Question: Can you please summarize what big mistakes almost all publishers make selling books via an Amazon.com bestseller campaign?
John's Answer: The biggest mistake authors or publishers make in trying to become an Amazon.com bestseller is simple: They don't line up enough owners of lists who are committed to sending out the promotional message about the book.
The second biggest mistake: They don't line up enough partners who are giving away something nice for those people who place an order for the author's book.
An Amazon bestseller campaign only works if there are enough bonuses to encourage potential buyers to act right away. And if enough people get the message so the author can make a dent in the Amazon sales.
There is no shortcut to make this happen. You can't rent lists. You can't settle for mailing to just three or four lists. You need at least 15 to 20 lists to make a dent. And you can't provide all the bonuses yourself. That simply does not work. Because then you do not have any incentive for other list owners to mail to their customers. The only reason a list owner announces a new Amazon.com bestseller book promotion is in the expectation of adding to his or her list via the giveaways that he will send out as part of the overall promotion.
Each participating list owner offers something free — a report, an audio MP3, an e-book — that can be fulfilled via email. When the recipients of the Amazon.com promotion buy the promoted book, they also are sent the other free items, either via a download link at the list owner's site or via email from the list owner providing the free item.
It is the obligation of the person carrying out the promotion to share the emails of everyone who bought a copy of the book as a result of the promotion. It is those email addresses that the various participating list owners can add to their lists.
The list owner, thus, gains two valuable assets by participating in the Amazon.com promotion. 1. He gets to add the names of the people who bought the book (these are good names because they are the names of people who bought via email notice). 2. He gets to expose these buyers to his work via the item that he is giving away free. If your report or e-book is good, chances are that the person will want to buy something else from you.
That's the key elements of a good Amazon.com bestseller promotion. And in almost every case where such a promotion has failed, it's either because there are not enough list owners involved (with a cumulative list total of 100,000 or more) or because the freebies are not enticing enough to get the potential buyer to act right away. In both cases, the fault is in the bookselling promoter who was not willing to go out and sell his promotion to targeted list owners with something valuable to give away to potential buyers (something that the buyers want as much as the promoter's book).
If you want to learn more about how to carry out an Amazon.com Bestseller Campaign, listen in to a teleseminar being given by Steve Harrison where he will be interviewing Randy Gilbert and Peggy McColl, two experts who help people create such campaigns. The teleseminar is this Wednesday (July 20) at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. To register, go to: http://www.freepublicity.com/Amazon/?10005.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Saturday, July 16, 2005
B&N versus Amazon Bestsellers
Question: Is it easier to become a #1 bestseller on Amazon or B&N?
If one becomes #1 on B&N (through the Internet promotion we all know how to do), does being #1 or in the top 10 have the same cache as being a top seller on amazon?
John's Answer: It is easier to become a #1 bestseller on BN.com (or http://www.barnesandnoble.com) for one simple reason: B&N doesn't have as much business so any business you send their way will have greater impact than via Amazon.
But, alas, B&N is now on a rampage against authors or publishers manipulating their bestseller list. Indeed, while at the National Speakers Association convention, I heard of one author who had gotten the B&N buyers to place a 1700-copy order BECAUSE he was going to be doing a B&N bestseller campaign via the Internet. When the B&N brass heard about it, they cancelled the orders that had been generated by the campaign. They cut the orders because they did not want anyone tricking out their bestseller lists.
Since this apparently is now B&N's policy, you should use the Amazon.com strategy. Amazon isn't going to turn away any orders, no matter how they are generated.
The B&N uppity-ups, on the other hand, have decided that they don't want the business right now. Alas. Poor them.
To register for a class on how to implement an Amazon.com bestseller campaign, start by listening an the upcoming teleseminar to be held on Wednesday, July 20th, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. Register here: http://www.FreePublicity.com/Amazon/?10005.
If one becomes #1 on B&N (through the Internet promotion we all know how to do), does being #1 or in the top 10 have the same cache as being a top seller on amazon?
John's Answer: It is easier to become a #1 bestseller on BN.com (or http://www.barnesandnoble.com) for one simple reason: B&N doesn't have as much business so any business you send their way will have greater impact than via Amazon.
But, alas, B&N is now on a rampage against authors or publishers manipulating their bestseller list. Indeed, while at the National Speakers Association convention, I heard of one author who had gotten the B&N buyers to place a 1700-copy order BECAUSE he was going to be doing a B&N bestseller campaign via the Internet. When the B&N brass heard about it, they cancelled the orders that had been generated by the campaign. They cut the orders because they did not want anyone tricking out their bestseller lists.
Since this apparently is now B&N's policy, you should use the Amazon.com strategy. Amazon isn't going to turn away any orders, no matter how they are generated.
The B&N uppity-ups, on the other hand, have decided that they don't want the business right now. Alas. Poor them.
To register for a class on how to implement an Amazon.com bestseller campaign, start by listening an the upcoming teleseminar to be held on Wednesday, July 20th, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. Register here: http://www.FreePublicity.com/Amazon/?10005.
Friday, July 15, 2005
When Can A Book Reviewer Expect To Be Paid? Part II
Marketing with Fran: When Can A Book Reviewer Expect To Be Paid?
