Book Marketing Tip of the Week
December 31, 2008: Annual World Peace Meditation, Billion Dollar Corporation Day, Billy Bob's Laundry Day, Let's Go Exploring Day, Make Up Your Mind DayDetails on these days — and 18,500 others! — can be found in
John Kremer's Celebrate Today Special Events Data Files.Note: Celebrate New Year's Day every month of the year. Check out:
http://www.manyhappynewyears.comIn this issue . . .
-- Reader feedback: Customer service video
-- Amazon bestseller mentoring course
-- Reader feedback: Discounting and money mindsets
-- Specialty retailers
-- Reader tip: Military Media
-- Book marketing scandal?Reader feedback: Customer service video
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Below is a reader comment on the customer service video I linked to a few issues back:The video of the bag boy giving customers a thought for the day reminds me of my wife, Sandi. She manages the vitamin department at one of the Sprouts natural food stores.
She found 16 beautiful quotes from famous people. I typed them for her, printed them, and cut them out onto small slips of paper. Sandi decorated a glass bowl and filled it with folded quotes. It created a stir among customers. They loved the quotes.
As with the bag boy, Sandi came up with the quotes idea and surprised the store manager.
Amazon bestseller mentoring course
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Sally Shields a speaker, radio personality and author of the #1 Amazon
bestseller, The Daughter-in-Law Rules: 101 Surefire Ways to Manage (and Make Friends with) Your Mother-in-Law! Her Amazon bestseller strategy turned Sally’s book into a bestseller overnight, and she is now helping others do the same. With this program, you can gain greater visibility, credibility and prestige; boost your sales; and get the attention of industry insiders such as literary agents, book editors, and rights buyers.Her 5 week mentoring course to help you create an Amazon bestseller comes with a 100% money-back guaranteed. The course begins in early
January. Details at: http://www.sallyshields.com/coaching.Note: Details on how to create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign are covered in Lesson 3 of the Ten Million Eyeballs online marketing program. You get all those details plus so much more, all for a starting price of $200, with more personalized coaching for additional fees. You can find out more about John Kremer's Ten Million Eyeballs online marketing program at: http://www.tenmillioneyeballs.com
There's still plenty of time to sign up for the Ten Million Eyeballs event. John has completed Lesson 1 (of six lessons) and the rest will be completed by the end of January. The entire course is presented as a membership website with online videos, extensive reports, and main point charts. You can easily access the lessons online and watch them over and over again if you like -- or simply review some lessons when you need to implement them.
Reader feedback: Discounting and money mindsets
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Here is one reader's feedback on one of my posts from last week:I'm responding to your post about the "What's really wrong with you" reader question. I thought the reader expressed an unhealthy money mindset, and we do no good when we "go there" with her. I support your position that you mustn't deny readers the opportunity to buy valuable programs, at whatever price tags.
I teach how to build Vision, so here's a vision I hold about Prosperity Consciousness for all us buyers and sellers of the world. I invite you to join me:
We understand our inner power to create prosperity, and use it free of fear or guilt, choosing NOT to participate in anything that makes us forget that power. We stand strong in our prosperity mindset, and reap and share its benefits.
We understand that there is always a market for quality, so we create our very best products and services. We invest in ourselves and our work with confidence, gratitude and joy.
We charge what we believe our work is worth, because we affirm both its value and our customers prosperity.
Your discount on 10 million eyeballs follows a common agreement on the marketing value of discounting, but I have a different philosophy I thought I'd share. I never discount my services or products. I have a "Full fee or free" policy. It's worth what it's worth, and if I feel like it I give it as a gift, which has a completely different energy and still maintains its value. To discount price "discounts" the value of the service or product and affirms the customer's poverty. As a marketing strategy, I give away several samples that have value, and charge a fixed (never discounted) price for the full product or service. Like anything else, it works for me because it lines up with my belief system. -- Margaret Shepherd, http://www.visionbuildersinstitute.com
John's Response: I like Margaret's view on money and also her policy on not discounting her products. Normally I don't discount either, but when my wife Gail asked me to offer a special low price for my Ten Million Eyeballs program, I had to listen to her. Plus I wanted to offer a gift to the people who read this newsletter. Again, you can still get the Ten Million Eyeballs online marketing course for only $200. That price will go away by the end of January at the latest, maybe sooner.
For more info, go here: http://www.tenmillioneyeballs.com
By the way, I think many authors under-price themselves and their books. They cheapen what they have to offer, doing a disservice to their work as well as to their potential audience. You have to balance what your work is truly worth with the needs and ability to pay of your targeted audience. But don't underestimate what they would be willing to pay for what you have to offer.
