How to Get the Most Out of Your Social Media Marketing Campaign- By Nancy Parker

In today's post, I want to introduce you to Nancy Parker, author and contributor to www.enannysource.com. In today's post, Nancy will give some sound advice on getting the most from your social media marketing campaign. One of the things I love about this blog is the opportunity to work with a variety of authors, voices, and book marketing insights. After you read Nancy's post, be sure to check out other posts by authors and expert book marketers. The "Search This Blog" field on the right will bring you a wealth of information.

I have one big announcement to make about The Samson Effect. I just found a professional narrator out of Chicago with an amazing voice to create the audio version of The Samson Effect. The Kindle version has increased it's sales in the US and in the UK, and the audio version will expand it's reach. If you have Audible, you'll be able to buy the Audio version in a few months. If you have iTunes, it will be available there as well.

The narrator's name is Joe Cirillo. You can read his impressive resume and hear samples of his work on his website, www.joecirilloproductions.com. Once Joe finishes his current audio book, he'll start on mine. When you hear his voice, I'm sure you'll agree that he has a voice worth waiting for. If you are interested in having Joe turn your written baby into an audio book, feel free to contact him through his website to see if it's a good fit for both you and him.

Now, on to Nancy's post...




How to Get the Most Out of Your Social Media Marketing Campaign
Nancy Parker

Social media marketing has a mixed reputation on the Internet. While some may view it as a waste of time, others swear by its usefulness. Realistically, it's hard to view it as anything but useful. It is a way to engage potentially millions of visitors without putting much effort into the experience. As continuation of your business is important, it would be foolish not to explore every possibility for growth.

Most social media marketing campaigns require a very little amount of monetary investment if any. Most of the social sites are free to use and if properly maintained, have great potential for growing your presence on the Internet. However, you just simply can't build a social profile and expect it to do well as many so-called search engine marketing professionals do. It needs constant development.

1. Profile - Completing a profile tailored to your business helps people understand what it is your company does. Simply putting the business name with a picture on Facebook doesn't offer any information aside from how to spell the name correctly. Offering every bit of information possible can help develop a fan-base. An empty profile on Facebook and other sites is akin to writing your name with a phone number on a piece of paper stuck to the cork-board at the laundromat. No one knows what you do, but there is a phone number.

2. Content - Constantly adding content to your social media profile keeps visitors coming and fans apprised of business changes. For YouTube, regularly weekly videos can keep the content fresh and visitors watching. Posting updates and discounts in Facebook can help current customers and potential new ones spending money with your company. Regularly posted images of your business practices could keep people following your Pinterest page. You can't simply let the account sit idle and expect thousands of visitors to come flocking to your website or business. It may be a slow gain at first, but most successful business started at that same level.

3. Time Management - The most magnificent aspect of building a social media marketing campaign is the fact that there doesn't need to be money involved in any fashion. It is free to create a profile and share information. Your social media presence can be maintained by yourself or you can have a staff member dedicate one hour of time per day to this cause. An hour per day can make a great impact as it doesn't take long to create business related content for your timeline or a quick video for your channel. The more activity your social media profile has, the greater the impact your campaign will have on the population. As there are many methods in which social media profiles can make money themselves, it's an investment of one hour per day to increase your revenues.

4. Skill Matching - One of the best ways to increase the potential of any campaign is to match the social site with the prospective skill set of the one maintaining the account. For instance, if you have a staff member who is interested in photography or graphic design, Pinterest would be the account they manage. If the staff member is interested in create video productions, obviously YouTube would be his or her cup of tea. It is easier to produce amazing content if the process is being performed by one who enjoys it in the first place.

Regardless of your methods, investing time towards your social marketing campaigns can pay off greater than skeptics realize. As long as your profile is consistent with updates and content, interest will continue to mount. Don't waste a free opportunity to strengthen your presence because some lack the responsibility to continue working social media content.


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Nancy Parker is a regular contributor to www.enannysource.com and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com










  













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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.

Great Marketing Tips for Authors By Jason Miner

In today's post, I welcome Jason Miner of blogcarnival.com. Jason has generously agreed to share his thoughts with my readers on book marketing. His post distills the essence of book marketing. After reading his post, I encourage you to search this blog for many ideas on how you can execute on each of his points. With over 500 posts written by me and a host of experts, I'm confident that you'll find more ideas than you can use!

Good luck with your personal book marketing endeavors!


Great Marketing Tips for Authors 
By Jason Miner

Writing is a difficult and tense activity; when an author finally completes a book, it is essential to market the book properly. Failure to attempt any brand of marketing may imply that the book will not sell. The information below may help an author market a book to a wide audience.

