Yesterday I was talking with a publishing executive, who was expressing her nervousness over many of the changes in publishing.

Many publishers are laying off top executives.

Just today came news of a big change in leadership at HarperCollins, one of the major publishers.

Brian Murray will take over as company president from Jane Friedman. Murray said in the announcement, “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to invest in and grow our publishing businesses around the world at a time when digital technologies are creating new opportunities to bring authors and readers together.”

One of those new opportunities that has me excited is (more…)

When you hear “virtual book tour,” do you think of an author visiting various blogs and posting about their book, and people commenting on it?

That’s what many people say when I mention “virtual book tour.” And if I’m talking to an author, he or she will add, “I’m not sure how effective they are.”

One of the problems with the blog vbt is that you can’t measure sales very well. Certainly getting the word out any way possible is great, and blog posts stay put forever and can be found anytime.

However, I think there are several reasons the teleseminar type Virtual Book Tour that Alex Mandossian has created is most effective in selling books, and here they are:

• a teleseminar VBT adds “marketing intimacy” because people hear your voice. They hear your passion for your subject, and they feel they have a connection with you that’s not possible through reading a post online.
• a teleseminar VBT is an event, like a book signing, that people can attend. The live interview carries more excitement; it’s something they can attend. Yet, unlike a book signing that you have to physically go to, the attendees need only pick up the phone or log onto their computer. VBTs are very “green,” and with the cost of gas these days, that’s no small thing!
• the Virtual Book Tour System creates a way to begin a relationship with people (even before they buy your book), by allowing them to ask the author questions and giving their emeil address. This is HUGE. Readers interacting with authors, authors finding out what readers want to know, adds a beautiful new dimension to the whole process.
• the teleseminar VBT creates a “viral loop” for word of mouth promotion. It’s not a one-time event. The author can continue to promote the opportunity to ask questions, and can point people to the replay of the interview. Do it once, promote it forever. That’s the real secrets to the Virtual Book Tour System.

To find out more about how all this works from the one who invented it, Alex Mandossian, sign up for the Virtual Book Tour System Preview Call that’s TONIGHT. (If you can’t make it, you will have access to the replay–forever.)

I have secured a $79 VIP discount for you. Plus, when you sign up here, you will receive a copy of my Special Report, “How to Choose Your Bestselling Title,” a $14.95 value.

For $20, you get $113.95 worth of training in how to market your book or information product. I assure you, you won’t be disappointed!

Do you ever feel paralyzed when you look at your email inbox?

I sometimes do. There’s just too much to keep up with.

I sometimes long for the days before email, blogs, all the information over-glut. (Gee,what was that like?)

Yet, I have learned much through all the available media. It’s a double-edged sword.

The complication is, how do you know whom to trust? There’s so much HYPE, especially on the Internet.

So, here’s what I do.

I decide on a few “most trusted advisers.” I test them out, and if they’re “the real deal,” I tune in to them, and I tune out the rest.

I read their newsletters, blogs, emails.

I only read them after I get my own most-critical tasks for the day done. (If you take Simpleology, you know that Joyner advises you to take care of your daily targets before even reading email. When I follow that advice, I get much more done.)

If I never get to them–oh well. They pile up, and maybe I read them, maybe I don’t.

If I miss something important–oh well. At least I’m focusing on my most important targets.

I learned from Michael Masterson (one of my mentors) that you just have to pick your “gurus.” Find the experts in whatever field you happen to need to learn about, people with whom you resonate, and let the rest go.

I have my Internet marketing mentors, my publishing mentors, my business mentors.

I’m very selective about whom I add to my list. I look for people whose style resonates with my own, who operate with integrity, and whose results are real-world.

I hope, of course, to become one of your “most-trusted advisors” concerning writng, publishing, marketing and promoting books and other information products.

The people I recommend are my own “most trusted advisors.” People I know personally, and whom I’ve had the opportunity to “test.”

I hope I, and the people I recommend, will help you cut down on “information overwhelm.” No hype, no fluff, just the real deal, as best as I can judge.

By the way, one such mentor is Alex Mandossian. Find out why here–and how you can get more than $14,600 in marketing education from Alex and me, for 1/10th of the price.

(Comments, anyone? How do you handle information overload? Who are your most-trusted advisers?)

Just wanted to make sure you knew that when you sign up for the Virtual Book Tour Preview Call–which is this Thursday–you get a special bonus from me: the “How to Choose Your Bestselling Title” Special Report.

Some of the things I cover in this Special Report include:

• the 5 characteristics of a bestselling title
• 7 criteria for choosing your best title (and the minimum number you should shoot for)
• The different “jobs” your title and subtitle must do. Miss even one, and your book is likely doomed.
• 12 places to go for great title ideas (including some super-secret places only top copywriters know about)
• The killer criteria that trumps all others when you test your title
• How to create a “swipe file” of bestselling titles from which to brainstorm your own
• How to use your research to create templates of best-selling titles you can use over again, not just for your title, but for marketing as well
• 7 fun ways to test your titles and come up with the winner that you can be sure will sell your book
• a way to test your title idea and make money at the same time (this secret could bring you more income than if you had a traditionally-published book–for a fraction of the time you invest in writing!)
• 7 action steps for choosing your bestselling title

Of course, you can always get this for $14.95 here.

Or, you can use my VIP discount ($79 off) and sign up for the Preview Call for $20, and get essentially $113.95 of training for a mere $20.

If marketing books and information products interests you, I encourage you to sign up for the Preview Call.

Even if you can’t make the live call, the recording will be available to you for life.