Backspace: The Writer's Place

Podcasting, Promotions, Potions, & Pet Projects, by Amy D. Shojai

Kerri — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:17:29 +0000

I’m jealous of my time. Most authors feel the same way. Anything that takes away from creating that work-in-progress feeds my nervous tic. Yet the best books in the world never stand a chance without that “P” word getting a workout.

Talking about promotions, guys. Book promotion, self-promotion, cross-promotions. Building a platform, creating some “buzz,” blogging, speaking–

Podcasting!

Bubble bubble, toil and trouble…

My radio show podcast first aired (is that the right word?) February 2008. It currently ranks #3 of pet-theme downloads for iTunes, with 58,000 hits in the past two months. How does that translate into book sales? I’ll let you know after my next royalty statements arrive, but it certainly can’t hurt.

I don’t pretend to have a magic cauldron souping up book sales. But I squeeze every drop of juice from my writing minutes and throw everything into the promo-pot. Podcasts work particularly well for nonfiction authors, but should have equal or even better buck-bang for fiction authors because so few novelists take advantage of this venue. Leverage what you know, make it news-worthy, and expand your audience–and media appeal.

Interestingly, the protagonist in my WIP thriller happens to host a radio show called “Pet Peeves.” Midway through writing the book, it made sense for me to expand my brand as a nonfiction author and animal care expert, and actually create such a show.

The resulting “Pet Peeves” radio podcast on www.petliferadio.com offers half-hour weekly installments that showcase my pet expertise, increase media exposure, add to my platform, and generate awareness (and sales!) of existing prescriptive dog and cat books. It’s already an established go-to destination even before the novel appears. Once the thriller launches, my hero’s ongoing story should promote the podcast, and vice versa. At least, that’s the plan.

Of course, I already cross-promote the Pet Peeves radio show with mentions in my various columns, articles, and blogs. Yep, I multi-task my little appendages off. A given Pet Peeves radio show topic often inspires a column or blog (or vice versa). When one interview does double or triple duty, that carves out extra time I can spend writing.

In addition, my existing books and website articles can be included in the podcast as a “further reading” resource. Can you say “buzz-your-book?”

Podcasting generates other promotional opportunities as well. In the past three weeks, I’ve received inquiries about appearing as an expert on upcoming Animal Planet shows, touring opportunities as a media spokesperson, and guest appearances/citations on other podcasts and print venues. Every mention helps.

Fiction authors often interview experts to keep the story details accurate. Why not do a podcast interview? It’s painless, can be done by telephone in your pajamas with no makeup and nobody knows the difference. I live north of Dallas, my producer is in Florida, and guests from all over the country appear on Pet Peeves. They receive a “guest page” on the www.petliferadio.com site with their picture, bio, and pertinent links, and return the favor by linking on their site back to the radio show.

You can record onto your laptop with any audio recording program. I understand that iPod also makes a recording attachment. For Pet Peeves, I purchased a headset and use Skype.com software. My producer calls me using Skype, and then we dial-in the guest via regular telephone landlines.

Happy podcasting! If you cook up the right promotion ingredients for your own pet projects, publishers just may eat it up!

Amy D. Shojai, CABC is a certified animal behavior consultant and nationally known authority on pet care and behavior. She began her career as a veterinary technician and is the award-winning author of 22 nonfiction pet books and more than 1000 published articles and columns. Amy also hosts a weekly half hour Internet radio “podcast” called Pet Peeves.

In addition to a weekly “PETiQuette” newspaper column, she writes a weekly column at Purina Cat Chow , is a newsletter columnist for Sergeant’s Pet Care, and the dog and cat behavior columnist for HomeAgain.com. She hosts a forum at ivillage.com, is the official “Cat Blogger” for the NBC Universal Television Petside site, and a feature writer for PetsBest.com. As the national spokesperson for the Purina Cat Chow “Way of Life” Tour for four years she traveled the country, conducted cat-training demonstrations to owners and pet professionals, and gave countless interviews to print and broadcast media.

Ms. Shojai has written widely in the pet field on training, behavior, health care (both allopathic and holistic), and the health benefits of keeping cats and dogs. She is the founder and past president of the international Cat Writers’ Association, a certified member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Dog Writer’s Association of America, Inc., the President of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., a member of International Thriller Writers and of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She has won numerous awards for her books and articles.

Ms. Shojai frequently lectures at conferences about writing as well as a variety of pet-related issues. Ms. Shojai has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and in USA Weekend, The New York Times, Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Woman’s World, and many other leading newspapers and magazines. She regularly appears on national radio and television in connection with her pet writing. Perhaps most memorably, she represented the “cat side” and won a nationally televised tongue-in-cheek debate (NBC Today Show, Fox, CNN and others) arguing whether cats or dogs are the more appropriate White House pets.

Amazon Shorts

Kerri — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:13:02 +0000

Program Information

Amazon Shorts features previously unpublished short-form literature for sale exclusively at Amazon.com. Fiction and nonfiction pieces on a wide variety of topics are available in a digital format only for just $0.49. This is a great way for authors to maintain a more direct and frequent communication with their readers as well as promote their backlist.

*Please note that Amazon Shorts is currently not accepting any new submissions to the program. A program update is below.

Three months ago, we had let you, our valued content partners, know of the efforts we were undertaking to streamline how we brought your work to 70+ million Amazon customers. As mentioned at that time, the result of this work will allow us to work better and faster with authors and our publishing partners, and provide greater service and new offerings.