1. Engage with Readers - If a person wishes to attract attention, it is vital for an author to talk to readers and potential readers. He or she should engage in conversations and avoid appearing antisocial. Some people may assume that an author is not worthy of attention if the author is not willing to socialize with the public. An author should attempt to attend as many events as possible. When an author receives an email, he or she should answer it in a timely manner. The reply does not have to consist of several paragraphs; it is enough to acknowledge the email.

2. Establish a Personality - Many authors are aware of the fact that a personality is crucial in order to succeed. An author cannot hope to attract an audience if he or she is not willing to display a mature character. For example, an author who wishes to sell a romance novel should not behave in a childish manner. Readers will be able to connect with a personality, and they will be able to see the author as a person. It may take a long time to develop a character; however, it is worth the effort.

3. Create a Website - It is not enough to talk to people; if an author wishes to make a mark on the reading world, it is a terrific idea to create a website. Some publishing companies handle creating a website; however, authors who publish without help should consider taking on the task. It is important to hire a website designer and plan the layout before making the website available to the public. An interesting website helps sell books in the long run, and it does not take a long time to create an online outlet.


4. Find Distributors - It is not unusual for an author to have few distribution options; this is especially true for authors who reside in small communities. When a book is only available through a few venues, it is hard for an author to market and spread the word. An author should look for distributors and work to make a book available in stores. When a book is available in several areas, it is more likely that the book will sell. The author will receive profits. It is not possible to market a book unless it is available on a wider scale, and an author will cut back on stress.

Writing and printing a book is strenuous work; however, it is not enough to create a book. If an author wishes to be successful, it is vital to market the book. The information above may help a new or experienced author reach a wider audience. He or she will reap the benefits.




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Author Bio:
Jason Miner plays a vital role for www.blogcarnival.com.  He is an expert in writing topics of different categories.  He is helping the carnival team to grow & working on making this an even better place for bloggers.




  













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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.

What You Should Know About Book Covers That Your Publisher May Not Know- By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

I'm thrilled to have a veteran author of Marketing Tips For Authors back with us today. Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her publishing skills to us in this post by discussing the all-important book covers. She gives you 11 tips for you to consider regarding your book cover.

When you're done with the post, make sure you pick up a copy of her Frugal Book Promoter at http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo. It will give you the knowledge and tools needed to spread the word about your book.



What You Should Know About Book Covers That Your Publisher May Not Know
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

If you have a "traditional" publisher, or a publisher who does your book cover for you, do you really need to read this article on what makes a great book cover and the booboos too many authors and publishers make with their covers? All I can tell you is, I wish I had seen it before my first book was released!

These are your basic tenets for a book cover that SELLS:

1. Use a subtitle. It is your second chance to publicize your book right up front. Even books of fiction can benefit from a subtitle.

2. Use another subtitle on the back--not the same one as on the front. How many times in life do you get a third chance? This one will help sell your book to browsers who turn it over in bookstores to read the endorsements.

3. Use enticing blurbs on the back, with lots of space between and around them. Use bold typeface, a frame or some other graphic trick to make them stand out.

4. Don't use borders on the books covers. Sometimes the spine doesn't align well in production and it will look like Mondrian gone awry.

5. Having said that, use a bright color or one dark enough for your cover to stand out online. White gets lost or looks ghostly on an B&N.com sales page.

6. Use big letters on the spine. Make them read up and down if the title isn't too long, instead of making the reader twist his/her head to see it on the shelf.

7. Author bios needn't go on the back cover of your book. They do equally well in in the back matter and you'll have more space to convince readers of your expertise or credibility as a writer. 

8. An author's picture that tells more of a story than just a head shot is desirable. (If you would like to see an example of this, my picture is with my Great Dane, e-mail me at HoJoNews@aol.com and I'll send it to you. She is spotted and looks like an overgrown Dalmatian so she catches everyone's eye!) It should be taken by a professional. There are little things about shadows and the position of your head that an amateur photographer won't get right.

9. Make the title big. And your name. Look at the covers in bookstores. The real standouts are the ones that aren' t squeamish about shouting out these most important marketing tools. The title is at the top. The authors' name at bottom. Nora Roberts wouldn't put up with puny lettering, so why should you?

10. Discourage your publisher from using a template. Some subsidy-, partner, or independent publishers make their covers as similar as seeds from a thistle.

