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Complimentary Book Video for Authors Self-Publishing with Outskirts Press in May

Outskirts Press is helping authors get the most bang for their self-publishing buck this spring. Authors who publish in May receive a complimentary Book Video – perfect for promoting that new book.

Outskirts Press, the leading self-publishing and book marketing services provider, announces a springBook video trailer & distribution promotion that will help self-publishing authors get the most value for their publishing dollars. Throughout the month of May, authors who publish with Outskirts Press receive a free Book Video Trailer, a valuable graphic tool for marketing and promoting a new book.

Authors who order a Diamond or Pearl book publishing package any time from May 1 through May 31 automatically qualify for the free Book Video Trailer. Authors not only save hundreds on self-publishing services by bundling them into a publishing package, but receive a $699 Book Video Trailer and distribution free.

The valuable promotional tool helps self-publishing authors increase sales by connecting with scores of potential book buyers. Outskirts Press distributes the Book Video Trailer to the places where all viral video marketing efforts begin, including sites such as:

  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Daily Motion
  • Twitter
  • Metacafe

The Book Video option is a very effective way for self-publishing authors to market their book,” said Outskirts Press Executive Vice President Kelly Schuknecht. “In today’s world, people spend hours a week watching videos on the Internet. A Book Video is a great way for an author to spread the word about their book and appeal to their target audience. Outskirts Press can take care of all the details of creating and distributing a professional video that represents the author’s creative masterpiece”

Let Outskirts Press get your video book marketing started for you with Book Video marketing!

Book video trailer & distribution

 

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The Value of a Personal Marketing Assistant in Modern-Day Book Marketing

In today’s wired world, there are more ways than ever for an author to reach out to potential readers – if they know how.

While traditional book signings, press releases, face-to-face meetings with bookstore owners and interviews remain terrific channels for book marketing, the means by which we negotiate these avenues is constantly changing. What’s more, there’s a whole new world of Internet marketing – social media, websites, video marketing, blogging, etc. – that has complicated how we reach out to consumers.

Today’s marketer must not only be creative, but exceptionally tech-savvy as well. This is where the Outskirts Press Personal Marketing Assistants come in. Our Personal Marketing Assistants can help you with:

  • Developing a marketing plan
  • Coordinating and scheduling book signing events
  • Establishing/developing your author platform
  • Marketing campaign lead follow up
  • And much, much more!

To that end, Outskirts Press has cherry-picked some of the most talented and experienced marketing professionals in the publishing business. We’d like you to meet a few of the Personal Marketing Assistants who can help take your book marketing to the next level.

Lisa S. Neal
Lisa brings more than 16 years of experience in marketing, marketing research and sales to Outskirts Press. She has an MBA from Pepperdine and a B.S. in Business Administration from Drake University, and has worked for leading consumer goods companies such as Neutrogena, Johnson & Johnson, and AC Nielsen.

“My Personal Marketing Assistant, Lisa, was very responsive to our particular situation and opportunities. She helped me learn how to use some excellent online marketing tools and did some of the contacting of radio and television stations so I wouldn’t be the one representing myself. I really enjoyed our time on the phone together and the way she follows up with email.” – Karin Gunderson, author of Encounters with Heaven: Stories of God’s Surprising Presence

Rob Mangelson
Rob is a seasoned marketing professional with more than 16 years experience in multiple industries in both traditional and online marketing. Through his experience and education, Rob has developed a keen sense of relationship and loyalty marketing, and offers a unique understanding of a variety of markets.

“As a new author, I must say having Rob Mangelson as my PMA was a great experience. Not only did he assist me in reaching some of my sales and marketing goals, but also towards gaining lots of exposure for my book – which included, getting me an interview on a radio show, but also arranging my first book signing! In addition, Rob provided me with a lot of helpful tips and connections on the way!” – S.L. Holliday, author of My Identity Christ-is: Stay in the Game.

Tomica Bonner

Tomica has six years of business and marketing experience assisting authors and writers. She holds a B.A. from Baker College in Business Management and has been published by several online businesses, such as Intuit, AOL and Chron Business.

“Tomica was very cool and thorough in the marketing process. She excelled in troubleshooting the difficulties met within the process of publishing. I learned so much through these experiences.” – M.U. Salas-Tristan, author of Rocky’s ABC Book With His Friends

Are you ready to take your book marketing to the next level with 5-hours of Personal Marketing Assistance? Click to order some one-on-one time today.