These efforts were slated to run through the end of May. As work progressed, we realized there was a fantastic opportunity to expand the scope of the program, and to put into place innovations to the program that will ensure that Shorts remains a premiere space for exclusive short content, from today’s bestselling authors and tomorrow’s literary stars.

By combining efforts with the Amazon’s Author Services team, we will launch features enabling you to upload even more exclusive content. Other innovations include building better ways to showcase your book catalog and expand your presence on Amazon, creating a singular home for you, the author, to better reach and interact with readers.

As we expand the work on the program, we will continue to hold off on new submissions. Amazon Shorts and the Author Services Team will provide more information when we have completed the work. As always, you can check back here periodically about when we might resume accepting submissions. Know that in the meantime, your work will remain live and buyable in our storefront. If you would like to alert us to a specific issue with your Short, please contact us at amazon-shorts@amazon.com .

Thank you, as always, for your patience and understanding as we work together to make Shorts a better program for you and for our customers.

Author benefits of participation in Amazon Shorts:

· Access a powerful marketing tool to promote an author’s backlist in a new and meaningful way
· Create an author profile page with biography,photo, and complete backlist
· Maintain author’s visibility between published projects
· Establish a more direct and frequent communication with readers
· Introduce readers to unfamiliar writers
· Provide a new outlet to sell short fiction and nonfiction

Publisher benefits of participation in Amazon Shorts:

· Leverage robust serial rights opportunities with Shorts that excerpt from books–both pre-publication (boost pre-orders by timing Shorts with book launch publicity events) and post-publication (drive continued sales and support visibility past a title’s marketing window and face-out shelf life)
· Exploit Amazon Shorts to directly reach a uniquely targeted community of readers already predisposed to buying your literature from Amazon.com
· Make interaction between author and reader visible through Amazon Connect, allowing tangible ways of improving success in satisfying customers’ tastes

Amazon Shorts on the site:

· Customers get instant reading gratification from favorite authors.
· Readers can easily sample new writers without investing much time or money.
· Shorts are available to customers via PDF, HTML, plain-text e-mail, and they are stored in customers’ Digital Lockers forever. Shorts can be read immediately on-screen or printed out to be read later.
· Amazon Shorts will be promoted on the Books home page, presented as part of book search results, and recommended to book buyers.
· Full personalization features–customer ratings, reviews, recommendations–will be included.

Attention publishers, agents, editors, and authors: At this time, Amazon Shorts is not accepting new submissions to the program. Please check our FAQ periodically for when we reopen the program submissions. For any other questions regarding the program, please contact amazon-shorts@amazon.com .

Author FAQ

What types of material can I list as an Amazon Short?

Any previously unpublished short-form work (2,000 – 10,000 words, fiction or nonfiction) you’ve created that your readers would find interesting. In practice, we’ve observed that the most popular and commercially effective Shorts are those that are based on what you, as an author, are best known for. An Amazon Short could be a single short story within the genre you write, an update or backstory on a well-loved character, a compelling essay on the area of your published expertise or commentary on your work, or any additional material that enriches your works already available to readers on Amazon.com.

What if I want to contribute more than one piece?

Once you are accepted into the Amazon Shorts program, you are free to contribute as many pieces as you wish. We are especially interested in getting new material from you on a regular basis. Please allow a turnaround time of approximately three weeks from the time you deliver the material to the time you can expect it to appear on the site.

Can I sell my material elsewhere? Can I publish it later? Will I continue to own the rights to it?

Authors retain the rights to their material. However, we do require that all Shorts be exclusive to Amazon.com for a minimum of six months.

Can anyone submit an Amazon Short?

While we have been accepting work from a diverse group of authors, at this time we are not accepting any new submissions–please check back periodically for when we do reopen the program for submissions. In order to be eligible for participation you must be a published author with at least one book currently for sale on Amazon.com. For any other questions regarding eligibility for this program, please contact us at amazon-shorts@amazon.com .

Does this material get reviewed by customers just as books do?

Absolutely. The digital content listed in Amazon Shorts is just like other media products that Amazon.com sells to customers and is subject to the same privileges and conditions that are afforded to books, CDs, and other media products.

Can authors promote their Shorts on their own Web sites?

Yes. Authors who have their own Web sites are encouraged to join the Amazon.com Associates Program. Through this program, you can use your own Web site to drive traffic to your Amazon Shorts as well as any books you have for sale on Amazon.com. This is especially worthwhile for writers who have active or well-frequented Web sites.

*Please note that Amazon Shorts is currently not accepting any new submissions to the program. A program update is below.

Thank you, as always, for your patience and understanding as we work together to make Shorts a better program for you and for our customers.

Author benefits of participation in Amazon Shorts:

Publisher benefits of participation in Amazon Shorts:

Amazon Shorts on the site:

Author FAQ

What types of material can I list as an Amazon Short?

What if I want to contribute more than one piece?

Can I sell my material elsewhere? Can I publish it later? Will I continue to own the rights to it?

Authors retain the rights to their material. However, we do require that all Shorts be exclusive to Amazon.com for a minimum of six months.

Can anyone submit an Amazon Short?

Does this material get reviewed by customers just as books do?

Can authors promote their Shorts on their own Web sites?

*Please note that Amazon Shorts is currently not accepting any new submissions to the program. A program update is below.

Thank you, as always, for your patience and understanding as we work together to make Shorts a better program for you and for our customers.

Author benefits of participation in Amazon Shorts:

Publisher benefits of participation in Amazon Shorts:

Amazon Shorts on the site:

Author FAQ

What types of material can I list as an Amazon Short?

