BOR (Back of the Room)

You can ask any speaking author where the majority of their sales come from and most will say from the back of the room (BOR). A great speaker attracts book sales. Many want the rest of the message, more information, more knowledge or  more entertainment and quickly gobble up whatever product the author has available.

If you speak, don't miss the opportunity to mention your books. For certain, someone in the room will be interested and want a copy of one or all of them. After all, books provide information we can take home with us and study on our own time. Much more is normally included in a book than a 20-30 minute lecture. BOR is where the sales are.

They're Free So Why Not

Every author should have at least one T-shirt that screams out, "Hello everyone. I'm an author." At Vistaprint, you can try it out with one free T-shirt. Since they are free, why wouldn't you try it?

Think of the excitement of a book signing or speaking engagement with your personalized T-shirt complete with your book titles on the back of it. Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Let your T-shirt do the talking.

The Diamond Called Direct Mail

Direct mail sounds like a curse word to some authors because often times the direct mail pieces we receive are just junk. And there is always plenty of that to sort through in our mailboxes.

However, if direct mail is utilized correctly, the difference in book sales can be phenomenal. The first step is designing an eye-popping mailer. The second step is collecting a list of people who want to be contacted by you. Third is the offer. Make sure you're offering some kind of perk to get the customer to call and order as soon as they receive the direct mail piece.

Don't want to do direct mail yourself? Savvy Market Masters will gladly assist you. Visit our website today and email us for more information.

Give Some, Sell Some

If your book covers a hot topic of today such as politics, abortion, sexual abuse, recession, etc., giving them away to key people might be the best way to sell them. There's no denying that giveaways present opportunities to have your book noticed and read by people who might not ordinarily pick it up.

A book review is a valuable piece of your media kit. Valid reviews present a picture to readers about the benefits of having and reading your book. Without reviews, readers can only assume one of a couple of things: either the reviews you received were too bad to print, or that you are new to the publishing industry. Either of those choices means the reader will quite possibly go on to another book. Give some, sell some should be your motto.

How We Coach

One portion of our business is coaching. We attempt to help authors figure out how to utilize their skill set to increase book sales. In an effort to do that, we often focus on the use of articles, nonreciprocal links, link exchanges, regular guest appearances in person and online and strategic giveaways. All of these things work together to build your name, branding you in your chosen field, and to build your book's visibility.

It requires a lot of consistency and networking, but you can make your books work for you with the right skill set. Feel free to ask questions in the comment section. A drawing will be held of participants for a free blog tour package with 10 stops. We look forward to your feedback.

3 Ways to Capitalize on E-Books

Three ways to make the most of the e-book boom:

1. No printing costs means no paper. Price your electronic books lower to attract readers.
2. Make them shorter to entice readers to buy full length versions of your other printed works.
3. Capitalize on e-book series. Series are known to build readership quicker than almost any other form of writing, maybe with the exception of articles.

As an author, you have to learn to be versatile and to keep up with the changing times. Let e-books be the best thing that ever happened to you.

The Tie-In, a Key to Book Visibility

One of the major keys to selling books is making sure your book remains visible. Some people will see it, plan to purchase it, get busy with life and forget about it. The way to combat that and ensure each interested party becomes a purchaser is to keep your book at the forefront. How? Great question.

Authors and book marketers must master the all important aspect of visibility called tie-in. If your book is about parenting, then every time a story hits about parenting (good or bad), link your book to that story. Internet users usually have what I call the chain link syndrome. They see one thing interesting and while reading it, they begin to look for other things that tie in with it. Make sure your book is right there to be found. Blog about it. Add references to your website. Ask popular blog hosts to consider your book. If you get a no the first time, ask again. 

Another aspect of visibility is public appearances. Book signings aren't the only form of publicity available. You have to be creative. This is a saturate market that is constantly undergoing change thanks to the rate technology continues to improve. If you need help with your marketing, please don't hesitate to contact us at savvymarket@yahoo.com.