–> Some Useful Blogs for Book Marketers
Yes, there are many others besides Shel Horowitz’s Book Marketing Tip of the Month. Here are a few that I like, in alphabetical order by author’s last name.

–> How to Get Grassroots Marketing for Half-Price
Over 300 pages of solid information on lowering your marketing cost and boosting your return.

–> Get Noticed in a Big Way!
Jill’s new book, GET NOTICED … GET REFERRALS, is available today! We want to give you thousands of dollars worth of valuable and unique gifts from her colleagues – speakers and authors who are the best of the best! Jill’s new book teaches you how to get noticed and become influential using an intuitive, people oriented approach that will serve you throughout your career. Here’s the details and a quick peek at all the special gifts you will receive: www.GetNoticedBook.com

–> Boost Your Profits & Get More Referrals with Your Business Card
Do you worry that your business card is going to get thrown away as soon as your back is turned? Can subtle design changes really double, triple, even quintuple the follow-up business you get from simple little business cards? Learn the secrets of effective business cards with Diana Ratliff’s ebook (recently revised to include a brand new chapter on business card referral strategies!).

–> How to Make a Major Impact
JV maven Ken McArthur’s long-awaited book, Impact: How to Get Noticed, Motivate Millions and Make a Difference in a Noisy World is available, with a ton of bonuses including one from me–and 100 hours of no-cost top-level audio training on the Impact Factor site. I haven’t seen the book yet, but I’ve followed Ken’s process of writing, and the amazing way he turned this launch into a months-long internship on Internet marketing, imparting skills to others while building the launch in the best win-win People first fashion. The quality of information he provides is superior, plus he’s a really nice guy; I fully expect the book to be worthy of him. When the time comes for me to update Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, I expect to include his story, as I just love the way he embraced the idea that he can profit by making everyone he knows into a better marketer.

–> A Book and A Seminar from Rick Frishman
Rick Frishman is a busy guy; he’s got two things going on that you want to know about.

First, his newest book, “Where’s Your Wow! 16 Ways to Make Your Competitors Wish They Were You” (co-authored with Robyn Spizman). I’ve read the whole thing and I think it’s an excellent introduction to branding. http://www.wheresyourwow.com/.

–> Myanmar Cyclone Relief: Make a Donation to Doctors Without Borders
Sharon Tucci put together a site to funnel donations directly to groups on the ground doing cyclone relief in Burma/Myanmar. Her preferred charity is Doctors Without Borders, but she offers several other choices as well. Note: Donations through this site are administered by an organization that takes a small administrative fee, but makes the process very smooth. If you’d rather give directly, that’s fine too.

–> A No-Cost Way to Connect with Reporters Seeking Stories
My friend Peter Shankman, a very well-connected PR guy in NYC, has started a no-charge service called Help A Reporter Out. He sends queries from reporters a few times a day, and if there’s a good fit, you answer the journalist. And he gets some leads that never make it to Profnet/PR Leads. This should be a no-brainer–but don’t abuse it. Only answer if you’re approrpiate for the query, or else you’ll spoil it for yourself and everyone else . If you get one good lead in a year, it’s worth it. He has passed on leads from the NY Times and Washington Post, as well as lesser venues. Sign up at www.helpareporter.com

–> Finally–An E-Book Site Puts Authors’ Needs First
Writers: Mark Victor Hansen (of Chicken Soup fame) has just launched a very author-friendly e-book/multimedia content distribution site at http://www.youpublish.com/referredby/shelhorowitz. No fee to set up, no fee to upload your files (wide range of types), 50% commission.

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

–> Want a Free E-Copy of Mark Joyner’s Classic Book, The Irresistible Offer?
This amazing book has a prominent place on my bookshelf–but I had to pay for my copy. You can get the e-book at no cost by following the above link.

–> Also from Mark: the re-release of his infamous “Mind Control Marketing,” the book that built his reputation years ago as one of the most focused and creative marketers in the world. I confess, I haven’t read this one-but I’ve heard about it for years.

–> Facebook Teleseminar with Mari Smith
If you’re not on Facebook yet, you may be missing valuable business opportunities. If you are on Facebook, are you getting the most out of it for your business? Recently, The Blog Squad grilled Mari Smith about why you need to be on Facebook and how to use the social networking site to be smart about building your business. Now you can get access to the audio program from the live teleseminar for an investment of only $20.

