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

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!!