The reviewers' websites from both Part I and Part II are at the end of this column.
2) Do Authors Make Better Reviewers?
“Since I am an author,” says Carolyn Scheidies, “I have insight into the heart of story construction as well as the heart of the author.”
“I find that authors usually make better reviewers,” says Mayra Calvani, “for the simple fact that they are more conscious of what writing a book is all about and are better able to explain the dynamics of a book, the technical aspects of it, and give a more thoughtful, critical evaluation.”
Author of The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything (Mountain Mist Productions, 2002), Maggie Ball likens reviewers to authors since “all reviews are pieces of creative writing.” Moreover, she feels that writing and reviewing books of the same genre provides “a much more intimate understanding of the processes involved….It may also make a reviewer more sympathetic and less harsh - more likely to carefully back up criticisms.”
Reviewers who are authors, says Bob Spear, “will have a clearer understanding of the writing process,” and less likely to suffer writer’s block, says Cheryl McCann.
“I've a better understanding of the process an author goes through in writing a book, says Cindy Vallar, author of The Scottish Thistle (NovelBooks 2002). “I can better assess whether the author did the research and knows his/her craft. For me, the greatest advantage has been seeing how my writing skills have improved over the years. I always check the published review over what I wrote to see how the editor changed it. In doing so, I've honed my skills, and, since many of my assignments have maximum word lengths of 200-300 words, my writing is concise.”
3) And what about payment?
The consensus is that book reviewers are generally not compensated. “Almost nobody can make a living from only writing reviews,” states Mayra Calvani, co-author a forthcoming book about writing reviews. “Personally, I like the system of the book itself being payment enough,” says Dehanna Bailee. Shirley Johnson agrees. “I receive no monetary reward for my reviews, nor do I expect that to happen anytime in the future…” Compensation would be “two-edge sword,” she adds, since she’d lose the freedom “to enjoy all the wonderful unknown works that I now have the pleasure to read.”
Staffers and freelance reviewers at a publication will sometimes get paid. Judith Colombo, for instance, has a bi-weekly column in The Weekly Gleaner, the North-American version of a leading Jamaican newspaper, and receives payment when the review is published. Heather Grove expects to be paid and will only post her reviews at Amazon and Epinions, two main sources of income. Heather Froeschl is adamant about getting paid – much like “any writer anywhere expects payment for their services,” she says. “Compare the reading of a book to doing research for an article and the effort is much the same, at least on my part. Compare the writing of a review to the copy writing of an advertising writer…The effort and skill, and the time spent is much the same, again, at least on my part.”
“I have never been paid for my reviews,” says Cindy Vallar. “I don't want to compromise my opinions or be forced into giving a good review when I don't think the book merits it. While I don't trash a bad book or attack its author, I do let my readers know that a book fails to measure up to my standards and why, giving examples where applicable to back up my conclusions. As a reader, I'm not sure I'd trust a reviewer as much if they received payment for a review. I'm not speaking about reviewers who earn a living from third parties, such as newspapers or magazines as an employee or freelancer, though. My cousin, who reviews children's books, is nationally syndicated but authors and publishers don't pay for her reviews.
Finally, Lana Jordan questions whether staff reviewers are legitimate. “I’ve seen book review services advertised to authors that don’t even guarantee a positive review,” she says. “I can’t imagine that anyone would be willing to pay in the neighborhood of $300 or more, even for a good review. But throw in the possibility of a bad review, and there’s no way. That’s highway robbery. No one should be that desperate!”
Reviewers’ Websites
Dehanna Bailee – http://www.dehanna.com
Maggie Ball – http:://www.compulsivereader.com
Tami Brady - http://www.blether.com
Mayra Calvani - http://www.review-books.com
Judith Columbo – http://odin.prohosting.com/~night01
Heather Froeschl – http://www.QuillDipper.com
Annette Gisby – http://www.annettegisby.n3.net
Heather Grove - http://www.burningvoid.com
Joyce Handzo - http://www.inthelibraryreview.com
Jeremy Hoover - http://hooverreviews.blogspot.com
Suzie Housley – http://www.myshelf.com
Shirley Johnson - http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Lana Jordan – http://www.LanaJordan.com
Cheryl McCann - http://www.review-books.com
Michael Meanwell - http://www.enterprisingwriter.com
Lia Metal – http://lianametal.tripod.com
Shirley Roe - http://www.allbookreviews.com
Geoff Rotunno - http://www.thebooxreview.com
Graciela B. Sholander – http://www.dreamitdoit.net
Barbara Scott - http://www.curledup.com
Bob Spear - http://www.heartlandreviews.com
Cindy Vallar – http://www.cindyvallar.com
John Walsh - http://www.bookpleasures.com
Christina Whitcher – http://www.Cfrancine.bizland.com
Misty Wright - http://www.writersunlimited.com
Francine Silverman is editor/publisher of Book Promotion Newsletter, a bi-weekly ezine for authors of all genres, and author of Book Marketing from A-Z (Infinity Publishing, 2005), a compilation of the best marketing strategies of 325 authors from all over the English-speaking world. Web: http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com.
