Marketing E-books -tips

Mutley

I'm starting this thread for all the ebook publishers to discuss marketing and some of the particular issues attached to not having a paper copy to market. Can we use it to share ideas and how we have overcome some of the issues.

I have been sending out pdf complimentary copies to try to get some reviews. As mine is very London centric I have so far focussed on London review websites, The Standard, Metro and am now compiling a list of who is next. I've sent it to Boris Johnson too :) as I mention him in it by name.

I was wondering about doing a Youtube video but I have no idea where to start.

(I'd be interested to hear how guest blog posts have gone for others - amongst other things.)

Phots Moll

Could you have a competition with a free copy as a prize?

Rosalie

What a great idea for a thread, Mutley. I'll be following avidly.

Webbo

Mutley - I'm very pleased to say we've got a piece on creating your own video for Youtube in the July issue, out on 2 June.

LadyRenate

I will be keeping an eye on this one to help me market my ebook. :)

LilyC

Great idea for a thread Mutley.

I've blogged about Magenta Shaman, and posted the first batch of reviews on the blog too. I was interviewed by Erin Cole on her blog where I announced the book was about to come out. Richard Godwin - author of Apostle Rising - keeps asking for an interview so I hope to do that soon.

I've had some postcards printed that I'm going to leave in various places! We have a Culture magazine in Eastbourne and I plan to contact/send an article or press release to other newspapers and magazines too. The writers' group I belong to has published details about it in their newsletter and I've offered to write some guidelines and/or do a talk on my experiences.

I'd be really interested to hear how you get on with doing a YouTube trailer Mutley. It seems to be very popular - I've seen some great ones.

LadyRenate

Living in Portugal, writing in English and being Dutch, I'm not sure who to approach (since you mention magazines and local press, Lily).

LilyC

Are there any English and/or Dutch newspapers where you live MM?

I was given a tip by a seasoned journalist who said when you launch your book don't just send your promo articles and press-releases to local papers and mags but also to the newspapers from the town and area where you were born, where you were brought up, where you went to college, got married etc. For me - that's the same place! But for cosmopolitan writers such as yourself, it could give you a much wider audience.

Jenthom72

Great idea for a discussion. I'm considering epublishing myself.

You could try following book reviewers on Twitter and if they follow you back asking them to review your book. It may just be on small blogs and review sites, but if its an ebook all its costing is your time.

Lou Treleaven

I've already done a YouTube trailer for my book Grindle even though it's not published yet! I thought it might get some interest going, and also when I send out my ms I include a link to my blog which has the video embedded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8vHMpoVQp8

Lou Treleaven

I should add it's a YA horror book about a possessed doll from an old 1970s children's programme!

LilyC

Loved it Lou. Sweet and spooky. How did you do it?

Mutley

If you are pitching to blogs, how do you work out the ones worth pitching to and how do you prevent breaches of copyright? It's easy to send out electronic review copies and it's all too easy for people to reproduce sections without your permission. I was searching for 'transport' blogs that are current and live that might be worth pitching to and was horrified to see some of the obvious breaches of copyright that occur even at a brief glance. Am I worrying too much?

LilyC

Interesting point. I'd suss the blogs out first, and also see whether they have
"This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License." logo which links to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/.

See Col's Thriller Killers 'n' Chillers site for how the logo displays http://thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com

LilyC

I saw an interesting post on Twitter earlier by Daniel I. Russell called 'The heavy hand of Smashwords' about Smashwords not allowing serialised works. This seriously affects my plans for Magenta Shaman so will continue with Kindle only, then do a print version after 10 or 12 episodes on Createspace.

The article's at http://networkedblogs.com/ieUVO (Be warned - there's a spider on the cover of his book!)

Lou Treleaven

[quote=LilyC]How did you do it?[/quote]

Just distorted some photos and put them on Windows Movie Maker, then added a speeded up soundtrack by yours truly plus the kids as backing singers!

LilyC

Brilliant! Your kids can really sing!

Nefertari

I've put a film haiku competition on my blog winner, will get a free copy of my ebook Body Trapped
http://shirleysblogonherwritingandstuff.blogspot.com/

Mutley

[quote=LilyC](Be warned - there's a spider on the cover of his book!)[/quote]

That's quite a spider - very useful Lily - have you put it on the main thread about e publishing too as we all need to be aware of that one?

Mutley

[quote=LilyC]"This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License." logo which links to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/.
[/quote]

Interesting point - shouldn't the assumption be that all work without that is the copyright of the owner and not to be copied? I don't want to find my work reused even if attributed. If they want to link to my original then fine but otherwise surely they should only use with permission? (Am I being old fashioned?)

Jay Mandal

[quote=LilyC]about Smashwords not allowing serialised works[/quote]

The information thread

Kindle Direct, Smashwords and publishing information

mentions incomplete works and gives the Smashwords website.

Hopefully they'll change their policy.

Mutley

I have sent out press releases saying 'local author', 'Leicestershire born author', 'former Finance director, 'person who just drove past one time...,' - local papers, radio, ebook sites, facebook groups, Boris Johnson - I'm even trying a Facebook ad campaign - it's a toe in the water job at the moment to see if it does anything. What I would really like to do is have an ad on the side of a London bus, but unless I win the lottery that isn't going to be happening anytime soon. I'd like to advertise on the Tube itself but that costs even more.

I've redesigned my websites to incorporate the Facebook like option and am looking at being able to sell downloads direct to the public through my sites. I will be working on that over the next month or two.

I now have 2 books on Kindle and am editing a third ready to load in the next month or so.

Jay Mandal

Best of luck!

Rosalie

Mutely, am reading your book on my Kindle (enjoying it, by the way) and it struck me that you should try to publicise it on some tourist sites overseas - catch people planning to come to London on holiday...

Good luck, anyway.

Mutley

What a great idea, Rosalie - thank you. (Can you do an Amazon review when you finish it, please?)

pbw

Your video is brilliant, Lou.

Rosalie

Will do, Mutley.

Mutley

I have just ordered business cards with the book cover and the web address from Vista print - £4 for 500 - seemed a good deal until I added cost of uploading my image, postage and tax. Ended up at £13.53 - I just hope I can generate some sales!

Nefertari

Lee, the main character in my book Body Trapped,( who is now in Gary's body), is writing a sequel here to part one of Body Trapped.


http://www.thoughts.com/iwantmybodyback

And you can win a copy of my eBook Body Trapped! Write a film haiku ( 5-7-5) syllables and post in comments.
Closing date June 30th.

http://shirleysblogonherwritingandstuff.blogspot.com/2011/05/write-haiku-and-win-free-copy-of-my.html


Hoping the above may generate some sales of Body Trapped available on Kindle and Smashwords

Rosalie

What great ideas, Kateyanne.

Rosalie

Mutley, I know what you mean. I'm sure Vista rely on that to generate sales. They keep bombarding me now with 'free' offers, which are not free at all when you add tax, postage, etc. But I have had some lovely postcards from them, with the cover of Chloe on one side, details of the book and excerpts from reviews on the other. People seem to like them and I've had some sales as a result.

Good luck with your sales.

Rosalie

In fact perhaps we should all be learning from Vista's advertising techniques... :)

Jenthom72

Also caught out by Vista Print and their 'free card offer.'

Lou, you're video looks very professional. Not to mention creepy.

Seaview

[quote=kateyanne]And you can win a copy of my eBook Body Trapped! Write a film haiku ( 5-7-5) syllables and post in comments.
Closing date June 30th.[/quote]

Just entered mine, Kateyanne!

Nefertari

Cool! Will go and take a look.