Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations
spread their message like wildfire.
This week's focus: 
As winter approaches, snow begins to fall - which means fun activities, such as building a snowman or throwing snowballs at an unsuspecting spouse, kid, or neighbor. To build a snowman, you start by packing together a small ball of snow. Then, you roll the ball on the ground. As you maintain pressure while rolling, the ball will pick up snow as it rotates and builds momentum. The more you roll, the bigger it gets. If you continue rolling long enough, you will windup with a giant snowball.
The way you build a snowman is the same way you build an author platform. Usually, you start with a small group of readers. But, as you provide value through your marketing activities, your initial ball will start to attract more readers through word-of-mouth. If you stay consistent and "keep rolling," your ball of followers will build momentum and start to rapidly grow. Over time, you can windup with a giant platform.
Too many authors forget the "snowball" principle of marketing and wait too late to start promoting their new book. They ignore the need to begin marketing until 6 - 8 weeks before their books' launch date. By then, they feel overwhelmed with stress. Worse, there's not enough time to build the momentum necessary to rapidly expand their platform. It's like trying to build a huge snowball by only rolling it a few feet. You're going to be disappointed with the lack of growth.
Building a large platform takes time and effort. I tell the authors that I coach to start actively marketing a new book at least 6 months in advance. That length of time allows the momentum process to start early enough to get results. The sooner you get your snowball rolling, the more time you have to make it grow. Authors can market a book early by blogging on the topic, speaking on the subject, sending newsletters with updates, providing deep discounts for pre-orders, "leaking" sample chapters, etc. There's nothing wrong with getting people excited about a new book - even if they'll have to wait a few months. In fact, the sense of anticipation alone can be a key factor in building buzz among readers.
Don't let your book launch feel like you're getting run over by a snowball. Instead, use the snowball principle to your advantage. Start rolling early, stay consistent, and watch your platform grow.
-- By the way, I thought I'd practice what I preach and let you know that I have a new book coming out in May, 2012 with Writer's Digest publishing house called Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. Here's a sneak peek at the front cover. This book will be the definitive guide on book marketing and platform growth for authors. I hope you'll purchase a copy and tell your author network about it. As a thanks to my email subscribers, I'll be offering special discounts for those who pre-order early. Stay tuned for details.
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© Rob Eagar 2011.
All rights reserved.
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations
spread their message like wildfire.
This week's focus:
Social networking is typically a passive approach to marketing, because you're at the mercy of other people deciding to visit your blog, "like" you on Facebook friend, "follow" you on Twitter, or subscribe to your YouTube channel, etc. The problem with this passive approach is that you're giving other people control of your promotional process. At any time, their online attention can be lured away by another author or book who grabs their interest. And, once people disappear, they rarely come back on their own.
That's why I recommend including proactive activities in your overall marketing plan. You want to take steps to reach your audience without waiting for them to reach you. How do you engage proactive marketing? Use the power of direct promotion, such as: - Send email or print newsletters
- Speak publicly
- Pursue and conduct media interviews
- Line up book-signings
- Write magazine articles
- Reach out to book clubs
Effective marketing includes a balance of both passive and proactive activities. If you realize that you're being too passive, pick one of the ideas from the list above and make headway on it this week.
To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips directly in your email inbox,
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations
spread their message like wildfire. This week's focus: My wife and I recently went out to dinner to try a new restaurant that opened near our house. Instead of having a good experience, though, the restaurant failed to deliver on our expectations. For instance, it took a long time for our food to arrive, and even then, my entree was under-cooked and chewy. My wife's food was cold. In addition, the wait staff was inattentive and rarely came by our table to check on us. They seemed to disappear after we got our food. Needless to say, my wife and I were dissatisfied with the experience. Fortunately, the manager stopped by our table to ask about our meal. We informed him of the situation, he sincerely apologized, and "comped" our meal for free. My wife and I were glad to leave without having to pay, and agreed that the restautant was not worth recommending to friends. In the restaurant world, customers don't have to pay for their food until after they eat it. In the publishing world, however, it's the exact opposite. Readers have to pay for a book up-front, and hope that they have a good reading experience. If a book doesn't meet expectations, rarely can get their money back. They're stuck with a bad book. But, they sure won't spread good word of mouth. As an author, never forget that your customer has to pay first in order to read your book. What if it was the other way around? What if readers could choose to pay only after they read your book? Would readers "send your book back to the kitchen" complaining that it was under-cooked or took too long to arrive at a good ending? Authors have the luxury knowing that readers have to pay for books first. But, we cannot abuse this privilege. So, as your write your next book, keep this concept in the back of your mind. Just because people have to buy a book before reading it doesn't mean your off the hook. Put yourself in the position of a reader and ask if your book meets a reader's expectations. Or, would they request a refund on their reading experience?
