying leap like the last guy, I'd end up in at least 2 or 3 pieces. But I have to admit, watching it made me feel good, like I could do something amazing with this middle-aged body.

The trailer sold me. I'm going to buy!

Ferriss has a strong brand, which was launched with his first book, The 4-Hour Workweek. Folks who loved that book will definitely buy his second. Body hasn't even been released yet, but it's already #78 on Amazon.

The important question for self-publishers is, How can we produce exciting book trailers like Ferriss' on a budget? Here's one idea, but obviously this doesn't come close to Ferriss' masterpiece. On the other hand, like my mother the English teacher says, "Do what you can" (which is why we always had mismatched furniture in the living room).

Any ideas? Please share with the Celebrity community!

Donna Marie

Secret weapons of successful self-publishers

A hot topic on many online writing and publishing forums is whether or not to self-publish. The naysayers complain about lost money, poor quality, low sales, and the many other challenges that go with publishing your own book. 

For the past few years I've provided editing, ghostwriting, and production management services to self-publishers. We've pretty much accepted that there always will be challenges. That's just part of the process. 

However, from writing to print-on-demand to marketing, my clients and I have stocked our self-publishing arsenal with a few secret weapons to help facilitate a successful experience.

1. Invest in editorial quality control. When my clients invest in my services they know they'll receive the benefit of my 20 years of publishing and corporate experience. I work with pastors, education consultants, social service providers, educators, child advocates, and activists. Because I have strong content knowledge in these areas, I add value to their projects beyond editorial.

2. Become a shameless self-promoter. Through their ongoing public speaking engagements, my clients aggressively market and sell their books. A couple of my clients love to give away books, too, which further endears them to their audiences. Self-published books that fail usually lack a strong marketing plan and push. I've learned from my writing stars that you must be a relentless marketer. You can never rest or give up.

3. Don't skimp on services. My clients may not have the deepest pockets, but they would never skimp on services that compensate for the skills they lack. Self-publishing projects fail when authors overestimate their skill sets. There's no shame in asking for help. Because my clients know I respect their genius, vision, and mission, they don't mind me seeing their raw, unvarnished work. They enjoy brainstorming with me about ideas that may not be fully formed.

4. Publish through inexpensive online self-publishing platforms. My clients and friends have published through iUniverse.com, Lulu.com, and Selfpublishing.com. They have used traditional printers as well, but the online platforms provide A-to-Z services, including editing, proofing, layout, design, filing with the U.S. Copyright Office and the Library of Congress, securing ISBN numbers, setting up distribution through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. When you're just starting out, this is a good way to go.

5. Diversify your revenue streams. My clients don't depend on their self-publishing projects alone for income. They pastor churches and teach on college campuses. They are regulars on the lecture circuit. They produce CD's and DVD's. If they had day jobs, they wouldn't give them up. And even when the work is slow, they keep working. 

6. Give of your information, time, talents, and products. My clients are generous to a fault. They believe in "give and you will receive."

7. Self-publishing projects must offer value to people's lives. According to Publisher's Weekly, "764,448 titles were produced in 2009 by self-publishers and micro-niche publishers" while the output of traditional books slipped to 288,355. There's a reason for that. Self-publishers have identified needs that traditional publishers couldn't or wouldn't touch. My clients wouldn't continue to self-publish if they weren't meeting needs (and making money). 

Self-publishing projects fail when authors cut corners on content development, editing, design, and marketing. I'm an advocate of self-publishing and would strongly encourage anyone considering this approach to start raising money right away to ensure a quality product. I can't say how much to raise because I don't know your circumstances, but investigate the online services mentioned in this article. Get estimates from professionals in the field. Put together a budget. 

When venturing into a self-publishing project your mindset is all important. Keep the faith without going overboard. Set small, manageable goals regarding book sales. You may not sell millions, but what if you sold 2,000 or 3,000 books? Could you consider that a success? Definitely. Be inspired by the stories of big sellers, but don't lose your head, as Jody would say. Define success according to your own terms. You can do it!

Donna Marie

How to fast track your author marketing platform in a reality tv world

Infamy and controversy sell today. If you're desperate to sell millions of books, here are 5 ways that will guarantee you financial success, but will you be able to sleep at night?

1. Release a sex tape. Kim Kardashian's sex tape launched an empire, and now the sisters' book, Kardashian Konfidential, is #40 on Amazon. Note: releasing a sex tape should not be confused with "sexy marketing," as I explain here.

