We CAN! promote our books

Book Tour on a Budget

Cyndy Salzmann here on a brief stopover during a road trip to promote my latest mystery -- Crime & Clutter. I've visited five states in the last four weeks in a minivan loaded with promotional materials, review copies of my book and boxes of Harry & David chocolate. I've done bookstore events, library talks and programs for women's groups. I've also included numerous stops along the way to visit with librarians, retailers, writer friends and mystery fans. As a new novelist, my goal is to personally connect with those who might enjoy my books and are in a position to introduce them to other readers.

I know from my years in marketing that word-of-mouth (personal recommendation from a trusted source) is the best way to prompt someone to try a new product or service.  Unfortunately, a word-of-mouth campaign (at least in the beginning) can often be time-consuming and expensive. So today, I thought I'd offer some tips to make the most of your time -- and money.

A word from the front lines...

 Cyndy Salzmann here with some advice from a someone "in the know" about getting your books on the shelf of your local bookstore.

Maggie McKay Silber owned and managed a Christian Bookstore, gift store, and a cafe, in Brewton, Alabama before Hurricane Ivan swept it away. Before that, she managed bookstores for Barnes and Nobel, B Dalton, and the University of South Alabama. On the front lines of the book business for over twenty-five years, Maggie has some good advice for authors who would like to see a store stock their books.

Choosing Influencers Part Two

Cyndy Salzmann stopping by to talk about choosing influencers for your book...

According to the American Heritage Dictionary the definition of influence (when used as a verb) is "to move or impel (a person) to some action." When it comes to compiling an "influencer list" for your book to submit to your publisher, you should choose people that will likely convince others to buy your book.

So what makes a good influencer? Here's my short list of attributes...

Choosing Influencers

Hello merry marketers!  Cyndy Salzmann here from snowy Nebraska...

Today I had the rather "sticky" task of filling out the "influencer" list for my upcoming release by Howard Books -- Crime & Clutter.  For those of you unfamiliar with this term, an influencer list is simply a list of people that I suggest receive a free copy of my book from the publisher.  Then, if they enjoy it, will likely tell other people to run out and buy this work of literary genius. If they want to throw in something about how my husband and I are depending on my meager royalty checks to feed our three children and adorable dog, all the better. : )

The world of podcasting

Cyndy Salzmann weighing in from the disco era...

As you can tell in this ad from 1979... I'm an old broadcasting girl from way back. Believe it or not... I was the first woman newscaster in the station's history which also employed such luminaries as Bob Costos and Eric Engberg. As you can see from the photo, I was obviously a little nervous about my position -- so I cut my hair and donned the tweed blazer so I'd fit right in with "the guys."

Naturally, as a former "broadcast babe," I couldn't wait to see what all the buzz was about podcasting and how it might apply to marketing our books.

Why bother with marketing?

Cyndy Salzmann calling all RESOLUTIONARIES...

Need a little  motivation after the busy holidays to get back to marketing your writing?  Experts in the publishing industry advise an author to put as much time into promoting his or her book as spent on writing it. Just listen to what a few publishing insiders have to say on this subject..

A Quick Tip for Speakers

Cyndy Salzmann logging on here with a quick tip for writers who also do some public speaking...

When you are booked to speak to a group like MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) or other group that holds its meeting at a church or library, stop by the office and leave a copy of your speaker information to be passed on to the appropriate person. I have received several follow-up calls as a result.

Merry Christmas!

Is a website worth the trouble?

Musings from Cyndy Salzmann... a technologically-challenged writer.

A big part of me wants to answer the question about whether an author's website is worth the trouble with a resounding "No!" The reason being that while I barely remember life before the web -- keeping my own internet presence (www.cyndysalzmann.com) up-to-date is a constant struggle. But alas... I've always known in my gut that an author has to have (at the bare minimum) a great website. This week, Publisher's Weekly included an article with the stats that prove it...

"A new survey conducted by the advertising firm Spier New York found that 18% of readers have been to a publisher's Web site, while 23% of readers polled have visited an author's site. The survey, based on a sample of 813 readers, did not ask if readers bought a book from either site. Not surprisingly, the younger the reader, the more likely that person visited the Web. The survey found that 35% of readers under age 35 had visited an author's Web site and 21% of respondents in that age bracket had been to a publisher's site." PW Online 12/11/06

'Tis the Season

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... and my mind has turned to a creative way to thank those that have helped get my books into the hands of readers.

I want my gifts to be something they'll enjoy, remind them of the giver (me) -- and fit within my limited budget. A tall order for someone who is definitely challenged in the area of "gifting." I have come up with a couple of ideas that I think fit the bill -- and thought I'd share them as a way to help get your creative juices flowing.

Brainstorming Your Niche - More Answers

Happy Tuesday!  I hope you are having as much fun as I am brainstorming your niche marketing questions! From children's books to last week's "brown bag" topic -- your questions have stretched my marketing muscles -- and those of my friends.

BTW --before I tackle the next question -- I wanted all you Minnesotans to know that I am off to Minneapolis for an event on Friday, November 3, 7:00 pm in the Rotunda at the Mall of America.   I will be appearing with seven other multi-published Christian authors to talk about writing for the inspirational market. The event is sponsored by Barnes and Noble. I would LOVE to see you there! 

Here's a link for more info... http://www.mallofamerica.com/adults_event_detail_objectname_christian_authors_network.aspx

Okay -- down to business. : ) This week, we'll tackle a question from Sally who asks...

Cyndy, my novel is an inspirational romance with some suspense (not enough to be romantic suspense) that has male characters who are pro athletes. I'm working now to prove in my proposal that there's a large market for such stories.