Click to order
TOP 10 DIAMOND BOOKS FROM OUTSKIRTS PRESS AUTHORS
TOP 5 PUBLISHING HEADLINES
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY


Jennifer’s management of my publishing can be evidenced by the finished product: Excellent. The book is PERFECT from front cover to back. My questions were always answered in a very timely and professional manner. I’m already working on my next submission and fully intend to utilize Outskirts Press again. I would recommend them to anyone interested in self-publishing, be it their first or fifth project. You will not be disappointed!”

As part of a team-building exercise at work, Ellen Cumbess took a personality profile assessment that classified attendees as either lions, monkeys, turtles, or camels. Ellen was a lion. As this light bulb of realization begins to flicker, the author summons to mind the events that led to the creation of this lion personality. This was the beginning of Ellen’s exploration into her own history which took her down the road she had always wanted to travel; the road she had been on her entire life, without a steering wheel. Tales of a Lion is the memoir of a native New Yorker struggling to overcome anger and resentment stemming from the events of her early childhood. It is the story of a lion’s self examination of a life spent roaring in search of inner peace; and in the end provides an answer to the question: Does a lion always have to roar?

Ellen Cumbess, author of Tales of a Lion

 

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Honor Earth Day by Going Green with eBooks, Print-on-Demand

Today marks the 43rd annual Earth Day celebration, a day when we all stop to appreciate our natural resources and gain awareness about preserving them for future generations.

In 1970 when the first Earth Day was celebrated, most Americans were tooling around in leaded-gas-chugging treecars past industrial plants that spewed waste from smokestacks and pipes. Disposable packaging was all the rage, yet recycling was on almost no one’s radar.

My, how things have changed! Today, many manufacturers are committed to using packaging that’s biodegradable or recyclable, and using production processes that produce less waste. Leaded gas is a thing of the past, and vehicles are more fuel-efficient overall. Communities and citizens are more aware than ever of the value of recycling, and many are equipped with special household receptacles for this purpose.

As a member of the literary community, you can play an even larger part in the environmental preservation movement by taking advantage of publishing avenues that lessen your book’s impact on the environment: namely, eBooks and print-on-demand publishing.

First, the print-on-demand option allows self-published authors to sell copies of their book without having a giant stack of hardcopies lingering in the basement. Print-on-demand means that copies of your book are “made to order” so to speak; they’re printed at the time of order. This keeps unsold copies from going to waste, thus saving paper.

The second option, eBooks, provide obvious ecological advantages. Since they exist solely in virtual — or electronic — form, no tree is harmed in the making of your book, regardless of how many copies you sell. By taking advantage of eBook publishing through Outskirts Press, you can sell via virtual means with Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad/iPhone and Barnes & Noble NOOK editions and enjoy wide distribution of your book without clearing a forest to do so.

Want to be a part of the “green” book movement? Contact Outskirts Press to find out how.

Start Self-Publishing Now!

 
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Posted by on April 22, 2013 in Advice, Production Options

 

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Get That Children’s Book to Print with a One-Click Self-Publishing Package

In honor of the 2013 Bologna Book Fair, we’d like to remind you that Outskirts Press makes publishing Children’s books easy with One-Click Publishing for Children’s Books!

Recognized as the oldest and most reputable children’s book fairs in the world, the Bologna Book Fair hosts authors, publishers, distributors, printers, literary agents, printers, and even film and television producers from nearly 70 different countries. This year’s fair ends tomorrow, but with help from Outskirts Press you could be in very good shape to make a showing at the 2014 event. Our One-Click Publishing package includes everything the children’s book author needs to get a manuscript to print quickly and easily:

  • Specialized service from a team of book publishing expertsOne-Click Children's Book Publishing
  • High-quality hard copy and paperback formatting
  • Custom children’s book illustrations
  • Professional copy editing
  • On-demand printing
  • Free author copies
  • Book Video Trailer
  • Standard and Custom Press Releases
  • PR Publicist Campaign
  • Wholesale distribution
  • Participation in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair!

You’ve slaved over your book, your labor of love, so it’s time to take it easy. Let Outskirts Press take over the heavy lifting.

