ONLINE OR OFFLINE - WHICH IS

THE BEST WAY TO PROMOTE YOUR BOOK? 

Decisions. Decisions. Where do you put your effort…and your dollars as well if you plan to use paid advertising. This is especially important if you are targeting a niche audience.  

In a recent report labeled “Information Searches That Solve Problems,” the Pew Internet & American Life Project offers some valuable information to help you plan a promotional campaign. 

If you decide to use the Internet exclusively, you will lose the approximately one quarter of the American population that has no Internet accessibility.  

Among U.S. adults, 55% use broadband from their homes, another 9% use it at work and 13% still operate with dial-up. The proportion of households using computers is about the median number worldwide. South Korea tops the world with 80% and Canada leads the Western Hemisphere with 63% of computer literate households.   

According to the study, non users are generally older, fall into the lower income brackets and have less education. 

WHO USES WHICH AND WHY? 

Supplementing the Pew study is a definitive look at mixed media use by different age groups that can further impact your choice of media when you promote. A study completed for Lumin Collaborative revealed that only 39% of boomers (age 42-62) turn to the Internet when seeking information on products compared to 53% of Generation Xers (32-41) and 60% of Echo Boomers (18 to 31). 

The younger categories also spend far more time surfing the Web than they spend watching TV or listening to the radio. The reverse is true of Boomers, the report states. 

Those stats were basically confirmed by a Deloitte & Touche analysis of the categories of advertising that motivated consumers to visit a web site. It demonstrated that members of the Boomer group as well as Matures, which it defines as ages 61 to 75, frequently turn to a web site as a result of reading or listening to offline media. Members of the younger groups are far more likely to be directed to a site by another site or by a search engine.   

For those of you interested in pursuing these distinctions more exactingly, eMarketer, which reported on these two studies, has produced its own study “Baby Boomers and Silver Surfers: Two Generations Online. You can obtain it by clicking onto www.emarketer.com. 
 

Charlie’s Choice

Weekly Tips to Help You Write

Publish and Promote Your Work   

DISTRIBUTE ARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE WEB

TO REACH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SURFERS 

Does your mailing list need some hype? Has traffic to your web site tapered off?

Have sales slowed to a crawl?  

There’s no better cure for these maladies than cranking out a handful of informative articles and distributing them to the millions of hungry surfers roaming the Web. Make sure they’re relevant to your topic, and provide the reader with a way to link back to your site.  

If you’ve done it right, the surge in traffic will astound you. If you’re selling on your site, the jingle of the cash register will be some of the most enriching music you hear. 

Amazing Exposure 

Don’t try and do the distribution job yourself. There are a number of content distributors who will do it for you and far more effectively. Many have no fees; others charge minimal amounts. In less time than it would take you to reach three or four other web sites and offer them your article, these distributors will make your work available to millions. Yes, truly millions throughout the Web. 

Just look at some of these figures. www.ezinearticles.com, a high quality distributor that takes great pride in the content it sends out, claims hundreds of thousands visitors daily. It services 50,000 RSS feeds and 400 e-mail alert lists which translates in huge numbers of potential readers. And it’s free…that is, if your work passes muster from the review board.  

www.Isnare.com  is another outstanding distributor that sends your work to 40,000 publishers, 150 e-mail groups, 1,000-plus sites and hundreds of articles directories. Easy to use and an excellent producer, isnare charges a very minimal fee. For a $2 charge for each article and even less if you produce more than ten articles, your content reach is enormous. 

Each directory styles its articles to please the audience it has developed. Follow the guidelines supplied by the one you choose. Looking through the list of subjects they feature will give you an insight into the audience they reach 

In every case keep your articles simple, short and direct, and surfers will respond in surprising numbers. They are hungry seekers of new information. They want to receive it quickly and accurately. 

Look at these Benefits 

• DEVELOP A REPUTATION AS AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD. Once people begin to see your name on articles in the subject they care most about, they will turn to you as an expert to seek more information. But your work must be accurate and informative.  
  
• BUILD TRAFFIC BY ATTRACTING LINKS AND LEADS TO YOUR WEB SITE. When a reader responds to the link you place in your bio box, that person is interested specifically in what you are writing about. In web lingo, they are prequalified prospects for either subscriptions or purchases.  
  
• INCREASE YOUR SALES BY DRAWING FROM A LARGER PREQUALIFIED POOL. Just attracting casual surfers to your site does not necessarily result in higher sales. But when you draw in prequalified prospects, you will find your rate of conversion will soar. They are the category of respondents that every marketer dreams of because they are presold before they ever click on your site.  
  
