Interview with Author Mitali on her marketing/time management

Aloha from Karen

I noticed an author I've never met a while ago. She is on an egroup with me (The Writers View) and gave such great advice about marketing that I just had to visit her blog/website and more. She is great at using the latest technology. I asked her to tell us about herself and what she does to promote her books.

Welcome Mitali Perkins, author of both fiction and non-fiction!! 

Marketing is vital to a book’s success, yet it takes a lot of time. We are happy you are here to share some of the ways you have managed your marketing time. First, tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in India and came to the States when I was seven. Stories helped me survive during those stressful years of trying to fit in as an immigrant kid. I started writing about fifteen years ago, and became a full-time writer four years ago.

What books have you had published (who published them)?
Fiction
        The Sunita Experiment (Little Brown)
        Monsoon Summer (Random House)
        Rickshaw Girl (Charlesbridge)
First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover (Dutton)
First Daughter: White House Rules (Dutton)
Secret Keeper (Random House)

Non-Fiction
Ambassador Families: Equipping Your Kids To Engage Popular Culture (Brazos)
Islam and Christianity (Presbyterian Church USA)

When do you start planning your marketing strategies?
About six months before the book releases.

What were the best marketing activities you did for your latest book?
I ghost-write a blog on behalf of my main character, Sparrow, about the real election and First Kid wannabes Click for blog
     I set up a separate web page for the books: click here

I made a couple of book trailer about the books:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHJAZhlncqE 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg3N2orIE9U

My character went on a wonderful blog tour, as did I.
I speak frequently in schools and libraries.

How mush time do you spend marketing and how do you divide that time?
As a full-time author, I spend at least ten hours a week marketing. Five hours blogging and the other five networking and promoting.
   

How do you judge if something is working in your marketing plan?
That's tough. Hits and visits to sites. Trailer views. But ultimately, book sales.
   
How do you try to get your publisher to work with you on marketing?
I tried but wasn't too successful. They gave me money for a couple of book launch parties and sent me to attend a few conventions, but other than that   was on my own.
   
You tend to use a lot of technology in marketing. What ones take less time
to learn and do?
   Blogging is the easiest, because the tools are designed for tech dummies.

If a person only had time to learn one Internet marketing skill, what one would you suggest?
Commenting well and wisely on other people's blogs and social networking pages, and mastering a single basic html code that can link to a site of your choice. Here it is:

<a href="http://www.sitename.com">WORDS YOU WANT LINKED TO THAT SITE</a>

So, for my site (Karen Whiting) I would use

<a href="http://www.karenhwhiting.com/">KAREN WHITING</a>

What are some of the newest online marketing tools?
I use widgets, blogs, rss feeds, and book trailers. I also have a presence on Facebook, MySpace, Shelfari, Goodreads, and LibraryThing. Love them all.
 
How much does it help to spend time in social communities and how can you make the most of that time to promote your books?

It helps in branding your name and books. But create your status updates wisely -- they reflect your voice, as does everything you write. See EVERYTHING you publish on-line as an ad that should make people want to know more about you and read more of your writing.

That's part 1 with Mitali. Next week we'll ask Mitali to expand a bit on the social networks and some other questions. Meanwhile check out her site and blog

site: Mitali's site
blog: Mitali's blog

Thanks for dropping in!
Check out my site too!

   

Comments

[Laura A. Miller]

Thank you Karen and Mitali!
I am learning so much about marketing and appreciate the great tips. This question is for next week's topic on social networking. If you belong to more than one network, does every site you belong to need to be about you as an author? Should we limit personal information (family, kids, etc.)?

Thanks,
Laura

[Lucille Zimmerman]

Hi Karen,
I loved reading these comments. I have had a blog for 6 months but I don't know how to link to other blogs. I do know how to comment. I didn't understand this part-could you explain it a little more for those of us who are not technical in any way?

Commenting well and wisely on other people's blogs and social networking pages, and mastering a single basic html code that can link to a site of your choice. Here it is:

WORDS YOU WANT LINKED TO THAT SITE

So, for my site (Karen Whiting) I would use

KAREN WHITING

[lucy]

I think that the people should have to know this With the advent of digital readers and the dependence - and preference - people have for portable, electronic media, are books being slowly phased out? A hundred years from now will books be under glass in a museum?
________________________________
lucy
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http://www.christian-drug-rehab.org