Ready to get that children’s book going? Just a few more clicks now, and we’ll take it from here …

 
 

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The Top 6 Ways a Virtual Book Tour Can Promote Your Book

Gone are the days when a writer must pound the pavement, toting hardcopies of their book and media kits from one book reviewer to another, one bookstore or news outlet to the next in order to get exposure.

The times they are a-changin’ when it comes to book marketing. As a published author, you would be wise to tune into the changing methods by which news outlets and bookstores are getting information and exploit these changes in your marketing efforts. This is where a Virtual Book Tour can help.

A Virtual Book Tour can give you an edge in gaining visibility for your book physical distance, and time and budget constraints, don’t allow for an actual physical tour. When you can’t travel from place to place, a Virtual Book Tour ensures you and your book are still making “appearances” on the blogosphere and social networking sites — appearances that live online and in search engines forever (much longer than any in-person event lasts).

So what are the top 6 reasons to hold your own virtual book tour? With a virtual book tour, you can:

  • Spread word quickly over a wide range of venues and sites
  • Make multiple “appearances” on the blogosphere and social media
  • Capture attention and set your tone instantly
  • Have your message available forever on the blogosphere
  • Reach new audiences with little to no effort
  • Open the door to follow-up book reviews and interviews

We can’t think of a good reason not to market your book through the Virtual Book Tour. It’s the best surrogate you can have when being everywhere at once is not logistically or financially possible.

If you’re too busy to put together your own virtual book tour, or aren’t quite sure how you would begin, The Virtual Book Tour option from Outskirts Press can help you.

RECEIVE 10% OFF THE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ALL MONTH LONG!

With the Virtual Book Tour through Outskirts Press, you receive the following:

  • Outskirts Press announces your Virtual Book Tour to the blogosphere.
  • You receive every inquiry in response to the announcement about your book.
  • Virtual Book Tour Packet, which includes all of the materials you need to follow-up with the bloggers quickly and easily in order to schedule your “appearance” on their blog, website, or social network.
  • In most cases your appearance may include a book review and/or an author interview.
  • Spotlight Appearance on the Outskirts Press blog, which receives its own announcements on Twitter and Facebook.

Now through March 31, simply click here to order this option, enter promo code VBT10PCT when you check out of your shopping cart, and you will save 10% instantly. Don’t delay, this offer won’t be around long!

Click to order
TOP 5 PUBLISHING HEADLINES
TOP 10 DIAMOND BOOKS FROM OUTSKIRTS PRESS AUTHORS
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY

I approached self-publishing with some trepidation, but Outskirts Press’ assistance throughout the process made the entire experience a real joy.

Some people mean it when they say they’ve done it all. Thomas Gambino has been a child television performer, clerk, cook, petroleum tank cleaner, sketch artist and painter, high school and college teacher, touring jazz and rock musician, radio and television guest, publisher, author, poet, magazine writer and interviewer, editor, husband, father, grandfather, orchestra leader, arranger, copyist, composer, orchestrator, conductor, musical director, foundation leader, advertising director, recording and video producer and performer, and an advocate for a limited world government. Among other books and music, his published works include NYET-An American Rock Musician Encounters the Soviet Union.

New York City jazz saxophonist and author Thomas Gambino was a member of The Vegetables, the rock band that accompanied the Joffrey Ballet during its 1974 tour of the then-Soviet Union and the first American rock group to visit that country. In The Vagabonds: A Musician’s Odyssey, Thom pays homage to those family members who came before him, and he offers an insightful history refresher course to assist the reader in understanding his trek fully. Thom also interviewed many of his friends and musical associates for their recollections, many of which have relevance in modern political and musical history. Gambino’s memoir describes his wife Lorry’s rise to a position at The New York Times and chronicles the lives of their children and grandchildren as they pursue careers in music, acting, advertising, education, law enforcement, business and fashion design. You’ll meet the famous, the near-famous, and the should-be-famous. As Thom states, “I’ve had a career just below the radar on the outskirts of history.”

- Thomas Gambino, author of The Vagabonds

 
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Posted by on March 18, 2013 in Advice, book marketing

 

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How to Overcome Decision-Making Vapor Lock and Choose Your Publishing Company

If you’ve ever researched or shopped for a car or a large appliance, you probably know how hard it is to come to a decision about “The One.”