What if I want to contribute more than one piece?

Can I sell my material elsewhere? Can I publish it later? Will I continue to own the rights to it?

Authors retain the rights to their material. However, we do require that all Shorts be exclusive to Amazon.com for a minimum of six months.

Can anyone submit an Amazon Short?

Does this material get reviewed by customers just as books do?

Can authors promote their Shorts on their own Web sites?

Writing Email That Gets Answered by Chris Brogan

Kerri — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:06:18 +0000

Writing email seems to be a recurring topic of mine. I receive about 400 messages a day at present, and most of these require an answer. There are mails that get a faster response, and some that take days. Here’s the difference, plus a few more ideas.

One Decision Per Email

It seems counter to cutting down on email to ask you to limit the decisions required in a message to one per email, but I’ve seen it have the opposite effect. Think about choosing to go out to eat: if the first message is, “what day is good for you?”, the second message is, “what type of food do you like?”, and the third message is, “should we invite Jay, even though he laughs a lot and makes it hard to concentrate?”, you’ll see my point. These three questions all have a certain level of decision making to them. The mail on which day (better solved by a phone call) is different from the mail on what type of food, and both are different than whether or not to invite Jay (also probably better solved by a phone call).

Don’t Ever Say “Quick Question.”

I say this because what almost inevitably follows are five to nine paragraphs explaining WHY the question will be asked. It’s as if there’s lots of context needed. It’s almost always not. I’ve written complete strangers and used under 200 words to convey my needs and interests. In fact, I do that often.

Here’s a quick question:

From: Chris Brogan
To: You
Subject: Will you register for PodCamp Boston 3?

I’d like for you to register for PodCamp Boston3. It takes place July 19th-20th at the Harvard Medical School. I feel it will be the most powerful and transformative experience you’ve had with media in a long time.

Please consider it: http://podcampboston3.eventbrite.com
Main PodCamp Boston site: http://podcampboston.org
Let me know if you have any questions,

–Chris…

Your Signature File

I’m in between signature files. When I rebuilt my hard drive, my tools for writing a signature with formatting seem to have broken. So, I’m using a plain text one at present. Let’s just say I’m looking at all of your signature files closely.

Good: ways to contact you online and off (never presume your email address is obvious, especially if your email has been forwarded by others).
Good: very brief descriptor of your title and company (if it’s a business email).
Good: link to your primary blog or website
Bad: all kinds of marketing at the bottom
Bad: links to every social network where you belong

That’s my opinion, but if you want to form your own, pay attention to signature files over the next several days. See what you pay attention to, and what gets overlooked.

Following Up

With the volume of email I receive, some messages get overlooked for a duration of time. Some people follow up perfectly, and others do something that will nearly guarantee that I don’t respond to the second email as well. Here’s what’s useful in a follow-up message:

Brevity. I probably know I haven’t responded to you, but your message might not be top of mind. Just seeing your name and the words “following up” in the body of the message over a forwarded copy of the last one you sent me will usually jar me into action.
Simple summary. Maybe your last email was huge and had lots of requirements to it. If you sum these into a few short sentences, it might get me to complete the work.
Reminder of deadlines. Lots of us work on all kinds of things at the same time. My job alone is challenging, so when you’ve asked me for help with an interview or the like, a little reminder of when you need it (especially if I get two days or three days before the deadline) usually can get me back on track.

Not Just Me

With more and more people overwhelmed, I’m not writing these suggestions and advice to help myself, except insofar as I’m saying that I have the same problems as other people. You might see some advice in here that you wish others would do on YOUR behalf. If so, great. Feel free to forward a link to your friends who need to follow this advice the most, with a loving and courteous message before the link, naturally.

Chris Brogan uses social media and technology to build digital relationships for businesses, organizations, and individuals. He has merged his experience in technology (enterprise IT and wireless telephony) with his passion for social media, such that he’s showing organizations how to use these tools inside the firewall, as well as to build authentic conversations between coworkers, customers, and even competitors.

Chris speaks at several conferences and for private organizations, bridging business-minded people with technology concepts and helping tech-centric types understand the business implications of their efforts. For more on his speaking, check out http://chrisbrogan.com/connect

Chris blogs, writes articles, and makes media of all kinds at [chrisbrogan.com]. Skilled in new media creation (blogging, podcasting, videoblogging) as well as social media community building (through sites like Facebook, Ning, Twitter, and others), his strength is in connecting passionate people together for business, collaboration, and networking.

Virtual Tours by Angela Wilson

Kerri — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:54:52 +0000

Authors have found an innovative way to use the Web to promote themselves and their work. Virtual author tours, or book blog tours, are fast becoming an inexpensive way to meet new readers and further develop your fan base.

Blog tours allow authors to post content on a variety of sites during their heaviest marketing season. It’s a great way to get your name up in Google searches, and introduce yourself to new readers. It’s not difficult, but it is time-consuming, and any author who goes this route should be prepared to give up a little writing and a family time to fulfill blogging obligations. Don’t let that time element scare you. With proper planning – and short-term tours – any author can manage to do it.