2. Star in a "reality" tv show. Controversial roles in reality tv are rewarded by big publishers. Lauren Conrad (The Hills and Laguna Beach) has written 2 best selling novels. Love them or not, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino of the infamous Jersey Shore are going to be authors. I guess they don't mind folks laughing at them, not with them. 

3. Become a polarizing politician. Politicians are by nature lightening rods for love and hate in society. According to The Daily Beast, President Barack Obama is the top selling political leader of all time, but Sarah Palin is a contender for the title. Her current book, America By Heart, is #9 on Amazon.

4. Write about a polarizing politician, and it doesn't matter whether you're for or against. The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind Her Relentless Quest for Power by Geoffrey Dunn is ranked #30,798 by Amazon. The Faith and Values of Sarah Palin by Stephen Mansfield is #6,913.

5. Become a polarizing pundit. What do Keith Olbermann, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Howard Stern have in common? They have mastered the science of splitting the country right down the middle – and they have New York Times and Amazon best sellers to prove it.

The moral of the story
So how can self-publishers with bare bones budgets and integrity ever hope to compete in such a market? I submit that we don't even try. We need to get some perspective on this issue.

What does success mean to you? 

Could selling 2,000, 3,000, or 5,000 books be considered a successful book run? Yes, especially if selling books is just one revenue stream of many in your financial strategy.

Does success mean getting a multi-million dollar book contract even though you must sell your soul in the process? Even Barack Obama admitted that he lost his privacy and autonomy when he became president. I thought that was a heck of an admission. 

Wouldn't you prefer the freedom to write about your passions and market them in a way that allows you to maintain your integrity? I want to be able to face my family, friends, and self when it's all said and done. I long to hear God say, "Well done." 

Authors who sell millions of copies have a general market focus. On the other hand, self-publishers tend to focus on niche markets. Self-publishers who market aggressively to their niche can expect to do well. Sales into the tens and hundreds of thousands shouldn't be unusual for us.

Let's not even participate in this rat race. The beauty of self-publishing is that we create our own path on our own terms. 

Besides, what if you released a sex tape and nobody cared? All that for nothing. 

Note: Amazon rankings as of November 23, 2010, 11:15 p.m. (CST).

Donna Marie

Published novelist forced to market like self-publisher

I met novelist Kenn Bivins at an online book marketing forum, where we talked about the challenges of marketing PIOUS (Two Harbors Press, Oct. 2010), his debut novel about forgiveness and redemption.

Although his book was published by a traditional publisher, he’s had to do the marketing himself, just like a self-published author.

Unless you’re already an established author with a strong marketing platform, you’ll probably receive only the bare minimum of marketing support from your publisher. It’s one of the things authors complain about the most. When you need the support you can’t get it. When you don’t need it, you get millions of dollars in advertising and publicity.

Although Kenn shares the same marketing challenges as self-published authors, he has one huge advantage: he’s an art director at JWT, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. He’s responsible for overseeing and executing the design and development of the firm’s interactive work.

Kenn knows how marketing works, and in the following interview he shares his insights and experiences. 

THE CELEBRITY EDITOR: What kind of marketing support have you received from your publisher?

KENN BIVINS: I'm not entirely happy with my publisher because they're a bit passive about marketing from what I can see. I'm seeing my book in a lot of places online and offline but I'm not sure, other than wide distribution, what else is being done to promote my book. I work in advertising so I have high expectations that seem to have exceeded the capabilities of my publisher.

EDITOR: Do you feel author branding has a place in your marketing or in the writing of your novels?

KB: I'm learning that it's ALL about branding myself instead of my novel. I plan on creating a body of work, and I want to draw an audience to me and not one particular book. With fiction, readers are interested in the author. If they love one book, they will pretty much read anything that author writes. I know as a reader, that's how I behave. I have to remember that as an author with my own marketing. I'm still developing my approach on author branding as I put together collateral for the festival and book signing season next year. I will need a PR person to multiply my efforts and reach. Do you know any good, affordable, and available PR people?

EDITOR: Um, we’ll talk. As you’re in advertising you have an edge on most writers when it comes to marketing know-how. What advertising principles have you applied to the marketing of your own book?

KB: Repetition is the one principle that I'm using with PIOUS. The typical human attention span responds to a concept or idea after it has been presented seven times. I have the challenge of marketing PIOUS while not appearing annoying or intrusive. This is where getting book reviews and having other people talk about PIOUS comes into play. If I can get other people to talk about PIOUS while I'm talking about PIOUS, then people will go in a book store or browse online and say, "Hey. There's that book, PIOUS. Let me see what that's all about." So by the time my second novel is released, people who have read PIOUS will recognize my name and hopefully want to read more from me.

