Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Just two more days to grab the #1 Amazon Bestselling 2014 Ultimate Author Marketing Planner while it's $1.99




Grab your copy of these two Amazon Bestsellers before it's to late and the price goes up.  So, which should you buy?

If your floundering with your marketing and need a no-nonsense step-by-step tell you exactly what to do book, then start with the 8 Hours to Jump Start Your Career. It's filled with a simple 8 Hour plan to give you and your book the needed foundation from which all your other marketing endeavors can build.  Building your book marketing on solid rock will give it the absolute best opportunity to gain you the type of visibility that will help you jump-start your marketing and sell more books.


If you're seasoned and want something that will help you begin to layer your marketing onto your foundation, start with 2014 Ultimate Author Planner it has all the tools you need to take your marketing to the next level.  It includes a full  Marketing directory as well as 77 pages of goal setting, tracking and planning sheets. The marketing primer is just what you need to stay motivated and begin to learn the why's behind some of the must dos.
 
 
 
8 Hours to Jump Start Your Career is on Sale for $2.99
2014 Ultimate Author Marketing Planner is on Sale for $1.99
You only have two more days to take advantage of this opportunity. Then the prices go back to $4.99!

If you're serious about selling more books in 2014 grab them now. You won't be investing in gimics, instead you'll be investing in a proven plan for putting your marketing on a solid foundation that will yield dividends for months and years to come.
 
 


Monday, January 20, 2014

Being Busy is no Excuse! Five ways you can make time for your Book Marketing and Sell More Books!


I'm a very busy person so when I hear authors complain about not having time to market it makes me roll my eyes. When you run your own business (I started my first at 17 just two weeks after high school graduation) and you are the only one you can depend on to get stuff done, you learn how to multi-task, you also learn to spend the time you have on the tasks that have the most potential to help you reach your goals.

As authors we waste a huge amount of time in the name of marketing. There are a few things in life that you just know you are going to have to do over and over again. I call them the vanishing tasks: Like cleaning the kitchen. You clean it and in fifteen minutes it can be messed up again and you start over.  Washing clothes... you'll never be finished...you will always have to wash and dry clothes.

When it comes to marketing, you want to limit the amount of time that you spend on one-time wonders and concentrate on those tasks that you do once and benefit from again and again.

#1- SPEND MORE TIME DOING TASKS THAT OFFER LONG TERM RESULTS- Make sure your book is listed on all of the online directories and websites that offer authors free listings for themselves and their books. SPEND LESS TIME POSTING TO FACEBOOK GROUPS-IN FACT DON'T DO ANY MORE POSTING TO FACBOOK GROUPS (BOOK PROMOS) UNTIL YOU ARE SET UP WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE LONG TERM OPPORTUNITIES.

#2-GROUP LIKE TASKS TOGETHER- DEDICATED AN HOUR TO DO TWEETS, FACEBOOK PROMO POSTS ETC. BUILD UP A BANK OF THESE SORT OF THINGS AND USE THEM IN ROTATION.THIS IS A HUGE TIME SAVER.

#3-TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT MARKETING. CHOOSE THOSE THINGS THAT OFFER MORE FOR THE MONEY IF YOU ARE DOING PAID ADVERTISING.This type of advertising may take longer to kick in but that name recognition you are building will help to establish you and once you make it to the Bestseller lists you'll stay there longer.

#4-CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE BECAUSE IT'S THE NUMBER ONE REASON YOU ARE STRUGGLING. LOOK FOR WAYS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM YOU ARE HAVING INSTEAD OF SPENDING ALL YOUR TIME COMPLANING ABOUT IT. It really is true that the longer you put something off, the worse the task will be. If you spend all your time worrying about something, being upset you're not where you want to be and how poorly your book is doing, you're wasting your time on nonproductive tasks.

#5-APPLY THESE STRATEGIES to other tasks for your non-publishing life. FREEING UP TIME IS FREEING UP TIME and it's time we can spend doing the things we want to instead of doing the things we have to do. TAKE CONTROL OF THE SITUATION and BECOME THE SUCCESS YOU DREAM OF BEING. 