The reviewers' websites from both Part I and Part II are at the end of this column.
2) Do Authors Make Better Reviewers?
“Since I am an author,” says Carolyn Scheidies, “I have insight into the heart of story construction as well as the heart of the author.”
“I find that authors usually make better reviewers,” says Mayra Calvani, “for the simple fact that they are more conscious of what writing a book is all about and are better able to explain the dynamics of a book, the technical aspects of it, and give a more thoughtful, critical evaluation.”
Author of The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything (Mountain Mist Productions, 2002), Maggie Ball likens reviewers to authors since “all reviews are pieces of creative writing.” Moreover, she feels that writing and reviewing books of the same genre provides “a much more intimate understanding of the processes involved….It may also make a reviewer more sympathetic and less harsh - more likely to carefully back up criticisms.”
Reviewers who are authors, says Bob Spear, “will have a clearer understanding of the writing process,” and less likely to suffer writer’s block, says Cheryl McCann.
“I've a better understanding of the process an author goes through in writing a book, says Cindy Vallar, author of The Scottish Thistle (NovelBooks 2002). “I can better assess whether the author did the research and knows his/her craft. For me, the greatest advantage has been seeing how my writing skills have improved over the years. I always check the published review over what I wrote to see how the editor changed it. In doing so, I've honed my skills, and, since many of my assignments have maximum word lengths of 200-300 words, my writing is concise.”
3) And what about payment?
The consensus is that book reviewers are generally not compensated. “Almost nobody can make a living from only writing reviews,” states Mayra Calvani, co-author a forthcoming book about writing reviews. “Personally, I like the system of the book itself being payment enough,” says Dehanna Bailee. Shirley Johnson agrees. “I receive no monetary reward for my reviews, nor do I expect that to happen anytime in the future…” Compensation would be “two-edge sword,” she adds, since she’d lose the freedom “to enjoy all the wonderful unknown works that I now have the pleasure to read.”
Staffers and freelance reviewers at a publication will sometimes get paid. Judith Colombo, for instance, has a bi-weekly column in The Weekly Gleaner, the North-American version of a leading Jamaican newspaper, and receives payment when the review is published. Heather Grove expects to be paid and will only post her reviews at Amazon and Epinions, two main sources of income. Heather Froeschl is adamant about getting paid – much like “any writer anywhere expects payment for their services,” she says. “Compare the reading of a book to doing research for an article and the effort is much the same, at least on my part. Compare the writing of a review to the copy writing of an advertising writer…The effort and skill, and the time spent is much the same, again, at least on my part.”
“I have never been paid for my reviews,” says Cindy Vallar. “I don't want to compromise my opinions or be forced into giving a good review when I don't think the book merits it. While I don't trash a bad book or attack its author, I do let my readers know that a book fails to measure up to my standards and why, giving examples where applicable to back up my conclusions. As a reader, I'm not sure I'd trust a reviewer as much if they received payment for a review. I'm not speaking about reviewers who earn a living from third parties, such as newspapers or magazines as an employee or freelancer, though. My cousin, who reviews children's books, is nationally syndicated but authors and publishers don't pay for her reviews.
Finally, Lana Jordan questions whether staff reviewers are legitimate. “I’ve seen book review services advertised to authors that don’t even guarantee a positive review,” she says. “I can’t imagine that anyone would be willing to pay in the neighborhood of $300 or more, even for a good review. But throw in the possibility of a bad review, and there’s no way. That’s highway robbery. No one should be that desperate!”
Reviewers’ Websites
Dehanna Bailee – http://www.dehanna.com
Maggie Ball – http:://www.compulsivereader.com
Tami Brady - http://www.blether.com
Mayra Calvani - http://www.review-books.com
Judith Columbo – http://odin.prohosting.com/~night01
Heather Froeschl – http://www.QuillDipper.com
Annette Gisby – http://www.annettegisby.n3.net
Heather Grove - http://www.burningvoid.com
Joyce Handzo - http://www.inthelibraryreview.com
Jeremy Hoover - http://hooverreviews.blogspot.com
Suzie Housley – http://www.myshelf.com
Shirley Johnson - http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Lana Jordan – http://www.LanaJordan.com
Cheryl McCann - http://www.review-books.com
Michael Meanwell - http://www.enterprisingwriter.com
Lia Metal – http://lianametal.tripod.com
Shirley Roe - http://www.allbookreviews.com
Geoff Rotunno - http://www.thebooxreview.com
Graciela B. Sholander – http://www.dreamitdoit.net
Barbara Scott - http://www.curledup.com
Bob Spear - http://www.heartlandreviews.com
Cindy Vallar – http://www.cindyvallar.com
John Walsh - http://www.bookpleasures.com
Christina Whitcher – http://www.Cfrancine.bizland.com
Misty Wright - http://www.writersunlimited.com
Francine Silverman is editor/publisher of Book Promotion Newsletter, a bi-weekly ezine for authors of all genres, and author of Book Marketing from A-Z (Infinity Publishing, 2005), a compilation of the best marketing strategies of 325 authors from all over the English-speaking world. Web: http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)