Are you ready for your close up? If you’re not sure then this class is for you. Before you spend valuable marketing dollars to get yourself on radio and TV, you’ll want to make sure you know what you’re doing when it comes to media exposure.
This class will teach you what you need to know about media training. We’ll also share with you the media mistakes you never want to make.
Media Training Magic takes place August 9, 2010 at 7pm EST at a computer near you!
Bookstores got you down? Take heart. Did you know that only 35% of Americans get their books in bookstores? There are lots of things you can do to promote your book even if it isn’t in the bookstores. This class will cover the top 10 super savvy ways you can promote yourself without setting foot in a bookstore.
We’ll talk about all of the other places you can sell your book and we’ll also look at creative ways to do non-bookstore signings and events. Plus, we’ll discuss how to promote yourself by hosting your very own virtual tour.
10 Super Savvy Ways to Promote Your Book without Setting Foot in a Bookstore takes place July 12, 2010 at 7pm EST at a computer near you.
Lulu empowers creators with the tools needed for success. Our FREE Lulu University webinars will provide you with the knowledge and know-how to get the most out of your work. Lulu University is a series of free webinars. You can register for each class by adding the free service to your shopping cart and checking out.
You will be emailed with instructions on attending this free Lulu University webinar from lulu@amarketingexpert.com a few days prior to the webinar you’ve selected. Webinars are held at 7pm EST/4pm PST and require computer access. Following each class, all webinars will be available for viewing via the link mentioned below.
Be sure to sign up a few days before the event by clicking on the link provided for each webinar. See you in class!
Continue Reading »
by Barry Nugent
“Fallen Heroes“ is now on the shelves of several branches of Waterstones, including their flagship branch (where it was labeled a ‘cult hit’), which is regarded as the largest bookshop in Europe. I have, since then, done several book signings both in-store and at various conventions.
Thanks to the success of “Fallen Heroes” I now have an agent and an award winning TV and film production company has optioned the book itself. I am also working with a BBC journalist who will be adapting the story for a graphic novel to be published by Insomnia Publications.
None of this would have been possible without the easy to use and excellent print on demand infrastructure set up by Lulu. One example is the ease by which I was able to release a new edition of the book with a back cover Waterstones review and a front cover quote/recommendation from fantasy author, James Barclay.
Through self-publishing I have pushed myself to do things, in terms of self-promotion and marketing, I would never have done otherwise (signings are not my strong point!). I have learnt a lot about what it takes to not only get your work out there but what to do once it is. It’s been a journey of hard work, disappointment, lesson learning and huge moments of sheer joy.
Ever since the world sat glued to the TV waiting for Oprah to send her first Tweet, I have seen more and more people join Twitter and get frustrated because they “don’t see the point” of it. There is much more to using Twitter than just letting people know what you had for lunch or that your cat threw up again. Smart authors can use the service to gain a valuable audience that can turn into readers. Wil Wheaton used Twitter and his blog to increase his network and when his book, Sunken Treasure, was released it rocketed to the top of the Lulu Top 100 Sellers Chart.
As with anything, gaining Twitter followers does not happen overnight. I initially wrote about how to use Twitter last year to find an audience, but with more and more people using the service, having your voice heard can be difficult. These simple tips should help you gain followers and stay followed by those who can turn into readers of your Lulu.com content.
Censor Yourself: Before you post anything, think if you’d actually like to read the Tweet if it came from someone you were following.
ReTweet: I often ReTweet links or posts that I find useful, interesting or humorous. I find that people whose Tweets I have Retweeted often Retweet my Tweets (say that 3x fast). This allows my message to reach an even larger audience.
Don’t Spam: An alarming trend is happening, many people are simply sending out the same message to every celebrity using Twitter over and over. These messages are not read by the celebrity and often cause the sender to be unfollowed or blocked.
These simple tips can help you build an audience and establish relationships using Twitter and ultimately help you sell more of your Lulu.com content.
Follow Lulu here.
Follow me here.
Sign-up for Twitter here.
Read more about using Social Networking here.
Working at Lulu.com has been a pretty interesting experience. Aside from all I have learned about the publishing industry, I have met some pretty unique people. I interviewed a former adult movie actress, a magazine publisher, and even helped a person in Moose Jaw, Canada publish a book via Twitter.
Even within Lulu.com there are tons of interesting people. I sat next to Anthony S. Policastro during his time at here and in between him getting hit in the head with a Nerf dart or answering his phone via his watch, we’d discuss different ways self-publishing authors can promote their books as well as the future of ebooks. Anthony has written two books that he has released through Lulu.com as well as guest posted on the Lulu Blog about writing and marketing.
Continue Reading »
One of the great features that often goes unnoticed on Lulu is our pre-made Buy Now Buttons.
Scatter customized buttons and banner ads on pertinent websites and link them directly to your product on Lulu. People who are browsing see them, click on them and, in many cases, become buyers.
All you have to do to make it happen is to go to the “My Lulu” page and click on the “Promote” icon (a star) next to one of the available products. Customized code is created and can then be placed on other websites to generate a button or banner ad.
Visit this page to learn more about how to add these great buttons to your blog or website. For best results, add them below a picture of your cover or description of your content.
For more great ideas on how Lulu can help you sell, visit our Writer Marketing Services page.
I love using Twitter to find out what the Lulu community is up to. Often, I head over to Summize.com and type Lulu.com in the search field to see how our authors are promoting themselves via Twitter. There are hundreds of recent messages from authors and buyers that have been sent talking about Lulu.com. I decided to find one of the Lulu.com authors who actively uses Twitter to find out what kind of success they have had promoting their work.
Bob McDonald, author of Flagrant Foul and Dilemma, was kind enough to conduct an interview with me via Twitter today about how he has used the latest social networking tools to promote his books.
Continue Reading »
Anthony S. Policastro is not just the Senior Business Analyst at Lulu.com, he is also an author. He was kind enough to take the time out of his day to write a great post on how to write and market your book using Lulu.com and other great tools.
The Jenkins Group , an independent publishing services company, says four out of five people they surveyed said they believe they have a book to write. Even fewer actually sit down and write a book and even fewer get published. Many established literary agencies in New York and elsewhere get upwards of 500 email and snail mail book queries a week and less than one percent of them are considered for representation.
So how do you get published with those odds?
Continue Reading »
One key to selling your book, photo book or calendar is finding an audience who is interested in your topic. Website forums have been a good way to speak to people who share your same interests, but finding the right websites to post on can take quite a bit of time and effort.
In the past year, another great way to find and communicate with people who share your interests has emerged: Twitter. This web-based communication tool allows you to have conversations with numerous people whether they share your interests or are simply interesting in their own right. If you’re shy, you don’t have to actively engage people in conversation; you can follow people that interest you and sit back and watch the conversations unfold.
Continue Reading »
