Post #74 ? Women?s Memoirs, Book Business ? Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
MEMOIR AND JOURNALING, A RESOURCE FOR HEALING
Marketing and Promotion on the Internet
Matilda Butler and I are pleased to be part of a blog book tour organized by WOW! Women on Writing for Mari L. McCarthy?s new book, Peace of Mind and Body: 27 Days of Journaling to Health & Happiness
Just as we are interested in memoir writing, journaling and the power of memoir for healing, we regularly write about book marketing. After all, writing the book is only half the job. We need to get our books into the mainstream if they are going to be seen, talked about?and bought. As Mari approaches the end of her WOW Blog Book Tour, we had the opportunity to ask her for some marketing insight:
Welcome, Mari, to Women?s Memoirs. We are pleased to have an opportunity to talk with you and to learn more about your marketing strategy and tactics.
Women?s Memoirs: Mari, there is increasing discussion (and consideration) of alternative forms of book marketing. In particular, authors are looking to the Internet. I?m curious what pointed you in the direction of the Internet? How many different ways are you putting the Internet to work to promote your book? Are you posting on many different writing and journaling sites? I know you have a Smashwords page as well as a website CreateWriteNow.com, where you also blog. Could you talk a little about your marketing decisions and the results you?ve seen?
Mari L. McCarthy: Create Write Now is an Internet business. Based on the results to date (90 percent of 27 Days? purchases have been eBooks), I?m going to produce eBooks for the next three titles I have planned for 2011. All my book marketing has been via the Internet?Facebook posts and Twitter @CreateWriteNow posts. Facebook ads have worked well. I run them for a month when I introduce a new eBook or add a new format. For example, I?ll be introducing the audio version of 27 Days in June and will run a Facebook ad to get the word out.
In addition, I use my weekly Journaling Therapy Tips/Constant Contact newsletter as a marketing tool. I use HubSpot?s inbound marketing software and CMS (Content Management System) to capture lead emails. Then I send out targeted email blasts to prospects based on what book chapter they?ve downloaded.
I started working with WOW in November 2010, advertising my free Cure Writer?s Block eBook. The hardbound 27 Days version was not moving so when Angela offered the Blog Tour idea, it sounded like a fit. We?ll be doing Blog Tours this year for two new eBooks: Who Are You? How to use Journaling Therapy to Know and Grow Your Life and Dark Chocolate for the Journaler?s Soul: 17 Personal Journaling Stories of Healing and Growth.
Women?s Memoirs: In addition to the Internet, are you also doing some more traditional book marketing, such as local appearances, a cross-country book tour and signing, and press releases? Did you also send out copies of your book for reviews in local papers? Do you use a publicist?
Mari L. McCarthy: No to all of the above. I did, however, send out review copies as part of the WOW Blog Tour. And while I don?t use a publicist, I have a Writing Virtual Assistant, Mary H. Ruth. She and I do all the marketing and promotional work.
Women?s Memoirs: I looked at your website and read about your journaling therapy services. This, in my view, is your platform?in that you have many people seeking you out for your journaling skills. Have you been able to leverage this platform in the promotion of your new Kindle workbook?
Mari L. McCarthy: My books are the ?referral? that turns buyers into Journaling Therapy clients. Right now that is how I get the majority of clients. I?m working on my Kindle marketing campaign plan as we speak and that will include creating a special 27 Days-Kindle version landing page. I?m going to get a video testimonial of someone who uses 27 Days on Kindle.
Women?s Memoirs: Finally, now that you?re well into your 27 Days of Journaling experience through WOW, I wonder what insight and advice you can pass along to other writers who are still thinking about the value of blog book tours. Do you have some sense of the value of such projects? Any advice for writers to help them get the maximum value of a blog book tour?
Mari L. McCarthy: My WOW blog tour exceeded my expectations. It gave me exposure to influential blogs I never would have known about, like Women?s Memoirs! I?ve had over 50 free chapter downloads and 5 sales from it so far. My recommendation to writers is to sign on with WOW for a blog tour; WOW knows where today?s and tomorrow?s book marketing is at?the Internet!
Women?s Memoirs: Mari, thank you for joining us today and sharing your experiences with Internet marketing in general and the WOW Blog Book Tour in particular. I hope our readers (many of whom are aspiring authors) will consider a blog book tour for their books.
NOTE: If you like this article, let us know by clicking on the LIKE button just below. Thanks. That helps us know the type of article you like. And you can read more about Mari McCarthy and 27 Days by reading Matilda?s interview from Wednesday.
memoir writing
memoir
book marketing
journaling
writing and healing
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