Standard items you need for your tour:

* One-page bio. You can use the one you have in your media kit, but make certain it is written in Web-friendly language.
* Q&A. Make a list of the most common questions you get from both readers and interviews. Intertwine a few questions unique to yourself, or allow you to offer up unique tidbits about yourself and your writing. Answer them and you’re good to go.
* Columns. Have five to 10 columns about anything – writing, life, balancing career with family, your latest FAB review. Use one column per blog submission. Use the ones that are best suited for a particular blog. For instance, you will want to send a column about writing to a blog about writing. You want a good variety of columns because you don’t want to be too repetitious. Readers want fresh content, and you don’t want them to get bored by reading the same copy on different sites. There will be times when you need to write a new column, but at least you will have a stash to get your started.
* Audio interviews. If you have them, use them, giving credit to the group or business that conducted the segment.
* Book trailers. Be sure these are up and ready on YouTube, and forward the EMBED code to your tour hosts.
* High- and low-resolution JPEGS of yourself and your cover art. Try to include a few different poses of yourself, maybe one relaxed at home and a studio shot. Adjust the size so they can easily email, or post them in the media section of your Web site for downloading.
* A list of blog tour stops. Post this on your Web site, blog, MySpace, Tagged, Ning, Facebook, and give copies to your blog tour hosts. Also send out to your listserve or everyone in your address book.
Leave yourself open for unique items requested by various Web sites. If a site receives thousands of hits per day, you will want to work a little harder for them than a site with 12 hits. Be sure to save all documents with your name and the content. For example: AngelaWilson.Q&A.doc, AngelaWilson.mug.JPEG, etc.

Don’t sweat it if you don’t have everything now. Just get the basics together and add to your tour folder when you can. Remember that Web 2.0 will demand audio and video elements – the two most lacking – for future audiences. Start off with at least three unique columns and add to those when you can.

*****

When venturing out into the blogosphere for the first time, start slow. Plan a three-month tour. Secure space on blogs every week during that time. Check the sites each day to be certain your sponsors post your items. Reply to any comments submitted by readers. The personal touch goes a long way with people in an age of impersonal communication.
Send thank you notes to your sponsors, as well as updated newsletters that tell them where you will be featured. Ask them to post that as well, so readers can follow you throughout the blogosphere.

Do not pay to be placed on a blog. If someone wants cash, get site statistics and feedback from other authors before you cash in. Google the sites and see uninhibited feedback about them; don’t just trust the owners’ word.

Some authors take whatever blog space they can get – which is not a bad idea when you are first starting out. Other authors, both experienced and new, have specific criteria for blogs that feature them, including a certain number of hits per day and demographics. (See Cheryl Kay Tardiff’s blog about her criteria.) When first starting out, some big-name blogs may be reticent to host a small-time author, e-published or self-published novelist. Be prepared to take what you can get, then build on that as your career grows.

Not a blogger but excited at the prospect of using this free interactive tool? Don’t jump into the blogosphere on a tour. It is hard, detailed, sometimes mundane work. It can be overwhelming for authors who don’t have the experience with the programs. (Yes, they are out there!) First, start a blog at a free service like Blogger or WordPress, play around, see how it works and your comfort level with it. Also read other blogs and see what they are saying. If you don’t like to blog, or don’t want to learn how, consider hiring a virtual PR firm. There are those now that specialize only in virtual tours, and work to play your columns and excerpts on sites that fit your target market.

Only experienced bloggers should venture into contests while on tour. The best ideas I’ve seen so far come from authors in different genres. Delia Latham and Michelle Gagnon asked readers to post comments on all blogs where they were touring. Then, the authors collected names and emails from those posts, put them in a hat and chose a winner. Another author sent readers directly to their guestbook, and chose a winner based on signatures during tour time. As a virtual tour host at Pop Syndicate, I can safely say the most streamlined method is using a guestbook. That places all contest entries in one place, instead of over several blogs on the Web.

Do not expect your virtual tour host to handle the contest. Most blogs and sites will not handle details of a contest, but will be happy to post contest details. Write your own contest copy and allow hosts to tweak as necessary for their site.

*****

You may not realize the pay off immediately, but you should see additional activity to your MySpace, Facebook and Web site during the tour and the first few months afterward. You should also have a new network of contacts for future tours, book deals or even critique groups. Track your tour in a spreadsheet so you can see what sites were beneficial and which ones may have been a waste of time. Even heavily-trafficked sites can be duds if they don’t fit your niche.

If you want your blog tour to be a success, then you have to devote the time to it that it deserves. Enlist the help of friends and family, who can easily respond to comments or other general items while you handle the tough stuff. Also check out listings for virtual tour companies and, if the budget allows, think about hiring someone to do the set up so you can concentrate on networking and sales – and writing.

Angela Wilson started writing in the womb. From the moment she could pick up a crayon, she was creating worlds with magical creatures, murder and intrigue. Her tastes evolved into crime fiction, but she still enjoys penning urban fantasy short stories.

To learn the craft of writing, Angela decided to step into the 24/7 world of journalism. After 10 years of working as a short-order cook, aka general assignment reporter, she decided to step back and enjoy life – and use her skills in marketing.

She discovered quickly that marketing/PR was for her. The lessons she learned while creating marketing campaigns carried over into her fiction efforts. Soon, she found herself sharing tips and tricks with marketing-weary authors, who used the information to boost their campaigns.

Now, she combines her two passions – writing and social networking – in a blog specifically designed for authors. MarketMyNovel.com allows authors to submit marketing questions, which are answered on the site. Angela also posts columns about online promotions, and frequently guest blogs at other sites.

A woman of many hats, Angela Wilson is a freelance writer, director of Web content and programming, and editor of the Book Addict, a new blog venture at the pop culture review site Pop Syndicate. There, she hosts authors on virtual tour and shares tidbits of publishing news with devoted readers. The market share for the main site is always expanding, and Pop Syndicate’s reputation as a free, fun book blog tour stop continues to grow.

