Penny's Thoughts on Internet Marketing for Your Book

Thanks to Penny, we had a very interesting class last night on how to attract people to your website. I learned a lot. Thanks, Penny!

I asked Penny some additional questions and internet publicity.

Social networking has caught on as a tool for book promotion, but
there are so many sites. What would you recommend: Which sites? How many? Find hundreds of friends, or concentrate on a few?

Actually I'd recommend connecting on only 1 or 2 social networking sites.
There are a ton of them out there but it doesn't really make sense for an
author to be on too many. It's tough enough to keep up one or two sites let
alone 5 or even 10. My recommendation for good sites that convert well (by
convert I mean convert readers into customers) are: Squidoo and Facebook.
Obviously the first word in Social Networking is "social" so you'll want to
get on there daily and update your status, etc but to make it easier you can
feed your blog through these sites as well as any micro-blogging account you
might have via Twitter.

Most of us have limited time for book marketing, if we want to
produce more product. What marketing strategy gives the most bang for the buck?

Ideally you should first identify where your audience is and go there. Most
wasted marketing efforts are spent doing tasks that aren't leveraging
results, if you can find out where your reader is and spend time there
that's the best place to start. If you're going online I recommend a few
things, first off get a blog. Blogs are a great way to add content to your
site and keep the ranking up so you'll come up in searches. Then, get a
social networking page (start with one), feed your blog and Twitter account
through there. Next, make sure that whatever you're sending out is relevant
to your reader. Be interesting and helpful - the Web 2.0 model is that you
help first and ask later. If you look at my Twitter account
(www.twitter.com/Bookgal) you'll see that I am constantly throwing out
helpful tips, links and advice. I do this intentionally and will
*occasionally* ask for something in return. I've made a lot of sales this
way and gotten a lot of new leads into the business. It really does work and
honestly, I spend only an hour a day doing this. I will preload my blog and
Twitter account so I don't have to be at my computer all day updating and
uploading.

How detailed should your marketing plan be?

You know, I'll tell you - I really think that once you identify your market
and where they are online and off, you can start to build a strategy from
there. I'm hesitant to outline a very detailed plan because it might
prevent you from recognizing opportunities. I do recommend a to do list to
keep you on track. Also, a lot of what we do in marketing is "invisible"
work and to be able to check stuff off that list feels like accomplishment
and this keeps the marketing momentum going!

When should you think about getting professional help with
marketing: first book, after you have a series, for ebooks, only for print books?

Whenever you feel you can't handle all of it alone. Don't let your campaign
lose steam because you're afraid to ask for help. And seriously, while
everyone is worried about money these days don't let price deter you. There
are a lot of quality people out there who are reasonable and can really help
to spike book momentum (and, hopefully, sales). Ideally though you want
someone who understands your work, cares about your goals and isn't trying
to push you into a direction that you aren't comfortable taking. Ask a lot
of questions, folks like to get referrals but I'm not a fan of that. I mean
who's going to give you a bad referral, right? Use the Internet to do your
research and see what you can find out on the company or person you're
considering hiring.

Since we're involved in a Virtual Book Tour Group, what's your advice for getting the most from this project?

Network, network, network --- this is a great group and a fantastic chance
to market yourself virtually. Put your best foot out there, make sure that
your book info and bio are up to date, that you give good answers to the
questions that are asked of you when you're being interviewed on a blog. Be
helpful and then also, I recommend that wherever you appear you mention them
in your blog, Twitter, newsletter, whatever. Also, do the host a favor and
go in and social bookmark the page you appear on. This will help get you
additional attention for your blog post as well as traffic to their site so
it's a nice little "thank you" to your host! (you can social bookmark on
sites like DIGG, Delicious, and Stumbled Upon)

Red Hot Internet Publicity: An Insider’s Guide to Promoting Your Book on the Internet

Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author
Marketing Experts, Inc., is a best-selling author and
internationally recognized book marketing and media
relations expert. Red Hot Internet Publicity is an updated version of Red Hot Internet Publicity: An Insider’s Guide to
Promoting Your Book on the Internet.

Some of the topics covered in the new edition:
• Understanding Web 2.0
• How to Create a Website that Sells Books
• “Touring” Yourself Online
• Blogging (How to)
• Pitching Bloggers
• Social Networking Simplified
• Going Viral with Video
• Powerful Podcasting
• Understanding Micro Blogging
• The New Virtual Reality: Second Life
• The Future: Web 4.0

Written for authors or even those looking to promote a product or service online, the brand new updated edition of Red Hot Internet Publicity: An Insider’s Guide to Promoting Your Book on the Internet unlocks the door to the online ‘Marketing and Publicity Kingdom.’ Written by an expert on Internet marketing and a frequent presenter on the subject, this definitive guide is packed with thousands of ideas and Internet marketing advice that will be useful for authors writing in any genre. This book will help readers maximize their marketing efforts and participate in one of the hottest new trends in book promotion: Internet publicity and marketing.