It seems just when you think you know what product you’re going to buy, some vital bit of intel sways you away from it. Model A has features 1, 4 and 5, while Model B has 2, 3 and 6, and part of 7. Model A has a great price, but few features. Model B has all the bells and whistles, but is just north of your budget. Model A buyers rave this but hate that and the other. Same goes for Model B.

It’s easy to get yourself into a vapor lock over the finer points when you’re getting ready to make a big investment, whether it’s your next car, or your self-publishing services. After all, it’s a big decision – one that can have a big impact on the success of your book, right?

Absolutely, but remember that dragging out the decision-making process automatically gives less value to the choice you eventually make. Why? Because the longer you spend agonizing over every little detail, the less time you’re actually selling your published book!

So, what are you really looking for in a publishing company? If you find yourself unable to choose, perhaps what you’re looking for doesn’t exist.

Let us save you some time.

Every company you consider is going to have its own strengths and weaknesses, but here are the top ten things to look for in a reputable self-publishing service provider:

  1. Quality product
  2. One-on-one support
  3. Experience
  4. Low upfront cost
  5. Quick delivery of services
  6. High customer satisfaction rate
  7. Flexibility
  8. High royalties
  9. Extensive distribution
  10. Post-publication support

And the good news is, Outskirts Press has all of the above, so what are you waiting for? The most important decision is the decision to get started.

 

Start Publishing Today

P.S. What do other writers think of Outskirts Press? Every day new authors share their feedback and you can read their comments by clicking here.

GET 3 TIMES MORE FREE AUTHOR COPIES WHEN YOU START PUBLISHING TODAY!


Don’t delay! Receive up to 30 free books when you start publishing today.

To receive the promotion, simply enter the promotion code MARCH3X13 when checking out of your shopping cart while purchasing the Diamond or Pearl publishing package by March 31, 2013. Each of the eligible publishing packages includes a unique ISBN, standard interior formatting, a variety of professional cover styles, and distribution, which includes availability through major online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you choose the most popular “Diamond” publishing package, this promotion delivers 30 free paperback author copies when your book is published.

In addition to receiving 3X the normal number of author copies, you’ll also get the following savings with your Diamond package:

  • Standard Press Release.   $99 value included free when you order your Diamond publishing service today.
  • Audio Excerpt.  $99 value included free with your Diamond order today and a great way to share your voice with your readers, literally!
  • E-Book Edition (pdf).  $99 value included free with your Diamond publishing service.
  • Cover Image.   $99 value included free and a great way to enhance your cover.
  • Spring Arbor additional distribution.   $99 value to complement the Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Ingram availability already included with your Diamond publishing service.

All in all, you’re looking at $500 of free stuff and 30 free books!

If you’re publishing a full-color book, the full-color Pearl” package has the 3X promotion, too! You can receive 15 free full-color paperbacks with your Pearl package.

Click to order the Diamond Package
Click to order the Pearl Package
TOP 5 PUBLISHING HEADLINES
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY

I approached self-publishing with some trepidation, but Outskirts Press’ assistance throughout the process made the entire experience a real joy.

Some people mean it when they say they’ve done it all. Thomas Gambino has been a child television performer, clerk, cook, petroleum tank cleaner, sketch artist and painter, high school and college teacher, touring jazz and rock musician, radio and television guest, publisher, author, poet, magazine writer and interviewer, editor, husband, father, grandfather, orchestra leader, arranger, copyist, composer, orchestrator, conductor, musical director, foundation leader, advertising director, recording and video producer and performer, and an advocate for a limited world government. Among other books and music, his published works include NYET-An American Rock Musician Encounters the Soviet Union.

New York City jazz saxophonist and author Thomas Gambino was a member of The Vegetables, the rock band that accompanied the Joffrey Ballet during its 1974 tour of the then-Soviet Union and the first American rock group to visit that country. In The Vagabonds: A Musician’s Odyssey, Thom pays homage to those family members who came before him, and he offers an insightful history refresher course to assist the reader in understanding his trek fully. Thom also interviewed many of his friends and musical associates for their recollections, many of which have relevance in modern political and musical history. Gambino’s memoir describes his wife Lorry’s rise to a position at The New York Times and chronicles the lives of their children and grandchildren as they pursue careers in music, acting, advertising, education, law enforcement, business and fashion design. You’ll meet the famous, the near-famous, and the should-be-famous. As Thom states, “I’ve had a career just below the radar on the outskirts of history.”