You can find this award-winning fiction author on the Web:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

Using Facebook to Your Advantage by Angela Wilson

Kerri — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:50:56 +0000

Mari Smith

Social networking is the key to your writing success. And Facebook is the hottest social network around. Without the clutter of MySpace, Facebook offers easy navigation to help you find fans old and new through friends, groups and fan pages. Through Facebook, you can promote yourself to a more mature demographic – one that reads and has cash to spend. Limiting the number of friends each user can have forces users to target their demographic – a key component to any successful marketing strategy.

Today, I chat it up with Mari Smith, relationship coach and Facebook expert. She has great tips on how to utilize this important social network.

Mari, how did you become a Facebook expert?

My background is as a Relationship Coach. I have certifications in relationship coaching, success coaching and developmental coaching. I’ve always been fascinating by people and relationships and I have much expertise with many personality assessments. At the same time, since 1999 I’ve been an internet marketer and have created many successful information products.

I felt I was running a “two-hat” business! So when I became active on Facebook in July 2007, it was such a natural fit for my personality and skillset because my two worlds merged perfectly: relationships + the internet. I quickly immersed myself in Facebook and before long my peers started asking me to teach them how to get started with the platform.

What are the advantages to using Facebook over other social networking sites?

In my opinion, Facebook is very stable and is here to stay – they will be one of the long-term giants alongside Microsoft and Google. They are rigorous about enforcing their terms of use, their platform has more whitespace and is cleaner/easier to use than likes of MySpace. The demographics show members are more mature (average age is 35), better educated and more quite collar workers.

In addition, Facebook’s feeds enable members to create consistent visibility among their friends. Plus, members tend to be more responsive when you reach out to connect via a wall post or email, for example.

What are the disadvantages?

If not approached properly, Facebook can be a huge time-drainer. It’s vitally important to have a strategic plan, a way to measure your results, limit your time and delegate some of the activities to a trusted assistant.

Applications are a PAIN, but many feel if they ignore a request, or block an application, that it will hurt their social networking savvy on Facebook. Is that true?

Gosh, not at all. I recommend to my students and clients they make best friends with the “ignore all” button! There are simply way too many applications to worry about using/testing them all. When you ignore a request to add an app, the friend who sent you the request doesn’t receive a notification. You can block apps, ignore all app requests from specific friends or just use the ignore all button which seems easiest.

Every day, I get three to five emails from the same groups, or individuals on Facebook. I’ve finally started deleting without opening, because I simply don’t have time to read them all. What should Facebook users know about using the email option in the site?

I’d love to see improvements made to Facebook email. It’s possible to email any other member on Facebook unless (a) you’ve blocked them/they’ve blocked you or (b) they’ve set their privacy settings to not receive emails from non-friends. So, you could find yourself receiving a LOT of email the more active and visible you are.

Responding to email is one of the primary tasks my Virtual Assistant helps me with.

Many group members send out excessive emails to the point it feels like spam. The simple solution there is to leave the group. If you’re a group owner, keep in mind once a week is probably sufficient – and/or be sure to survey your members and ask them what they want to receive.

Is there a way to send a mass email out to everyone in your Facebook network without typing in each name?

No. This is one of the most popular questions I get. Many marketers want to be able to build a “list” and message them all at once. Facebook wasn’t designed to be used this way. You can message up to twenty friends at once – but there’s no BCC and the default is “reply all.” So, often you may find yourself on the receiving end of an email thread that has no relevance to you. My recommendation with emailing lists of friends is to only message people who (a) have a pre-existing relationship or (b) the purpose of the email is to introduce them.

The good news, however, is there are workarounds to reaching your friends en masse. Building out your own group is a popular way as is creating a fan Page. Other workarounds, include staying active to maintain a presence in the News Feeds of your friends.

Facebook offers Fan Page and Group options. Tell us about these and how they work.

A Fan Page is one of Facebook’s solutions for business. The idea is you build up fans (as opposed to friends on your personal Profile). Everyone in business should for sure create at least one Page for two primary reasons: (1) the Page gets indexed so can be found on search engines and (2) you’ll need another place on Facebook to direct people once you hit the 5000 friend limit. With Pages, you can have unlimited fans.

Groups are also a must-have for business owners. I recommend setting one up for a special interest or particular focus of your business, as opposed to a Group just for your business. The nice thing about groups is they are more informal and members tend to be more active than on a page. However, I do recommend having both at least one Group and one Page for starters.

Facebook ads are becoming more frequent. Do they really work?

It depends. I have read stats that show the click through rate is lower on social network ads because members are not in the mode of searching, unlike on Google. However, Facebook’s Social Ads can be a powerful way to increase visibility and notoriety. And, with consistent use, over time you may see a significant increase in click throughs. Ads are also good for promoting a one-time event, for example.

How can you make Facebook ads work for you?

Advertise something that is inside Facebook, not outside. For example, your Page, Event or Group. That way, members don’t feel like you’re trying to sell them something. So, you can use ads to simply build more awareness of your presence on Facebook and then use the Page, Event and/or Group to further build your relationship with your friends.

Can using Facebook mean better sales?

Absolutely. More and more business members are discovering the power of Facebook to reach targeted clients, set up profitable joint venture partnerships, and deepen relationships with key influencers in their industry. All this leads to an increase in sales.

