Sell More Books And Reach More Readers. How To Market Your Book.

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• Brilliant Joanna,

  For me, just the right info at just the right time,
  Thank you
  Cliff
  Wordpress.flaauthor.com

• Ooh! Oooh! Shamless self promotion buuuttttt, Alexis Grant and I just did a Q&A about how publicity IS an author's job. The conversation going on in the comments section is reason enough:

  http://alexisgrant.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/because-publicity-is-your-job-social-media-for-authors/

• Dear Joanna,
  Are you an angel from heaven or what? I have a children's book that is in the text blocking stage at Strategic Publishing. I am new at the game and I have a lot to learn. It will be a few weeks before my web-site is up.
  Many Thanks,
  Carol Kimzey

• Hello Johanna, after I review the new information you have sent me, I get right back to you.

• Thanks for the great information, Joanna. I recently went over the part about Author Branding. Your questions got me to thinking about several things, to include my own Christian reputation. I wrote about it and cited you in the article: http://www.christianhomechurch.com/1/post/2011/03/christian-reputation-building.html

  BTW: Unless it's just my computer, the link "How to discover and build your author brand" under The Basics, is not working. I assume it's a link since there are several above and below it.

  Thanks!

  • Thx Patrick - I'll fix that link!

• I really find great help in loging into your website. I have been searching for days now to get useful information on how to market a christian book and i think i have got more than what i need! i urge the public to take advantage of these great resources.

  • Thanks Emmanuel. I'm glad you find this information useful. I try to share everything I learn along the way. All the best with your book.

• I have found your web site and your two books on writing to be very valauble in getting me along my writing journey.

  After having struggled with a memoir over several years, I have now taken a leaf from your book and done my own short novel, an imaginary work based around a house in Sydney that we owned, which I am promoting on a blog based on your guidance re this.
  http://beyondbeyond.com.au/The-Old-Balmain-House.php

  I am now starting to work through your marketing ideas in your book and enjoying the challenge of developing a marketing plan, based around local cafe and bookshop promotion of hard copies combined with sales of ebooks.

  Thank you for all the advice which has assisted me in getting this far.

  • Hi Graham - thanks so much, I appreciate your kind words and I do love the Beyond Beyond idea!

• If the outcome of setting an intention were a high wind, I would be flat on my back in a state of shock! Thank you Thank you, Joanna Penn for your generous spirit. There's enough material in Author2Blueprint and the marketing section to help firm my understanding of what a writer needs to do!!!! Thanks! Mae

  • Thanks Mae - I really love to be useful and I'm so pleased you're finding it all helpful.

• Hi Joanna,
  My pithy-ness has deserted me I'm afraid, but this email comprises two main questions:
  FIRST QUESTION
  Forgive me if I've missed it if you have already done it - but have you got anything about the nuts and bolts of POINT OF SALE - how to sell through your own web site / blog? I need to understand the big picture, of options, for Point of Sale better than I do, so I thought I would suggest this as something that you could cover as a topic.
  I know you use e-book junkie, and I plan to too, but I'd like to understand more about how that works - can people in different countries buy my stuff through e-book junkie? Or is it an English Language only facility?
  I'd like to know things like - how difficult is it to set up that Password download option you have, where people have the chance to upload info temporarily, instead of sending them Pdf's? Will e-book junkie take sales internationally? For instance - I am hoping to create an audience in China - will e-book junkie take their cash?! How can I ensure the security of my customers details? - and other questions!

  I am unknown, and will be new to any audience I do stir up: so mostly I am going to concentrate on selling through Amazon at first, because people already trust them and are happy to give them their fiscal details. I also feel a little overwhelmed about the idea of handling accounts and running a CMS myself.

  However, down the track, I do have a bright idea for selling colouring-in versions of my books through my web site (that won't be available through Amazon) - thus offering folk who come to the site something different - so I do really have to get on top of this area.
  SECOND QUESTION
  I am hoping to launch my series of kids' books before Christmas - but I am doing it on such a small $ budget I am having to think very strategically and work out how to build up from 0! Once I've got some stuff "up" on line for you to review, I think I will invest in a consult with your good self. Are you very booked up?
  I hope things are going great for you with your new full time writing life!
  I love your site and spruik for you all the time - it's amazing how many people actually have a finished manuscript in a drawer! I know 4, without even asking around much.

  Thanks for all your hard work and generosity Joanna. By the way - Simon Cheshire has now formatted my first kids book ready to go - he was so very patient and hnelpful with my teething problems with PayPal and ignorance about formatting - thank you for recommending him.
  Best wishes
  Dawn Rose

  • Hi Dawn,

    (1) Yes, I use http://www.e-junkie.com which is a great point of sale site that you can upload a PDF or product to. It's only $5-$10 per month & integrates with Paypal so is very easy. I mainly use that for my digital courses. I primarily use Amazon and Smashwords for my book sales now. A CMS (content management system) is just a wordpress blog these days. So I just have a password protected page and my e-junkie sale directs people to it - not complicated at all. I haven't got a post on this but I might do one to explain this.

    (2) My consulting is quite ad hoc so just let me know what you're looking for and I'm sure I can fit you in. I'm glad you found Simon useful as well - it's good to know someone who can format!

    Thanks, Joanna

• I need a marketer for I don't have the expertise or time. Can you recommend someone who will do a really good Kindle/ ebook/book tour and ongoing promotions for me?

  • Hi Donna, I know there are companies out there that do this but I don't recommend any myself. I personally believe the best marketer for your books is you, and learning about marketing will give you the expertise. If you do an ebook tour, you're still the one who has to write the articles and ongoing promotion is a lot about relationships gathered over time.
    In terms of promo that doesn't take much effort at all, try KDP Select and also PixelofInk.com or KindleNationDaily promotion. That will help with your rankings and may start the snowball.
    http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/02/20/kindle-advertising-kdp-select/