• PUBLISHED ARTICLES TELL A FAR MORE EFFECTIVE STORY THAN PAID ADS. Surfers are often skeptical of paid ads that can state anything the sponsor wants them to. But when they read an article, they see for themselves whether or not you are worth contacting.  
  
• YOUR ARTICLES CAN SERVE AS VERY EFFECTIVE ADVERTISEMENTS. A paid ad will be seen only by those surfers looking at the site on which it appears. The combination of spam regulations and the time and effort it takes to place your ad on a number of sites limits your ability to reach mass audiences. By releasing your articles through qualified distributors your “article/ad” will appear in newsletters and on web sites throughout the Internet.  
  
• USING DISTRIBUTORS WILL ATTRACT CUSTOMERS FROM A HUGE VARIETY OF WEB SITES AND NEWSLETTERS WHO MIGHT NOT NORMALLY LAND ON THE  INDIVIDUAL SITES TO WHICH YOU SEND YOUR ARTICLES. Like a fisherman, when you cast a wider net, you automatically increase your catch. The Web Sea is full of millions of fish. Why not reach out for as many as you can?  
  
• FORGET COLD CALLS AND OTHER ONE-ON-ONE PITCHES. Using articles is a far more subtle way (and a lot easier) to induce a potential to buy your book or subscribe to your newsletter. If the reader gains valuable information the likelihood is he/she will visit your site and be far more accepting when you launch the “hard sell.”  
  
• ARTICLES THAT CONTINUE TO RUN ASSURE A LASTING FLOW OF TRAFFIC TO YOUR SITE.  Paid ads have a very short life span, but many distributors and even end users run articles for lengthy periods of time as long as they remain relevant and current. While the initial surge you experienced will diminish, a steady flow of traffic will likely continue.  
  

So crank up your computer and begin turning out meaningful articles. You will be overwhelmed by the response.  

Next week Charlie’s Choice will show you how to develop your article into a magnet, attracting readers to your site. See you then.  

AT LAST A BIT OF PROGRESS

ON THE LIBEL PROTECTION FRONT 

At a press conference on the steps of the New York Public Library, New York State officials announced the creation of new libel legislation that will help protect authors whose books are published in foreign countries  

The state is amending its civil code to prohibit enforcement of a foreign libel judgment unless a state court determines that it satisfies issues of free speech and press protection guaranteed by the United States and the New York Constitutions. 

The change is the result of American author Rachel Ehrenfeld’s lawsuit to declare unenforceable a British libel judgment against her. The Association of American Publishers joined the fray, filing a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Ehrenfeld. The case created widespread awareness of what is called “libel tourism” in which litigants bring baseless lawsuits against American authors in plaintiff-friendly foreign courts.

A GREAT NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR AUTHORS

TO OBTAIN INTERNATIONAL PUBLICITY 

Borders has announced it is going online with a broadside of video and audio, timed to the re-launch of its own online retail store in the spring. It will simultaneously launch an Internet television channel that will feature book news, author interviews and an innovative program to showcase videos of readers reviewing books. 

In addition to the channel at www.borders.co.uk, the content will be e-mailed weekly to 700,000 Borders customers and will be produced every day on satellite TV channel Simply TV (Sky channel 196).  

The revamped retail site will also offer relevant videos to help customers select the perfect book to suit their needs. They’ll be presented in high resolution through a Flash media player.   

Simply Media, producer of www.bookzone.tv, is teaming up with Borders on this new program to produce a weekly edition of Borders Book Zone.  

HOUSE PARTIES – A GREAT NEW VENUE FOR BOOK SALES 

They’re a step child of the book club phenomenon. A spin-off of the Tupperware party. And a novel way to spread the word about your new book. 

Reporter Lynn Andriani attended a home party for The Middle Place, a January Book Sense pick, and wrote a delightful article describing it in Publishers Weekly. 

Comfortably seated in the living room or den, sipping coffee and munching on pastries participants chat directly with the author and buy books. 

Home parties like these have proved extremely successful for sales of pots and pans and for cosmetics. Politicos use the technique to raise big bucks for their campaigns. Why not books? 

This can be a very effective tool when you find friends, neighbors and other acquaintances in your home town area willing to host events. It can also work well on tour whenever you have contacts in the communities you visit who agree to serve as hosts.    

You can supply your own copies and sell them directly or you can arrange with a local bookstore to be the supplier. While it’s a bit more trouble, when you sell directly, the entire profit is yours. The house party can be a superb word-of-mouth generator as well. 
 