Are contests effective on Facebook? Can they really drive traffic to your site, or increase your number of friends?

It depends on how well executed the contest is. If a contest also includes promotion on your blog, Twitter, YouTube, press releases, ads, interviews etc. then for sure you could increase your friends. However, would they be key targeted individuals? I’m a huge advocate of building out your friends organically, deliberately and strategically. With over 110 million active users and you can only be friends with 5000 of them, why not choose your friends very, very carefully!

How should you consider working your Facebook presence into your marketing campaign?

I would start with a solid blog with a design that reflects your brand. Import your blog into Facebook using the Notes application. Set up an account on FriendFeed – import every site you’re on with an RSS feed. Add the FriendFeed Facebook application.

Give us your top 5 tips to using Facebook.

Focus on quality relationships, not quantity.
Import your blog using the Notes application.
Be active daily, if only for five minutes.
Include Facebook as part of your overall marketing plan.
Start a Facebook Page to represent your business, along with your Profile.

Special thanks to Mari Smith, Facebook diva. Mari offers free Facebook advice on her YouTube channel. You can also find her on Twitter, WhyFacebook.com and her Web site, MariSmith.com.

You can find this award-winning fiction author on the Web:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

What You Should Know Before You Hire a Publicist by Angela Wilson

Kerri — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:45:19 +0000

Your novel is out next month. This month and the two months following, you have to hit the virtual road running, guest blogging every day, updating your MySpace, Face, Twitter, Ning accounts, Bebo, Squiddo, YouTube…

Whew! With a list like that, it’s no wonder authors don’t want to market. It takes away from valuable writing time. Some opt to not market at all, while others ask friends and family to help out. Some who decide to spend some serious cash to be a success hire publicists.

Publicists come in a variety of forums. There are now companies that specialize in virtual tours only, while others handle a full media package. These options look attractive to authors – especially when publishers refuse to put marketing dollars behind anyone but Nora Roberts or Dean Koontz. But is this the best marketing solution?

Before you hire someone on the fly, check your budget. Are you willing to spend a lot of cash – or go into more debt – to hire this person or company? Are you dedicated enough to marketing that you can be a key player in the proceedings? Do you know enough about marketing to be able to get the best bang for your dollar?

If you answered yes to any of these, then you are ready to hire someone.

The best way to find a publicist is word of mouth. Ask around, see what individuals or companies other authors in your genre and budget bracket work with. Google them and other companies to see what’s out there. Check with your local Public Relations Society of America chapter to get recommendations and guidance about the best in your area. Ask someone at a local newspaper what publicists and PR executives they deal with. Put a shout out in forums, on your blog or Twitter, which is fast becoming the hottest micro-networking site around. It is best to hire someone you can meet with face-to-face. That will not always be possible with virtual companies; just check these even more closely before you sign on the dotted line.

How do you know you are hiring the right person? Here are some questions to ask before plunking down your dough:

•    Have you read my book(s)?
•    What did you think of them?
•    Who is my publisher?
•    What is your favorite genre?
•    How many other authors do you represent?
•    How many hours do you plan to work on my account alone?
•    What strategies have you found successful in marketing specific to authors?
•    How will you use the Internet to create a viral message about my novel(s)?
•    How will you brand me?
•    What types of graphics will you use to promote my work?
•    Are you willing to work with the publisher if necessary?
•    Show me what you have planned so far for marketing my novels.
•    What do you think of book trailers? How do you incorporate that into your marketing plan?
•    How do you plan to drive more traffic to my Web site, MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, etc.
•    What are your online site visit goals for each of these sites?
•    Tell me about some of your most successful outside-the-box ideas for all clients.
•    What were some failed ideas?
•    What items are included in a standard contract and what are additional expenses?
•    Are you truly passionate about working with me?
•    Why do you want my account?
•    Who writes your news releases? Is it your or someone else?
•    Give me some examples of your client marketing pieces (news releases, freebies, brochures, posters, CDs, DVDs, etc.)
•    Give me three references.

Don’t automatically turn away someone who has not yet represented an author. If the person has great ideas, is passionate about your genre and your work, think about cutting them a deal. They get training ground while you get a very reduced rate, plus some extras to showcase to others exactly what this publicist can execute. A great extra would be a book trailer, which can cost some heavy cash.

When you ask for references, see if you can also get one for a failed campaign. If that client still has a good thing or two to say about the company, then they must have done something right.

Remember that big firms might have great reputations with big companies, but you are small potatoes. You will not get the red carpet treatment. One author who spent thousands on a public relations firm told me he was not even sure they’d read his book. He saw no special returns on sales, but his bank account was definitely depleted. Your best bet is to hire an individual who can give you the time and attention you deserve. A savvy, dedicated part-time publicist is better than a full-time slacker.

Once you hire, ask your publicist to send an itemized list of what they did at the end of each month. Compare their efforts to your sales. Note the spikes and the marketing strategies that led to them. Cut what didn’t work and try new strategies along with the ones that worked next time.

You can find this award-winning fiction author on the Web:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

What You Should Know Before You Hire a Publicist by Angela Wilson

Kerri — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:57:13 +0000

If you answered yes to any of these, then you are ready to hire someone.

How do you know you are hiring the right person? Here are some questions to ask before plunking down your dough:

When you ask for references, see if you can also get one for a failed campaign. If that client still has a good thing or two to say about the company, then they must have done something right.