–> You’re invited to join Foundercontact
Christophe Poizat, founder and chairman of the International Network of Social Entrepreneurs (INSE) has invited you to receive a free membership with Foundercontact. Foundercontact International Ltd is a web 2.0 online marketplace designed to bring entrepreneurs into contact with 3500 investors for seed, early stage, or growth capital. With members from 5 continents and 93 different countries, it opens up international business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Sign up at http://www.foundercontact.com/user/register

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since July, 2007 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

Shel Horowitz’s Book Marketing Tip of the Month, June 2008

Yes, there are many others besides Shel Horowitz’s Book Marketing Tip of the Month, and this is not intended to be comprehensive. Here are a few that I like, in alphabetical order by author’s last name.

Marion Gropen’s Publishing for Profit blog. Would you believe there’s at least one person in the universe who can bring an accounting perspective to book publishing and marketing issues without losing sight of the marketing agenda? She’s been CFO at some mid-sized publishers and a stalwart on the indy publishing scene for years. And she really gets it.

Brian Jud’s blog on book marketing - very useful essays on strategic marketing, some of them in great depth.

Bookmarket Blog - John Kremer. From the author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books. A mix of posts advertising his own offerings with very perceptive writing on the book industry–everything from web design to the Regnery case that I’ve written about, where conservative authors sued their publisher claiming diversion of funds to book clubs they own.

Ken McArthur’s recent book The Impact Factor had a great launch. Ken used the launch as a lesson in social media, invited people to participate in all sorts of ways. Ken’s blog includes entries about the book launch and also his joint venture conferences.

Jacqueline Church Simonds of Beagle Bay Publishing/Creative Minds Press works the book trade show circuit, and reports on it here: witty, opinionated, observant–everything a blog should be, other than frequently updated.

Dorothy Thompson’s Pump Up Your Book Promotion featurs lots of interviews about book marketing with various successful authors, plus good and sueful tips (e.g., using Google alerts to discover copyright infringement.

Got a favorite blog about publishing? I’ll do a column like this every once in a while. If you have a suggestion, please list it in the comment section.

–> This month’s Positive Power Spotlight: Eco-Libris

–> Another Recommended Book: All Marketers are Liars by Seth Godin

–> How to Get Grassroots Marketing for Half-Price
Over 300 pages of solid information on lowering your marketing cost and boosting your return.

–> Hear and Meet Shel

Monday, June 23, 9 a.m. Eastern (and probably podcast replay available). Shannon Cherry will interview me about Marketing Startup Businesses. http://www.startupspark.com

Thursday, June 26, Hidden Tech lunch at Essalon Cafe, Hadley, MA (not speaking–this is face-to-face networking).

Wednesday, September 17, 2-3 p.m. Shel Horowitz and Dina Friedman sign their award-winning books at the Big E (New England-wide fair), West Springfield, MA, in the Massachusetts Pavilion. Free with fair admission (books available for purchase).

Friday, September 19, 9-11 a.m. (yes, you read that right!), “Book marketing,” Independent Publishers of New England Vendor Panel, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, Classroom 105 (in conjunction with NEIBA, New England Independent Booksellers Association conference).

Radio shows: alternate Mondays, 103.3 FM in the Pioneer Valley, valleyfreeradio.org elsewhere, 4 pm ET:
June 16, River Valley market (new natural foods co-op, Green building)
June 30 (probable): Jon Cadoux, founder and president of Peak Organic Brewing Company
July 14 & 28: TBA

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Excellent Free Books that Used to Cost Money
Both Ken Evoy (SiteSell/SiteBuildIt)and Mark Joyner have recently reset the price to zero for the electronic versions of some of their best stuff. Yes, you’ll have to fill out a form or two. Yes, it’s worth it. These are excellent resources.