DESPITE ANTICIPATED RECESSION, GOLDMAN SACHS

SAYS THE INTERNET IS STILL“ATTRACTIVE” 
 

Those of you who rely on your web site to produce sales for your books can take heart from the latest prediction by Goldman Sachs. With the “R” word all the rage these days among economists, the prestigious investment firm believes the Internet will remain strong despite the fact that the general economy will slip into recession. 

The Goldman experts predict a modest contracting of the economy through the latter part of this year, recovering slowly during 2009. They did stress that it would be “relatively mild by historical standards” and will last less than a full year. 

The Internet is considered an “attractive” segment of the media and communications industries. Goldman recommends staying away from companies that rely on advertising, such as print media and broadcast. 

Charlie’s Choice

Weekly Tips to Help You Write

Publish and Promote Your Work 

THE EBOOK – A TWO PRONGED WINNER

GAIN RECOGNITION AND BOLSTER YOUR TREASURY 

They’re a great tool for anyone who is a relatively competent writer. Most eBooks are short, so they can be written quickly once you’ve done the research. You don’t need a publisher, and you don’t have to worry about press runs. 

They cost nothing to create, but they bring in 100% profit when sold. When distributed free, as many are, they are marvelous tools for branding yourself and developing your reputation as an expert in the subject you write about. By placing links in the book, you’ll create traffic to your web site or your blog.

Not a bad return for the modest effort it takes to turn out 40 to 50 pages of  text. But you better make sure that text is informative and well written. 

Picking the Subject 

Before you take any step forward in planning the book, determine exactly who your audience is. Realize that these are people who are already involved with the subject you write about. They’re hungry for more information, so in essence can be considered to be pre-sold customers. 

You can write on anything at all if you have the knowledge. I suggest staying within the subject matter of your web site and print book, if you have either or both of these. First off, you’ll be writing on a topic you know and understand. And second, the eBook will serve as a magnet attracting visitors to your site and readers to your print book. 

As you design your approach, frame several questions that you think potential readers would ask. Incorporate words and phrases (keywords) that they might use when they search for info on the subject. You may even want to pose the question in your lead paragraph, and then go on to answer it in the text of your book. 

Keep your book tight and concise. It is very different from crafting a print book. Don’t wander. Stay on point throughout. This is an eBook, read by people in hurry to find information. Keep in mind a slight variation of the famous commercial, “It’s the info, stupid.” 

Writing the Book 

Be casual and warm in your writing. Avoid the pomposity of many non-fiction books. Imagine you are talking with a friend, and then write with a conversational tone. Remember the goal of an eBook is to impart information. While your goal whenever you write should be quality, eBook style should be straight forward and simple to read and digest.  

Since you are assuming the role of an expert when you write your eBook, readers will expect professionalism from you. Typos, misspellings, improper grammar and poor punctuation will reflect upon your content, allowing readers to lose confidence in you. 

The title is the hook that catches your potential reader, so spend some time developing a punchy, informative welcome. Whenever possible include keywords.  Always indicate a benefit to your readers to impel them to continue on. Tell them as forthrightly as possible how and what they will gain from reading your book. 

Appearance Is Important 

Just as in print books, the cover of your eBook will be a major factor in its rate of sale. If you are offering it for sale through one of the directories, an attractive cover is most important. The presentation on the directory web site usually includes it.  

Cover designers are available. You may find a number of them on the Web or through the directory web sites I have listed at the end of this column. The cost of a professional design may well be the best investment you make. 

The format of an eBook differs from that of print documents. Reading on a computer screen or from a hand-held device is more difficult than reading from a printed page. Be aware of spacing between the lines to allow the words to stand out.  

San serif typefaces require greater spacing (leading as we call it) than type that contains serifs. As you expand margins, leading should increase proportionately. You’ll also want more white space between the lines if you increase the size of the type. 

It is imperative that you help readers stay organized by numbering pages, but be wary of headers and footers that can easily distract a reader. Keep the type size smaller than the text. Make the headers and footers as unobtrusive as possible to avoid confusing or distracting your readers. 

Some eBook directories insist upon a specific format, although most accept PDF format. Check for writer’s guidelines before you begin. There also may well be other requirements in terms of layout, style etc. (www.e-book-zone.com explains various formats in its author’s section.) 

For a more extensive discussion of eBook design and formatting, click on Roger C. Parker in your favorite search engine. He is one of the foremost experts in desk top design, and has written several articles that deal specifically with eBooks. (Search Roger C Parker on eBook Design.) 

Marketing Your EBook 

Begin by developing a web site if you don’t already have one. It’s the base you need to promote and to sell your book. You must always include a link back to your site (preferably to a specific landing page on the site) in your book. 