Another reader's feedback:
I had to write. I love the way you responded to the “What is wrong with you?” query. Of all people, authors should understand that when you write, you expose yourself to risk. It’s not about how much money you have to spend, it’s about what you’re willing to do to see those dreams realized! -- Mike Faber, http://www.89success.com
Nautilus Book Awards discount deadline extended
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Attn: Publishers & Authors - The 2009 Nautilus Book Awards entry
discount has been extended through Dec. 31st. Help change the
world one book at a time. Enter your life-changing books and audio books
today! For guidelines and info, go to http://www.nautilusbookawards.com.
Save! Enter Here or email marilyn@nautilusbookawards.com.Specialty retailers
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Here are a few specialty retailers that might be interested in your book:Bark, Bath, and Beyond, Kirsten King, 1330 South Coast Highway,
Laguna Beach CA 92651; 949-715-3647.
Email: vendors@barkandsniffboutique.com.
Web: http://www.barkbathandbeyond.com.
Carries some pet books along with clothes, gifts, and more.Pure Light, Judy Kelly, 821 Laguna Canyon Road,
Laguna Beach CA 92651; 949-376-7200; Fax: 949-376-7202.
Email: info@purelightcelebrations.com.
Web: http://www.purelightcelebrations.com. New age gifts and books.San Diego Trading Company, 535 Fifth Avenue,
San Diego CA 92101; 619-237-1674; Fax: 619-233-3966.
Email: info@sandiegotradingcompany.com.
Web: http://www.sandiegotradingcompany.com. Features apparel,
souvenirs, and gifts related to San Diego. Six stores in San Diego.Reader tip: Military Media
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Here is a tip from Paul Harris, a reader of this newsletter:This is my first time writing you but I just wanted to thank you for the
diverse tips you offer. It really stimulates my brain.As I've only been a subscriber for about 5 months I'm not sure if you've touched on this before but I found a very valuable source for exposing my book that was published in 2008. It's advertising in the military press. Some of the nation-wide publications such as the Army Times are cost prohibitive but small ones that reach 2,000-10,000 on a military base and their families are quite reasonable.
My book, Diary From the Dome, about being trapped in the Superdome during Katrina included discussion of the tremendous service that the National Guard provided for us. After advertising in a Texas military newspaper I saw interest in my book rise up tremendously with a small investment. I happened to pay an agency called at http://www.militarymedia.com but some of the bases will allow you to advertise directly with the base paper.
Book marketing scandal?
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A reader has reported a problem with the Independent Bookstore Review
Direct and Library Review Direct mailings operated by the Jenkins Group.
Here is a description of the programs (cost $149 for one, $249 for both):Our Library Review Direct program delivers your book information to the
purchasing staffs of more than 45,000 libraries around the country. Again, through our informational PDF document created by our staff, your pertinent book and contact information is sent via email as part of our Emerging Titles bi-monthly newsletter. The document delivers a cover image of your book and everything a bookstore buyer would need to make their decision including title, author, publisher, ISBN, price, format, publication date, category/genre. Your 75-word description of the title is also made available. To further enhance your listing, we require that a minimum of 25 review copies be made available for you to ship to interested librarians. The Independent Bookstore Review Direct program can also be added to offer additional coverage within the industry.Here is the report from someone who participated in the programs (with the Jenkins Group's response in red following):
The newsletters went out on Nov. 17th, not on Nov. 1st as promoted.
We did expect that the newsletter would go out the first week of November, but due to the election and to a greater response than anticipated, we held off until mid-November.Each issue carried roughly 90 titles, not the promised 25-30.
Each edition (to librarians and to independent bookstores) was over 80 titles. We anticipated in the beginning that there would be 25-40 titles, but response was much greater than expected. We did not promise that there would be 25-30 titles, but at first said that we thought it could be so, although could not know the exact number until the deadline had passed.No free review copies were promoted.
We experienced a great deal of push-back from most of the publishers regarding the free review copies, and therefore decided to omit the free review copy offer from the material.The lists used were ones they purchased, not ones they had accumulated over the time they've been in business (20 years) of libraries and stores who knew them.
We told anyone who asked that the list was purchased, and this fact
(that it was purchased) does not discount its value. We never
represented the list as anything but purchased.A newsletter was not sent out, rather an email was sent out with a link to a pdf file (which appears to now not be working.)