Originally published in 2007 through Morgan James Press with limited distribution, the new edition will have almost 200 pages of new material.

About this Book:

“Traditional media is dead.” Editor and Publisher Magazine, April 2006 A recent article in Publishers Weekly cited that “the only type of marketing that works for books is marketing on the Net” The Internet has changed the dynamic of how we pitch and promote ourselves and our books. This book will teach the secrets to red hot Internet publicity and pitching yourself on the Web for exceptional results. This book has information on everything from creating the perfect website, demystifying key words, creating a great blog, and understanding the social networking environment. Readers also will learn how to turn Web site visitors into customers and how to maximize Internet promotional efforts through blogs, Internet articles, chat groups, and ezines. This book also includes:

• The secret to getting thousands of hits on your Web site and then converting them into sales!
• Top Internet promotion techniques that won’t cost you a dime!
• The Virtual Author Tour™, how you can “tour” yourself on the net
• How to get print media from your Internet campaign
• Learn how to expand your platform and sell more books!
• How to create a campaign that will last for months, not days
• How to create a Web site that sells your book
• Podcasting and blogging demystified!

BONUS: We’ll even include some hints on how to really make money with ebooks!

Advance Praise/Endorsements:

Lawrence J. Kirshbaum, Literary Agent and former head of the Time Warner Book Group
Marci Schimoff, bestselling author Happy for No Reason and contributor to The Secret
Jerry D. Simmons, former Vice-President, Time Warner Book Group and creator of NothingBinding.com the leading Social Networking site for authors
Aliza Sherman, author, journalist, and Second Life and blogging expert

Reviews for Prior Edition:

Grady Harp, Amazon Top 10 Reviewer: Sansevieri's book Red Hot Internet Publicity contains more useful Web resources, addresses of the best blog sites and Web design and tool sites, and pieces of sound advice in this brief 200 pages than any on the market today. She is the epitome of a user-friendly teacher and expert and her writing contains not only valuable information and insights but wit to boot! For all authors in search of the keys to the value of Internet promotion, this excellent book will be an exceptional value.

Midwest Book Review: No author or should fail to give a careful reading of Red Hot Internet Publicity, this outstanding and thoroughly 'user friendly’ internet book marketing reference is also an ideal and highly recommended instruction manual for aspiring freelance publicists entering the competitive and specialized field of marketing books.

If you're interested in a free book from Penny on Internet Marketing visit: Nancy Famolari's website http://sites.google.com/site/nancyfamolari/Free-Downloads/free-downloads or send an email to Penny at Penny@amarketingexpert.com

Meet Penny Sansevieri - Book Marketing Expert

Before I had a published novel, I thought WOW!! once you're published that's it, you've got it made. Then I found out about Book Marketing. For me, this is harder than writing the novel and that wasn't easy. So I am extremely pleased to welcome Penny Sansevieri to my blog this month. We'll meet her today, then get information on her book and finally end by asking her questions. I'm sure we'll learn a great deal.





Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author
Marketing Experts, Inc., is a best-selling author and
internationally recognized book marketing and media
relations expert. Her company is one of the leaders in the
publishing industry and has developed some of the most
cutting-edge book marketing campaigns. Her company
researched, developed and implemented the first
comprehensive Internet publicity campaign called The
Virtual Author Tour™.

Penny began her career in the publicity, book marketing,
and literary field over 15 years ago. During that time she
has been an author, freelance writer, publicist, and
instructor. She has been instrumental in creating several
highly successful marketing and publicity campaigns for
author events and book launches.

Penny is also President and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. and has developed and implemented countless marketing and publicity strategies. She has worked with such high profile clients as world renowned psychic and ghost buster, Jane Doherty, Barney Rosenzweig creator of Cagney Lacey, Fred and Kim Goldman, owners of If I Did It, Jac Flanders (of the original Fantastic Four) and Tammi Menendez, wife of Erik Menendez and the first eBay auction of a Princess Diana gown (lot “9” from Christie’s New York). Her firm has worked with numerous bestsellers including: Happy for No Reason, The Go-Giver, The Laws of Thinking and such high-profile books as: Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul. Her clients have been featured on The View, CBS The Early Show, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, CNN, CNN Showbiz Tonight, National Public Radio, Something You Should Know, The Heloise Show and in Publishers Weekly, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, Essence Magazine, More Magazine, The Bridal Guide, Entertainment Weekly, MSNBC… and many others.

