The panel discusses what's clearly a favorite topic . . . Marketing!
Ranee`:
Okay, Marketing!
Jolene Perry: Ugh. Marketing.
Krista: Do we have to?
Jolene Perry: It's like looking for a job over and
over and over and over
Ranee`: Hahahaha. When I talk about
different pub methods with people, this is the topic that comes up most often.
What tactics were used to put word out before your
publication, both by you and then by your publisher?
Jennifer Griffith: The publicist gives me regular
emails, usually every Monday, evaluating my efforts at social networking and
giving me suggestions of ways to improve my shameless self-promotion (a painful
reality in today’s publishing world.) None of it has been too horrible; mostly
Facebook, making a website and blog for myself (and posting often), setting up
an Amazon author site and a Goodreads author site. That kind of thing.
Their efforts at promoting my book are going to be good, I
believe. They’ve mailed it out to reviewers. (Feeling pretty nervous and sick
about that.) They’ll do a book launch party, as well as an author luncheon.
They’ve said they have plans to line up book signings (one is already set), as
well as producing a book trailer (the one they did for a different book looks
really high quality, so I’m excited to see what they come up with.)
They FB about it regularly and have done a ton of press
releases. That's a benefit to being one of their early books.
Krista: Getting my book in the DB, Seagull
catalogs was huge. My sales totally picked up then. Sarah Eden invited me to do
our launch together and after she picked me up off the floor I think I kissed
her.
Ranee`: Krista, LOL!! I ADORE Sarah, she
is so awesome!!
Jennifer Griffith: Sarah is amazing.
Krista: My son, after much begging, made
an awesome book trailer for me, and I will use him again and again. That was
really fun.
Jolene Perry: CFI put my book on NetGalley - if
I'd known they were going to try to tap into the national market (I was TOTALLY
naive) I would have changed a few things in my book. But I was on a lot of
blogs. Gave away a lot of copies. I think I did 60 guest posts for Night Sky. EXHAUSTING work. I wanted to
do a book launch, but no bookstores up here. Hopefully for my next.
My book sold because it was in
stores and had a good cover. That's how simple it was. I've worked my butt off
for Night Sky and Knee Deep and the numbers are low.
Krista: My books were in Walmart for a time
and that was totally unexpected.
Jennifer Griffith: I buy books from bookstores based
on their covers.
So true, Jolene.
Including Walmart, Krista.
Jolene Perry: My books were in Walmart in UT and
at a few grocery stores - a few friends took pics which was awesome, because I
don't know if I'll never get to see NDB in bookstores
Sherry Gammon: Book Bloggers. I discovered them
by accident when one read mine and gave it rave reviews on her site. I
contacted others, offered to do interviews and giveaways. I also made a book
trailer . . . THAT was fun! I have it in a few independent book stores
too
Jennifer Griffith: It's sick how many books I buy.
Jolene Perry: I will second Jen. I'm wearing one
of three pairs of jeans that I own (and they're falling apart) because when I
have money, I buy books.
Krista: I used Facebook like crazy and
connected to Twitter. I really just tried to be real and not push too hard and
just received a lot of support. My book signings in Utah were so-so, but the
one here in Wyoming and at my hometown in WA were sell-outs.
That was really fun. :)
Ranee`: Okay, for mostly Sherry and Jo--As
self-pubbed authors, what tools did you use to get your book out there, and if
you're comfortable talking about it, what were the costs involved.
Jolene Perry: I spent 20 bucks on the photo for
the cover. Twenty-four bucks ordering proofs, and that's IT.
Sherry Gammon: Book Bloggers are my bread and
butter. I’ve given away about 30 paperback books. I ordered 1000 bookmarks at
$25, and gave away 50 ebooks (no cost to me) I’ve spent around $200-$250.
Jolene Perry: Our book came out like three weeks
ago, and just a week ago in paperback. I know there will be more costs as we
use books as giveaways.
Sherry Gammon: Postage and cost of the giveaway
books
Krista: I ran a bunch of giveaways and of
course, the chocolate tie-in is pretty great.
Jolene Perry: Ugh. Postage.
Jolene Perry: I do giveaways on my contemporary
YA book blog a LOT and the postage KILLS me.
Jolene Perry: BUT - I figure every YA book I buy
is a business expense, so there's perks, too. Jennifer Griffith: Can I
say I HATE going to the post office to mail out books? I just do.
Jolene Perry: I hate it, too. Our TINY post
office services WAY too many people.
Ranee`: Me, too. I always give away ebooks
if I can.
Sherry Gammon: I mostly giveaway ebooks . . . no
cost to me!
Jennifer Griffith: Looking forward to having an ebook
to do as a giveaway for that reason alone. (Lazy.)
Jolene Perry: Ebooks are easy giveaways, but way
more people enter for a paperback. Hard to weigh the cost/benefit thing there
Jennifer Griffith: But I love going to the mailbox
and finding books inside. Hmmm.
Sherry Gammon: Not for me. I have offered paperback
and gotten requests for ebooks.
Up Next: Wrapping things up. The panel tells us about the things they like best.
Up Next: Wrapping things up. The panel tells us about the things they like best.
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