Because I come from an Internet journalist background, I felt compelled to post this comment below that I received on the post I did “I’m not Your Social Media Expert, and That Should Make You Happy” .
I very rarely do not approve a comment to my blog because it’s very important to keep the communication gates open both ways and we’re all here to learn together. With that in mind, please take this lesson to heart. It is not good marketing to post a short blurb about your book in someone’s comment section of their blog. I know there are some book “marketers” and book “social media experts” who for years have touted this as a good idea. Heck, they’ve even published this suggestion in some of their own books!
However, this is never a good idea. Ever, ever, ever.
Think of it like this. What if you decided, in an effort to get more buzz out about your book, that the best possible thing you could do is spray paint the front of someone’s home with your book title and short description?
This would actually make the homeowner feel great rancor toward you and the neighborhood (her community) wouldn’t much cotten to seeing this either. They trust the homeowner to keep her home spiffy, smart and valuable!
A blog is someone’s home. People come to it and the blog author opens his/her doors to a knowledge base that will hopefully be very educational and actionable. And FREE of marketing blather including in the comment section.
With that in mind, here is the aforementioned comment I received (I’ve edited it a bit so not to expose the commenter, so anywhere you see BOLD I’ve changed it from what it actually was.)
“Shoved to the curb and left to fend on her own at the age of 14; AUTHOR NAME eventually went on to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work.
But God was not welcome nor allowed to be spoken on the job… Not able to do so, AUTHOR NAME went on to work for the Archdiocese of St. Paul/ Minneapolis for 8 years.
NAME OF BOOK is a true story of AUTHOR NAME strength & perseverance. That, combined with her strong faith is what makes this story unique and a must read!
This is AUTHOR NAME first book and is currently working on her sequel… NAME OF NEW SEQUEL.”
So here’s the thing, this comment not only violates the good mojo in terms of respecting one’s home blog turf, but also it shows these three things:
1. The author has not ever read the blog she just posted a comment to.
2. The author did not actually read the blog post she posted the comment to.
3. The author is unaware of how one should post comments to a blog.
Lessons Learned:
1. Read the blog you’re going to post a comment to.
2. If you want your book reviewed or want to drive traffic to your book site – research the sites that talk about books, book reviewing and reach out to those blog editors in person through an email pitch, not through an email pitch.
Here are some good ones to check out -
a. BergersBookReviews.com – Alice Berger’s fantastic site.
b. Bookpleasures.com - Norm Goldman’s superb site. Note, on Norm’s link that he has a quick review service, but also offers a free review service.
*I posted the two examples above without the direct contact information (emails etc.) because I’m mean and I don’t want to share. Ok…that’s not really true. I posted them like that so you could learn how easy it is to use this little free tool called the Internet, hit those sites and get the contact information on how to pitch them books very easily from their site!
To sum up: Be your own best advocate, keep pitching and swerving and building strong lists for your book, and don’t listen to everything social media book gurus advise you to do.
And in the words of one of my favorite Monty Python songs, “Always look on the bright side of life, always look on the bright side of life.” How does that apply to marketing your book? There are thousands of blogs you can find to feature your book if you’ll just stay positive, focused and in it for the long haul.
Now go and get your book out there!
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As everyone who reads this blog knows, I’m a giant fan of HubSpot’s free tools like websitegrader.com, pressreleasegrader.com and bloggrader.com .
Guess what?
Just in case you’ve not been monitoring their free tools in the past couple months, they’ve also powered up Twittergrader.com.
Should you try it out? Of course. Should you use it as another way to give you guidance on how you’re reach is on the Web and how to improve it? Absolutely.
My grade is 99 out of 100. And my ranking is 34,000 among 5 million plus Twitter accounts. Remember marathon, not sprint with all things social media. No matter what your grade is at the onset, you can always improve it.
Does ranking size really matter? Hmm. Good question. No grading system should be the only thing you rely on to determine how your efforts are progressing, however it’s good to have some base measurements and definitely when these tools are free you should take advantage of them.
To spur you on in your own quest to rule the Web, at the very least put a couple of your competitive Twitter folks in the grader too and see what comes up.
I’m also positive that HubSpot will continue adding more features to Twittergrader so once every six months you should replug in your TwitterID and see what comes back gradewise.
Each time you do, I have no doubt you’ll find more actionable data you can use to help your social platform expand.
For more information on how the grader works, I also encourage you to check out HubSpot’s reference for it here.
Now go and grade!
I’ve received an extraordinary opportunity and there is no affiliate payout for me so you know I’m only posting this so you can take advantage of it. Michael Drew of Promoteabook.com and Beneaththecover.com is offering an amazing seminar next weekend in NY City for anyone who wants to truly create a best-selling book.
For my readers, he has offered the opportunity for 5 scholarships to the event. All you need to do is email Michael at michael@beneaththecover.com and offer the best reason in an email to Michael, as to why you should receive a scholarship.
