Author Newsletter

Author Newsletter

Author Newsletter

Posted on 11/05/2013 Evan Swensen
Author Newsletter

Promoting Your Book

Here’s a comment from best selling author, Trish LaSage: All three of my books have been best sellers on Amazon. What has been successful for me is to write books that are helpful to people in some way, educational, or books that make people curious to find out more about the subject material. I would then say that PR is extremely important. I only spend 6 weeks writing each book. I have only written one or two books per year since I started writing professionally two years ago. I spend the rest of the year on PR (writing blog articles and placing them on the walls of the more than 150 groups that I’m a member of on Facebook with a copyright notice on the bottom that includes a link to my website so as to not get reported for spam for advertising, writing magazine articles, appearing on radio shows, participating in other authors’ book launches as a joint venture partner, leaving my comments on other authors’ articles, etc.).

Anchorage Daily News

Here’s the ADN website address where you can list your book signings and author events for free: <http://events.adn.com/listings>. You can also pay for increased coverage, but at least take advantage of the free listing of all of your book signings and other author events.

londokDon and Lanna Langdok

Don and Lanna, authors of Cheechako Sunrise, Sourdough Sunset, sell out every time at their book signings. We asked them to tell us their secret. Here’s what they told us.

1. Neve, ever sit down! Greet all prospective buyer on your feet. Approach them and let them look at your book–put it in their hands. I’ve stood for 4-6 hours at every signing. My husband sits at the table with the inventory and handles the money exchanges. If you need to rest, use a stool by the side of the table to lean on. Be ready to get up when someone approaches.

2. Be friendly! Engage them into the conversation regarding the book. Regardless of who they are; male, female, young or old. We’ve sold book to an 80-year-old Eskimo man, a 16-year-old, rapper kid, a big burly Homer fisherman, and to a professional women on her lunch break. Treat them all the same regardless of their financial appearance–with dignity and with a smile.

3. Peak their interest. Give them key lines regarding chapters in the book, and/or show them pictures relating to the stories. Always listen to their comments and answer any of their questions. Those who con’t purchase right away may want to buy the book in the future. Give them a business card with your website address. Always thank them for taking the time to look at your book!

4. Have a carton of your books signed ahead of time with a sincere quote and your signature. Do the personalizing for the purchaser at the time of you sell the book. This saves valuable time and allows you to sign multiple books for several buyers. Always use an erasable jell pen to correct mistakes–misspelled manes or poor penmanship on our part. (This has been an invaluable tool. Keep two on hand.)

5. Tell the, without a doubt, that they will enjoy reading your book. Share previous reviews with them. Once they’ve made the purchase ask them to go online and make a comment. Encourage them to share the book with others. It’s all good advertising for the next sale. Finally, and most importantly, thank them sincerely for buying your book.

Note: These techniques must work because our sales have been really good. At every book signing we’ve sold a case of 20 books–plus. One one signing we sold 35 books. We normally average five books per hour on a four hour signing. This is all new to us as we’ve never had a book published before. Each signing has been a lot of fun and we enjoy meeting so many people of different backgrounds. All leave as friends!

Don and Lanna Langdok 2013 new authors of Cheechako Sunrise, Sourdough Sunset.

Rick Mystrom

Rick Mystrom’s new book, My Wonderful Life with Diabetes, received a wonderful review in the Frontiersman this week. Here’s the address where you can read the full article, <http://www.frontiersman.com/arts_entertainment/mystrom-memoir-shares-story-of-living-with-diabetes/article_88dfe542-429d-11e3-a1d8-0019bb2963f4.html>

Everlasting

Everlasting:Adventures of an Alaskan Déné Girl by Bumppo was reviewed in the Homer News prior to his release party. The review was most complementary about the book written by, as Bumppo’s tag line reads, Alaskan sea captain writes bold tales of culture and spirit. <http://homernews.com/homer-features/arts/2013-10-03/%E2%80%98everlasting%E2%80%99-sails-onto-the-printed-page>.

Blog Talk Radio

Here’s another comment from an author who listened to my interview on Blog Talk Radio <http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yournewself/2013/10/04/getting-your-book-published> with Cherilynn Stone. “I listened to the Blog Talk Radio and I felt like I got to know you in that hour. Thank you for doing that. I loved your stories. My book isn’t published yet but I was inspired to start another one.” Pam Hefley, author of A Blueberry Deer

waldenRon Walden

In the last week Ron Walden, Alaskan True to Life Crime Writer, author of five novels including his latest book, Poachers Paradise, has conducted four book signings: Soldotna at the Fred Meyer store, Costco on DeBarr, Costco on Dimond, and Fred Meyer in Anchorage. Sales were slower at the Fred Meyer store in Anchorage, but on the other three occasions, Ron sold all of the books available (at least 32) for him at the signings.

Keep in touch,

Evan Swensen

Publication Consultants
Publishing the works of authors worldwide!
8370 Eleusis Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99502
(907) 349-2424  Fax (907) 349-2426

evan@publicationconsultants.com

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