Most Efficient Way to Market a Book?

Q: “You’re one of the few people whose emails I have not deleted because I get so many. Could you refer me to info on Wordpress and give me your opinion on blogspot or something like that an acquaintance told me about, a service that will get your blog out there and connect you with those who could be potential buyers of the books God has given me to write? My goal is to use the least possible amount of time in marketing since I am called to write a number of new books. Any ideas on how to get the info out to potential buyers?”

A: I definitely prefer Wordpress blogs to blogspot for a number of reasons, which I think I’ve mentioned frequently on my blog and articles. (You can search my sites if you like.) The best help for WP blogs comes from Cathy Perkins, The Wordpress Wizard.

I think your friend is talking about a blog virtual book tour. I’ve heard mixed reviews from authors about the effectiveness about these kinds of virtual book tours. Some really like them; others say they haven’t sold manybooks through them. I have not heard hard results.

I think the kind of VBT I do are the most effective. Check out www.virtualbooktourexpert.com for all the reasons and how it all works, in detail. These kind of VBTs are effective for building a list (one of the primary things you need to do), word of mouth (it’s built into the whole system), showing your “stuff” to the media. In fact, an editor from a national magazine listened in on the last VBT I did, on The Gluten Effect, and the next day contacted the author to do an interview. VBTs of this kind show media that you know what you’re talking about, that you’re articulate in an interview. You can an should put your VBT on a media page on your author website.

A VBT can take your list from 38 to 200 in a week, as it did one author. And the list continues to build, especially if you promote it the way I teach (social networks, articles, a blog).

So I really like Virtual Book Tours the way I do them (which is why I do them). A VBT can become the centerpiece of your marketing and leverage all your other efforts.Sort of the anchor for everything else you do. They don’t require much from you, either. You basically record a few brief audios, give me your book, and I do the rest. You show up and get excited about your book and answer questions from real people. You can do these in your pajamas–no travel or looking your best. You’ve probably listened to some of mine but if not, there are lots of samples on my VBT site.

Keep in mind that you do need a mult-prong approach with your marketing. I also like Twitter. It’s fun, easy, and you can make some really nice connections. (If you don’t have my free report on how to get started with Twitter in 10 minutes or less, get it here.) There’s also Facebook, of course, and other social media sites.

I am working on a course that will give a comprehensive view of how to market. No way around it; you can’t just write books, you do have to market them. From someone who once hated that thought, was even very scared by it, I now thoroughly enjoy that aspect, and hope to help other authors come to see that it’s fun and essential.

I would say, concentrate on what feels like “play,” what you enjoy doing, and major in that. If you like to write, then blog and do articles. Those can take you far. If you like to connect, do social media and publicity. If you like to speak, speak and do teleseminars. Any of these can be very, very effective.