11. If you are independently published, consider using a real pro for you cover, not your uncle who happens to be a graphic designer but knows nothing about book covers per se. To get an idea of what great covers look like, visit http://chazdesimone.com or check out the cover on the second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter at http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo. And don't look at my novel. I'll do a better job with it when I republish it on my own.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Instructor for nearly a decade at the renowned UCLA Extension Writers' Program. Author of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally books including the second edition honored by USA BOOK NEWS
The Frugal Book Promoter ( http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo )










  













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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.

The Importance of Your Personal Brand By Maria Elena Duron

We've spent a lot of time on this blog discussing the importance of branding for authors. In today's guest post, Maria Elena Duron of Buzz2Bucks.com continues the discussion with her thoughts on author branding. When you're done reading her post, be sure to visit buzz2bucks.com to learn more about her and her firm.



The Importance of Your Personal Brand
By Maria Elena Duron

Developing your personal brand is an ongoing process. Regardless of the profession, there are certain methods and practices that each of us apply in order to improve visibility, develop network relationships, and ultimately attain our goals.

Developing your brand as an author

When it comes to developing a brand, have you ever considered yourself an author? You write your blogs, articles, and even social postings, don’t you? Most might think that an author writes books or essays, but it is very true that anyone with a brand is an author in some manner. As an author developing your personal brand, it is up to you to reach your audience and create a valuable relationship with them.

As most authors recognize, writing quality content is the best way to get attention. What does your audience want to hear? Do you speak clearly? Are you talking to your audience? You don’t want to deliver a message that goes over their heads. But, how does an author further build their personal
brand outside of creative content?

Understanding your purpose

What is it that you want to do with your brand? This pertains to specifics because in general the answer would be to become successful. So, it is up to you to find specific goals that you want your brand to achieve. After all, you won’t be able to get there if you don’t know where it is you’re going in the first place. Once you understand your goals; it is crucial to develop a plan to achieve them. We start by determining the destination, then deciding on a path, followed shortly by
the journey there.

Meeting the right people

Are you using networks (both online and personal) the right way to make the best contacts? Online, you need to focus on developing relationships with your readers and fellow audience rather than just working towards larger view numbers.

The more people know about you and are willing to endorse your brand, the more likely they are going to share you and your brand through word of mouth. All things considered; recommendations are perhaps the factor that leads to the greatest number of new readers online. If your content is good, recommendations will be made. Whether it is relevant to the reader or not, they are now at least aware of you and your brand.

Individuals who recommend you online or in person are perhaps your most valuable assets to building your brand. Not only are they your most faithful contacts or clients, they are the individuals who will openly share your content and brand with their own networks.

Do you have a business card? Though technology has created new horizons for networking, the face-to-face impression upon contacts is still based on the initial meeting. Business cards fill in the gap and pose as a reminder and a greeting tool to begin a relationship. While they may seem simple, they present an image of expertise and professionalism towards potential contacts.

The importance of developing your brand image, regardless of your profession, is essential to your success. Always work towards developing quality contacts and presenting the right image for your name with an effective brand-building approach.


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Maria Elena Duron, is CEO (chief engagement officer) of buzz2bucks.com – a word of mouth marketing firm. She helps create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand. Maria Duron is co-founder and moderator of #brandchat - a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of branding that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.




  













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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.

Master Your Marketing: Leveraging Social Media By Todd Hendrickson

In today's post, guest author Todd Hendrickson will share his knowledge on the role social media marketing plays in the way you get the message out about your business and brand. Since starting the blog in 2009, I've always looked for ways that authors could learn marketing techniques that people in any business can use.

It's often a foreign concept to many new authors that their book can be looked at as a product, but in a sense, that's exactly what it is. The same marketing techniques that help other products can help get the word out about your book as well. Todd has a lot of great ideas for you as you look to flesh out your book marketing plan.
(Image: cc licensed ( BY NC SD ) by giulia.forsythe)


Master Your Marketing: Leveraging Social Media
By Todd Hendrickson



Social Media is changing the way we interact, communicate, and the way we do business. The question any business should be asking themselves is how they can integrate social media into their marketing, and why is social media such an important part of a marketing strategy.

Follow the Leader

According to Forbes.com, 94% of all businesses that keep a marketing department integrate one of the three major social media platforms (Twitter, Google+, and Facebook) into their marketing strategies. If this many companies recognize the value of social media in marketing, it would be a step backwards for a company to ignore social media.

Hitting the Target

Social media is used by all ages of people, but the core demographic still tends to be the 20-35 range that most marketers target on the major platforms. That being said, social media is not just the big three platforms, there are niche social media sites that specialize in every age group, and every interest. This means less time with the blanket marketing, and more time finding your target audience and interacting with them. Kotex's "Women's Inspiration Day" Pinterest campaign is a perfect example of targeted social media marketing done right. It didn't target a huge group of people, but it spread like wild fire over all social media channels.