EDITOR: Did you have a marketing platform before getting the book deal? Was a marketing platform important to your publisher?

KB: I had to present to my publisher what my marketing plan was and that included social networking, book festivals, blog proliferation, national book club penetration, and book reviews.

EDITOR: What kinds of low-cost things are you doing to promote your book online and offline?

KB: I think grassroots marketing still reigns supreme and that entails being seen. Social networking has put me in touch with a lot of people that potentially want to read my book. Also, I plan on making myself available to book clubs on a national level. 

The biggest low-cost way to promote myself has more to do with promoting others outside of myself. I believe that helping others not only gives my brand more value, it also helps me to grow on a spiritual level.

EDITOR: Can you see yourself publishing your own books in the future (since you're doing so much of the work anyway – writing, illustration, marketing)?

KB: I haven't ruled out self-publishing, but I would do it ONLY if I had help on the marketing end. I'm new to the realm of publishing, but if I'm honest, I'm also big on quality control so who knows?

For purchasing information and more, visit Kenn's website at Piousbook.com.

How sexy is your marketing campaign?

That I have to even ask the question suggests something is terribly wrong in bookdom.

Yesterday Edward Nawotka at PublishingPerspectives asked, "Will an author ever release a sex tape?" If that author is Chelsea Handler, maybe. Jane Austen, no. Edward's question got me thinking.

Why is it that authors are expected to be so professorial in demeanor while reality tv "stars" can act badly and get book deals? 

Let me define "sexy marketing." I don't expect that writers who labor at the computer for hours a day will be releasing sex tapes – although I could be wrong. 

That doesn't mean we should be all status quo and boring about how we market our brand and our books. People appreciate an entertaining marketing campaign. Read here about my current favorite case study on wild author marketing and branding, Jay-Z.

It is assumed by rappers, actors, and reality tv stars that they're too sexy for their marketing, no matter how over-the-top outrageous it is. It is assumed by authors that they will read from their books and then sign. Yawn.

The author book signing is an established status quo-type marketing event, but I recall a book signing where the novelist wore the biggest church hat I've ever seen in my life. That was kind of sexy. That hat made her interesting to look at while we waited in line. That hat made me feel like I was in the presence of a celebrity, and at the time, that was unusual for the typical book signing event.

I've done my share of boring status quo author events, but once I did step out of the box for my first book, Sister Feelgood. Since my book was about health and fitness, I decided to do an exercise demonstration to one of my favorite old school tunes, "In My House" by The Mary Jane Girls.

I laid on my back and moved my hips up and down to the beat.

Did I mention this was a church picnic?

I've since wondered, what was I thinking? As inappropriate as that stunt was for the setting, and as much as I probably embarrassed my mother the English teacher, now that I think about it, that was pretty sexy.

Fun is an important component of sexy marketing. Fun communicates that you're not so literary that you can't let your hair down. 

I haven't done a study yet, but I suspect that entrepreneurial writers for whom writing is more a means to an end vs. the whole show are more gregarious and thus more inclined to jump out of the box. I'm thinking about best selling author Anthony Robbins and a seminar I attended years ago. There was loud music. He didn't stand at a podium; he constantly paced the stage. He spoke into a rock star head mic. We walked across hot coals. Now that's sexy. 

Why do honor roll students get boring school assemblies while basketball and football teams get loud and exciting pep rallies? 

I'm not suggesting that authors start taping their intimate moments for the world to see, but how comfortable would you be with letting your readers see sides of you that only your closest friends and family members get to see? 

Donna Marie

Developing a marketing mindset

Imagine the scene: A crazy friend of mine (let's call him Jody) says I'm too nice, too traditional about marketing my books. He has shamed me into being more bold, so I'm standing across the street from Harpo Studios in Chicago with the ridiculous goal of getting on the Oprah show. I'm hoping to talk to a producer or cleaning lady about my book, Black-Eyed Peas for the Soul. 

I would like to become an overnight sensation, please.

Authors often complain that they receive too little marketing support from their publishers. I must actually thank Simon & Schuster, because at least they did book 20 or so radio interviews to promote Black-Eyed Peas. 

But if I wanted to get on the Oprah show or at least get a mention in her book club, I was on my own.

As we wait outside Oprah's studio, Jody berates me for being too shy about self-promotion. He says, "You're too nice. If I could write a book, I'd be on the rooftop shouting. I'd be stopping traffic. I'd be rolling around in the grass." I wasn't sure how rolling around in the grass would sell books, but I did get his point. I needed to be less shy, more bold.