Everyone else will receive a 75% discount on the workshop and just enter the discount code nettie. You need to go to this site and enter the code, and I’ll see you on Friday in NY!
Here’s an excerpt describing the Book 2.0 publishing event:strong>
“Of course, all the interactivity of Web 2.0 has affected book publishing in major, positive ways, too. Before Web 2.0, we had one-way websites, advertisements, newsletters, and depositories of information, all static. Web 2.0 has generated Book Publishing 2.0, in which we now have unprecedented participation and interactivity, all creative and inclusive activities, with:
• audio books
• author Bio Videos (advertising & marketing books)
• better quality manuscripts submitted to publishers
• blogs (heavily commented on)
• blogosphere instant reactions to books
• book Trailer Videos (advertising & marketing books)
• comments on news articles about books (advertising & marketing)
• feedback between authors and readers (through blogs) while a book is being written, before submitting a manuscript to a publisher
• instant sales of e-books (avoiding lengthy publishing house delays)
• podcasts (advertising & marketing books)
• social bookmarking (advertising & marketing books)
• social networks (Facebook, Linkedln, MySpace, My Journal, YouTube, Nexopia, Bebo, Hi5, Orkut, Friendster, Cyworld, Twitter—harnassed in advertising & marketing books)
• vastly wider distribution to buyers with interaction to your book promotion website, thereby building your visibility and your platform
Because of an overwhelming set of programs that push participation and interactivity, both the Web and book publishing have entered an enhanced, 2.0 level of operation.
And some companies that consult on book publishing, such as Promote A Book, are taking wannabe—as well as experienced—writers up to that next new level in book publishing. Michael Drew of Promote A Book is now providing a 3-day seminar titled (what else?) Book Publishing 2.0. His next seminar by that title is in Manhattan New York City May 8th, 9th and 10th. If you’re interested, sign up today.”
Authors/Books Michael has Worked With:
Bryan Eisenberg & Jeffrey Eisenberg, Waiting for Your Cat to Bark(Thomas Nelson, 2006 —hit the New York Times Business list, USA Today top 150 bestseller list #54, the USA Today Money list at #4 and Wall
Street Journal Non-fiction #10 and business list at #2.)
John Assaraf, The Street Kid’s Guide to Having it All(Longstreet
Press, 2003 —hit the Wall Street Journal businessbestseller list and
the New York Times Advice/How To Best-sellers list)
Jordan Rubin, The Makers Diet (Silaom, 2004 —spent 16 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and hit the USA Today best sellers list)
Ivan Misner, Masters of Success (Entrepreneur Press, 2004 —hit number 1 on Wall Street Journal business bestseller list)
Bryan Eisenberg & Jeffrey Eisenberg, Call To Action: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results
(Wizard Academy Press, 2005 —hit the New York Times Advice/Howto list
and USA Today bestseller list, the USA Today Money list at #4 and Wall
Street Journal Non-fiction #11 and business list at #4.)
Harv T. Eker, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth
(HarperBusiness, 2005 —New York Times #1 Business Best-seller, USA
Today Money Best-seller, Wall Street Journal #1 Business Best-seller,
the New York Times Advice/How to list, the USA Today Top 50 Best-seller
list, the Wall Street Journal Non-fiction and BusinessWeek
Best-seller.)
Dr. Ben Lerner, One Minute Wellness: The Natural Health & Happiness System that Never Fails
(Thomas Nelson, 2005 —hit the New York Times Advice/How to list, the
USA Today Top 50 bestseller, and the Wall Street Journal Non-fiction.)
Steven M. Kaplan, Bag the Elephant: How to Win and Keep Big Customers
(Bard Press, 2005 —hit the New York Times Advice/How to list, the New
York Times Business list, the USA Today Top 150 bestseller list, the
USA Today Money list, the Wall Street Journal Non-fiction and the Wall
Street Journal business list, BusinessWeek Best-sellers list.)
Joel Greenblatt, The Little Book that Beats the Market (Wiley, 2005—hit the New York Times Advice/How to list, the New
York Times Business list, the USA Today Top 150 bestseller list, the
USA Today Money list, the Wall Street Journal Non-fiction and the Wall
Street Journal business list, BusinessWeek Best-sellers list.)
Herb Greenberg and Patrick Sweeney, Succeed on Your Own Terms (McGraw Hill, 2006—hit the New York Times Advice/How to list, the New
York Times Business list, the USA Today Top 150 bestseller list, the
USA Today Money list, the Wall Street Journal Non-fiction and #1 on Wall
Street Journal business list.)
Bryan Eisenberg & Jeffrey Eisenberg, Waiting for Your Cat to Bark(Thomas Nelson, 2006 —hit the New York Times Business list, USA Today top 150 bestseller list #54, the USA Today Money list at #4 and Wall
Street Journal Non-fiction #10 and business list at #2.)