- Thomas Gambino, author of The Vagabonds

 

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There’s Still Time to Promote Your Self-Published Book During Small Press Month

You’ve probably heard Outskirts Press crowing about Small Press Month in March. It’s the perfect time to promote the amazing work of independent publishers and self-published authors. High quality self publishing is easy. Marketing your book afterwards is the key.

We hope you’re taking advantage of this celebration to promote your own self-published book using the 31 tips (one per day) provided by Outskirts Press. The idea is to take a few moments each day to implement one important step in your efforts to market and promote your self-published book.

By now, we hope you’ve taken our suggestions to stock up on hard copies, connect on social media, send out press releases and reach out to local schools, universities, fellow authors, small businesses and sales channels. Don’t worry if you’re just ramping up now. These small steps are simple enough to take two at a time. Here’s what the rest of your Small Business Month should look like:

Mar 15Join forces. Connect with other independently published authors and arrange co-op advertisement in the local media, using any dollars secured from local businesses you spoke with on March 14. In addition to simply promoting your book, promote your upcoming events, so people will show up. The other authors can join in the events, which may lead the bookstores to be more interested in scheduling future event, even on such short notice.

Mar 16Get talking. Contact local radio producers in your area and pitch them on Small Press Month. Not sure where to start? Outskirts Press offers a Top 10 Radio Interview & Media Training option to get you started.

Mar 17Think green. St. Patrick’s Day green, that is. Take the day to focus on electronic editions of your book. If you’re only selling hard copies, consider getting a Kindle, NOOK or Apple iPad edition of your book.

Mar 18Think big. Local is a great starting point, but don’t forget to contact the major newspapers about Small Press Month, too. They’re more likely to cover something if they are contacted by authors, and you will want to be among the piles of information they have received:

  • THE NEW YORK TIMES: 229 W 43rd Street, New York NY 10036-3959 (212) 556-1234
  • USA TODAY: 1000 Wilson Blvd, Arlington VA 22209-3901 (703) 276-3400 and 535 Madison Avenue, 20th Fl, New York NY 10022-4212 (212) 715-5410
  • WALL STREET JOURNAL: 200 Liberty Street, New York NY 10281-1003 (212) 416-2000
  • WASHINGTON POST: 1150 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20071-0002 (202) 334-6000

Mar 19Commune. Contact your local community center and inform them of Small Press Month; post information on their community bulletin board if one is available. Gather the local authors with whom you’ve teamed up and schedule an impromptu event, celebrating Small Press books.

Mar 20 Reassess your publishing options. If you published elsewhere, this may be the month to switch to Outskirts Press. Assess your current publisher and ask yourself if you’re happy with what you’re getting.  Even if you’re not ready to switch, Outskirts Press offers a variety of marketing products and services for authors, regardless of where they published.  Browse those marketing products today at: www.outskirtspress.com/marketing.

Mar 21Think about the other 11 months. Small Press Month is just one month out of 12. Prepare for other book events throughout the year, like London Book Fair, BookExpo America, Beijing Book Fair and Frankfurt Book Fair. Or make it easy on yourself with the Global Book Tour marketing package from Outskirts Press, which includes all four book fairs with a 25% discount.

Mar 22Go social. Create a social networking account on Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn. Outskirts Press makes it easy with a social media platform set-up service that gets you started toward promoting and marketing your book through social media.

Mar 23Promote through learning. Contact the Learning Annex or similar adult education program in your area and offer to teach a class on the subject of your book, or about self-publishing. As a published author, you are an expert on these topics. Your book may even become required reading for each student! Cha-ching!

Mar 24Name drop. Start writing online reviews through Amazon. Write reviews for every book you have ever read. Mention that you are the author of a book at the bottom of each posted review and include the book title and a link. If people like the writing style of your review, they may investigate your book, especially if you write reviews for books within the same genre as your book.

Mar 25Contact the public libraries in each state and mention your involvement with Small Press Month. Send them information about your book. Here’s a link that will get you started: http://www.publiclibraries.com/.

Mar 26Set your poetry in motion. If you’re a poet, start preparing for National Poetry Month in April. Outskirts Press offers a Poetry Formatting Kit for poets wanting a high-quality, professionally-formatted volume of poetry, with a custom-designed layout (including graphics) but without the custom-designed price!

Mar 27Affiliate yourself with others. Help other writers you know get published and earn a 10% commission for the referral after their book is published. Register for the Outskirts Press affiliate program today at http://outskirtspress.com/affiliates.php and start spreading the word to all of the writers in your life.

Mar 28Blog about yourself. Start a blog and keep it active and up-to-date with blog posts about you, your book and other things that interest you. Register your blog with blog directories to gain more readership and participation.

Mar 29Touch Base. Submit your published book to the Google Base listings. It’s free. http://base.google.com.

Mar 30Think big (print). Publish a large print edition of your book to expand your market. With the world’s demographics growing older, large print editions are becoming more and more popular. Featuring 14 or 16-point fonts, these editions appeal to the aging community because they are easier to read. You’ve already written the book, now re-publish a new easy-to-read edition to increase your revenue and double the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives. It’s easy to get published here.

Mar 31Take a breath. It’s been a busy, productive month. Take a couple hours to yourself today to recharge and gear up for all the events, promotion and marketing opportunities that will come your way in 2013!  An Outskirts Press Personal Marketing Assistant can help you organize all of those opportunities and create a detailed marketing plan just for you.

 
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Posted by on March 14, 2013 in Advice, book marketing

 

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Introduce Your Self-Published Book to the World with a Virtual Book Tour

Hello, World!

Introduce yourself and your self-published book to bookworms around the world through a Virtual Book Tour. When it’s not possible or practical to load up the minivan and drive state-to-state, a virtual tour allows you to “appear” on a blog, a website or an Internet radio talk show without leaving the house and using precious VBTvacation time!

A virtual book tour is similar to an actual book tour, but instead of physically traveling from bookstore to bookstore, or radio show to radio show, you and/or your book are making “appearances” in the blogosphere and on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Not only is a far more cost-effective way to tour, unlike a physical tour, which is over the minute you leave, a virtual book tour stays archived and available for Internet Searches FOREVER!

The Virtual Book Tour option from Outskirts Press makes it easy for you to “book” your blog tour through the blogosphere and social networking community! Reach new audiences and cultivate new readers with relatively little effort.

With the Virtual Book Tour, you receive the following:

  • Outskirts Press announces your Virtual Book Tour to the blogosphere.
  • You receive every inquiry in response to the announcement about your book.
  • Virtual Book Tour Packet, which includes all of the materials you need to follow up with the bloggers quickly and easily in order to schedule your “appearance” on their blog, website or social network.
  • In most cases your appearance may include a book review and/or an author interview.
  • Spotlight Appearance on the Self-Publishing Advice blog, which receives its own announcements on Twitter and Facebook.
  • Your own Tour Video, which will be blasted on our popular YouTube channel.
  • Much, much more!

Now through March 31, you can receive 10% off the Virtual Book Tour when you enter the promo code at checkout. Don’t delay, this offer isn’t around long!

Promo code: VBT10PCT

 

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31 Self-Publishing Tips to Promote Your Book During Small Press Month

March is Small Press Month, a month to promote the amazing work of independent publishers and self-published authors. Take advantage of this celebration to promote your own self-published book all month long with 31 effective marketing and promotion steps. High quality self publishing is easy. Marketing your book afterwards is the key.

Throughout the month, take a moment each day to implement one important step in your efforts to market and promote your self-published book. Here is a tip each day to keep you active in your book marketing efforts all month long:

Mar 1Get stocked. If you do not have enough hard copies on hand, contact your publisher today to order a supply. You’ll need them so you can pursue the 30 other marketing and promotion tips throughout the month. By the way, Outskirts Press is offering 3 times the number of FREE author copies when you begin publishing in March.

Social Media Set-UpMar 2 – Get connected. Contact other independent published authors in your area. With the advent of social networking sites, this is easier than ever. For example, Outskirts Press already has a growing community of active and passionate fans/followers on Facebook and Twitter, with whom you can connect at any time. Once you’ve connected, combine your resources to fully pursue all these marketing opportunities throughout the month. There’s a lot to do, and four hands are better than two!

