Monday Morning Marketing Tip - June 27, 2011

Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip

is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations

spread their message like wildfire.

This week's focus:

I'm surprised by how many authors are frustrated by all of the work it takes to market their books. I think to myself, "What did you expect? If you didn't write a book with the desire to promote it, then why write it in the first place?" Books don't sell themselves.

Did you have kids without considering all of the hard work it would require to raise them? Of course not. Yet, books are no different. They need constant attention, especially when they're newly born. Fortunately, instead of having to change diapers, endure doctor's visits, and feed in the middle of the night, all your book needs is some consistent love via social media, free resources, radio interviews, public speaking, blog posts, etc. If marketing frustrates you, try looking at your book like having a baby without the birth pains. That should make you feel better already.

Join Rob in Atlanta, GA on July 9th:

How to Sell Books Like WildFire!

Saturday, July 9, 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
All attendees receive 30 days of follow-up with Rob Eagar by phone and email.

Click here for details and registration.

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© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.

Monday Morning Marketing Tip - June 20, 2011

Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip

is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations

spread their message like wildfire.

This week's focus:

I've worked with a lot of authors who come from the academic world, such as counselors, psychologists, professors, ministers, and doctors. In most cases, these individuals believe that their intelligence and education will allow them to write a mainstream book that appeals to the masses. To their chagrin, however, they often run into an unforeseen challenge.

Many academic-minded authors forget that the average person has no desire to go back to school. They don't want to read a textbook or an exhausting study of a problem. And, they certainly don't like authors who drone on through a boring manuscript like the monotonous teacher in the movie, "Ferris Bueller." If you're an author trying to making the leap from academia into the everyday world, keep these points in mind:

1. Don't tell the reader everything you know. Tell them only what they need to know.
2. Don't expect people to be enthralled with your credentials. The average Joe doesn't care.
3. Make your concepts simple, or you will make it difficult for people to buy your book.
4. Use word pictures, metaphors, and visual aids as much as possible.
5. Inject emotion and enthusiasm into your topic - even more than you typically feel comfortable. Academic institutions tend to strip emotion out of the learning process.
6. Remember that logic makes people think, but emotion makes them act.

Join Rob in Atlanta, GA on July 9th:

How to Sell Books Like WildFire!

Saturday, July 9, 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
All attendees receive 30 days of follow-up with Rob Eagar by phone and email.

Click here for details and registration.

To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips sent directly to your email inbox,

click here.

© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.

Monday Morning Marketing Tips - June 13, 2011

Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip

is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations

spread their message like wildfire.

This week's focus:

When you're conducting a speaking engagement, book-signing, or media interview, make the audience aware of any free resources you have available (you do have free resources, right?). Don't expect people to figure it out by themselves. State the obvious. The trick to success is in the manner that you mention these marketing tools. To prevent sounding like a shameless self-promoter, I recommend incorporating your tools into the natural flow of your presentation. For example, you could:

a. Open your discussion with a quiz.

b. Show exclusive imagery or a visual aid when telling a personal story.

c. Integrate one of your how-to articles into your speech that answers a problem.

d. Offer a free resource as an application step for the audience to use the next day.

Your marketing tools will have a stronger effect on your audience when they can see the immediate use and benefit. Thus, you need to make the benefit apparent by openly mentioning your tool, showing it to the audience, and encouraging them to use it. This way, you can generate interest without being pushy by incorporating your tools smoothly into your message.

Join Rob in Atlanta, GA on July 9th

Advanced Book Marketing Workshop for Authors:

How to Sell Books Like WildFire!

Saturday, July 9, 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
All attendees receive 30 days of follow-up with Rob Eagar by phone and email.

Click here for details and registration.

To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips sent directly to your email inbox,

click here.

© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.

Monday Morning Marketing Tip - June 6, 2011

Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip

is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations

spread their message like wildfire.

This week's focus:

Last week, I saw the new movie by Morgan Spurlock called, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. It's a fascinating documentary that goes behind-the-scenes into the world of advertising, marketing, and product placement in movies. The funny part about Mr. Spurlock's film is that he actually uses product placement to completely cover his production budget.

During the film, there's an interesting segment that shows how some Hollywood studios are using neuroscience research to determine which movie commercials are the most effective. In one scene, Mr. Spurlock visits a lab where he undergoes an MRI while watching movie trailers, and scientists analyze his brain reacting to various commercials. The technology shows how scientists can predict which movie clips will have the biggest affect on viewers. In some ways, the research was a little scary to see the lengths that some companies will take to figure out how to get people to buy their products.

However, as I listened to the summation of the neuroscience research, I heard a powerful lesson that authors and publishers need to heed. The scientists explained that the best way to create an effective movie commercial is to show scenes that evoke the strongest emotion. For example, if you're marketing a horror movie, the trailer needs to show scenes that amplify the fear and suspense. If you're marketing a relationship movie, the trailer needs to show scenes that stir up feelings of drama and tension. If you're marketing an action film, the trailer needs to amp up the energy, grit, and power of the characters. In other words, strong emotion plays a major role in convincing people to go to the movie theater.

I believe this same principle applies to marketing books, especially fiction. If you want people to buy more books, make sure your video trailer and other marketing tools (website, blog, free resources, etc.) evoke a strong sense of emotion in your audience. Perennial bestselling novelists, such as David Baldacci, James Patterson, Ted Dekker, John Grisham, and Karen Kingsbury, stay on top of the charts because they're masters of touching the heart as much as the mind. They know that logic makes people think, but emotion makes them act.

Yet, keep in mind that emotion alone doesn't trump value. You still have to answer the consumer's ultimate question, "What's in it for me?" But, when you combine strong emotion with tangible value, then you're able to capture a person's interest on multiple levels. So, take a look at your marketing activities and make sure that your style isn't too stoic. Take a lesson from Hollywood, and draw more readers to your books by making them think, "I feel the need...the need to read!"

Join Rob in Atlanta, GA on July 9th

Advanced Book Marketing Workshop for Authors:

How to Sell Books Like WildFire!

Saturday, July 9, 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
All attendees receive 30 days of follow-up with Rob Eagar by phone and email.

Click here for details and registration.

To receive Rob's Monday Morning Marketing Tips sent directly to your email inbox,

click here.

© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.