–> Teleteach for Profit
Learn How to Promote, Run and Sell Interactive Teleclasses & Audio Programs
Marcia Yudkin presents a unique package that includes instruction, resources, and feedback to help you start your own successful teleteaching program. Visit the link to find out more and get a free copy of 66 Ways to Use Teleseminars to Promote Your Business or Your Cause. http://tinyurl.com/3h8faf

–> 5 Internet Marketing Traps That Can Derail Your Business
The Blog Squad is giving you a chance to learn from their mistakes so you can make twice as much
money in 2008, in half the time. You don’t want to miss this free session on June 24. Presented by The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman, in partnership with Kathleen Gage, the Street Smarts Marketer — Tuesday, June 24 @ 6 p.m. ET

Of course, you know there’s a reason for the freebie: it’s a preview call to introduce you to a 4-week, in-depth mentoring program starting July 1, 2008. Even if the course doesn’t work for you, the free call will provide plenty of valuable information you can’t afford not to know. Click here to register.

–> Get Noticed in a Big Way!
Jill’s new book, GET NOTICED … GET REFERRALS, will be released on JUNE 26TH and we want to give you thousands of dollars worth of valuable and unique gifts from her colleagues – speakers and authors who are the best of the best!  Jill’s new book teaches you how to get noticed and become influential using an intuitive, people oriented approach that will serve you throughout your career. SIGN UP TODAY to receive Jill’s newsletter and this generous, empowering one-time offer on JUNE 26TH. GET NOTICED IN A BIG WAY – today!  http://www.jilllublin.com/newsletter.php

–> Join the Call: U.S. Business Leaders’ Call for Strong, Science-Based Global Warming Legislation
Last year, 26 major corporations-including General Electric, Ford Motor Company, and Duke Energy-called on Congress to pass aggressive climate legislation that will help significantly reduce global warming pollution. These leaders recognize that implementing solutions to global warming is smart for business. Strong climate policy will spur investments in clean energy technologies, create new jobs, and reduce our dependence on oil. Now, small businesses are joining this call to action. Congress needs to hear directly from the business community that we can protect the climate and boost the economy at the same time. Please urge local businesses and your local Chamber of Commerce to sign our call to action today.

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since September, 2003 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

Another Recommended Book: All Marketers Are Liars, by Seth Godin (Penguin Portfolio, 2005).

Seth Godin, author of such classics as Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, and Unleashing the Idea Virus (and founder of the social networking site Squidoo), continues to display his chops as one of the freshest and most visionary marketing minds in the English-speaking part of the planet.

In this book, he looks deeply at the power of story in marketing–with some insights I haven’t seen elsewhere.

Why does wine actually taste better in a $20 glass than in a $1 glass? The wine is no different–but the story makes it feel different–and people buy the story (and the glass).

The trick, says Godin, is to tell a new story, often to a new audience. Look for a market segment that feels ignored, that its worldview isn’t being heard–and tell a story that reaches them. Don’t try to bang your head against the wall telling a modified familiar story to the same old familiar audience that’s already been buying from someone else. While your story should not contradict facts, the facts are much less relevant to the marketing than the narrative you weave around it.

Specific examples?

The rock band Wilco rejected the classic record-industry story that illegal music downloads are a destructive force. The band released its repertoire for free download and watched CD and concert ticket sales shoot through the roof.

Cereal maker General Mills responded to the Atkins low-carb diet craze of several years ago with a rapid switch to 100% whole grain for all its cereals–and was able to tell a story about health in a world where healthy foods had become relevant. Godin doesn’t mention this, but from a marketing/public perception point of view, that switch was relatively easy even for a giant conglomerate, because several of its most popular product lines (Cheerios, Wheaties, Total) had been telling a story about health for decades.

By contrast Interstate Bakeries, whose iconic brands like Wonder Bread and Hostess Twinkies were widely perceived as non-nutritive, was not able to be convincingly healthy in that market and went bankrupt. Which is especially interesting because Wonder has tried to tell a health story for over 50 years, with its “Helps build strong bodies 8 (later changed to 12) ways” tagline–but the product sure didn’t feel healthy, despite its added vitamins.

Yet Wonder is still trying to tell a health story to a skeptical world that has discovered in the meantime what real bread looks, tastes, and feels like. This is on the company’s website as of June 15, 2008:

Wonder has helped America build strong bodies for over 80 years. It provides essential vitamins and minerals, an important part of your family’s healthy diet. And today Wonder is more nutritious than ever before. Every slice is an excellent source of calcium and a good source of folic acid.

