1. Suffering-is-Beauty

    Suffering-is-Beauty New Member

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    Launching a self published book campaign

    Discussion in 'Self-Publishing' started by Suffering-is-Beauty, Apr 13, 2013.

    So I'm preparing a launch of my book, and was just curious if anyone thinks I'm missing something. I'm setting up a website, business cards, book marks, posters for the stores that carry it, about 15 retailers in local and surrounding counties along with amazon and kindle, and a story in the local and surrounding newspapers.

    I've done a ton of researching, and without having much for funds to hire a publicist, this is what I came up with. Am I missing something? Any thoughts?

    Much appreciated.
     
  2. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    You're missing a publisher, with all the business connections and credibility you cannot hope to match. Other than that, you're golden.
     
  3. Suffering-is-Beauty

    Suffering-is-Beauty New Member

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    I know that, but as of yet I have not had any luck with that endeavor thus I'm doing it myself. Just not that into waiting for others to do it for me.
     
  4. Quille

    Quille Member

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    I have seen authors using Twitter and posting a link to their books on Amazon or Smashwords. They generally say something intriguing about their work.
    You could also post on Smashwords as they accept Paypal and Amazon does not, it might expand your audience. You would have to set up multiple types of downloads, but I've heard they have detailed instructions how to do this. ITunes is another place you can post your stuff, and there are probably others.

    Good luck :)
     
  5. NigeTheHat

    NigeTheHat Contributor Contributor

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    You're not missing a publisher. If you're self-publishing, you are the publisher, and that means you have to act like one - though from the sounds of it, you're already doing that more than most people who play this game.

    So, what's your business plan? The fact that you have these things means jack - how are you going to use them? As a for instance, you'll have a website - awesome, how are you going to get people to see it? There's a lot of internet out there, traffic won't appear magically.

    If you're going to run a successful launch, the marketing does not start on launch day. The marketing starts weeks, maybe months earlier. You've got to make your book launch an event. Build anticipation, get a load of people waiting for the release date.

    A few ways to do this - just off the top of my head, you'll want to make a more formal plan:

    Get your website up early with a few teasers and somewhere for people to sign up to be notified of release. Keep these people updated with how everything's going.
    Advertise that website.
    Can you get an interview in any of these newspapers or magazines?
    Start talking about what you're doing on Facebook and Twitter and anywhere else you've got friends early. Don't try to be salesy - at least, not much - just build interest. Tell people what you're doing. Tell them when you get posters printed. Put a few designs up and ask them to vote on their favourite. Make it known that your launch is coming.
    Can you organise a 'local author' event in any of the stores stocking your book?
    Get yourself a Facebook page and start promoting it - PPV Facebook ads are relatively cheap when you're driving traffic to like a page

    (As an aside, have you actually arranged for these bookstores to be stocking you already? If so, good on you - if not, how are you going to do that?)

    There are advantages to having a trad publisher back you beyond the fact that you don't have to do this yourself. One of them is the marketing budget. The other is not the credibility - that's almost worthless. The business connections are useful, and you want to be building them. You want to get your book reviewed in places that have lots of eyes. Local papers and magazines are probably a reasonable bet. Nationals are better, obviously, but are going to be far harder work. You'll probably have better luck finding the popular amateur bloggers who talk about your genre - send them a complimentary copy (print, if you're having them made) and request a review. If possible, try to build the relationship a bit beforehand so it's not a totally cold approach. An e-mail saying 'hey, your blog's awesome!' is a good start.

    After the launch, advertise. Become good at advertising, and be prepared to spend money on becoming good. If that sounds like effort, stop now and keep talking to the trads.

    Good luck. You'll need it. Plan properly, and you're more likely to get it.
     
  6. evelon

    evelon Active Member

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    Good luck with it. You seem to have covered all bases, except don't forget the social networking sites - tweeter, facebook, google etc. Also sites like Goodreads are good to interact with other writers/readers. In fact anywhere you can make a contact will help, but don't expect it to happen overnight. It takes time to build up a following.

    Have you also thought of an ebook? There are a few good sites (such as Smashwords) which make it pretty easy for you to convert and you can advertise your paperback/hardback there too.

    Hope it goes well.
     
  7. erebh

    erebh Banned Contributor

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    Have you looked at student unions, colleges, universities?

    Look for people in sales and marketing courses - they'll be hungry for success, points on their CVs, look for PR people too.

    Maybe you can get them to work for nothing or very little. If need be, give them a commission and not just cash, a week in Orlando for 250 book sales ($500) would cover it.

    Students, interns, jobseekers will be the hungriest, the most enigmatic, the most ambitious.

    Bring in a IT guy who will cover all the web bases, someone who knows SEO - put him on the same commission.

    Or go speak to a college head - let him make it into a school project and give them a kick-back, sponsor the football team of something

    You never know, before long you might have such a great team you might get into publishing yourself!
     
  8. Suffering-is-Beauty

    Suffering-is-Beauty New Member

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    Thanks for the advice everyone. I plan on starting the marketing now, and the launch sometime this summer. going to school full time and working full time I think is to much to do everything well. I do have the retailers, and the story for the newspaper, lined up already.

    I was thinking about starting my own publishing company and trying to recruit current publicist majors at my college. They've been very helpful as of yet with carrying my book in their store and looking at the Tate contract I received (and advising me to say no) so who knows. Maybe I could be the next vanity publisher taking advantage of all the writers...evil laugh...

    No, I'm just joking. Finishing a novel is hard enough without A** H**** trying to take advantage of you.
     
  9. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    I've been impressed by my friend's trailers for her books but I have no idea of their return on investment. Here are two of them, (she has 4). I really like them.

    Stolen

    Cornerstone
     
  10. erebh

    erebh Banned Contributor

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    Great idea Ginger, very simple to produce at home (MS Powerpoint - WMV), I would try make it a bit pacier though
     
  11. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    Have you seen any others? Hers are the first ones I've seen.
     
  12. erebh

    erebh Banned Contributor

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    not for books but I have made a few for property sales - if I can do anyone can!

    Basically put together a powerpoint presentation and then translate it to WMV - you can add music, fade pix in and out etc and doesn't cost a shilling
     
  13. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    When I get my first book done, hope you don't mind if I pick your brain a bit more. :)
     
  14. erebh

    erebh Banned Contributor

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    absolutely!
     
  15. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    what you've missed:

    interviews on local radio and tv talk shows...

    book-signings for all the stores that will carry your book

    readings in the library and for any groups that meet in your area that may be interested in the book's topic...
     
  16. chicagoliz

    chicagoliz Contributor Contributor

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    goodreads giveaways

    Book clubs-- Google/ask local bookstores and libraries to find book clubs that might read the type of book you've written. Offer to give a copy or two away to the book club leader, and to attend the book club in person.

    Blog-based book reviewers (sometimes similar to book clubs).

    Any way you can get your book to catch on via personal recommendations and word of mouth.
     

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