To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips directly in your email inbox,
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations spread their message like wildfire.
This week's focus:
 Dolphins and whales are both air-breathing creatures who live in the ocean. Yet, they swim and behave in radically different ways. For example, sperm whales often descend into the depths of the sea and may not resurface to breathe for 35 - 90 minutes. This behavior can make whale-watching a frustrating endeavor for excited tourists hoping to catch a brief glimpse. In contrast, dolphins typically swim near the ocean's surface and tend to breathe every two minutes. This makes them easier to spot, and many dolphins will even chase alongside boats as tourists marvel at their speed and beauty.
In the literary world, don't be an author who swims like a whale, instead swim like a dolphin. For example, some authors disappear from their readers for several months, as they dive into the depths of their writer's cave to create their next book. This is a mistake, though, because it frustrates fans who want to stay in contact with that author. Readers begin to wonder when that author will resurface, and if it takes too long, they lose interest and move on to another author who's more accessible.
In contrast, wise authors swim like dolphins by regularly surfacing and staying in contact with their readers. They continue to work on their next book, but frequently "come up for air" through social media, newsletters, public appearances, media interviews, etc. They don't frustrate their readers by disappearing for long periods of time. They reward their readers with regular access and awareness. If you want your marketing to be more productive, examine how often you "surface for air" with your fans. Swim like a dolphin instead of submerging like a whale, and you'll catch more book sales.
To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips directly in your email inbox,
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations spread their message like wildfire.
 This past weekend, college football fans were treated to an amazing game as Michigan State upset highly-ranked Wisconsin on the last play of regulation. As time expired, Michigan State's quarterback threw a last-ditch, 44-yard, "Hail Mary" pass that was bobbled by two players until receiver, Keith Nichol, caught the ball and crossed the goal line.
Some people called the desperate play a "lucky" win, and it was certainly a rare situation. However, Keith made an interesting comment in the post-game celebration interview. He said that Michigan State practiced that exact kind of last-second desperation play every week. In fact, they practice it so much that they have a name for the play called, "The Rocket."
What does a lucky, last-second catch in football have to do with marketing a book? There are times in life when you suddenly find yourself in a desperate "Hail Mary" situation. For example, you might randomly sit down next to an important person on the airplane. Someone may suddenly introduce you to a high-profile leader at a party. You may be asked to fill-in for a well-known speaker who cancels the day before. You might get asked to appear on a major radio or television show with little advance notice. Each of these situations has happened to several of my author clients.
The question is: are you prepared to handle those "Hail Mary" moment when they occur? Don't avoid the work and think you can just "wing it." Instead, do you practice reciting the value of your book? Do you have a powerful speech ready to give on short notice? Do you rehearse your sound bites so that you could give an effective interview if a TV producer called tomorrow?
Sometimes, the biggest marketing opportunities appear unannounced. If you're caught off guard, you won't be in a position to maximize those occasions. That's why it's important to continually prepare for those situations. For example, memorize the key value statements for your book. Rehearse answering media interview questions while driving in your car. Practice a new speech out loud by yourself until you own the material.
After the big win on Saturday, Michigan State's football coach, Mark Dantonio, said, "We always tell our players that they have to be ready, because you never know when your time will come." As an author, a major opportunity to market your book may be just around the corner. Will you be ready?
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© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations spread their message like wildfire.
 Social media is luring a lot of people to believe that marketing shouldn't cost them anything. "Free" is becoming the new promotional budget. The danger with this mindset is that it can lead to a position of complacency. Most people need to feel invested in an important activity in order to see it through to completion.
For example, one of my friends has a Ph.D in counseling and runs his own private practice. He's spent hundreds of hours helping people work through their most difficult life issues. Yet, he recently told me that his experience has shown that people who come to him for counseling on someone else's dime rarely make progress. That's right, people who receive free counseling rarely heed the advice of the counselor and experience positive change. That's because they have no money invested in the process to keep them engaged and accountable. In contrast, counselees who pay his full fee on their own are much more likely to participate in the counseling process and experience positive results, because they are personally invested.
