#MentorForAuthors

According to the Miriam-Webster Dictionary, a mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person.

When I was #writing my book, I truly would have loved to have a mentor. There were very few resources for self publishers, yet my #co-author and I knew that we had to #self-publish because publishing houses did not have the same vision for our book that we had. 

We set to work, researching as much as we could about the process of publishing and of the physical requirements of a published book. It was a long and difficult road.

The beauty of experience, though, is that we can help others who are on the road to #self- publishing.

That is why we created #www.inktreemarketing.com - to help simplify the self-publishing process for others. We charge a ridiculously low price for our mentoring, but we believe that it is better to help more people at an affordable price than a few at a higher price.

We are here to help.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#PrintBooks.vs.E-Books

Good news for authors and publishers: according to a study by the Canadian Press, people still love to turn the pages of a paper book. There is no experience like cuddling with a child at story time - with a "real" book. Parents are choosing paper books in huge numbers rather than opting for e-books.

Children, especially, prefer turning pages to "paging" through an e-reader. Adults, also, are loving physical books. They may buy them online or at alternate sellers such as Costco, but they are still choosing the real book.

So, when you are publishing, be sure to produce your book in both formats: paper and electronic. 

Denise 

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#NeedPublishingPartnerForMarketingEvent

If you know of a Canadian publishing house that can think outside of the box, please have them contact me.

I have an innovative marketing event that is unique to the book world, and I need a joint venture partner.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#ImportanceOfBooks

A new movie will be out soon - "The Book Thief".

I am so very much looking forward to seeing the movie, which will illustrate the vital role that books play in the quality of our lives. Books are indispensable in #our culture. 

Keep writing.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#Publicity

Many authors and publishers ask us to do a #publicity campaign for their books. We stopped doing that several years ago for several reasons:

• very few small publishers can afford to #hire a publicist
• it takes the NET profits of thousands of books to pay for the services of a publicist
• the purpose of publicity is to #sell books but there is no point in selling books only to hand over all of the profits to a publicist
• publishers can do their own #book publicity
• we can teach them how
• we offer them FREE coaching
• they can then keep the profits to develop their business
• makes sense?

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#LearnAboutPublishing

Just a few words of wisdom: please do not attempt to #publish a book before you understand the #publishing industry. Don't even #write a book without understanding publishing.

There are many areas where mistakes happen. Educate yourself and avoid them.

Mistakes cost money.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#SocialMarketing

It seems that we should not spend too much of our time and energy marketing on #social media: 

 http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131101/SOCIAL06/311019998/report-social-advertising-fails-to-deliver-business-value

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#SomeRulesOfMarketingEmails

There are a few very basic rules when sending introductory #marketing emails to a corporation:

• always send to a person, so find out who and what the email address is,
• don't send any attachments with the email,
• don't place links in the body of the email. 

Your goal is to get the email past the firewalls and the spam filters.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#NewsFromKindle

Hello, Thanks for publishing your book with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). We want you to know about an exciting new KDP Select benefit – Kindle Countdown Deals. This is a new book promotion tool that lets you provide readers with time-bound promotional discounts for your Kindle books, available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Here are some of the benefits of Kindle Countdown Deals: Set time-bound promotions – You control how long your book is discounted. The time remaining for your promotion will be visible for customers to help generate excitement for the price discount. Customers get a great deal – Your customers will see the great deal they're getting with the regular price included on the book's detail page, right beside the promotional price. Retain a 70% royalty rate – You will earn royalties based on your regular royalty rate and the promotional price. As a result, if you are using the 70% royalty option, you'll earn 70% even if the price is below $2.99. Increase discoverability – Customers can easily browse live Kindle Countdown Deals at www.amazon.com/kindlecountdowndeals – a great way for you and your books to get discovered. Monitor performance in real-time – A new KDP report displays sales and royalties at each price discount side-by-side with pre-promotion performance, so you can compare results. Visit your KDP Bookshelf to enroll your titles in KDP Select, and click on "Manage Benefits" to get started. Kind regards, The Kindle Direct Publishing Team Questions? Learn more at KDP Select. Denise www.inktreemarketing.com www.publishacookbook.com

#PriceE-Books#CostE-books

This is just a short rant.

 Is anyone else puzzled over the retail price of e-books?

Many times I have gone in search of a title only to find that the e-book is the same price as the paper version. I don't understand.

E-books do not have anywhere near the costs of publishing a physical book, either paperback version or hard cover: cost of paper, cost of printing, cost of shipping, cost of storing, cost of returns and so on.

How, then, does the electronic version of a book cost the same?

Can someone please explain?

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#BookSponsors#HookBookToProduct

So many authors think of books as art, but even novels are a commercial product. The goal of publishing a book is to sell it. That makes the book a product of a business, with profit being the goal. Art is business.

Since the goal of publishing is to sell and make money, the author and the publisher must think of creative ways to sell the book. There is the all-important traditional route of selling to book stores, but there is the nontraditional route of selling to bulk buyers.

A good way to find commercial markets is to hook up with a product. This works especially well with nonfiction but it can also work with a novel. For instance, part of the story could take place at a hotel, resort, restaurant, cruise ship, or the character(s) could use a particular product. 

It's all up to your imagination and to you ingenuity.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BookPromotion

Recently we talked about taking control of interviews. That's a necessary part of #promoting your book.

Another way to promote is to become a blabber-mouth. Talk about your book to everyone and I mean everyone. Be proud of your accomplishment. You worked hard to get that book into print, now get everyone you meet to want a copy. Drop the title name everywhere that you can.

A good way to promote is to always have book marks with you and hand them out to everyone you meet.. Did you know that you can get thousands of book marks for no cost if you have them printed on the excess space when the book covers are printed? Talk to your graphic designer about that little trick.

Get out for coffee and chat with everyone in line and give them a free book mark.

Have fun.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#Email#SubjectLine

Isn't it frustrating to send out an email only for your message to be ignored? What you say in the subject line can make a big difference. Don't try to deceive the email recipient - that's just annoying.

You can use words such as "free" but don't say that that you will offer a discount on whatever you have to offer or that you are reminding them of something. That just ensures a quick trip to the delete folder.

Be sincere but don't use the same words in the subject line, even if you have a conversation bouncing back and forth.  Keep the subject matter current.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#MediaInterviews

My son commented that he recently attended a media training seminar. My reply to him was, "The most important thing to do in an interview is to take control of the interview." He replied that was what the media coach instructed - dominate the interview.

Having been there many times, I can attest to the sage advice. It is amazing how often the interviewer has not researched you or your topic, or has no real understanding of your message, so the questions drift off topic or the questions do not point to your missive. You have to answer a question in a way that directs the conversation. This is especially true when the audience can call in. Many people just want to promote their own agenda. 

You can take control by saying, "I really can't comment on that, but I can tell you ......"

After one or two media sessions you will get a feel for it and begin to enjoy the process. It's very satisfying to connect with your audience.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#PublishingContract

A former client was awarded a #publishing contract so she asked me to review the document for her. While I'm not a lawyer, I can often spot deficiencies or clauses that can become a problem in the future.

One issue I noticed was that the publisher's standard contract referred to the expansion of some clauses in "Schedule A". Such additions to a contract should be avoided because they can create confusion if an issue arises. The judge will often dismiss the case if she/he finds that one party or the other is confused by the extra points. That may or may not work in your favor, so be sure to have the contract written without extra "schedules."

Another point that I noticed in my client's contract was that it did not address what would happen to the #book's electronic files and graphics if one or the other party (publisher or author) had a valid reason to cancel the contract. As the author, if you find that the publisher does not meet expectations, you want ownership of the files so that you can find another publisher if you so choose.

Generally speaking, most mid to large publishers are ethical, but #good contracts make good friends. 

Always have an independent, #intellectual property rights lawyer review your contract.