Back to Godin, speaking of health:

Marketers have a new kind of responsibility…If you make a fortune but end up killing people and needlessly draining our shared resources, that’s neither ethically nor commercially smart, is it? Nuclear weapons have killed a tiny fraction of the number of people that unethical marketing has…I refuse to accept that there’s a difference between a factory manager dumping sludge in the Hudson River (poisoning everyone downstream) and a marketing manager making up a story that ends up causing similar side effects.

Among many other examples, he comes down hard on food giant Nestle for telling a story in the 1970s that got mothers in desperately poor nations to switch from breastfeeding to infant formula, under conditions that made failure–and thus, dead babies–inevitable. In his words, there’s a difference between a harmless marketing fib that the consumer tells him/herself in order to believe the story, and an outright fraud with harmful consequences, and Nestle was guilty of the latter, until an international boycott made it hurt too much.

On a related note, Godin also points out the importance of making sure the customer experience delivers on the promise of your story. Cold Stone Creamery, the ice cream chain is one of many businesses he faults for breaking the promise:

Scoopers at Cold Stone Creamery occasionally break into song. They’ll sing for tips and they’ll sing about the joy of ice cream. At my neighborhood Cold Stone, though, they don’t sing. They sort of whine a funeral dirge. It’s obvious that someone ordered them to sing, and they don’t understand why and they certainly don’t care…They are in the business of telling a story. And the song and the smiles and the staff are a much bigger part of that than the ice cream…Soon the hordes will stop coming when they find that the experience leaves them hollow.

Final advice from Godin:

• Marketing must take responsibility to be authentic and have integrity (something I talk about at great length in my own book Principled Profit: Marketing that Puts People First)
• When people shift their pre-existing worldview, they’re ready to hear a story that reinforces the change
• Powerful stories can often be found at the junctions of apparent oxymorons like “socially conscious investing,” “adventure cruise line” or even “compassionate conservative”

Just back from my annual trip to Book Expo America, and one of the things I noticed was a definite shift toward sustainability–not just in the books being published, but also in attention to industry practices.

Some of these were aimed at publishers and printers, and some at consumers. One of the latter–which I learned about not at BEA but in a personal note from one of the founders–is EcoLibris.com, whose slogan is “Every book you read was once a tree. Now you can plant a tree for every book you read.”

Like carbon offset programs, this attempts to let consumers make restitution for the environmental effects of their reading habits. Starting at a dollar per tree and going down slightly with quantity purchases, the group funds reforestation projects in developing countries. It’s a for-profit business, and does retain a percentage of the donations. But it also includes all sorts of interesting environmental information on the site.

One of the pages I like best is the Collaborations page, which lists joint efforts with publishers, authors, bookstores, etc.–who are of course encouraged to spread the word and who receive customer kudos for being Green.

And while I think offset programs are only a temporary solution to reduction of pollution, greenhouse gases, etc., when I think of that convention center filled with literally millions of books and imagine a forest sprouting up with a tree for each book, it’s a vision that has a lot of appeal.

Read Shel Horowitz’s award-winning book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, for more on Green and ethical companies succeeding.

–> Other Web 2.0 Sites, Pt 2
Finishing up our extended series on Web 2.0, a few more ways to get known (at no cost) in Cyberspace. First, we talked about Facebook and similar sites, then blogs last month, and now, a roundup of other ways to get noticed.

–> How to Get Grassroots Marketing for Half-Price
Over 300 pages of solid information on lowering your marketing cost, boosting your return

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

–> Teleteach for Profit
Learn How to Promote, Run and Sell Interactive Teleclasses & Audio Programs
Marcia Yudkin presents a unique package that includes instruction, resources, and feedback to help you start your own successful teleteaching program. Visit the link to find out more and get a free copy of 66 Ways to Use Teleseminars to Promote Your Business or Your Cause. http://tinyurl.com/3h8faf

–> How to Make a Major Impact
JV maven Ken McArthur’s long-awaited book, Impact: How to Get Noticed, Motivate Millions and Make a Difference in a Noisy World is being launched today starting at 1 pm US Eastern Daylight time, with a ton of bonuses including one from me–and 100 hours of no-cost top-level audio training on the Impact Factor site. I haven’t seen the book yet, but I’ve followed Ken’s process of writing, and the amazing way he turned this launch into a months-long internship on Internet marketing, imparting skills to others while building the launch in the best win-win People first fashion. The quality of information he provides is superior, plus he’s a really nice guy; I fully expect the book to be worthy of him. When the time comes for me to update Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, I expect to include his story, as I just love the way he embraced the idea that he can profit by making everyone he knows into a better marketer.