You can find this award-winning fiction author on the Web:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

Video Clips, Live Feeds Add Personal Marketing Touch by Angela Wilson

Kerri — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:46:03 +0000

Net junkies just can’t get enough video. No longer is it a cool, polished feature of top industry Web sites. This innovative element of Web 2.0 is a feature that surfers expect from everyone today – including their favorite authors.

Most authors won’t even try to start video elements. They think it’s too expensive, too complicated and won’t do much for them, anyway.

Don’t let these myths hold you back. Technology is cheap, and slick marketing videos are not what viewers want. They want something authentic – real. It does not matter if the clip is grainy, shaky, or slightly out of focus. If it is genuine, then people today take notice.

All you need to get started is a Web cam, a good headset and a glib tongue – or at least an idea of what you want to share.

How to use it

You can create professional videos for fellow authors, or pitches for editors and agents to post on your Web site. These videos do not have to be perfect, but you do have to dress for the occasion. Be certain to write out what you want to say and keep your message succinct and professional.

Conference footage is interactive and takes readers and other authors to events they may not be able to attend. Tape yourself interviewing authors, agents, editors and publishers, or participating in a panel discussion. Post these to video sharing sites and to your blog and Web site. Use the Share button to share links to those video posts on your Ning, Facebook and MySpace. By sharing the link, you will drive more traffic to the sites you want readers to visit. Author Morgan Mandel offers up clips from the Love Is Murder conference on her YouTube feed.

Using SKYPE or uStream, you can chat live with book clubs across the globe. This is a popular way for authors to personally touch base with readers without the travel expenses. You must have a high speed Internet connection like DSL and a headset for this option. Headsets are fairly inexpensive on sites like Amazon.com.

Video diaries are all the rage. Share the writing process with your fans by creating a video diary of your next project. Don’t just tell them about the story; show them what it’s like to write it. Do not hesitate to share your angst, the bad days, writer’s block, deadline pressure, and the need for chocolate when things just aren’t coming together. Let people get to know the real you while generating interesting in your latest project.

For a small annual fee, Flikr Pro allows you to post what they call a long photograph – 90 seconds worth of footage that’s more than a still, but less than a video segment. This is an excellent option to use when doing short blurbs about contests, upcoming book signings and plugs for your publishing house, other authors and contest sponsors. This is also a great service to use when sending holiday greetings. If you share a blog or Web site with several authors, consider splitting the fee to keep costs down.

Have a friend or family member video your autograph sessions and chats with fans. Get quotes from fans and use this footage to create a montage about your latest book tour. Post to a video sharing site like YouTube or Blip. Fans will love it. They will send the link to all of their friends and post to their own blogs – especially if they are featured in a few frames.

Do you conduct speaking engagements at events other than writing conferences? Take a note from children’s book Sara Ann Denson, who tapes her talks with students at elementary schools and uses it to promote her work, as well as plug her speaking abilities.

Book trailers are finally catching on, and will be key to future online novel promotions. HarperCollins has several for the popular teen horror series Wicked Dead by Stefan Petrucha and Thomas Pendleton on its YouTube feed. You can create your own, or hire a company to create a trailer that will pique the interest of readers. This option will be more important than the back cover blurb within the next few years, as media-savvy Web viewers come to expect the element from writers. Check out the HarperCollins feed at YouTube. You can also find several book trailers on the Crimespace network at Ning.com.

The best clips are viral videos. If you have captured yourself falling down the stairs – and don’t have a problem showing your humanity turned upside down – then share it. You would be shocked at how quickly you can develop a net reputation by having no shame.

How to share it

Though YouTube is the household equivalent of video sharing, there are many other sites better suited for your needs – including some that don’t have the time or file size restrictions. Top video sharing sites denoted by PC World Magazine include BlipTV, Brightcove Beta, Revver, and Vimeo. For their complete rundown, visit http://tinyurl.com/6q2rmy.

Wikipedia offers a comprehensive list of all sites on the Web at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_sharing_websites. Be certain to Google ones before you sign on to see what others users think. Blogs are excellent sources of reference, as is HYPERLINK www.Cnet.com.

Video doesn’t need to be slick or savvy to attract viewers. It just has to be fun and personable. Experiment around with equipment and services before fully enabling your video marketing plan. Ask for help when you need it – kids are an excellent resource for techno jargon and goodies.

Got a marketing question? Ask Angela at authorangelawilson@gmail.com and your question may be used in a future column.

You can find this award-winning fiction author on the Web:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

eLetters That Work by Angela Wilson

Kerri — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:39:44 +0000

Scores of authors have moved their newsletters into the cost-effective electronic era. Unfortunately, not all of them create quality, unique copy to keep fans from caring if it goes straight to SPAM.

Electronic newsletters, or eLetters, should be concise, include promotional items as well as personal thoughts and content unique to you as a writer. They should be no more than a single-spaced Word page, with a double space between paragraphs. Arial 12 point is a nice, clean font that translates well on screen, and is a better choice that the standard Times New Roman.

Your eLetter is an excellent venue to promote your latest work, book signings and speaking engagements. To keep the fans reading, offer up a regular contest feature where they can win freebies, including a book and swag like bookmarks, postcards and pens. (Readers LOVE freebies. The popular site Author Island employed this marketing tool to gain thousands of hits a day.) Also include personal notes to readers. Maybe you share a short paragraph about being a newlywed writer, or a new mother trying to find time to continue your serial police procedural. Whatever you decide, speak from the heart. That will reach readers more than any bullet point list. Some authors also include kudos from fans they recently received.