Better safe than sorry.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BookCovers

Here is the most important question you need to ask yourself when designing your book cover: "What will buyers think of my book?"

You may think of the buyer as the person on the internet or the person in the book store. Of course, they are very, very important but they buy one book at a time.

The buyers that you need to impress most are the big guys: corporations, foreign rights agents, charities, local businesses, associations, etc., etc. In other words, the organizations that buy in large volume - nonreturnable. That is where you will make your money.

Book stores and media can give you fame but volume buyers can make your bank account grow. 

The importance of a professionally designed book (both inside and out) cannot be stressed enough. 

To quote a cliche, people do judge a book by its cover.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#PublishEbook

So you think that you can cut corners when publishing an ebook:

• don't worry about the quality of the writing
• don't worry about professional editing
• don't worry about excellent graphic design - a Word document is good enough
• don't worry about a professional cover - no one cares.

All wrong! Buyers are more sophisticated than you might think.

In the words of my beloved Father, who is no longer with us but left behind his wisdom:

Remember that in life, anything worth doing is worth doing well."

Contact us for help.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#SellBooks

The topic of selling books comes up over and over, "Who will sell my book?"

To begin, what many authors and small publishers do not understand is this: a publisher is just another widget manufacturer. The only difference between a book and a vacuum cleaner is that one is made of paper and someone has filled the pages with words, while the other one is made of metal and picks up dust.  In the final analysis, though, a book is a consumer product, just like a vacuum cleaner.

Sales is what it's all about.

Every book and every vacuum cleaner requires a marketing and publicity plan, just like any other product that is sold online or in a retail location. Someone is required to manage the marketing and publicity. If you are the publisher, you are the head of the sales team and sometimes you are the only sales person.

Many times I have heard authors say, "I just want to write. I don't want to do publicity and I want someone else to sell my book." Sadly, then, your book will not sell. If no one knows about it, no one will buy it. Your most important role as an author is as a promoter. People want to hear about you. People want to see you. People want someone to tell them why they can't live without your book. 

The long and the short answer to who will sell your book is - YOU. 

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#OptimizeWebsite#WebsiteOptimization

Everyone who has a book is aware that part of the book's marketing campaign is to have an accompanying website. 

The website allows the publisher to promote the benefits of the book, because that is what people are searching for on the internet. Rarely does someone find your book by its title or by the name of the author. The person browsing the internet is looking for information or for entertainment in a particular genre. All of which they will find on your website.

But what if they are not searching the internet on a computer? What if they are searching from and iphone or from a tablet? Is your website optimized for mobile devices?

Hmmmm.....

Our website is under revision. We had better take note.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#TwitterLanguage/Lingo

#TwitterChanges

From #Marsha Friedman:

3 New Twitter Changes and How They Affect You

About two months ago, our lead social media strategist started noticing interesting changes involving the Twitter accounts we manage for clients. Tools she and our team routinely used were suddenly disabled. Twitter's technical support, which hadn't been good, improved. So, when news broke on Tuesday that Twitter had formally taken steps toward going public back in mid-July, Jeni Hinojosa wasn't surprised. That was two months ago. "The changes are all obviously designed to make Twitter more appealing to investors when the initial public offering is finally made - probably by Thanksgiving," Jeni says.  "In some ways, they're also improving the experience for users. But in other ways, some users will be disappointed.'' Overall, Jeni says, Twitter will likely remain one of the most effective social media platforms for connecting with both individuals and large corporations. That's because it's less personal than, say, Facebook, and - this is the biggie - it's quick and easy to have a conversation with posts of 140 characters or less. What are some of the changes Jeni has seen on Twitter and how might they affect you? She shares three: No more "automatic follow-backs" means the size of your following will grow more slowly. Some applications, such as Hoot Suite and Manage Flitter, allowed Twitter users to set up their accounts to automatically become a follower of anyone who first followed them. That allowed audiences to quickly swell - but it also removed human oversight. The result: Some of your followers, and some accounts you followed, would be fake, inactive or otherwise non-genuine connections. "I believe Twitter's shutting down the ways huge audiences of fakes can grow so that they can be properly valued for the IPO," Jeni says. While that's generally good for users, one group who may be disappointed is authors trying to get literary agents or book deals with traditional publishers. "Agents and publishers want authors who have a strong base of potential fans, and one way to demonstrate that is to get big followings on social media," Jeni says. "Authors may be unhappy that their following grows more slowly, but it will be better for them in the long run - it's not hard to tell when someone has a mostly fake following."    Improved technical support - in some ways. Before the recent changes, if you ran into a problem with your Twitter account, you went to a "help" web page, filled out a form describing the problem, and submitted it. Then you had to closely watch your email for a confirmation and reply to the confirmation within 48 hours of receiving it in order for your "case" to move forward. "While that pesky process of watching for their email still exists, the 'help' page now offers troubleshooting steps so that you can try to fix the problem on your own," Jeni says. "So certain problems are easier to correct." The downside of the new troubleshooting measures? You're forced to click through multiple steps and take certain actions, which can be tedious, before Twitter agrees that you have a problem and allows you to send a request for support. The help page is support.twitter.com. More advertisements. As Facebook did when it went public, Twitter is now offering users the option to pay for their posts to achieve more visibility. So now, you may find a post from an account that you don't follow appearing at the top of your news feed. "Most recently, I've been getting posts about McDonald's new Mighty Wings," Jeni says. "It's mildly annoying if it's something you have no interest in, but it can also get confusing. You may see it and think, 'Did I follow McDonald's? I don't remember doing that,' and then you've got to check to see whether you did or not, since there are limits on the numbers of accounts you can follow," Denise www.inktreemarketing.com www.publishacookbook.com

#AdviceForSelfPublishers

I was reading a newsletter from publicist #MarshaFriedman, advising people about getting attention for their product. How do they do it? The answer is, they don't.

The best way to get attention to your product, and in the case of #selfpublishers their book, is to provide advice for people. Everyone has a problem that needs to be solved. If you can provide the solution to a common problem, let the media know that you can create a story for them.

If you need #helpwith your book, sign up with us at www.inktreemarketing.com. 

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BookAwardForSmallPublishers

If you are a #small #publisher, consider entering your book into some award competition. I did. It felt great to be a winner and the sticker on the front cover was great for credibility and for publicity opportunities.

Book season is beginning. Here is a competition for you to consider:


http://www.hofferaward.com/

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#TalkRadioForBookPublicity

Don't discount the value of promoting your book on talk radio. Please read the newsletter below from #Marsha Friedman: 