The Benefits

The benefits of social media integration into marketing strategies are enormous. One of the strongest benefits is exposure, by using social media, a company is now putting their name and their brand in more places, and using social media is putting the brand where the people are.

Since social media is web based, there is also a reduction in marketing costs, and most companies find an increase in leads, and sales.

Most importantly, the benefit of social media for businesses is the real time engagement of their customers. When a customer feels a connection to a company, they become loyal customers, and social media is creating the perfect platform for connecting and creating this kind of following.

Dangers of Social Media

There are potential downsides to social media, mostly with the real time nature and connectedness of the platforms. It often only takes one negative Facebook comment, or a viral YouTube video and companies can quickly find themselves in a negative spotlight on a global scale.

To deal with this, companies need to be aware, and monitor social media for anything that could potentially go viral, and immediately deal with it in an honest, straightforward manner.

What it takes

So we can agree that social media has evolved into a crucial part of a company's marketing strategy, but how do they go about doing it? Commitment is key. Most successful businesses that employ a marketing strategy will consistently update their Twitter, monitor Facebook, and work on their blogs and video channels. This usually ends up being a full time position, so it's a good idea to consider hiring a social media specialist.

Daily deals, blog posts, following customers on Twitter, answering emails, and engaging customers through Facebook are all ways that a company can integrate social media into their marketing strategies. As long as they are honest, and consistent with their message, social media can elevate their business to a new level of success.



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Todd H is a writer with a specialty in mobile marketing and social media. He has written articles for print and online for over 5 years, covering topics from qr codes to frugal shopping with coupons, and even a few car reviews.








  













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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.

Effective And Affordable Marketing Tools For Small Businesses! By Maya Johnson

In today's post, I'll be introducing you to Maya Johnson. Maya will share her marketing experience with you as she taps her extensive professional background of both online and offline marketing techniques.

As authors, we sometimes focus on online marketing to the exclusion of traditional offline marketing. Whether we're marketing for a book signing or a speaking appearance, considering all marketing avenues should be at the top of our marketing plan.



Effective And Affordable Marketing Tools For Small Businesses!
By Maya Johnson

In order to make good returns, any business regardless of size needs advertising. Many business owners are nervous about assigning money to advertising because they think it will cost more than they can afford. This just isn't true. In fact marketing and advertising is one of the most important things that every business should pay money out towards. There are 2 main forms of marketing in the world today - offline and online. There are many tools you can make use of from both forms of marketing. Below we have compiled a list of the best and most productive offline and online marketing tools that are often drowned out by banners, radio, SEO and television and therefore forgotten.

Online Marketing
Online marketing became more prominently used by business when people started searching the internet for solutions to a problem or for a particular product.

- Forums and Reviews: In today's modern world people are more cautious when buying a product or using a service and check reviews before parting with their hard earned money. With that in mind it is important that you encourage/enable your customers to rate your services and products online and post their positive feedback and reviews. This will certainly make more people aware of your company and its reputation.

- Emails Generate Leads: Nowadays most people, including your customers, have an email address. If you know how to find your customers email addresses or know of a way to encourage them to give it to you, then you can send them promotional emails about your products and services. One of the best ways to encourage them to purchase your products or use your services is to email them a printable coupon or discount code that they can use at your shop.

- Blogging: There was a time when blogging was quite difficult to start, but nowadays you can set up and personalize your own blog easily and for free. Blog sits now even include step by step instructions and tips to help you. If you do feel the need to have your own domain name, this will only cost a small amount of money.

Offline or traditional marketing is an effective way to advertise your business without costing too much.

Classified Ads: Although you may think this method is too old fashioned to generate any interest, people do refer to these ads when looking for particular products or services. It doesn't hurt to sign up and it won't cost too much to have a decent sized advert, which the newspaper editor will place under the best section that describes your business.

Catalogues: Before you worry, a catalogue advertising your products and services doesn't actually have to be a very big one. The important thing is that all your products and services are displayed in a bright and eye catching manner. It is also important to lay it out and word it in a manner that makes it easy for your customers and potential customers to read and learn everything they need to about what you are offering.

Brochures: Creating and using a brochure can benefit your business in 2 ways. Not only will it save you time having to explain the answers to frequently asked customers questions, but it will work as an advertising and marketing tool. Your company brochure should have an easy to read format with every detail listed clearly. The cover should encourage and entice your readers to open it up.