This same dynamic applies to marketing. There's a tendency to let promotional efforts slip when you don't have any financial "skin in the game." If you're tired, distracted, or lazy, then it's easy to think, "I'm too busy to blog, Twitter, or FaceBook today. Besides, they're free, so it doesn't cost me anything." Whereas, if you've spent time creating a database of targeted leaders and hired a graphic artist to design a nice-looking newsletter, you're more likely to feel invested and follow-through on that activity.
Try this litmus test. If Facebook and Twitter started charging $100 a month, would you still use them? In addition, are you getting enough return on investment via social media marketing to justify the amount of time you expend? If yes, go forth and prosper. If not, then it's time to make a change and focus your marketing on other tactics, even if they cost money. The goal isn't activity, the goal is success.
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© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations spread their message like wildfire.
One of the keys to selling books like wildfire is to get other people to act as a salesperson for you. Instead of marketing all by yourself, imagine hundreds of people singing your praises to the public. A great way to make this happen is by utilizing the power of success stories.
For example, Dave Ramsey, radio host and New York Times bestselling author of The Total Money Makeover, uses the power of success stories better than any author I know. Every Friday, Dave invites listeners to call his radio show, declare how much personal debt they use to carry, explain how Dave helped them get out of debt, and then scream with glee, "I'm debt free!" Dave congratulates them, plays a funny inspirational soundtrack, and you can't help but feel happy.
However, these joyful moments aren't just for the benefit of the caller. These emotional success stories also create a powerful marketing dynamic for Dave's books. Listeners are moved by hearing Dave's readers revel in their newfound financial freedom. If you're someone who happens to be in debt, these stories create a natural attraction to check out The Total Money Makeover.
You may not have a nationwide radio program like Dave Ramsey. Regardless, any author (fiction and non-fiction) can use the power of success stories as effective marketing tools. As you gather positive feedback from readers, share them regularly through your newsletter, website, blog, and social media pages. You could even create a regular focus on them like Dave does. You may not have people shouting, "I'm debt free!" Instead, your success stories can help people see your books and think, "I want to read!"
To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips sent directly to your email inbox,
© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations spread their message like wildfire.
My wife loved reading the best-selling novel, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society." The book's story is told through a compilation of letters between Londoners and residents of a British island once under German occupation during World War II. Random House, the book's publisher, setup a clever tool on the book's website called "Send a Letter." It's essentially an e-card service that enables fans of the book to embrace the romantic way of correspondence and spread interest about the book using vintage looking electronic stationary. I've always been a fan of e-cards and don't see enough authors taking advantage of this online marketing tool.
The "Potato Pie" website also offers other engaging word-of-mouth features, such as a detailed Google map of the real-life Guernsey island, recipes, a book club discussion guide, a video interview with the author, and a sweepstakes contest. Imagine how your author platform could grow if you place these types of tools in the hands of your readers.
New Workshop Opportunity: Advanced Media Training for Authors Saturday, November 5, 2011 - Atlanta, GA Don't wait. Space is limited and registration closes Oct. 15th.
To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips sent directly to your email inbox,
© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations spread their message like wildfire.
Have you ever attended a music concert and seen T-shirts on sale for over $25? How can musicians get away with these ridiculously inflated prices? Emotion can trump logic when it comes to pricing. In other words, the emotional experience of a great performance makes people feel less concerned about price. Fans enjoyed the concert so much that they'll gladly pay an inflated charge to take home a souvenir to remember their good feelings. The greater the emotion, the less price is an issue.
As an author, you can enjoy this same dynamic. When readers hear you speak in public or meet you at a booksigning, they get to feel an emotional connection to you as an author. And, if they're fans of your material, that connection can run incredibly deep. For instance, look at the intense followings of bestsellers, such as J.K. Rowling, Malcolm Gladwell, or Stephenie Meyer.
Furthermore, getting a signed copy of your book can feel like a personal treasure to a fan. Therefore, price isn't top priority when most people visit your book table. Due to this fact, charge the full retail amount for individual copies of your book - especially if you sign them in-person.
New Workshop Opportunity: Advanced Media Training for Authors Saturday, November 5, 2011 - Atlanta, GA Don't wait. Space is limited and registration closes Oct. 15th.