–> Another Free Resource: Make Your Words Sell
This ebook previously sold for $29.95 but you can get your copy free and learn the exact steps for turning your words into “money-in-your-pocket.”

–>Finally–An E-Book Site Puts Authors’ Needs First
Writers: Mark Victor Hansen (of Chicken Soup fame) has just launched a very author-friendly e-book/multimedia content distribution site at http://tinyurl.com/4kpp9h This link will take you to the page here my books are set up. From there, just click on “Register” in the upper right. No fee
to set up, no fee to upload your files (wide range of types), 50% commission.

–> A No-Cost Way to Connect with Reporters Seeking Stories
My friend Peter Shankman, a very well-connected PR guy in NYC, has started a no-charge service called Help A Reporter Out. He sends queries from reporters a few times a day, and if there’s a good fit, you answer the journalist. And he gets some leads that never make it to Profnet/PR Leads. This should be a no-brainer. If you get one good lead in a year, it’s worth it. He has passed on leads from the NY Times and Washington Post, as well as lesser venues–but be respectful of the need to only pitch on-topic. Sign up at www.helpareporter.com

–> How to Be A Best Selling Author
* Warren Whitlock’s How to Be a Bestselling Author Course (how to strategically leverage interest in your book)

–> For Parents…Are You Set Up Properly if Something Happens to You?
I’ve had a look at Wear Clean Underwear by Alexis Martin Neely, and I’m very impressed by her clear writing and her words of warning to parents: If you want a good outcome for your not-yet-adult kids in the event of your death, you need to prepare…NOW!

–> Want a Free E-Copy of Mark Joyner’s “The Great Forumla?”
I guess his giveaway of The Irresistible Offer was a big success, because now Mark Joyner is giving away e-copies of The Great Formula. this is a wonderful book about how to turn one-time customers into ongoing ones–and it includes an essay by me.

Note: If you’re not already in his Simpleology system, you will have to sign up. Mark wants to get something out of the deal too, and what he gets is your e-mail in his system. He’s one of the smartest marketers on the planet and he is doing this as a marketer.

–> Mark Joyner: Conversations with Bestsellers
This one you have to pay for. Internet marketing genius/bestselling author/philosopher of abundance and social change Mark Joyner has released a set of audio conversations with other bestselling authors on how to become one. Includes transcripts and various cool bonuses.

–> Also from Mark: the re-release of his infamous “Mind Control Marketing,” the book that built his reputation years ago as one of the most focused and creative marketers in the world. I confess, I haven’t read this one–but I’ve heard about it for years.

–> You’re invited to join Foundercontact
Christophe Poizat, founder and chairman of the International Network of Social Entrepreneurs (INSE) has invited you to receive a free membership with Foundercontact. Foundercontact International Ltd is a web 2.0 online marketplace designed to bring entrepreneurs into contact with 3500 investors for seed, early stage, or growth capital. With members from 5 continents and 93 different countries, it opens up international business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Sign up at http://www.foundercontact.com/user/register

–> Myanmar Cyclone Relief: Make a Donation to Doctors Without Borders
Sharon Tucci put together a site to funnel donations directly to groups on the ground doing cyclone relief in Burma/Myanmar. Her preferred charity is Doctors Without Borders, but she offers several other choices as well. Note: Donations through this site are administered by an organization that takes a small administrative fee, but makes the process very smooth. If you’d rather give directly, that’s fine too.

–> “Where’s Your Wow!” from Rick Frishman
Rick Frishman’s newest book is “Where’s Your Wow! 16 Ways to Make Your Competitors Wish They Were You” (co-authored with Robyn Spizman). I’ve read the whole thing and I think it’s an excellent introduction to branding. http://www.wheresyourwow.com/.

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since September, 2003 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388