Mar 3Get publicity. Contact your local newspapers and inform them of Small Press Month. Give them as many details as possible, then offer to write an article about Small Press month and send them a press release about your book. This will help you build your platform as a local writer and self-publishing author.

Mar 4Offer a discount. Contact your local bookstores and suggest they offer discounts on Small Press books. Bring in your own book and offer it to them at a discount to get them started. You can even offer to leave them with a free copy along with your sales sheet, press release and any promotional materials you have for your book. Ask if you can host an event at their establishment for local independent authors. Also, share this post with them as a way of indicating your commitment to making that event successful.

Mar 5Get published. If you haven’t published yet (or you’re ready to publish again!), Small Press Month is the perfect time to begin publishing your book. Outskirts Press has the high-quality, full-service publishing package that is right for you!

Mar 6Get the word out. Send a press release to the local media (newspapers, radio, television) mentioning Small Press Month and your independently published book. If you secured some events, mention them in the release. Your press release should explain what Small Press Month is, why it’s important, what local organizations are doing to celebrate, and who these organizations can contact for additional information. Supplement the press release with your sales sheet and/or any reviews you have received for your book.

Mar 7Appeal to bookworms. Contact your local libraries and suggest they feature Small Press titles, including yours. Offer to leave them with a free copy, along with your sales sheet. If you’re an Outskirts Press author, your sales sheet can be generated automatically from within your Author Center. You can even update it at any time through your Author Toolkit.

Mar 8Get seen. If you haven’t yet sent out review copies for your book, do it today. The free Book Review Starter Kit from Outskirts Press includes tips on sending books to reviewers as well as a list of book reviewers with contact information to get you started.  If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, Outskirts Press can do the work for you with the Book Review Submission Service.

Mar 9Educate educators. Contact local schools in your area and tell them about Small Press Month. Mention that you are a local published author and offer to speak to their students and staff about how to accomplish their dreams of being published. This is particularly effective if you have a children’s book you can then sell after the assembly.

Mar 10Contact local universities and colleges. Similar to March 9: Promote yourself and your book by sharing your knowledge of how to write a book and get published. You can even sell copies of your book after your presentation.

Mar 11Follow-up with bookstores and local media outlets you contacted last week to see if you can offer any additional assistance or information. Reiterate the importance of Small Press Month, your planned events in the community, and your Small Press book.

Mar 12Share your experiences. Schedule a seminar or tele-seminar on “How to Write and Publish a Book” and offer a Small Press Month discount on the registration fee. Send local news outlets a press release about your event.

Mar 13Contact other sales channels outside of the traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores that may be likely to sell your book. This may include websites related to your book’s topic, gift stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, boutiques, etc. Look at your book and ask yourself where your readers may be shopping, then make contact with those retailers.

Mar 14Link with other artists. Contact local art studios, design boutiques or other small independent businesses in your area. Work with them to forge co-op advertising initiatives and other promotional partnerships. If applicable, offer to conduct some events in their venues. Show them how sharing your promotions helps everyone gain greater visibility.

Mar 15Join forces. Connect with other independently published authors and arrange co-op advertisement in the local media, using any dollars secured from local businesses you spoke with on March 14. In addition to simply promoting your book, promote your upcoming events, so people will show up. The other authors can join in the events, which may lead the bookstores to be more interested in scheduling future event, even on such short notice.

Mar 16Get talking. Contact local radio producers in your area and pitch them on Small Press Month. Not sure where to start? Outskirts Press offers a Top 10 Radio Interview & Media Training option to get you started.

Mar 17Think green. St. Patrick’s Day green, that is. Take the day to focus on electronic editions of your book. If you’re only selling hard copies, consider getting a Kindle, NOOK or Apple iPad edition of your book.

Mar 18Think big. Local is a great starting point, but don’t forget to contact the major newspapers about Small Press Month, too. They’re more likely to cover something if they are contacted by authors, and you will want to be among the piles of information they have received:

  • THE NEW YORK TIMES: 229 W 43rd Street, New York NY 10036-3959 (212) 556-1234
  • USA TODAY: 1000 Wilson Blvd, Arlington VA 22209-3901 (703) 276-3400 and 535 Madison Avenue, 20th Fl, New York NY 10022-4212 (212) 715-5410
  • WALL STREET JOURNAL: 200 Liberty Street, New York NY 10281-1003 (212) 416-2000
  • WASHINGTON POST: 1150 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20071-0002 (202) 334-6000

Mar 19Commune. Contact your local community center and inform them of Small Press Month; post information on their community bulletin board if one is available. Gather the local authors with whom you’ve teamed up and schedule an impromptu event, celebrating Small Press books.