Penny's diverse background enables her to bring a multitude of talents to the table as well as a myriad of marketing techniques. Penny recently signed a three-book deal with a mainstream publisher: Morgan James Publishing, to rerelease From Book to Bestseller (January 2006) and Get Published Today (January 2006) as well as publish her latest book, Red Hot Internet Publicity (June 2007).

Penny’s innovative marketing strategies have been featured in Marketing Sherpa, Writer’s Digest Magazine, Book Marketing Update, The Publicity Hound, The San Diego Union Tribune, Working Writer Magazine, Vision Magazine, Writer’s Web, New Book Reviews, Romance Writers of America, RW of Europe and many more. She is also Editor for the e-newsletter "The Book Marketing Expert," which has a subscriber base in excess of 7,000.

Penny successfully marketed her first book, The Cliffhanger, which was released in 2000. After a strategic marketing campaign, it soared up the ranks at Amazon.com and held the #1 spot for three months. Her most recent book, Red Hot Internet Publicity, has been called “an indispensable guide to leveraging the Internet for success.”
You can visit her web site at www.amarketingexpert.com

Art with Snakeskin and Elephant Dung

Deborah Ramos art intrigued me, so I asked a few more questions about her technique and the paper she uses. Here's what this talented lady had to say about her art.

1. What medium do you use in your artwork?

I use many.... I love to play with acrylics for their vibrant colors. I use gouache, watercolors, colored pencils, and my alltime favorites, the caran d'ache wax pastels. I do mostly collage, incorporating natural elements along with my various paints, pencils and caran d' ache. I make handcast paper using barks, plant matter, even shedded snakeskin. All of my pieces include somewhere, shedded snakeskin, representing the sacred feminine (from my ball python), and a handprint, representing the power of the self.

2. Do you have plans for illustrating your own work?

I wouldn't illustrate my childrens stories, simply because I don't believe my type of art and style would be suitable. I find that the most beautiful artwork can be found in children's books. I think there are artists that could do a much better job than I could! My art is a little too "out there" for childrens books!

3. What are you using your giraffe picture for?

I have written a childrens book, about traveling across Africa and observing the animals in their environment. After many rejections, I decided to turn it into an art project, a handmade book, using handmade papers and vellum, hand stitched together. I am also a calligrapher, so the lettering is being done with a dip pen, using gouache. The graphics will be applied to the African handmade papers. Its a work in progress that I started years ago....my divorce kinda squelched the creative juices for a while! But I'm getting ready to jump back into that project. I have hopes of exhibiting the finished piece in a handmade book exhibit. I attached a photo of the cheetah, which is done with gouache, watercolor and colored pencil on African paper called gazelle grass. I love the names!! And there will be an elephant on elephant dung paper! No smell!

Prairie Dog Cowboy -- Where the Story Came From

My mother's family has a ranch in western Kansas. Reading "Prairie Dog Cowboy" reminded me of stories my mother told about growing up on a ranch. After finishing the book, I was delighted to find that the location for the book is real and an important part of Vivian and her husband's family history.

The location for Prairie Dog Cowboy really exists:
Not as the Hyman Ranch or the Roberts homestead,
but I took an area south of Hooker and north of
Hardesty, Oklahoma as the setting for the book.
The Mayer Ranch, used fictitiously as the home
of the Hyman family, has continuously been in the
same family for nearly 120 years and was declared an
Oklahoma Centennial Ranch in 1990. According to the
documentation provided, the first crops and/or livestock
on the ranch included wild mustangs, cattle, and prairie
hay

From the history of the Mayer Ranch headquarters
as compiled by Dallas, about 1883 Jim Beasley, at
the age of seventeen years, looked down from the back
of his horse at the confluence (the flowing together) of
the Beaver and Coldwater Rivers. He saw wild mustangs
grazing on the hay meadows where the Beaver River
ran narrow and deep. The grass grew to the water’s
edge. Jim and his friend Walter Danilson became “mustangers.”
They caught and broke the wild horses before
sending them to Missouri, where Jim’s father sold the horses
to homesteaders. As the numbers of mustangs
shrunk, Jim became a cattleman.

The “Roberts” homestead, in the story, is set
on some of the land homesteaded by the ancestors of
Robert Zabel, although the Gotlib Robert and August
Zabel families, along with August’s brother Jonathan,
didn’t homestead until well after the time
Prairie Dog Cowboy began. In fact, Gotlieb Robert filed his claim
of a quarter of land November 18, 1909. Mr. Robert’s
daughter Willhemina and her husband August Zabel
filed the same year, as did Jonathan Zabel.
born and raised many years after Buddy worked his father’s
farm.I also used the name Roberts, not Robert as was
the name of my husband’s great-grandfather and greatgrandmother,
Caroline Job Robert. Caroline became
upset when others called their last name Roberts. She
would say, “Our name is Robert, not Roberts.”