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If you’re feeling overwhelmed about all the Web 2.0 stuff that your publisher, your agent, your neighbor and your dog are urging you to do, then take a deep breath and start with one thing.
Here is a list of some “one-things” you can do for yourself, any of these do not require much time and can benefit you in terms of your Web visibility for your book.
1. Create a profile for free on Shelfari.com or Goodreads.com .
2. Create a Twitter account. It’s very simple to go into Twitter.com and just claim your name. You never have to even use it, just claim it.
3. Create an author profile on Filedby.com . It’s still in beta, but is a great site to add your author page to.
Update your status on Linkedin.com and Facebook.com at least once a week.
Don’t let these social media tools overtake your time and energy. Just do what you can, when you can and you will see some success from it.
I’m a fan of M.J. Rose and actually love her book “The Reincarnationist.” I also think she’s very smart about marketing, and I wanted to note her latest article, “Is Blogging Right for You?” for Writer’s Digest here.
She has some good insight in terms of blogging and why to blog. She also highlights Seth Godin’s blog as a blog that works, but I would say his blog works for marketing Seth (and I think Seth is great) but it is not a two-way conversation because Seth doesn’t allow commenting on his blog.
And no one has to enable comments on their blog by the way, but if you’re a book author or a fiction book author, one of the ways to engage folks is to leave your comments on. Also comment on other blogs and get the blog convo happening both ways.
Look at David Meerman Scott’s blog for a good example of convo both ways. Or Toby Bloomberg’s blog. For literary agents look at Nathan Bransford’s blog. Look at how Liz Strauss does her amazing Open Mike nights on her blog. Read B.L. Ochman’s blog. Read Jennifer Robenalt’s blog.
Or my own personal favorite blogger Steve Kayser.
Whatever you do online, always make it balanced with offline even if you make your living online. You don’t need to make it 24/7.
At the end of M.J.’s article, is basically a couple of paragraphs about bloggers who’ve died in the past couple years of heart attacks, which seems to beg the question, “Can blogging kill you?”
Guess what??? It doesn’t!
Stress kills us. Smoking kills us. Not spending enough time being crazy or having fun can slowly kill us. Greed and “not enough itis” can kill us. But blogging? I don’t think it can kill you.
But just in case here are some pointers to ensure you’re a healthy blogger!
1. Don’t spend 24/7 blogging, twittering, facebooking, or on any other online shenanigans.
2. Don’t believe that to be viable or visible online you have to incessantly be communicating.
3. Don’t be a blogging-downer. Don’t post a ton of negative things on your blog or website to build yourself up.
4. Step away from the blog and go outside once in awhile.
5. Don’t engage in flame wars.
6. Reach out to like-minded folks and revel in their spirit, blog posts and take on business, life, work etc.
7. Make peace with your inbox always being a bit too full.
8. Twittering during a movie date with your husband is not kosher.
9. Be mindful that juggling too many blogs makes Jack or Jill a dull boy or girl in real life.
10. One blog at a time, one post at a time, one reader at a time and always focus on expanding your ideas and your reader’s ideas.
Great tips piece on all things Twitter, microblogging etc. on Burrelle Luce’s site via their January newsletter. Highly recommended reading!
Read this insightful essay on the publishing world by Andre Bernard in the Washington Post.
I’m a big fan of a good content-laden e-newsletter. I think e-newsletters are very valuable for reaching out and staying in touch with folks on a monthly or quarterly basis. Even in the constant drone of all the Web 2.0 tools we’re all supposed to be hip, savvy and using endlessly, don’t lose sight of the e-newsletter and its value.
E-newsletters help folks connect with you, and using them enables you to inspire, engage and initiate real connection.
Before I share some of my favorite e-newsletters, I had to share Joe Pulizzi’s fantastic post titled, “10 Content Marketing Tips To Start Now for 2009″ and urge you to go and read it.
Good content builds trust. Good content empowers relationships. Good content engenders community.
Some of my current favorite e-newsletters include:
Cincom’s stellar Expert Access e-newsletter
B.L. Ochman’s “What’s Next Online” e-newsletter
Publishers Lunch e-newsletter
All of these offer value to the reader, a unique take on the world at large and inspiring content.
Don’t leave e-newsletters out of your mix.
I’m really humbled and thrilled today as one of my favorite clients, Joe Camp (father of Benji the dog) had his book – “Soul of A Horse” hit #4 on the Dallas, TX non-fiction bestseller lists! Very cool as it’s representative of how a book can rise to the top city by city. So don’t get discouraged if your book hasn’t hit #1 in the nation, look to each city to drive it forth! Joe’s book is now in its 4th printing! Go Joe. And here’s a wonderful feature that Daryn Kagan (past CNN anchor) did about Joe and his amazing horse.
Great article by Rose Fox from Publisher’s Weekly on book marketing vs. book publicity. Read it and learn.
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