OTHER BLOG

On the weekend I watched the movie Julie and Julia. Now there's an example of dedication to a blog and to a research project! I was amazed - truly. The blog author wanted to become a "writer" so she completely immersed herself in her blog and all of the cooking it involved for a full year. She researched Julia Child and she followed each recipe to the letter. Quality was uppermost in her mind at all times. Good for her.

That is how successful publishers are. They spend at least a year researching the publishing industry and what it takes to create a great book. They and/or the author spend countless hours researching the subject that they are planning to write about and publish. They write and they re-write and they re-write and then they seek help from a professional editor. The final product will be as near to perfect as they can make it. They hire a designer to create a book that will pass the "judge the book by its cover" cliche with flying colors.

When I co-authored and co-published my book, I took over two years to get the book to market. I went to meetings and presentations by successful authors, researched everything I could find about publishing, spent countless hours in libraries and book stores picking apart my competition, wrote the book over and over, spoke to numerous professionals in every aspect of publishing - and only then did I look for printing quotes. Whew!! It was a lot of work but it paid off in spades.

That is what I want to see my clients do - pour your heart and soul into your book project. Don't be satisfied with a cookie cutter "publishing service" if you want to sell lots of books. Publishing services have a definite place for people who want to publish a few books to give to family and friends, or to sell during personal appearances or to sell via a website. If you truly want to create a best seller - don't settle for second best.

Go for it!

Denise

NEWSLETTER

What fun! We sent out a survey to our mailing list, asking them for opinions on our newsletter content. The response so far has been very favorable and also very informative to us.

It's one thing to be sending out information to people, but it's also amazing to actually communicate with the people who are on the receiving end. Communication is a two-way street - listening is a large part of the communication process.

One thing I have learned in life, is that whether comments are negative or positive, one always learns something from another person's point of view.

It's also illuminating to hear what the person on the listening end is thinking. Talking, talking, talking can fall on deaf ears if you are just talking about your own interests. Knowing what the other person wants to hear opens the lines of communication and makes your message effective.

Thanks to the responders to our survey for teaching us about what to teach you.

You can also comment on this blog - feel free. Our ears are open.

Denise

NOT MUCH NEWS TODAY

It was minus 30 degrees Celsius here last night - a record low for this time of year. Brrr... Just when I'm recovering from a cold and laryngitis. Where is that global warming happening? - not here. Send us some of it, whoever has it. Please.

The cold and my cold have put my brain into a bit of a deep freeze, knocking out my inspiration. Well, you can't be on top of things all of the time.

I am shopping for books as Christmas gifts, though. What a fun gift a book is. You have to think about the recipient: what are their interests, why genre do they like to read, which authors do they favor, etc. Just picture their face when they open the gift! The beauty of books as gifts is that there certainly is something for everyone.

If you are in the process of writing a book, think about the future recipients. What will appeal to them - and write for them. After all, they are your future customers and you want to please them.

Denise

BAD PUBLICITY

Publicity is an essential part of your book marketing campaign. You just cannot manage without it. If no one knows about your book, no one will buy it. The best way to attract buyers is viral - the word needs to spread. Using the media to encourage the spread is very effective because a third party endorsement lends great credibility to your book. A good book review is perceived to be a third party endorsement.

But, what do you do about a negative review? Don't panic. As the old saying goes, There is no such thing as bad publicity. So, use a "bad" review to your advantage. The first step is to write a letter to the reviewer, thanking him or her for drawing attention to your book. The second step is to give a positive spin to the review, in a very polite manner, correcting the misconceptions that the reviewer has about your book. You might even agree with some of the points but in your own sweet way you tell the reviewer what you actually said in your book. Thank the reviewer for drawing those misconceptions to the attention of the public, thus allowing you the opportunity to clarify your message.

Lastly, use that bad review and your corrections in your media kit and in your interviews and public appearances. Using the bad review gives you control of the matter and allows you to refute any negative perceptions that future readers, viewers and listeners might have misinterpreted.

No matter what or who you are, not everyone will embrace your work. Your job is to take control of anything that the media throws your way, whether negative or positive. Always thank the media person who reviewed your book even if it makes you want to gag. Think of the attention that was brought your way and say, "Thank you."

At Ink Tree, we can help you create a great news release and a stellar media kit. Just go to our website at www.inktreemarketing.com. Don't forget - we offer FREE email coaching and a free news release critique.

Denise

SELLING IN OTHER COUNTRIES

The question has arisen about selling books in another country. What is the best way to handle orders? The answer is not simple. There are a couple of ways to approach the issue:

manage the sales yourself or sell the rights to foreign publishers.

If you receive an order but you don't have distribution in a foreign country, you can invoice directly. Make sure that the buyer pays for the shipping and that they pay in advance for the books as well, since this is considered a special order. Often you don't have to give as big a discount as you would to a trade book store. Ask them what their usual terms are.

If you can find distributors in other countries and if you are willing to do the publicity to drive the sales, you might be able to manage it yourself. However, you will need tax numbers for each country and you will either have to ship books or find a printer in each country. If there are sales taxes you will need to know how to submit them to each country's government.

There is much to consider. Seek professional advice from an accountant and perhaps from a lawyer who is familiar with international trade laws.

If it all sounds too complicated and more work than you can manage, you have the option of selling the rights to your book to foreign publishers. You can still do the publicity but they will manage distribution, returns and money.

At least you have choices.

Denise