| If you're like me, you have a book and the passion to | | | | talking to each other. No easy job, I assure you. But it |
| spend the rest of your life making it a success. But, | | | | can be done. And is done. Here's how you can do it, |
| with all the ways to market your book, the costs and | | | | too:*Gather up the most popular, talked-about books in |
| the inevitable sinking feeling of utter helplessness, what | | | | the last five years (Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code, |
| can you do?You COULD run around in circles trying to | | | | among others). |
| get your book in every bookstore in town. You | | | | *Ask yourself, "What makes people talk about these |
| COULD write Oprah or the Today Show, and hope | | | | books?" |
| for a call-back. You COULD spend months crafting a | | | | *Copy the strategies, change/add/delete whatever |
| book proposal and wait another six months for the | | | | you need to make your book more |
| exact right time to send it to the exact right editor at | | | | success-friendly.Also, create something (a flyer, a |
| the exact right publishing house with the exact right | | | | bussiness card, a bookmark, something) that your |
| level of interest to stand behind your book.But those | | | | customers can pass on to each other. Or post up on |
| are lies (well, for most of us, most of the time, they | | | | a wall or keep in their purse or wallet. Make it good, |
| are) and here are the TOP TEN LIES and how you | | | | funny, entertaining, informative, but make it something |
| can avoid believing them:Lie #1: You NEED to get your | | | | people actually want to keep (like a good article on |
| book in bookstores.No, you don't. Visit your local | | | | book marketing =).Lie #4: You MUST get radio or |
| bookstore-any bookstore-and you'll see thousands | | | | television interviews.Like the other lies, this one seems |
| (maybe millions) of books crammed, piled, stacked and | | | | true because all the big-name, big-book, big-salary |
| displayed. Do you really think that simply adding your | | | | authors do them. And I must admit that we, if possible, |
| book to this haystack will catapult you to | | | | should do them. But, the lie is that you actually NEED |
| success?Truth: The right bookstore at the right location | | | | them to boost your book sales. They might and they |
| selling the right kind of books to the right customers | | | | might not.Truth: What you REALLY need is to get |
| CAN catapult your book to success. What is the right | | | | your book in the hands of people who are ready, |
| bookstore? One that sells your kind of book, whether it | | | | willing and able to buy them. How do you accomplish |
| be a Christian bookstore, a success store, a health | | | | this? First, sit down and write out a description of the |
| store, etc. For my book, "101 Ways To Pray Better | | | | people who are most likely to be interested enough in |
| And Get Faster Results," I am targeting Christian | | | | your book to fork over money for it. Second, figure out |
| bookstores in my area, especially bookstores in | | | | where these people congregate: online, conventions, |
| churches. They will give me the greatest amount of | | | | magazines, etc. Where do these type of people go to |
| exposure to the people who will actually be interested | | | | find the type of information which is in your book? Be |
| in my book. Who buys your kind of book? What is the | | | | specific. Write it down. Third, and lastly, get your book |
| best place to sell it? Maybe it is at a grocery store, a | | | | infront of those people in those places.For example: |
| pet store, or at an airport.Lie #2: You MUST get on | | | | My book is on prayer, so I want to get it infront of |
| Oprah.Yes, it would be nice to get on Oprah. Certianly, | | | | people who are interested enough in the topic to trade |
| it could not hurt your book sales. But most people with | | | | thier hard-earned money to learn how to improve their |
| this goal ask themselves the wrong question: "How do | | | | prayer lives and get closer to God. So, in addition to |
| I get on Oprah?" Getting on Oprah is not the point, | | | | attmpting the normal routes (getting book in bookstore, |
| albiet a good objective, though a long-shot for most | | | | creating a website, trying to get book on |
| authors. However, as a natural optimist, I must admit | | | | Amazon.com), I also will contact Christian groups and |
| there's no reason for you not to try!Truth: The RIGHT | | | | organizations to give FREE talks on prayer, after |
| question to ask yourself is: "How can I create a book | | | | which I'll offer my book.Lie #5: The MOST important |
| that Oprah would want on her show?" Why is this a | | | | part of book promtion is having a good book.Sorry, no |
| better, more powerful question? First of all, it is | | | | that is not true. Yes, you should try to write the best |
| focused on Oprah's needs, and she will only care | | | | book possible and give it a great, eye-catching cover, |
| about your book if it helps her and her show get more | | | | with a mind-grabbing title to boot. But, none of those |
| people watching and talking about (you guessed it) her. | | | | savvy stratigies are the MOST important part of your |
| After all, you want people to read and talk about your | | | | book promotion. They only work if you can do ONE |
| book, don't you? That's why you're reading this article. | | | | thing...Truth: The MOST important part of book |
| Start with the right question, and you will end up the | | | | promotion is (drum roll please) getting the right people |
| right answers. So how do you create a book that will | | | | to experience the great benefits of your book. If your |
| appeal to Oprah? Write one that appeals to her | | | | book entertains, then that is the benefit. If your book |
| television audience, mostly women who are at home | | | | explains or teaches, then that is the great |
| at the time of her show. You can get more detailed, of | | | | experience.Who are the right people? People who will |
| course, and you should. Case Example: the new book | | | | tell others about your book.*What are the three MAIN |
| "He's Just Not That Into You." Oprah has had one of | | | | benefits of your book? |
| the co-authors of that book on her show twice since | | | | *Who should experience them?Lie #6: If you do all the |
| its release.Lie #3: You MUST get a big advance from | | | | things in this (or any one else's) article, your book will |
| a big publishing company.Again, good idea, but it doesn't | | | | out-sell the Harry Potter Series.Truth: The outcome of |
| guarantee succes anymore than carrying around a | | | | your book promotion will be the result of your tenacity, |
| four-leaf clover ensures good luck. You need more | | | | creativity, passion, talent, and willingness to try new |
| than big bucks to get people to read your book. In fact, | | | | things until somthing clicks. If you can do that, you will |
| the only thing that a big advance gives you is the | | | | one day succeed. And, my friend, I hope that day |
| knowledge that the publishing company will try hard to | | | | comes soon for you.If you enjoyed this article, why not |
| make people buy your book. Yes, that's a plus. Yes, | | | | print it out and share it with a friend or your writing |
| you want that. But it takes more than that to squeeze | | | | group! Good luck!Christopher Kokoski is the author of |
| into the ranks with Stephen King, Dean Koontz and | | | | "101 Ways To Pray Better And Get Faster Results," |
| Seth Godin (author of Purple Cow, among | | | | His passion to write great books(fiction and non-fiction) |
| others).Truth: What you really need is a good book, | | | | and help others succeed with their own books. He |
| written well, formatted with the reader in mind, that | | | | wishes you well and a quick rise to publishing success. |
| entertains, informs, pursuades and gets customers | | | | |