Review:

Buddy wants to be a cowboy. From the time he's five years old, Buddy dreams of being a real cowboy. His viciously hostile mother makes him the outcast in the family telling him he's too stupid to be anything but a laborer. Unrealistically, she blames him because she believes her pregnancy caused her to lose the job as a housekeeper to her husband's father and as a result have an easier life. Her husband, Jacob, tries to intercede but with no success. Buddy's older brother, Jake, pampered by his mother, takes his cue from her taunting Buddy with how stupid he is. Buddy is alone with his dog Patch. He's forced to do the work of a grown man until he's befriended by a neighboring rancher, Caleb, who realizes the boy's potential and makes him part of his family. In spite of the abuse from his biological family, Buddy tries to help them keep the ranch functioning and as a teenager does most of the work himself.

Prairie Dog Cowboy is the story of triumph over a toxic environment. Anyone who has lived with the problems of a dysfunctional family will find resonance with Buddy's story. Zabel has not only given us a heart-warming picture of a young man growing to maturity following his dreams, but also of the Oklahoma territory on the verge of state hood. The book is an accurate historical picture of an important era in our country's past when territories were becoming states.

The book is based on records from the Zabel family and has the ring of authenticity. Prairie Dog Cowboy is a must read for historical buffs or for any child or adult who has wanted to be a real cowboy.

The Animals in Deborah Ramos Life

I was intrigued by Deborah Ramos book because I too love animals. Since she lives in California, I had a hunch she'd spent a lot of time at the San Diego Zoo. I too lived in San Diego and found the zoo a very special place. The picture of a giraffe is a sketch Deborah made at the San Diego Zoo. Here's what she had to say. I sketched a giraffe at the SD Zoo. It's actually on a piece of handmade paper, from Africa, made from giraffe dung! yep! I did this piece based on a visit to the zoo. It is a part of an art project, a handmade book.

I asked her some questions about her book and how she came to write it.

1. I grew up going to the San Diego Zoo. My whole family loves the zoo. My two sons grew up going to the SD Zoo AND the Wild Animal Park. We have always had a year-round pass. Its a great way to spend an afternoon, summer or winter. During the summer there is the Zoo at Night, which is sooo fun. And now my 4 yo granddaughter has her own pass and goes to the zoo! The Wild Animal Park is a better place to see the animals in natural habitats. I've done research on the animal behaviors at the zoo and the Wild Animal Park. One of my favorite zoos is the Santa Barbara Zoo in California. It's the smallest zoo I've ever seen! The Anteater has his very own sign!

2. I do love animals, and I think any animal can enrich your life. Once, when I went with my boyfriend fishing (he does the fishing, while I do the sitting and writing), I guilted him into releasing the fish because I made the mistake of making eye contact with the thing! I've always wanted a horse, but I never had the room for an animal that big! I have two cats, two parakeets, and a ball python, which is about all I can handle at the moment. My two cats once jumped on the lid of the snake tank letting Mercury escape. He was missing for two weeks, and we found him underneath the couch in the lining. That was the inspiration for a great story!

3. What would I like people to take away from my book? Good question.... I suppose, a good learning experience, visually and educationally. There is an interesting history to the group naming of animals. I would like readers to enjoy the fun of collective nouns. They suggest such visual treats for the eye. Can you imagine a "flutter of butterflies", or a "prickling of porcupines".

Aardvards and Zebras - Animal Names from A to Z

They’re compelling. They’re clever. They’re collective nouns! An Aarmory of Aardvarks, A Zeal of Zebras takes the reader on a lively tour of animal group names from A to Z, a fresh approach to collective nouns, presenting only the most unique and colorful groups. The group naming of beasts dates back to 15^th century Medieval England when hunters needed to know the names of their quarry. Sidebars explain why wolves hunt in packs, how zebras protect themselves, and how far butterflies travel in the winter. The adventure begins with the letter A. An Aarmory of Aardvarks, shy and nocturnal, leads us to the letter B. A Brood of Jellyfish, fluid and transparent, floats across the page to the letter C. A Crash of Rhinos, with keen hearing and poor eyesight, charges their way to the letter D. A Drift of Swine, stout and thick skinned, wallows their way to the letter E. Letter by letter animals crash, flutter and quiver across the pages. Wait until you see what’s heating up with the letter X!

Deborah Ramos takes us on a tour of the animal kingdom from A to Z with lots of interesting information. I can't wait for her book to be published. Children will love it -- as will the children at heart!