The first edition was sent out as promised, with an email cover to
promote the link to the catalog of titles. Subsequent editions have
been and will be more newsworthy, but we started with an introductory
cover that directed the recipients to the link.No one of the participants I am aware of received a copy of the newsletter when it went out but had to call or email and ask for a copy to be sent. That link now evidently is inaccessible for some reason to the participants trying to access it.
All of the participants were included in the mailing. Many received it right away. Some commented that they were pleased with the product. A very few noted typos in their listings, which were corrected and rerun at no charge in January to their satisfaction. Some did say they did not receive the email, and they were promptly sent another copy. The link was broken for a brief time, but was corrected.The reader continued with the following report:
Earlier this week, one of the authors took it upon himself to send out an email to each of the participants (he culled the emails from the newsletter) saying that he was concerned at the way some things had been handled and the lack of response and wondered if anyone else had similar concerns. The response he received was overwhelming.
Although 5 or 6 people have opted out of the discussion, the vast majority are seething. Each has their own set of issues with the matter but they are one or more of the above. The main upset seems to center around the fact that changes were made to the original agreement without informing the participants, many of whom would have opted out or withdrawn in light of such changes.
For example, a few people were enormously upset that no review copies were offered, as they felt that would entice the recipients to open the newsletters and look. Others took issue with the change in the number of titles included, which was far greater than that which had been promised. Others are upset that the date was changed without being informed. Some are livid that a purchased list was used only a half step above spam in some people's opinion) rather than one they had compiled from 20 years in business. Combinations of these and other factors are very much on the minds of those who paid the Jenkins Group, expecting one thing and getting quite another.
Many authors are demanding refund or a redress of some sort -- no one at Jenkins is responding to these requests thus far beyond saying they will wait and see what response ultimately comes of the newsletter in 6 weeks or so.
I believe that if they had just taken even a small amount of responsibility for the broken promises (breach of contract, really), they would have retained some friends and would not be in this situation. They are not addressing the actual (and I think valid) concerns of the participants and are, it would appear, willing to burn their bridges rather than do so. One person is especially livid that Jenkins Group hauled in roughly $22,000 for the task and violated contractual agreements to do so.
The person who instigated the email firestorm contacted me with anger about the lack of review copies being promoted. I explained about the pushback from a majority of the publishers regarding this issue and offered to rerun this person's listing at no charge in January - with a note in the listing that there were 25 free review copies available on a first come, first served basis. I worked extensively to appease this person, but nothing I tried was deemed satisfactory. This person then gathered the email addresses of all participants and began the firestorm.
After just days there was much grumbling about no response, and we did say that people needed to be a little bit patient - to give it time. I have heard back from a publisher that she was contacted and actually sold books.
We have responded to anyone who contacted us directly, and recognizing that the most prevalent complaint we heard was that there were more titles listed than we anticipated, we have since also offered a relisting at no charge to all pariticipants for one of three special editions that will be limited to 30 titles each. Many have already responded that they would like to be included.
As you can imagine, there has been a great deal of misinformation exchanged as the emails sent between participants fueled more and more discontent. The person who sent the first email instructed everyone to always "reply to all" so all of the participants were firestormed to the point of distraction. We received complaints about this from some of the publishers.
We are confident that the Review Direct program will prove beneficial to publishers over the long term. It was never promoted as a sales tool, but as a marketing tool, and as this promotional vehicle continues to gain credibility with the library and bookstore markets, it will do even more to serve publishers.
We have and will continue to seek feedback from newsletter recipients and participants alike as we work to make Review Direct the best it can be.
We've heard back from some of the recipients who have expressed appreciation for being introduced to independent publishers they might not have had the opportunity to see otherwise. We are working the list to keep it relevant and up-to-date. As you know, this will need to be an ongoing process.
Some librarians especially have indicated that they will not contact the publishers directly, but have seen books that interested them, and if they choose to place orders will do so through their traditional channels (Baker & Taylor, Quality Books, etc.).
In closing, we are sympathetic to the concerns of the publishers, and have been working to address them both one-on-one, and as a group. The special editions will be sent each week for three weeks beginning the week of January 19th, and as I noted previously, we have heard back from several publishers who wish to be included. The deadline for inclusion in the special editions is January 9th, so I expect I will hear back from more over the coming days.
Quotable Books
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There is no greater power than the power of love.
It can melt the rocks. — Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, guru
Click on the above book cover to order this great collection as a Word ebook for only $7.00.
More great quotes and quotable books at http://www.quotablebooks.com
Index: http://www.bookmarket.com/tipsindex.htm
Copyright © 2009 by book marketing expert John Kremer
Email: JohnKremer@bookmarket.com
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