Banners and Flags: It is important that whenever there are local events or gatherings where potential customers will be meeting together and taking part, to put up some flags or banners. Make them as alluring and pleasing on the eye as possible, but the most importantly make sure the information about your company is displayed in the most creative and simple way possible.

The offline and online marketing tools described above are all tried and tested, so they are certain to work. They are also fairly inexpensive, so you can maximise the money you put aside for marketing without wasting money.

Online And Offline Marketing To Drive Visitors To Your Website

In addition you may be interested to learn some techniques for bringing more traffic to your company's website. There are many easy and cost effective ways to achieve this, both online and offline. For instance, any of the offline marketing tools can be used as a method for advertising your website. Whether it is a brochure, banner, flag or catalogue make sure that your website's URL is printed clearly and easy to read. Driving traffic and potential customers online can be achieved by using a variety of methods including: link building; PPC advertising; distributing press releases; creating reviews of your website in forums and following the rules of SEO when it comes to the use of keywords and tags associated with your website. Other methods include uploading videos with user friendly and search friendly information so that they rank well and more people see them.

Clearly, marketing is not a waste of money and regardless of how much money you have to put towards the many streams of offline and online marketing is not important. What is important is that you actually make use of even just some of the tools and techniques mentioned in this article. If you do, you are sure to see greater interest in your company and an increase in sales.

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Maya Johnson is a journalist who specializes in writing business related texts. Her experience, acquired at Star Outdoor, Australian outdoor marketing company that specializes in the production of flag banners, gives her insight into new trends in advertising and branding strategies. In her free time, Maya loves to travel.




  













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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.

5 Tips for Marketing Your Book on Twitter By Amy Harris

 Today's guest writer is Amy Harris, writer for Financial Training. In today's post, she's going to share her ideas about marketing your book on Twitter. She has a lot of great tips to use and when you're done, search this blog for even more great tips on using Twitter to marketing your book.

 
5 Tips for Marketing Your Book on Twitter
By Amy Harris

Thinking About Marketing Your Book on Twitter?

Twitter is an amazing marketing tool that can launch your book into the public domain, quickly and effectively. At the same time, putting the right Tweets out there will help to expand your network of fans and really get your book talked about. But how do you market your book without it looking like a stream of sales pitches? The following tips can help to get your book out there, right where you want it to be, and keep you out of the danger zone of marketing turn offs.

Five Tips To Make an Impact

When it comes to marketing a book on Twitter, you can gain some real insight from your followers about all sorts of things, from your choice of book cover to things like where to have your next book signing. Use these tips to get started, but remember to keep the communication going, even when you're on the road.

1. Twitter Is Social
Promoting your book on Twitter means you want to reach a wide audience - and that means using your real name and your own picture. Hiding behind the cover of your book, or using a made up name of any kind – even if you think it's kind of quirky - could put people off interacting with you on your page. You've got to be social if you're going to get your book out there to the people you want to reach.

2. Put Your Twitter URL on Everything
Get your Tweets out there by putting your Twitter URL wherever you have a presence on the internet, and especially if you run your own blog or website. Anyone who reads an article or blog post about your book will have the chance to click through to your Twitter page and get involved in the launch of your book, or any promotional activities you have going on. Linking things to your Twitter page says you mean business about the book you are promoting.

3. You Are Who You Follow
Following other authors on Twitter will not only extend the reach of your network; it will let your followers know that you are a serious author. This can also give you an edge that says "real writer". Having a good mix of people you follow shows that you're interested in people and what they have to say about your book; and there's no better way to reach readers than to interact with them.

4. Re-Tweeting Is Important Too
Letting your network of followers know about anything else you've picked up on about your book, and making recommendations for things to explore, is one of the best things about using Twitter. It can turn the buzz up a notch or two, but don't overdo it if you don't want to look like you're 'selling'.

5. Show Up Every Day
So, you've put your book out into the Twitter-Sphere, and now you need to keep the momentum of the buzz going. If you're a 'no show' on your Twitter page, then your potential new readers are not going to hang around. Keep up with what's going on with your followers, as well as making regular Tweets throughout the day. The last thing you want to do is make it seem like you're not a real presence.

The Friendly Connection
Marketing your book on Twitter can't be a hard sell. There's got to be a human side to it and that means connecting with people in a friendly way. Don't be afraid to start up a dialogue - and remember, if you can engage with your followers, that's a lot of the hard work done!
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Amy Harris is a writer for Financial Training - which helps students around the globe find the right finance and business courses (such as CIMA certificate courses). She enjoys helping students find the right school & career path after graduation.






  













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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. His new novel, The Lottery Ticket, was just recently released on Kindle.