Many authors like to include graphics – especially ones with animation. Just remember that too much of a good thing can make your newsletter appear garish and sophomoric. Keep graphics to a minimum and make certain they are small in resolution. There are still thousands of dial up users out there, and huge graphics don’t translate well on that slow connection speed.

At the end of each edition, include a short sentence with the originating email address, and ask your readers to put you in their address book. Give them a way to update their email information, or cancel their free subscription. And always, always have at least two other people proof your eLetter before it goes out.

Austin Camacho is by far the best eLetter writer I have come across. The author of the Hannibal Jones PI crime serial is in constant touch with readers about what’s next for his character, an updated book signing schedule and short musings about life. His letter works because it blends personal notes with marketing news, and arrives like clockwork each month.

Urban fantasy author Jeanne C. Stein also offers up a fun newsletter titled, “The Jeanne Stein Irregular!” She has a short and effective sign up form on her Web site. There are many other ways to sign up fans. Have a sign up sheet at autograph sessions. Allow readers to join a listserv or email to receive your newsletter via your Web site, Facebook, MySpace, Ning or AIM Pages. Tell people about it in online groups, or make the sign up part of your signature line. Direct readers who send you kudos to your newsletter link, along with a short note of appreciation for their support and kind words. Print postcards or business cards with sign up information. Also, keep the eLetters archives on your Web site. You can always refer back to previous items in new missives, which will in turn drive more traffic to your Web site, group, or blog.

eLetters should be fun, informative and short. Write a few different versions and share them with trusted friends, readers and writers. Take their feedback and use it to help you discover the eLetter format works for you.

You can find this award-winning fiction author on the Web:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson

Get Twitterpated by Angela Wilson

Kerri — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:30:34 +0000

When I first saw Twitter, I thought, “So what?” I could see the use if I were traveling, or if a friend needed to send roving updates I could pick up via cell, but every day?

I started an account for both myself and my alter ego, Kitty Malloy, but left it virtually untouched for about a month. Then, while working on a client blog, I stumbled upon an innovative use of Twitter’s instant communications site by Tobacco Free Florida. To help smokers kick the habit, this techno-savvy nonprofit hooked up with Twitter to create the Quitter network. Here, smokers could sign on and use Twitter technology to communicate with other Florida smokers for virtual support while quitting.

That one Web site sent my mind racing. I started using Twitter daily to watch how others used it, especially news and marketing departments. I realized just how effective Twitter could be for cross-pollinating messages from Web sites, blogs and streaming video sites into one simple format.

Twitter allows users 140 characters to send followers a message. It can be anything from, “I’m home sick—BLAH!” to “My latest book launched today.” One day, I followed the uStream feed. UStream constantly updated Twitter followers with a stream of Michelle Williams’ Destiny’s Child. The posts said she was live, she was singing and viewers instantly knew when Williams said she supported Senator Barack Obama for president. The online shoe store Zappos uses Twitter to respond to customer queries. FoxNews and CNN inundate Twitter followers with short blurbs of breaking news, along with TinyURL site links.

And now, with sites like Twitter Feed, your Tweets will automatically update, thanks to RSS technology – and you won’t have to do a thing.

Twitter isn’t the only game in town. You can grab a Friend Feed, Hello TXT or other account and microblog away. These are great because you can integrate all of your social network blogging into one feed, and post it on your social networks and Web sites.

These are great examples of how you can use one venue to share your online presence with your fans. and increase your sites’ traffic. As a self-promoting author, it is vital to cross-pollinate yourself on the Internet using a Web site, blogs, podcasts, videocasts, streaming video, guest spots and more. You can use Twitter to direct people to your various sites and keep them posted about upcoming book signings, contests, speaking engagements and conferences where you will be networking.

When attending an event, encourage your Twitter followers (who are similar to MySpace friends) to get device updates. This way, each time you update your travel progress, they can get a text message via Twitter. If you don’t have PC access, you can send tweets via text message. If you are trapped on a runway on the way to a conference, you can text a tweet telling fans and friends that you are running late. It also is beneficial for touching base with fans and other writers when attending a large conference. You can send a text message tweet to indicate where you are, so they can meet you for lunch or at a certain room for autographs or business talk. Twitter is also an excellent tool to promote book or gift basket giveaways and to direct followers to sponsor sites. You can also direct followers to the sites of fellow writers.

Twitter also offers the code to put your updates on your blog, MySpace, Facebook or Web site. Grab that code—or have your Web designer do it—and paste it there. Encourage your fans to sign on. Also search Twitter for new friends to spread your marketing message. I type in various hobbies and work-related terms to find new followers, including write, edit, market, PR, painting and read.

Twitter is a simple, free, fantastic online venue to promote all of your Web sites in a one-stop shop. If you are not already tweeting, set up an account at www.twitter.com. Be sure it reflects your name or something about you so people can find you easily. Then, start posting. My tweets are available at twitter.com/angelawilson and twitter.com/kittymalloy, my fiction alter ego. Be sure to use your cover art creatively on your Twitter page – it is GREAT free advertising!

Those who use the Firefox browser can download add-ons like TwitterFox to make it easier to post updates and follow your friends. TwitterFox is a much better option than TwitterBar, which is sometimes fickle and not as user friendly. If you are sending a long link, use the TinyURL button to create a more manageable link. The site also allows you to create an easy-to-use button for your toolbar.

You can find this award-winning fiction author on the Web:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela_Wilson/775118823
http://www.myspace.com/angelawilson
http://twitter.com/angelawilson