Talk Radio's Still One of the Best Values for Publicity One of our clients, a financial advisor, recently had a great interview on a Sirius/XM talk radio show. His office got lots of calls from listeners afterward, and the show host did as well. They were both thrilled. It didn't surprise me. As a longtime talk radio fan and a host of talk shows for several years, I'm well aware of how radio listeners respond to a great guest with a relevant topic. Radio has held listeners enthralled for decades because it's such a unique media experience. I believe that being a guest on talk radio is still one of the most effective, affordable and convenient ways for a person promoting anything to gain visibility. But I am admittedly biased. So I asked Talkers magazine publisher Michael Harrison if he thinks the changing media landscape has affected the value of talk radio shows for people with a message to share. Talkers, dubbed "The Bible of Talk Radio" by Business Week Magazine, is the leading talk radio trade publication. Michael has been involved in radio for 30 years and founded Talkers in 1990. He replied emphatically. "Talk radio is a major platform for people seeking publicity because it literally puts your message right in the mind of the listener," Michael said. "Radio has a very dedicated audience, and they're paying attention. They are an active audience and a large audience. If you're trying to promote a brand, a product, a business, it's worth gold to be in front of them." Those who say talk radio is losing its vitality come from political circles, he says. "Talk radio has such a large political component, it gets caught in the crossfire of the intense political wars being waged in our country," he says. "They're trying to discredit the hosts and the ideologies with whom they disagree." I'm so happy to hear my favorite medium is not only surviving, but thriving. If you're thinking about gaining visibility through talk radio, here are a couple of tips to help you succeed: Don't position yourself as an author or executive.  Instead, position yourself as an expert on your topic or your industry. Sell only your depth of knowledge and your ability to help answer key questions about some aspect of your topic that may have been in the news recently. Someone who's researched and written about war, be it for a novel or non-fiction, might talk about the situation in Syria. A fitness expert can discuss the physiology of Diana Nyad's incredible swim from Cuba to Florida. Engage the host.  People are usually fans of particular shows because they're interested in what the host has to say, so if you can engage him, you will engage his audience. Talk candidly and openly about your topic and make sure your advice is honest as well as conversational. Don't worry about entertaining the listeners; focus on entertaining the host.  Don't sell.  Stay on topic during the interview, and always find a way to mention the free material on your website that could benefit the host's listeners.  If you give a great interview and offer helpful information, you don't have to worry about trying to "sell" your product or book. The host will do it for you.  If you've been putting off seeking publicity because you're confused about where your time and efforts will be best invested, consider talk radio. There are thousands of shows across the country, including many with niche audiences that might be perfect for your message.  And, you can speak to them from your home or office with barely an interruption in your work day. You'll reach people who are educated, have jobs, and are fairly evenly split between men and women (58 percent men to 42 percent women). As Michael says, "You've got to go where the people are, and with radio audiences, you'll find real people, real listeners and real issues."

Still tuned in, #Marsha

http://emsincorporated.com/


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#CompetitionForAuthors

This will be short and sweet. How many of you would enter a contest for authors - if you could win a publishing contract? 

Email me at dhamilton@inktreemarketing.com to reply.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#HashtagsFor#Publishers

I looked at hashtag information again. They are a valuable tool in driving people to your book. Think of terms that will connect to your website and hashtag them.

For instance, I would use #selfpublishinghelp, #publishingcoach, #makemoneyselfpublishingbooks, #bookmarketinghelp, #freeselfpublishingebook and #bookmarketingstrategies.

Think of terms that work for you and try it.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

August 19 Book Marketing Matters Newsletter

APSS -- the Association of Authors and Publishers for Special Sales (formerly SPAN) introduces its First Annual Sales Conference, Nov 8 & 9, Philadelphia. This issue also lists upcoming contests and events as well as more book-marketing tips from the experts on various topics: Dan Poynter, Guy Achtzehn, Judith Briles, Eric Kampmann, John Kremer, Brian Jud and more people talk about book marketing, design, distribution, publicity and other topics of interest for book publishers. 

Contact http://www.spannet.org/ for information.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com 

#UsingHashTags

What I learned today:

- use hashtags sparingly
- choose hashtags carefully: don't just pepper your messages with them. Make sure that they are relevant to your topic and that they, as often as possible, can link back to you,.

For instance, I need to use phrases such as #selfpublishinghelp.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#UsingHashtags

I have to confess that I know very little about hashtags, so my use of them is extremely limited.

My mission is to learn more about them this summer.

What about you? Please share with me what you have learned.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#WritingaNewsRelease

Writing a news (media) release could be the most difficult writing challenge of your life. It's tricky. Media personnel are not interested in your new book, or product or project unless what you are offering can be news worthy or can be turned into an interesting story that has relevance for their audiences.

When promoting a book, you must be able to provide one or more of the following:

• solve a problem
• provide something that no one else has ever done, at least not in the unique way that you are presenting
• entertain

Now, how do you grab the attention of the editor or the producer that you are targeting?

Find something that is of current interest to the masses because of one of the above benefits of your book. What problem have you solved and how does that relate to the audience? Make your entertainment value irresistible. 

