Bob Baker's Book Promotion Blog

The Empowered, Self-Promoting Author

Some authors disdain it, some rejoice in it, while others have a love-hate relationship with it.

I'm taking about marketing and self-promotion -- that important set of activities that communicates your message to an audience that is receptive to it.

Maria Schneider ran a great interview with Jonathan Fields last week on her Editor Unleashed blog that touched on this. Jonathan is the author of Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love. His attitude really resonates with the approach I've taken with my own writing and marketing for many years.

Here's an excerpt:

"It's no longer enough to write a great book, hand it over, go where you're pointed and hope for the best. If that's all you're willing to do, with rare exception, you should plan on keeping your day job.

"You need to be the lead partner in the marketing of your book. And, one of the most powerful ways to do that is to build layers of digital tribes that play different, yet critical roles in the marketing equation."

In another section, he adds:

"More and more authors have been telling me how disempowered they've felt for a lot of years and many are sensing that there's a window, now, to begin to reclaim power in the publishing equation."

I agree. Only I'll add that this window of opportunity has existed for many years. I've been actively promoting my message of music marketing and artist empowerment since 1995. And I recall then feeling that I was lagging behind in getting online.

But now, nearly 15 years later, it amazes me that there are still people saying, "You know, there might be something to this Internet thing. Maybe I should get more involved with it."

YES! You should get more involved with it. There's no need to know and understand it all from the get-go, but you should be taking some small step every day to get familiar with the tools and use them to attract and nurture your "tribe" online.

Here's the bottom line: Opportunities to empower yourself are all around you at all times -- both online and off. It's your job to get on friendly terms with this marketing thing and keep your eyes open for new and creative ways to connect with readers.

Doing so isn't a burden. Quite the opposite. It's an invigorating way to share your ideas and make a difference in people's lives.

-Bob


Are You Ready to Fully Harness the POWER of the Internet?:

This new title reveals the most practical and cost-effective ways that Bob and other successful authors have promoted themselves and their books online. It demystifies Internet book marketing and makes it accessible to any author at any skill level.

Learn more about it here ...

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Seth Godin on Building an Author Platform

Seth Godin gives a good dose of modern marketing reality with his blog post titled "The platform vs. the eyeballs." It's not intended for authors only, but the message certainly applies. Especially this excerpt:

Authors have traditionally relied on publishers to bring them readers. The author gives up the majority of the income and the publisher brings them the readers.

But then you see someone like Frank at Post Secret who builds his own audience for his (sometimes nsfw) content. He owns a platform, it's not something he rents.

Now, using a publisher is a choice, not a necessity. Just about every successful author going forward (except for the lucky exceptions like Dan Brown) will own her own media channel.

This dovetails perfectly with my own philosophy -- and the factors that allow me to make a living from my independently published books and resources for musicians and authors.

For years I have implored creative people to stop looking outside themselves for all the answers. Yes, you have to work with other people to share your message. But it all starts from a position of self-reliance.

Instead of asking, "How can I get the approval of a gatekeeper at some conglomerate and get access to their audience?" ... ask, "How can I build my own audience -- one that is loyal and supportive because I deliver value to them in an authentic and personal manner?"

That's the key to success today!

-Bob

Get more tips and inspiration when you subscribe to my free "Full-Time Author" ezine. I'll even send you a free download of my Self-Publishing Confidential report. Learn more about the free subscription here.


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Google Book Promotion: 5 Easy Ways

If you think this is going to be about search engine optimization, a Google AdWords campaign, or Google Book Search ... think again. Here are five things Google offers that you should consider using to connect with readers and promote your books:

1) Display your live event schedule with Google Calendar. Most people use this popular feature for personal appointments and scheduling. But you can also choose categories on your calendar to make public -- and even embed them on your web site ... AND make it easy for people to add your events to THEIR personal calendars. Visit this page for more details.

2) Help fans find your public appearances with Google Maps. This popular application is the next best thing to having a GPS system in your car. You can use it to find places you drive to, of course. But a really smart idea is to include Google Maps links to each event you speak at, not just the venue address.

Sure, fans can "map it" themselves. But why not save them a couple extra steps and provide a direct link? Learn more about Google Maps here.

Tip: Look up a venue address on Google Maps yourself first. Then click on "Link" just to the right of "Print" and "Send" to get the code.

3) Turn your web site into a social networking playground with Google Friend Connect. Make it easy for people to join your community of readers and fans using the cool features of this Google tool. Read more about it and watch the video here.

4) Add your books and merchandise to Google Product Search. It's kinda like Google's version of Ebay -- but there are no listing fees. Learn more on this page.

5) Power up your communications with Gmail. I've been using Gmail for more than four years and love it. Lots of features and gobs of storage space to archive years of email exchanges. You can filter and label messages, send canned responses, and so much more. Go here for more info.

Google has a lot more up its sleeve. In fact, a big one is coming later this month (more on that soon). In the meantime, investigate these five Google features and see how you can use them to promote your books better online.

-Bob

P.S. For a lot more Internet book marketing ideas, see the 55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet page!

Get more tips and inspiration when you subscribe to my free "Full-Time Author" ezine. I'll even send you a free download of my Self-Publishing Confidential report. Learn more about the free subscription here.


Or just sign up using this quick and easy form:

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Is Your Book 'Findable' Online?

Last night I read through Mark Penn's book, Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes. It's a fascinating read based on some in-depth research, but one microtrend in particular caught my eye ...
It's a category of consumer that Penn refers to as "New Info Shoppers."

From the book:

"A whopping 92% of respondents said they had more confidence in information they seek out online than anything coming from a salesclerk or other source. They believe the information they find, not the information that is spoon-fed to them ..."

Consider that again: Smart consumers these days trust what they find -- or discover -- on their own first and foremost!

Another passage from Microtrends:

"An astonishing 70% of Americans now say they consult product reviews or consumer ratings before they make their buying decisions."

Admit it, you often do this yourself before spending money on a product or service. Which begs the question ...

How 'Findable' Are You Online?

When someone searches for your name, your book title, or your topic ... what will they discover?

Here are just some of the ways savvy customers find the info they're looking for today:

Finally, what steps can you take today to improve the odds that you'll be found and revealed in a positive light via the online avenues listed above?

Your mission: Go forth and make yourself findable!

-Bob

P.S. For more reading on this topic, check out How social media and search can reach the pickiest audience at iMediaConnection.com.


Are You Ready to Fully Harness the POWER of the Internet?:

This new title reveals the most practical and cost-effective ways that Bob and other successful authors have promoted themselves and their books online. It demystifies Internet book marketing and makes it accessible to any author at any skill level.

Learn more about it here ...

Get more tips and inspiration when you subscribe to my free "Full-Time Author" ezine. I'll even send you a free download of my Self-Publishing Confidential report. Learn more about the free subscription here.


Or just sign up using this quick and easy form:

Your First Name
Your Primary Email

Your email address will not be shared. Unsubscribe at any time.

Connect with

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