If you enjoy my posts, consider purchasing one of my author related books. I hold nothing back and they are the results of years of research and over 20 years of offline marketing experience. Don't recreate the wheel, just learn to use it to get you rolling in the right direction.

Wishing you a successful 2014,
Tammie

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Will 2014 Be A Repeat of Last Year or Are You Ready for Success?

Oh, dear...the New Year is here and the groups I belong to are a hot mess of optimism and sheer negativity. Authors, please, attitude first. Can't never could. Won't never will. Giving up should not be in your vocabulary. Defeat should NOT be something you are willing to accept. Say it after me..."The only thing between myself and success is ME."

You are your own worst enemy. If you didn't reach your goals last year you probably didn't write them down. Worse, you probably never really made any. Goals are fundamental. They help us measure our progress like a to-do list. Have you ever noticed how much more accomplished you feel at the end of the day when you check off that very last task? It feels good doesn't it? That's is how you will become successful.

It's time to step away from the pity party and put on the robe of a professional author. No moaning, no groaning, no telling the entire world you haven't sold a book. Seriously, this is the internet and regardless of whether you are talking in a small group of authors on Facebook or on your timeline. No body wants to do business with someone they perceive as not successful. I don't care if you sell no books in a month. Wallow at home, but do NOT go tell the world you are struggling.

Your future readers only want to hear about your struggles when you are rich and famous. Then you can lament all your hard knocks. Until then, get your act together, grow up and realize this is a business. This is a game that you must win to become the fulfilled author that you want to be. It's not that hard, really.

Every author should take a basic marketing course. If you don't have time to do that then consider buying a couple of good books. Not just any books, but books that can give you the nudge that you need to develop your own systems.

I've written two books that I believe give authors that edge. They are filled with the motivation to help you anchor yourself into a necessary part of being a published author, marketing.

I'm not writing any of this to get rich. I won't get rich on any of the how-to's that I've put out for authors. I wrote them because it really bothers me that so many authors ask the same questions over and over and I just don't have time to answer them. If you buy one of my author books and don't find at lest one idea that is worth more than the cost of the book then write me because I want to know.

If you are truly ready for success this year grab the 2014 Ultimate Author Marketing Guide and get started. It will not only take you through the basics of marketing, but includes a directory of links that allow you to find free places and techniques to market your books.  In addition, you will receive a 77 page planner full of goal setting and tracking planning pages that will get you organized.

My first book for authors, 8 Hours to Jump Start Your Career for Self Published Authors gives you all you need to take an 8 Hour day and set your book on a firm marketing foundation.

If you've read either, I'd love to hear from you.
I can be reached at tammiecgibbs@yahoo.com

Wishing you much success in the New Year,
Tammie Clarke Gibbs
International Bestselling Author
Publisher of Reader's Rock Magazine
Founder of the Virtual Ebook Fair
Owner Gibbs Publishing









http://www.amazon.com/2014-ULTIMATE-Authors-Marketing-Planner-ebook/dp/B00HN8EGDE/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1390145901&sr=1-2&keywords=tammie+gibbs

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Hot off the digital press READER'S ROCK MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST ISSUE 2

 
 





AUTHORS, now's the time to schedule your two page spread for the August - Sept Issue
Current single issue rate is $35 grab your space before the prices go up to industry standards. Lock in at the best price with a  charter sponsorship of $250 for 12 issues.

Email Us

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Two Great Ways to Promote Your Books!

If you are like most authors you know that finding really good opportunities to market your books without offending the people you want to buy your book OR spending a fortune is very difficult. I'd like to share with you two very special opportunities that you might be interested in.


Several weeks ago ( around 17) I launched my latest novel, SWORN TO SECRECY, and in the process held several Facebook events during which I met a lot of fantastic authors.  The success of my events spurred an idea and I decided to try it.  I held my first #SAMPLESATURDAY: SHARE AN EXCERPT SATURDAY/ within a week or so the event evolved so that I renamed it to the Virtual Ebook Fair. Attendance from both readers and authors grew in such numbers I knew I was on to something. The event has now grown from one day to three. There is no cost to participate and we have a great group of authors in the networking group.