Mar 20 Reassess your publishing options. If you published elsewhere, this may be the month to switch to Outskirts Press. Assess your current publisher and ask yourself if you’re happy with what you’re getting.  Even if you’re not ready to switch, Outskirts Press offers a variety of marketing products and services for authors, regardless of where they published.  Browse those marketing products today at: www.outskirtspress.com/marketing.

Mar 21Think about the other 11 months. Small Press Month is just one month out of 12. Prepare for other book events throughout the year, like London Book Fair, BookExpo America, Beijing Book Fair and Frankfurt Book Fair. Or make it easy on yourself with the Global Book Tour marketing package from Outskirts Press, which includes all four book fairs with a 25% discount.

Mar 22Go social. Create a social networking account on Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn. Outskirts Press makes it easy with a social media platform set-up service that gets you started toward promoting and marketing your book through social media.

Mar 23Promote through learning. Contact the Learning Annex or similar adult education program in your area and offer to teach a class on the subject of your book, or about self-publishing. As a published author, you are an expert on these topics. Your book may even become required reading for each student! Cha-ching!

Mar 24Name drop. Start writing online reviews through Amazon. Write reviews for every book you have ever read. Mention that you are the author of a book at the bottom of each posted review and include the book title and a link. If people like the writing style of your review, they may investigate your book, especially if you write reviews for books within the same genre as your book.

Mar 25Contact the public libraries in each state and mention your involvement with Small Press Month. Send them information about your book. Here’s a link that will get you started: http://www.publiclibraries.com/.

Mar 26Set your poetry in motion. If you’re a poet, start preparing for National Poetry Month in April. Outskirts Press offers a Poetry Formatting Kit for poets wanting a high-quality, professionally-formatted volume of poetry, with a custom-designed layout (including graphics) but without the custom-designed price!

Mar 27Affiliate yourself with others. Help other writers you know get published and earn a 10% commission for the referral after their book is published. Register for the Outskirts Press affiliate program today at http://outskirtspress.com/affiliates.php and start spreading the word to all of the writers in your life.

Mar 28Blog about yourself. Start a blog and keep it active and up-to-date with blog posts about you, your book and other things that interest you. Register your blog with blog directories to gain more readership and participation.

Mar 29Touch Base. Submit your published book to the Google Base listings. It’s free. http://base.google.com.

Mar 30Think big (print). Publish a large print edition of your book to expand your market. With the world’s demographics growing older, large print editions are becoming more and more popular. Featuring 14 or 16-point fonts, these editions appeal to the aging community because they are easier to read. You’ve already written the book, now re-publish a new easy-to-read edition to increase your revenue and double the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives. It’s easy to get published here.

Mar 31Take a breath. It’s been a busy, productive month. Take a couple hours to yourself today to recharge and gear up for all the events, promotion and marketing opportunities that will come your way in 2013!  An Outskirts Press Personal Marketing Assistant can help you organize all of those opportunities and create a detailed marketing plan just for you.

 
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Posted by on March 1, 2013 in Advice, book marketing

 

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Vote now for the winner of the free laptop!

self publishing
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Outskirts Press has been “sharing the love” and inviting its family of successfully published authors to do the same. This has come in the form of a $300 publishing promotion as well as a video promotion for the chance to win a free laptop. The video submissions have been collected, the best of them have been posted on our Facebook Page, and the “likes” have been tabulated.

Now it’s time for you to vote for the winner of the free laptop!

From among all the submissions we received, the top videos are presented below. Simply vote for your favorite in the polling box below the last video. The polls will be open until end-of-business on Thursday, February 28th. The winner will be announced on Friday, March 1st.

Good luck to the three finalists. And thank you to all our wonderful authors who took the time to submit their videos:

Now, without further ado…

VIDEO #1: Larry Wright, author of Longhorn Tales


VIDEO #2: Davy Jennings, author of Kansas Gospels


VIDEO #3: Tommy Baker, author of Santa Claus, The Fourth Wise Man


Are you ready to publish your book?

 

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