Stay abreast of current events and let the media know how your information is of benefit to the audience. Another strategy is to link in with the current interest of the day/week/month such as some of the events as suggested by #JohnKremer: 

August is Admit You're Happy Month, American
Artists Appreciation Month, Architecture Month, Black Business Month,
Body Appreciation Month, Eat Dessert First Month, Family Fun Month,
Fall of Empires Month, Foot Health Month, and Home Business Month
Does your book topic fit into any of these months? If so, start talking
to radio shows. They'll love to fit you in for an interview tied around

the theme of the month!

Get to work.  :-)

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#SummerPlansForBooks

Summer is upon us, sometimes causing us to become a bit complacent about our business ventures. It's so very understandable. I'm guilty of the same sin.

However, in the book world, summer is an important time to plan your book launch and/or your publicity and marketing plans. 

Our next newsletter (sign up at www.inktreemarketing.com) will address those issues.

Enjoy the sun.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

Haven't blogged for some time. Vacations are just too relaxing and distracting.  :-)

However, I just came upon this posting on www.indieauthornews.com and felt it worthwhile to share:

2. Speaking of beer… Combine your book with product.

This happens in the big commercial world every day where brands and stars merge to sell and promote. If you have a friend who is into craft brewing, or has a beauty salon, an art gallery, or custom clothes, coffee shop or whatever the product or service may be – why not combine promotions with them? The awesome thing about independent publishing is – THERE ARE NO CONTRACTS that bind you w.r.t marketing! In return you can name their brand in your book, or promote them on your advertising pages. Whatever the deal – cross promotion is awesome. Other blogs say authors should promote authors. Great. But many then promote authors to authors. You want READERS. My author client, Dan H. Kind, his book features beer. A lot! While designing his cover – I DRANK CRAFT BEER and loved it! My one friend is a craft brewer, and guess what – he downloaded Dan’s book. Just because of beer ;)


Think seriously about cross-promoting.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#PaperOrDigital?

If you need a good chuckle, take a look at this (copy and paste into your server):


http://www.flixxy.com/the-paperless-future-emma.htm?goback=%2Egde_104765_member_239340362#%2EUYsQvsp34pN

Denise   :-)

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#PublicityErrors

The current issues of Paula Deen have brought some publicity errors forward. 

People can survive the horrors of being caught in blunders, but not if the mistakes are poorly handled in the media. 

Often, people hire lawyers to help them, but lawyers are not publicity experts. There may be better ways to handle a crisis. 

Joan Stewart, a.k.a. Publicity Hound, has some words of advice. Please see the link below:


http://publicityhound.com/shop/in-a-media-crisis-your-lawyer-will-be-wrong.php


Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#SalesErrorsPublishersMake

SALES ERRORS IN PUBLISHING

At Ink Tree, we hear from independent publishers on a daily basis. We detect a common thread: fear of selling books. Some of the fear might be about the book being copied. Some of the fear might be of giving a large discount. Some of the fear could stem from over-valuing the book. Some of the fear is just simply a lack of understanding the basics of selling.

One of our partners had difficulty in convincing her co-author to sell a large volume of books to a volume buyer. Yes, the discount was huge but the order was also huge. The co-author felt that the book was being “given away” even though the profit to the authors was substantial. When there is a conflict of opinions, it is often advantageous to seek the advice of a third party, so a call was made to the famous David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber (www.wealthybarber.com). David was wonderfully generous and helpful, so thanks again, David. His response to the question of whether the terms of the sale should be accepted was, “Do you believe in your book?” They were powerful words. The reply was a resounding, “Yes”, to which David replied, “Then accept the sale. I’ve done much worse deals than you are accepting, and they were still positive. Sell your book anywhere and anytime that you can. The benefits extend beyond the immediate profit. When you sell large numbers of books, it is like being paid to do your own advertising.”

What does that mean? If you sell 1,000 copies or 10,000 copies, that’s 1,000 or 10,000 people who will now have a copy of your book and what do people do about books? They talk about them to other people. There is no better way of promoting an book than through word-of-mouth.