A Virtual Ebook Fair is just what it sounds like. Ebook fairs are customarily places where authors set up booths and share their books with readers who stroll by asking for the occasional autograph.  At the Virtual Ebook Fair, you set up your own booth(a thread on the event page). You chat via comment with the fairgoers and you post an excerpt from one of your books. Then on your blog or website you post a longer excerpt and link from the event page to your blog to drive traffic to all of your offerings.  Simple, really.


We also have a Twitter event where authors submit up to three tweets for their excerpt page on their blog/site by filling out a form that populates a spreadsheet.  The deadline is 12 noon on Friday's to get your tweets in. Then after 12noon you go in and copy past at least one tweet from each author and insert it into your scheduling software for Saturday. If you post a tweet you are expected to tweet the other authors.


If you're interested in participating join the networking group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/169126186575183/

Visit the Blogsite for the event:  http://www.virtualebookfair.com

Join this weeks event: https://www.facebook.com/events/537876802926532/
NEXT: Reader's Rock Digital Magazine has just launched to rave reviews. Designed specifically for Readers, it has no articles for writers on craft or promoting, but instead focuses on all the fun things booklovers enjoy. For the next issue a two page spread is only $35 and you can get 12 issues for a special prepaid rate. Be sure to check it out.

http://www.readersrockmagazine.com

Actual Issue Here: 
http://www.joomag.com/magazine/reader-s-rock-volume-1-issue-1-june-july-2013/0449353001371943152


Have an awesome day and sell lots of books!!!


Tuesday, March 26, 2013

A Shaky Marketing Foundation

I have one question for my motivated friends. Are you looking, really looking for those opportunity gems or are you too caught up to notice them?

One of the most asked questions I hear from authors is "where should I advertise" which by nature is the wrong question and assumes that you must pay for advertising. I'm not saying you shouldn't pay for advertising. I am saying that you should be working from your plan before you ever pay for an ad. I see too many authors that are unprepared, have no Facebook page, no Twitter; no blog or website throw good money out of the window by inviting attention to a book page, description and cover that is not ready for a prospective suitor. There hard-earned cash quickly floats out of the window and an opportunity to bond with a new fan is lost.

"You only have ONE chance to make a good first impression" this saying is especially true when it comes to marketing. A paid ad that works is one that is thought out, placed properly and leads to a page that is designed to close the deal. If you're not ready, you are really just wasting money.

In 8 hours to Jump-Start your career, I give authors a foundation to build their marketing platform. The ideas in the book are, for the most part, all FREE and there are tons of other free opportunities that authors often overlook. Why? I have no idea. I know that personally I've offered opportunities and watched authors sniff around them only to walk on by and pursue those paid ads.

Could it be that paid ads have the allure of the Instant Bullet for authors? That magic pill we all want to take to help us lose weight, appear sexier  and instantly gain the ability to talk in public rarely exists, and if you spend money on a really good ad venue, and it isn't successful it's probably your ad or your product.

Everyone wants to side step the foundation, but in doing so you risk having your entire branding platform collapse and when that happens, you will find yourself starting over.

Look for those free opportunities first, then when you are sure your foundation is firmly in place you can rest assured your paid ads will yield a better pay off.

Until Next Time,
Tammie

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Facebook Fan Pages...do you have one? No? Why not?

Facebook Fan Pages...do you have one? No? Why not? How many FREE opportunities do you get to create a presence online that has the potential to build your fan base in such a profound way?

Here are three things you can do to make sure you're not turning people away when you want them to stick to you like glue.

1-Check your Banner and your photo. A perfect banner will be both professional AND refl...ect your personality and branding. (Don't have branding? Stay tuned because you should.) Your photo should not be juvenile or a cutsey avatar. If you want people to spend money on your products, you must prove to them that you are worthy of their attention. Even if you're book has never made it to a best-seller list your marketing should make it look worthy of the moniker.

2-Are you communicating with your fans? Simply putting up a fan page isn't enough if you truly want to engage your readership and connect with them. So while having a page is great, and you are leaps ahead of some authors you should be utilizing it.

3- Are you a great big spammer? If so Stop. Chat with your fans and share creative and interesting information. For instance, don't just say you had a great meal for supper, share the recipe. Be creative...you are a creative person.

A little effort now will go a long way toward building your fan base and keeping them tuned into you.