Eventually someone walks out of the building, and with Jody egging me on, I ambush the poor soul. 

"Do you work for the Oprah show?" I smile so hopefully I don't look like a stalker. Warily he looks me up and down. He says he works for the show as a freelance something or other.

Great! I launch into my pitch about how inspirational and positive Black-Eyed Peas is, and you know, that's what Oprah's all about, and would he consider reviewing it for the show, or would he give it to a producer please?

"We're not supposed to do this," he said, but he took my book and press kit and stuffed them into his army duffel bag. I was shocked, not only because he talked to me but because he actually took my book. He actually looked at the book cover.

Never for a moment did I think this stunt would work, and it didn't. Maybe I should have been more positive for the Law of Attraction to take effect. 

I don't look at the failure to book Oprah as a fail in general, though. After a divorce and a string of bad luck with men (read Sensual Celibacy), I've gotten pretty good at handling rejection. For some strange reason I was happy. No, I didn't get the big hit, but it did chip away at the shyness and self-doubt I experience from time to time. Jody forced me out of my comfort zone.

Like many writers, by nature I'm a loner and a little shy. My comfort zone is the computer. Which is why I love being the Editor to the Stars!. When it comes to self-promotion, my stars are fearless, they're bold, and they're creative. Developing these traits is helping me build my own business.

I could give you the top 5 marketing strategies or 7 tips for publicity seekers. Today I only have 3 tips, and you should BE them RIGHT NOW.

1: Be BOLD.

2: Be FEARLESS.

3: Be CREATIVE.

Jody was right. Shy, nice, traditional marketing doesn't work, and the publishing industry has been stuck on that page for way too long. 

As more nontraditional, entrepreneurial writing stars enter the arena, marketing is becoming more inventive, more aggressive, more guerrilla-like, to use Jay Conrad Levinson's term. This is what The Celebrity Editor is all about. Check out this article on the marketing of Jay-Z's new book here and Danielle Steel's author branding here.

Today be creative. Fearlessly promote yourself. Be bold!

Do not procrastinate. Do it today!

Donna Marie

p.s. I just remembered how I got my first publishing job, and this occurred before the Oprah non-incident. I wanted to work as an editor for Third World Press, and I heard that Haki Madhubuti, founder and publisher, was doing a book signing. I went to the signing, bought his book, and asked him to sign it, which he did. Then I gave him my resume. He looked at me for the first time and actually read my resume on the spot. He said, "I think we may need you." I got the job a couple of weeks later! The seeds of boldness, fearlessness, and creativity were within all along!!

 

Jay-Z memoir: advertising like no author has advertised before

Most of us can't afford (yet!) to advertise on the scale that's about to be unleashed for Jay-Z's soon-to-be released book, Decode. Andrew Adam Newman explains the campaign in The New York Times. You MUST read this article. It’s a revelation.

I've long felt that book promotion is a little too old school for our high tech times. You send out a press release. You do a press kit. Maybe if you have a strong platform, your publisher might even buy ad space for your book. All necessary but kind of boring.

Authors need to think like rock stars, or in this case, rappers. We need to think out of the box. 

“Reproductions of entire pages of the book will appear unannounced in locales referred to in those pages.

“‘If in certain pages Jay-Z is talking about something related to Times Square, then those pages might be on billboards in Times Square,’ said David Droga, creative chairman Droga5, the New York agency heading the campaign. Mr. Droga declined to reveal locations beforehand ...”

This is like the tried-and-true magazine excerpt of a book, only on a massive scale. Is it possible to do a similar campaign on a smaller scale? And can we DIY? Anything’s possible!

Source: New York Times


p.s.: I suspect there will be a lot of marketing going on within the pages of Jay-Z's memoir as well. Hip hop has no problem blurring the line between art and promotion. I'll file a report as soon as I can get my hands on a copy. 

p.s.s.: Here's the slick cover of Jay-Z's book. It looks like an album/CD cover. Anyway, Decoded is available for pre-order on Amazon. The release date is Nov. 16, and already the ranking is 560. Note to self: don't get jealous. Learn!!

Donna Marie

Marketing beyond brick & mortar bookstores (R.I.P.)

I've always said that if a guy can hang with me at a bookstore, how bad could he be?

Over the years I've seen bookstores come and go, but a couple of years ago, I mourned the loss of a great friend: Transitions Bookplace in Chicago. Whenever I wanted to surround myself with the unusual and the provocative, I'd go there. Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Caroline Myss, and other spiritual-type celebs signed and did readings there.