The sale of our Ink Tree partners’ books was the sale of the rights, which also concerned the co-author. Her fear was that someone would copy the book and reprint it under a different name. That is such a rare thing that it was not even worth considering. The book was copyrighted. Very few corporate buyers would be foolish enough to damage their reputation by copying someone’s book. The same holds true for foreign publishers.

Once our partner’s co-author understood the small risks and the huge benefits of selling the rights to the book, the sale went ahead with great results. The authors’ lack of knowledge was a huge draw-back but tapping into the wisdom and experience of another publisher was tremendously helpful. 

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#LegalHelpMayBeNecessary

Legal help can seem to be expensive, but sometimes it is very economical in the long run. The cost of mistakes can be horrendous.

If you are branding a trademark, it is important to be aware of of international law for intellectual properties. There are changes afoot. Here is a quote from the latest Field Law newsletter (#www.fieldlaw.com):

The world’s domain name system is about to expand from 22 gTLDs (generic Top Level Domains, like .com) to over 1,500 gTLDs. The new gTLDs include domain suffixes descriptive of many businesses such as: .construction, .realestate, and .legal, to name a few. 

You have only a very short time period to research the implications for your company.


Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#ForeignRightsSalesBooks

When you sign up with us for foreign rights sales, you receive more than the display of your book at a book fair. You receive:

• inclusion in the foreign rights agent's catalog for a year, including a comprehensive title description because you only a very short time to attract the attention of the buyers

• full page on the agent's website for a year, including a color scan of your book

• full color face-out display of your book in the agent's stand in the English language hall at the Frankfurt Book Fair

• personal representation to, and discussions with, foreign publishers

• pre-fair appointments with foreign publishers and agents

For less than $250.00, you receive amazing service that can't be beat.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#EbookReadersandTablets#HealthProblemswithEbookReaders

We live in a sleep-deprived world. To make matters worse, the latest news on ebook readers and tablets is that reading from them before bedtime might cause poor sleep. The light emitted from such electronic devices can interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, an important sleep hormone.

Don’t rule out print books yet. The jury is still out.

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#WriteChildrensBooks#ChildrensHumor

Recently I was browsing though the children's section in my local library. I was taking my time, enjoying varied selections.

Suddenly I had an Oprah "Aha" moment. There were very few humorous stories. Strange.

I looked further but still couldn't find many books that would make a child laugh out loud.

I found many, many books that had a message in disguise, plenty of titles that are meant to encourage a child to go to sleep, and plenty of just plain uninteresting stories.

But - very few books to simply amuse.

If you write children's books, give us something funny.

Thanks.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#TipsForAGreat#Interview

Three tips for great interviews, from Marsha Friedman:  http://emsincorporated.com/

• Beware of trendy "crutch" words. For too many years, "like" was, like, the No. 1 favorite fall-back word. Before that, it was "y' know" - y' know? "Cool!" has remained a favorite for decades because it can convey agreement, happiness, or the fact that you just can't think of anything better to say. The newest crutch I've been hearing is "actually." I actually heard a recent interview in which a college student talked about actually going to Syria to help people who were actually starving. We're all guilty of using crutch words from time to time, and using any just once in a conversation or interview is fine. But they tend to be like potato chips. Record yourself telling a story and play it back to listen for repetitive crutch words, or ask a friend to critique you. Then practice excising them from your vocabulary.

• Don't back into your interview - start strong! Some people take a little time to get warmed up. Others think the audience will stick with them longer if they build up suspense, as in "I have something really important to tell you and if you hang in there, you're going to be amazed!" I say jump right in and get right to the heart of your message. There are a few of reasons for that.1.Your interview may get cut short if you're not entertaining and informative. 2. It makes a good first impression and builds momentum for the rest of your interview.  

• Use sound bites. Sound bites have gotten a bad rap; they're associated with being shallow and insincere. But in truth, they're very helpful. While listeners may not be able to immediately recall everything you say, your sound bites are likely to stick - which will help people remember some of the details. Good sound bites are nuggets of compressed information stated in a fresh, memorable way. One of my favorite celebrities, Muhammed Ali, is known for great sound bites, including, "I outwit them and then I out-hit them." Prepare some ahead of time and have them written down in front of you when you're interviewed.

