One of the thing writers do really well is produce content–especially bloggers, who produce content all the time. That’s a great thing in today’s online market, because the best way to promote blogged books comes down to producing great content and lots of it–and placing it on the Internet. By strategically using content in cyberspace, a writer or author can actually propel their blogged book–and later sales of the printed book–to the top of the list of other blogs on their topic. They can also launch any business related to that blogged or printed book as far as they want it to go.
I’ve known this for a long time, and this is, of course, the best strategy for most social networking, but Michael A. Stelzner or www.socialmediaexaminer.com has written a great new book that provides some of the most comprehensive techniques I’ve read to date for using content to promote and market any type of product or business. Called Launch, How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition, I’d recommend that every blogged book author get a copy of this book and put it’s concept, tips and tools to use. They are particularly useful for driving traffic to your blogged book.
Not only does Stelzner provide the low down on why and how to produce content–field-tested guidance, no less–he also discusses the importance of strategic partners, outside experts, and developing faithful fans (and how to do this) I really enjoyed the information on the ten most effective types of content, how to actually engage readers (rather than repel them) with the content you create, how to brand yourself, and how to develop content with the possibility of going viral.
Once your blogged book is complete and you are trying to keep the blog alive as you drive sales for the printed version (or continue to try and attract an agent or publisher), you’ll need to continue promoting your blogged book. The techniques in Launch are perfect for achieving this goal.
Most writers don’t think of themselves or their books as a business to “launch,” but they should. By employing Stelzner’s methods, they might find the have not only launched their book business but also propelled their book sales to new heights. For this reason, I’ve got a great offer for one lucky writer.
I’ve got one copy of Launch to give away…Send me the pitch, or elevator speech, for your book in 25 words or less. That’s right, tell me what your book is about in just one sentence that has no more than 25 words; you don’t have to count the title of the book (or the subtitle). Best pitch wins the book. Send the pitch to me via the comment function in this blog.(I’ll also be looking at pitches at www.writenonfictionnow.com.)
‘Life Cycles’ is a brand new theory of life using biographical evidence. It is an integrated system, with it’s own terms, icons, method of research and form of prediction. There is nothing else like it in the world of ideas.
Neil,
Is this a pitch? Not bad, but it doesn’t say it’s a book, it says it’s a theory. You’d have to say something like, Life Cycles details a new theory of life unlike any other in the world that uses biographical evidence to offer an integrated system for research and prediction. Even then, I’m not sure how the reader will benefit from picking up the book. What will they gain by reading it? Thanks for sending in your pitch!
OK. I wrote a book (self-published by Author House in 2008) called ‘Life Cycles’. It won 2 Finalist Awards at USA Book News and has 10+ reviews at the 4/5 star level. I also have 2 widely read and highly rated blogs. Tha main one is ‘Life Cycles’ The Truth and The Evidence ( http://www.lifecycles-by-neil-killion.blogspot.com). The content is unique and I have many appreciative readers in a very diverse range of countries. The second is ‘The Story Behind Life Cycles’ (http://www.lifecyclesstory-neil-killion.blogpsot.com), which explains the symbolic nature of the posts in the main blog and features profiles from my country (Australia), done in a sometimes humourous way.
I am currently writing my follow up book ‘The Life Cycles Revolution’ and when finished I want to pre-sell copies to those who know me. ‘What do people get out of it?’ This is the only theory of life with any shred of accpetable evidence, from a scientific and sceptical standpoint. The possibility of what I say happening by chance is so astronomical it’s effectively zero. Readers get the truth about life. They learn control and how to integrate the past, present and near future. It can be used in relationships and dating, employment and counselling others. It’s the only theory that deals with ‘when?’. Just imagine the last time someone came out with something like this eg. the scientifically bankrupt systems of numerology (Pythagoras in ancient Greece) or astrology (natal version was popularised around the time of Cleopatra).
I know I sound like a complete fanatic, but I assure you I’m a very calm former management consiltant/psychologist and business owner, who stumbled onto the theory by accident. If you look at my blogs they will fill you in.
Sounds like you have a ton of content right in your blogs. Why not pull from them and put it into your new book? You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Just “book your blog,” or recycle your posts with a bunch of editing and revising if necessary. You’ll save yourself a ton of trouble. But you go! Keep up the great work! And thanks for dropping by to tell me about your blogs. Sounds like you are killing your niche.
My Not So Regular Life, is a memoir. The book is a slice of Americana seen through the eyes of an American Jew growing up in a Christian society.
Oops…. looks like I’m a year off of this offer. Ha!
LOL! That’s what happens when you use the plugin Tweet Old posts! How about I give you a 15-min. coaching session fo ryour efforts?
thanks for sharing very nice post .