Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Self-Publishing 101: Part 4- How Friends Can Help @ A Grassroots Level

So you did your pre-order sales to friends and the rest of the people you’ve networked with through your blog and other social networking sites … at a discount. You’ve set up your author site through Amazon (where your book is listed for sale.) You’ve also set up book signings (see my other posts) and you’re ready to get the word out beyond your immediate touch. The next thing is to ask your FRIENDS and FANS to help you along the way.

Here’s one way:

I went to Vistaprint.com (which is a great place to design your postcards for mailing, sell sheets and other various marketing materials that will be the object of discussion for Part 5) and ordered 50 FREE rack cards that I customized with pictures of my books and a blurb:

“Thanks for your purchase. I hope you enjoy your book(s). As you may know, the publishing of these books has been done at an organic level. That means that their success depends on the grassroots involvement of fans. There are three things you can do to help.
1. If you like the book(s) please go to Amazon.com and do a review and click “like.” Look for the book by title by author Rebecca Lynn Dunning
2. Ask for the book to be brought into your local library.
and
3. Tell your friends verbally and via social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.”


When you do your signings and send out the pre-order sales to friends, slip the card into the book. At signings I ask them to do a review on Amazon when I hand them their copy.

Another way to enlist the cyber community is to do a give-way contest for a signed copy of your book on your blog (you are already blogging right?)

Here is a blurb from my give-away blog post:

“Either:
1) Click “follow” for my blog AND go to Amazon and click “like” on Beetle Hunter and/or The Real-Life Princess.

OR

2) Visit Rebecca’s Facebook Page for Awen House Publishing and click “like” AND Find her on Twitter and “follow”.

************To be entered: Comment below with which number you chose…”
BY THE WAY, IF YOU HAVE FOUND THIS POSTING TO BE HELPFUL, PLEASE JOIN IN THE FUN OF CLICKING THE ABOVE LINKS! Thanks.

Afterward the contest is over and you’ve published the winner, offer each person who entered a book at discount.

What you have done is create buzz for your book while moving it up on search engine optimization.

Thanks for reading.  Please comment and pass it along.
~Rebecca

Rebecca Dunning is an award winning writer who lives in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado with her husband and three children. She not only loves to read and write but also enjoys hiking, climbing mountains 14,000 feet or higher, running, biking, traveling the world and about anything else out-of-doors. Her books include, The Real-Life Princess and Beetle Hunter.

20 comments:

Free Is Fun said...

Thanks for visiting and following my blog! I have done the same. I miss CO, it is so beautiful. We lived in Fort Collins and Golden.

steph said...

Yikes I forgot to tell ya where I came from, besides CO. lol

laughwithusblog said...

I am so impressed that you have published your books! So many of us dream of this. My niece is finishing up a work of fiction she is publishing soon. I'll send her over.

Laura said...

When I sent my product to print (not a book per se) I was extremely nervous. Getting the word out was harder than actually writing and designing the product. After years of promotion, I find myself constantly looking for new ways to promote. Thanks for the ideas!

Laura
www.PreparedBinder.com

Alessandra @ Tribal Times said...

One day I'll get the nerve to publish a book! Thanks for the info!!

Honeybee said...

This is brilliant ideas. i'm going to save it for future. who knows, i'll have my writing publish someday. =)
Have a nice day. Visiting u from theblogfrog.

Zombiemommy said...

There is a lot of work that goes into getting a book off the ground. You go, one day I might join ya!

Heather said...

Thanks for the info! Congrats on your books! Thanks for visiting my blog!
Dropping by from the Blog hop! Would love the return:)
http://www.realpeachymom.com/

WAHM Solution said...

Great tips on self-publishing and how to get your name out there. Vistaprint is excellent too :)

carol l mckenna said...

Very informative ~ congrats ^_^ You are one creative lady ^_^

Unknown said...

Hi, I found you on Blog Frog. I'm a brand new follower.

My blog is about art, photography, crafts, quotes and inspiration. I'd love for you to drop by and say hello.

Bella Vida by Letty

These are some really great tips. Your blog is a valuable resource for self publishers. I'm off to explore.

Have a great weekend.

Patricia said...

Hello I am following you via the FNFW blog hop. Please follow me.

http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com/

Are You A Mom said...

Hello,
I am following you from the hop! please stop by Areyouamom.com and say hi :)
Have a great weekend!
Maureen

Unknown said...

Stopping from Mom Loop! Thank for all the steps. I am not ready for this yet, but I know where to come to get the information I will need.

Shelly said...

WOw how great!! :) I wish I was a creative writer! Stopping by Finding new friends blog hop! Hope to see you on mine! :) (two have giveaways)

http://myowngrocerygame.blogspot.com/

http://firebutterflyjewels.blogspot.com/

http://mommysmenuplanning.blogspot.com/

Patricia said...

Thanks for visiting my shop. I am following you GFC.

Are you related to an Acian Dunning in Fort Collins?

http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

I am following you on Twitter and GFC. I will ask my library to get the "Real life princess".

Shasta said...

Hi there, clicked my way over after checking out BlogFrog. Just wanted to say thanks so much for these tips! I'm close to finishing a novel and finding an agent seems so daunting, but even if I find one, I'm sure I'll end up using my blog to sell copies anyway! A giveaway is a great idea, too!
Thanks again!

Amazon said...

hallo..i'm following you on networkedblog..nice share here

Rebecca Dunning said...

Patricia, no I don't believe we are related to that Dunning. Most of the Dunning's are out of Oklahoma that we are related to. :)