Marketing Your Book

Thanks for the great information, Joanna. I recently went over the part about Author Branding. Your questions got me to thinking about several things, to include my own Christian reputation. I wrote about it and cited you in the article: http://www.christianhomechurch.com/1/post/2011/03/christian-reputation-building.html

BTW: Unless it’s just my computer, the link “How to discover and build your author brand” under The Basics, is not working. I assume it’s a link since there are several above and below it.

Thanks!

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I have found your web site and your two books on writing to be very valauble in getting me along my writing journey.

After having struggled with a memoir over several years, I have now taken a leaf from your book and done my own short novel, an imaginary work based around a house in Sydney that we owned, which I am promoting on a blog based on your guidance re this.
http://beyondbeyond.com.au/The-Old-Balmain-House.php

I am now starting to work through your marketing ideas in your book and enjoying the challenge of developing a marketing plan, based around local cafe and bookshop promotion of hard copies combined with sales of ebooks.

Thank you for all the advice which has assisted me in getting this far.

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Hi Joanna,
My pithy-ness has deserted me I’m afraid, but this email comprises two main questions:
FIRST QUESTION
Forgive me if I’ve missed it if you have already done it – but have you got anything about the nuts and bolts of POINT OF SALE – how to sell through your own web site / blog? I need to understand the big picture, of options, for Point of Sale better than I do, so I thought I would suggest this as something that you could cover as a topic.
I know you use e-book junkie, and I plan to too, but I’d like to understand more about how that works – can people in different countries buy my stuff through e-book junkie? Or is it an English Language only facility?
I’d like to know things like – how difficult is it to set up that Password download option you have, where people have the chance to upload info temporarily, instead of sending them Pdf’s? Will e-book junkie take sales internationally? For instance – I am hoping to create an audience in China – will e-book junkie take their cash?! How can I ensure the security of my customers details? – and other questions!

I am unknown, and will be new to any audience I do stir up: so mostly I am going to concentrate on selling through Amazon at first, because people already trust them and are happy to give them their fiscal details. I also feel a little overwhelmed about the idea of handling accounts and running a CMS myself.

However, down the track, I do have a bright idea for selling colouring-in versions of my books through my web site (that won’t be available through Amazon) – thus offering folk who come to the site something different – so I do really have to get on top of this area.
SECOND QUESTION
I am hoping to launch my series of kids’ books before Christmas – but I am doing it on such a small $ budget I am having to think very strategically and work out how to build up from 0! Once I’ve got some stuff “up” on line for you to review, I think I will invest in a consult with your good self. Are you very booked up?
I hope things are going great for you with your new full time writing life!
I love your site and spruik for you all the time – it’s amazing how many people actually have a finished manuscript in a drawer! I know 4, without even asking around much.

Thanks for all your hard work and generosity Joanna. By the way – Simon Cheshire has now formatted my first kids book ready to go – he was so very patient and hnelpful with my teething problems with PayPal and ignorance about formatting – thank you for recommending him.
Best wishes
Dawn Rose

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Dear Joanna, I started a blog 6 months ago, at http://brianholihan.com, to build an audience for 2 books I’ve written about my world travel and cultural studies. I’m still editing the books, but the responses to my blog have been fantastic–people from CEO’s to teenagers have complimented it, and the average visit length varies between a minute and a half and two minutes. I already have enough material in this site to make a beautiful book. If I do nothing else, I can write 10,000 blog posts over the next 3 years–enough material for more than 50 books. Blogging will enable me to share much more with my growing audience than publishing and marketing books would. Can you advise me, or direct me to the best place for advice, about the best way to turn a blog into books. Thanks a million times 50. Brian

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