Another great bookstore, African American Images, has relocated exclusively to the Internet, but I'll miss the store's physical presence on 95th off Longwood. Nikki Giovanni, Tavis Smiley, Terry McMillan, and other notables signed there.

Even the big chains are not immune. Borders stores are falling away. What's next? Barnes and Noble? OMG!

I did the signing for my first book, Sister Feelgood: A Year of Health and Fitness for Our Bodies and Our Souls, at the Barnes and Noble on Diversey. It was a thrill to see my name on the cover of my book, but you know you're a real author when you do a signing at a bookstore (better yet, when you get your advance and royalty checks). 

Marketing beyond brick & mortar bookstores

Whenever my writers embark on a new book project I always ask them, "How are you going to sell your book? Do you have a marketing, sales, and distribution plan? How are you going to get paid?" There was a time when you would include your friendly neighborhood bookstore in your promotion plan, but today, that venue seems to be a dying breed. 

I have to admit to the lure of online book selling, and so, like the senators who each gave old Julius Caesar a stab, et tu Donna Marie?

The Internet is a fantastic place for authors. From publishing to sales, you can do everything online. You can even do author tours of blogs and sites, and I'll write articles on how the superstars are laughing all the way to the bank in future posts. If you're willing to take the time to investigate your online market, you'll find that for very little money, you can sell books.

However... book lovers and authors will always want to meet and mingle in the 3D world, whether or not bookstores survive. So don't market yourself exclusively on the net. Be creative and seek out nontraditional venues for doing book readings and signings. Here are a few off the top of my head:

• Book clubs
• Churches
• Schools (PTA meetings, teacher in-service meetings, parent workshops, special events)
• Association meetings
• Fraternity/sorority meetings
• Friends' homes
• Flea markets
• Yard sales
• Conferences
• Grocery stores (for cookbook writers) 

 

Donna Marie

 

Author branding: Danielle Steel

Danielle Steel has one of the most beautiful, romantic feeling author websites I've ever seen: check out her Danielle Steel Beauty. All pink, black lace, and floating sheets of rose-hued stationery.

Of course she's a best selling author with millions of romance novels sold over the years, and although I'm not a big fan of the genre, she got my attention when she came out with her perfume, Danielle by Danielle Steel, a couple of years ago. That an author could brand herself and then actually merchandise that brand beyond books was a revelation. 

Now book series have been branded forever. That's why I loved reading Nancy Drew. From book to book, I knew what to expect. Girl detective, formulaic mystery. 

The best brands touch your soul. They feel authentic. Danielle Steel the person (at least the public persona) seems to be all femininity and romance, and everything flows from that fount: her books, her website, her eau de parfum spray.

The type of writing stars I work with – self-publishers, entrepreneurs, educators, activists, speakers, spiritual leaders – should consider their brand in everything they do, including their books and spinoff products. When planning a new book they should first ask, Does it fit my brand?

What is your brand? Can you state it in one simple declarative sentence? Here's some help:

• My mission is to blah blah.
• My vision is blah blah.
• I like making people feel blah blah.
• The goal of my company is to blah blah.
• My life has been about blah blah.

The experts say that branding is marketing. In my opinion, author branding is more than just marketing. Maybe it's existential marketing. It's answering the question, Who am I? You can tell when authors haven't answered this question for themselves. They end up rehashing what others have written. They plagiarize their thoughts, maybe not word for word but the theft is there just the same. That comes from not knowing what you're about.

Exodus 3:14: I AM THAT I AM. Brilliant!

One of my pastor clients knows exactly who she is, down to the font. She is a woman of God with the emphasis, from a branding perspective, on woman and God. She absolutely adores cursive lettering and knows the Bible inside and out. Her ministry is of the heart and everything flows from that: her Sunday sermons, her books, her website, even the way she talks in everyday conversation.

Another client, a national speaker on the education circuit, coaches hip hop student athletes (high school football) in the inner city. That's who he is. Everything he does, from workshops to books, is informed by this identity and his desire to help underserved students and those who work with them. His products don't always look the same, but neither do the Geico commercials. When you see the name Alfred "Coach" Powell on the cover, you know what you're getting.

Why is author branding so important? There's a lot of noise out there in the marketplace. The author brand helps you distinguish one product from all others that are similar. A good brand makes you feel that you know something personal about the author and that you're connected to her. Any good sales person will tell you that sales and repeat sales are all about relationships.

If you feel Danielle Steel's romance novels, you'll feel her perfume.

Donna Marie