#BadBookCover=BadSales

http://www.indieauthornews.com/2012/10/bad-cover-bad-sales-why-you-need-professional-cover-art.html


Please read the article above. It says it all!!

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#ValueofaMentor#PublishingAdvice

I had the most wonderful chat with a hugely successful self-publisher, who gave me sage advice 15 years ago, and who was just as generous with his wisdom this time around.

The business of publishing is complicated and hard, like any other business venture. Sometimes we feel like we are spinning our wheels and don't know which way to turn. Having an adviser is such a huge bonus - huge beyond description.

When someone who has experience in the very issues that stump us, it is just awesome to have someone to turn to and ask,"What would you do in my situation?"

Sometimes the mentor has a completely different perspective on the issue and other times he or she confirms your own thoughts. It's just so great to have a sounding board - someone who understands where you are coming from.

We at Ink Tree can be your mentor.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#SellBooks#Non-returnable#BookSales

Do you want us to sell your books? 

     Commission-based special sales. Non-returnable.  We pay shipping

We get about 3,000 hits per month on the ESP search engine. Most of the titles in our program receive some action on a regular basis. We usually customize them with the customer's logos or with a tip-in insert page.



Email us at info@inktreemarketing.com for a discount.


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#Ebookpublishers

"Is there any evidence that the reading public prefers apps over ePub or Mobi versions?"

"..., it seems to me to be very much a matter of what store you are accessing. Apps are best for enhanced books with audio and video if you want to reach all markets.

 I have gotten two enhanced ebooks, History of the Pleasure Seeker by Richard Mason and Kerouac's On The Road as app downloads. Both were obtained directly from the publishers' websites. They are both loaded with video and audio. History of the Pleasure Seeker is a true use of enhancement, as piano music plays as part of the storyline and there is a fine audio narration. There are also video interviews with the author.  

iBooks can be enhanced with audio and video by using iBook Author, so Apple leads the way in the enhanced ebook format. There are many excellent examples in the iBook Store. 

As far as I know, only Apple products and B&N Nook are equipped to handle enhanced ebooks at this time. Kindle doesn't allow it yet, though I have a couple of beta samples. I guess the answer is that apps can be sold without being forced to use the Apple and Google stores."

Kira Gale

 Kira Gale, River Junction Press LLC

Omaha, Nebraska (402) 451-2878

www.lewisandclarkroadtrips.com

www.deathofmeriwetherlewis.com

Lewis and Clark blogs

C-Span BookTV video

From publish-l@googlegroups.com 

#NewWebsiteForSelfPublishers

Our new website design is progressing well. It's a huge job but it will be well worth it. 

Every five years or so, a company has to bring itself up to current standards, so that is what we are doing.

I'm excited about seeing the new changes.

In the meantime, you can access the revised edition of our former Ultimate Book Marketing Kit which is now titled The Write Stuff - Write, Publish and Sell Books and Ebooks at #www.inktreemarketing.com. We still offer FREE individualized coaching.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#SellMoreBooksOnAmazon

http://serenityva.com/how-to-sell-books-by-the-truckload-on-amazon/

See the link above, written by Penny Sansivieri. 

All #publishers need help.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#EbookReaders

Just FYI, KOBO has been rated as the #1 reader by Wall Street.

I have no preferences one way or the other, but I thought that you might like to know.

Cheers,

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#ForeignRightsSales

I am amazed that more independent publishers and authors don't sell the foreign rights to their books. I did, on more than once occasion, and loved it. 

All I had to do was to sign a contract (making sure that the contract was above board), send my digital file and collect the money. Brilliant. 

I certainly had no plan to set up "shop" in more than one foreign country in order to publish, publicize and sell my book. It's enough of a job to do that in my own country.

I highly recommend foreign rights sales. Contact us NOW while our agent is accepting applications.


Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com