–> This Month’s Tip: Other Web 2.0 Sites, Part 1: Perhaps the simplest and most effective way to get visibility in the Web 2.0 world

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

–> A Rare and Special Treat: Your Chance to Learn in a Small Group with the Inventor of Guerrilla Marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson–On the French Riviera

–>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.

–>The Impact Factor
I’ve blogged a couple of times about  Ken McArthur’s launch strategy for his new book “The Impact Factor.” Launch day is May 13, and I don’t have the URL yet. Look for a short announcement from me that day with the details.

–> Meet me this month in L.A.–or in Boston: Two publishing conferences in Los Angeles at the end of the month, in conjunction with Book Expo America. I’ve described them in detail here (scroll down to “Pre-BEA Seminars”).

Earlier in the month, on Wednesday, May 21, I’ll be doing a brand new talk on “de-cluttering your mind.” Here’s the description:

Overcome Your Mental Clutter
If anyone knows about mental clutter, it would be Shel Horowitz, copywriter, marketing/publishing consultant, environmental/political activist, ethics and frugality expert, and award-winning author of seven books (most recently, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First and Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers). Shel will address the challenges of
* Having too many interests
* Dealing with an average of 300 incoming emails each day
* Managing numerous simultaneous client projects and many more for his own business development
* Maintaining nine different websites, one of which orchestrates an international campaign
* Staying current on the multiple industries that comprise his diverse business
* Juggling schedules for a family of four who are all very busy

More information from Judy Stitt, 617-547-7453, jstitt (at) tekedit (dot) com

–> 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

–> Just One Friend Who Wants to Give You Stuff
* 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!

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

–> 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:

–> 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

The last two months, we’ve talked about social networking communities–places like Facebook, MySpace, Plaxo, CollectiveX, Ning, LinkedIn, and literally hundreds of others.

But social networking is only one of many types of Web 2.0 sites. Any site that allows visitors to participate actively, and not just passively receive information, is a Web 2.0 site, and can be used in some ways for marketing purposes. Among the possibilities.

Your Own and Others’ Blogs

Blogs have several advantages over traditional websites. To name a few:

• They get into the search engines almost instantly (I once did a Google search for something I’d blogged about ten minutes earlier, and my blog post was there, on the first page of the results)
• It’s easy to increase the reach of a blog by feeding it to your social networking profiles
• You can set your blog to automatically ping Technorati and other blog content aggregators, so people will find you quickly if you blog about something topical and hot

Your own blog should be closely focused on the topic you want to promote. It’s OK to have an occasional post that’s off topic, but you’ll get much better results if you can stay on track. This is a challenge for me, so I describe my blog broadly: as covering “the intersections of ethics, politics, media, marketing, and sustainability–that’s big enough territory that I can ramble, and still be within that rubric.

Note: I strongly advise hosting your blog on your own server, and not on the software’s server

There are also other blogs I follow, and make public comments every once in a while. Posting on others’ blogs gets me known and respected by people I want to impress, exposes me to their fans, and also provides high-quality backlinks to my own various sites.

More kinds of sites next month.

Frugal and Fashionable Living
6 Organizing Tips for the Summer
10 Spring Cleaning and Organizing Tips
How Long Do I Really Need To Keep This?

Global Arts Review
Against Nature, Vegas Gallery
Nothing to Declare

Global Travel Review
Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia: Grace and Charm in the Lowlands
For Travelers: E-Books Are Terrific

Down to Business
How to Make the Most of Book Expo america (or other large trade shows)
The Biggest Mistakes Bloggers Make

Here are all the URLs for this issue. Ah, how I miss the days when e-mail actually worked.

I FORGOT TO PUT THIS ONE IN THE E-MAIL VERSION: If you’d like to save money on PMA-U (formerly known as Publishers Marketing Association University),  register in March to save over $100 on the early bird rate. And use this link and code to take an extra $50 off the price. This seminar immediately preceding Book Expo America (May 27-29)  is a powerful learning experience for independent publishers. I’m not teaching this year but I will be attending (the Wednesday advanced track) and taking plenty of notes. Class descriptions at http://www.pma-online.org/pmau/2008/template.aspx.
Register at
http://www.pma-online.org/pmau/2008/registration.aspx.  Use Discount Code
PMAPU08 to save $50. Info: 310-372-2732, e-mail: info@pma-online.org

–> A Rare and Special Treat: Your Chance to Learn in a Small Group with the Inventor of Guerrilla Marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson–On the French Riviera

–> This Month’s Tip: Selling Books in Strange Places
Venues that you might not have thought about may be very successful.

–> A No-Cost Way to Connect with Reports 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. Sign up at www.helpareporter.com

–>Friends Who Want to Give You Stuff
This link contains seven giveaways (three around frugal fun, four concerning frugal marketing), several of them time-sensitive\. Even if you usually ignore that part of the newsletter, I strongly recommend you look this batch over. Note to subscribers of Frugal Fun and Frugal Marketing Tips: a few changes since your newsletter was published
http://frugalmarketing.com/newsletters/2008/03/05/friends-and-colleagues-who-want-to-give-you-stuff/

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?
http://frugalmarketing.com/newsletters/2007/06/18/shels-award-winning-books-which-should-you-own/

–> 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. http://snipurl.com/21s4r (yes, this is an affiliate link)

–> Hear and Meet Shel
http://frugalmarketing.com/newsletters/2008/01/06/hearmeet-shel-january-to-may-2008/

–> Latest Additions to the Websites
http://frugalmarketing.com/newsletters/2008/03/05/new-on-the-sites-march-2008/

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.
http://frugalmarketing.com/newsletters/administrative-information

Published monthly since September, 2003 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388
http://www.grassrootsmarketingforauthors.com

http://www.frugalmarketing.com/shop.shtml

Vol. 5, #7

–> Positive Power Spotlight: Herman Miller

–> Friends Who Want to Give You Stuff
This link contains eight giveaways (three around frugal fun, five concerning frugal marketing), *several of them time-sensitive*. Even if you usually ignore that part of the newsletter, I strongly recommend you look this batch over. Note to subscribers of Frugal Fun and Frugal marketing Tips: a few changes since your newsletter was published

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

–> Another Recommended Book: Growing Local Value: How to Build Business Partnerships that Strengthen Your Community, by Laury Hammel and Gun Denhart

–> 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.   (yes, this is an affiliate link)

–> Hear and Meet Shel

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

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

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

Vol. 11, #10

This Month’s Frugal Marketing Tip: Marketing on Web 2.0 Sites, Part 1: Why Participate in Social Networking?

This Month’s Frugal Fun Tip: Art for Pennies a Picture, Part Two: How to Get Art Books Affordably

Friends Who Want to Give You Stuff
This link contains eight giveaways (three around frugal fun, five concerning frugal marketing), *several of them time-sensitive*. Even if you usually ignore that part of the newsletter, I strongly recommend you look this batch over.

Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

Hear and Meet Shel

Latest Additions to the Websites

Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

Published monthly since May, 1997 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

Maybe the stars are aligned differently, or something–I’ve got a ton of people wanting to give you stuff this month, both on the marketing side (including a couple of resources from some of the world’s top marketers that will really change the whole way you think about marketing) and for lovers of frugal fun. (more…)