Compose articles that relate to the subject of your eBook and send them to article distributors for circulation throughout the Web. Also send them to web sites that deal with the subject. All articles that you write should include a link back in the bio section. They should also contain keywords similar to the ones you use in the eBook. 

The web site also serves as your base as you participate in social networking with groups like You Tube and Facebook. 

In addition to selling it yourself, send your eBook to selected directories. Some are free, other charge a modest amount. The important concern is to get your book out there where the public can respond.  

Several quality directories are www.mindlikewater.com, www.e-book-zone.com and

www.free-ebooks.net. The first two also offer links to cover designers and formatters.

Click on “EBook Directories” on your favorite search engine to find many more. 

Here’s to success with your writing until we meet again next week. 

2007 RANKINGS FROM NIELSEN BOOK SCAN 

We all follow the best seller lists from week to week. Here are several charts that I thought would be of interest to you because they summarize book popularity for the entire year.  

Top 10 Book Sales - Adult Non Fiction 
January 1 - December 23, 2007

Source: Nielsen BookScan. Data does not include sales from Wal-Mart, Sam's, BJ's, airports or libraries. 
 
Top 10 Book Sales - Adult Fiction 
January 1 - December 23, 2007

Source: Nielsen BookScan. Data does not include sales from Wal-Mart, Sam's, BJ's, airports or libraries. 
 
Top 10 Audio Books 
January 1 - December 23, 2007

Source: Nielsen BookScan. Data does not include sales from Wal-Mart, Sam's, BJ's, airports or libraries.

.

And for those of you devotees of the Web, here is Nielsen’s listing of the top ranked U.S. web sites based on unique visits in 2007.

WEB SITES IN THE UNITED STATES

Rank      Site                              Av Monthly Unique Audience

1.         Google                                        110,162

2.         Yahoo                                        105,111

3.          MSN/WindowsLive                   96,501

4.          Microsoft                                   94,856       

5.          AOLMediaNetwork                  91,053 

6.          FoxInteractiveMedia                  64,648

7.          eBay                                          56,586

8.          You Tube                                  49,815

9.           Wikipedia                                 45,496

10.          Apple                                      43,495      

ARE YOU SHORTCHANGING YOUR WEB SITE SALES? 

America’s love of credit buying has expanded the possibilities for selling your book on the Web. Although 85% of Internet transactions are paid with a debit or credit card, according to Javelin Strategy and Research, three out of ten major online retailers offered their customer alternative methods of paying. That’s an increase of 24% over a year ago, according to the study conducted by online consultant Brulant. 

Bill-Me-Later a Popular Alternative 

Brulant reports that more than one-fifth of online retailers offered a program called Bill-Me-Later, the most popular alternative payment system used by the majors. It has been in business for a

period of five years.  

One of several alternatives, the company allows shoppers to make purchases at cooperating retailers simply by signing. The purchase is charged to the customer’s line of credit. The bill can be paid when it is sent by Bill-Me-Later or payment can be delayed until the end of the month. Fees for this service are paid by both the customer and the retailer. The merchant’s share is 1.5% of the transaction price plus 15 cents. 

PayPal the Best Known System 

The oldest and best known payment system is operated by PayPal, a division of eBay Inc. It offers several options to customers, including its own line of credit program. Its popularity stems from the highly secure method with which it handles credit card transactions (50% of  the sales it handles) and the resulting confidence it has developed in the consuming public.. 

The company also processes payments directly for subscribers to its service. Costs to the merchants runs from 1.9% to 2.9% of the sales plus 30 cents when credit cards are processed. There is no fee for sales to PayPal subscribers. There are no monthly or set-up fees. 

While it has been the preeminent pay system overall, PayPal’s line of credit program ran a close second to Bill-Me-Later with 19% of online retailers offering it this past holiday season. 

Google the New Boy on the Block 

With a growth rate that saw its customer base double this year, Google Checkout now serves one out of ten online merchants.  Like PayPal, it does not charge a monthly or a set-up fee. The site processes credit card purchases for 2% plus 20 cents per transaction, and assures customers that processing is absolutely safe.  

For those of you who run Adwords on your site, the price can drop further. Google offers $10 of free transactions for every dollar you spend on Adwords. There are a number of other advantages offered including guaranteed sales. 

While there are many merchant programs available, these seem to be the most popular in their specific categories. All three offer detailed web sites with lots of information. Why not run a comparison with the system you’re using? It may make sense to add a line of credit program to supplement your credit card sales.