To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips sent directly to your email inbox,
© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.
One of the fastest ways to get exposure for your new book is through
radio and TV interviews. Unfortunately, most publishers no longer setup media
tours for their authors. Worse, typical PR firms charge $2,500 - $5,000 per
month for their services - with no guarantee of success. Why risk
paying these outrageous prices when you can learn to setup media interviews on
your own for free?
More importantly, landing media interviews doesn't mean you'll sell
any books. You can't just show up and tell your story. Audiences don't care.
Instead, you've got to learn how to drive listeners to take an interest in your
book, or you'll windup wasting precious opportunities.
Rob Eagar, marketing coach to over 400 authors and author of the
upcoming book, "Sell Books Like Wildfire," has taught dozens of his clients how
to land media interviews and use that exposure to generate book sales. This
one-day workshop will provide advanced-level, personalized instruction that will
help you:
- Write a press release that captivates media producers.
- Prepare for a radio or TV interview with confidence.
- Fearlessly interact with any kind of host.
- Lead your listening audience towards buying your books.
- Utilize these essential skills for the rest of your author
career.
This will not be a boring, lecture style workshop. Rob will actively
work with each attendee to write a professional press release, generate
interesting questions and answers, control the interview discussion, and
implement a book promotion strategy. You will complete important tasks and be
ready for action by the time you leave. For those who are brave enough, Rob will
video record a practice TV interview and critique it together.
Special bonus: All participants will receive a
current database of over 25 radio, TV, and magazine producers as a helpful
head-start to contact for interview requests.
Note:
Don't delay - a minimum of 5 people must register by October
15th for this event to take place. The group size will be capped at 10
attendees.
"The advanced media training that I received from Rob Eagar was
outstanding - thorough, practical, and behavior-changing. He prepared me to
successfully tackle any kind of radio and TV interview, and helped lower my
anxiety about managing unexpected questions. Most importantly, Rob showed me how
to steer audiences towards making a purchase. Working with Rob helped my new
book hit the CBA bestseller list in the first 30 days!"
Dr. Paul White
Co-author of The Five Languages of Appreciation in the
Workplace
Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip
is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations
spread their message like wildfire.
This week's focus:
Facebook
currently has over 750 million users worldwide, which makes it the largest
social network in history and a powerful marketing tool for individuals and
businesses. However, setting up a presence on Facebook doesn't replace the need
for an effective website, whether it's personal or organizational. Even though
Facebook is the dominant player on the Internet, social media will always be in
a state of flux. New services will continue replace the current popular services
that everyone loves. For instance, do you remember MySpace? Probably not. Yet, a
short time ago, it used to be top dog. Today, it's the butt of online jokes.
Likewise, the new Google+ network is already making efforts to compete with
Facebook and steal away marketshare.
Therefore,
you should maintain an Internet headquarters to market your message that isn't
dependent on other services that could be here today and gone tomorrow. That's
why a well-constructed website is so important. I'm not implying that you avoid
using Facebook, Twitter, and the various online options available. You would be
wise to use social networking to your advantage. But, not at the expense of
neglecting to create your own website. A fancy Facebook page does not equal a
website. People still prefer a one-stop-shop where they can go online to learn
everything about your message. Social networking services can't offer the kind
of flexibility and promotional power that comes with a website.
To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips sent directly to your email inbox,
© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.
| 
I hope you had a Merry Christmas! This week, we're looking back over 2011 and revisiting some of the more popular Monday Morning Marketing Tips from this year based on subscriber feedback. In case you missed them or would like a refresher, here's a list to those marketing tips:
Join me in January for the start of new instructional teleconference series called, "Advanced Book Marketing for Authors." Learn the essential skills that every fiction and non-fiction author needs to market books more effectively. Plus, I'll personally answer your questions during these sessions. The first session will be on Wednesday, January 18th and I'll explain "How to Answer the Most Important Question in Book Marketing." All teleconference sessions will be recorded and sent as a download file afterwards. So, you can listen live or listen later on your computer, iPod, or smartphone.
To say thanks for subscribing to my Monday Morning Marketing Tips, I'm offering a $5.00 discount (20% off) on any of my downloadable teaching products between now and December 31st. Just use the secret code "wildfire" when you checkout at my website. Get a great deal on these resources for authors:
