Why Book Videos Are Making A Splash Online - Interview With The Glossary's Jeremy Dunning

This week I interviewed The Glossary's Jeremy Dunning, New Media Coordinator.

The Glossary is a Los Angeles-based company that designs and creates promotional book "video excerpts". Sending BIG THANKS to Jeremy for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer my questions. He shares and explains why book videos are the hottest promotion for authors right now.

The Glossary has graciously offered a 10% discount off their services to my blog readers so just contact Jeremy and mention you read his interview on my blog, and he can help you! Contact information: Jeremy Dunning, jeremy@theglossary.com

 

1. Please explain why video marketing is important to authors and why they should invest in video - especially for self-published authors who don't have an online presence and are starting from scratch?

Video is the most shared form of media on the internet and to understand its success, you need only look at how YouTube has become such a successful brand in just a few short years.  People like to watch videos, and more importantly, they like to share them.

Not only is video an effective way to entice prospective readers, it’s also the most social-media-friendly form of marketing available.  By using video, instead of just a text synopsis or blurb, you’re greatly increasing your chances that your book’s video will be shared with the people they know. In order to encourage readers to spread the word about your book, they need a form of media worth sharing.

Even starting from scratch, a great video can serve as the foundation of a successful web presence.  It’s the hook, the thing that’s going to get people to look for you elsewhere and hopefully buy your book. 

 

2. What are some of the innovative ways authors can use book videos as part of their internet marketing campaigns?

Your typical online distribution campaign is generally based around sharing the video on sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and hopefully catching the attention of lit-savvy blogs. But with each of these distribution channels, you’re competing not only with other book videos, but movie trailers, home videos, and funny cats.  

In addition to sharing on traditional platforms, creating a unique home for your video is a great way to set yourself apart. By giving each video it’s own website and URL, it becomes a destination that is easily shared with friends, family, and prospective readers without having to share its space with other content competing for the viewer’s attention. From these “splash pages” readers can view and share your video as well as find links to where your book is sold online.

But whatever you do, our advice would be to get creative!  Think outside the box of where your video can live on the web and how this can help turn viewers into buyers.

 

3. A lot of companies throw around the word "book trailers" but I noticed you don't use this terminology affiliated with the services your company offers.

We believe that one of the biggest problems with video book marketing is that it rarely celebrates what it’s actually selling--the written word. The Glossary was created largely due to our belief that the publishing industry suffers from a pretty serious identity crisis when it comes to marketing. Trailers are a fundamentally cinematic device. But books aren’t movies, so why are we marketing them as such?

Even when an author or publisher can spend the money on one of these expensive Hollywood-style trailers, they too often ring false. Why? Because they’re not selling you the experience of reading a book, they’re selling you the experience of seeing a movie version of that book.

We wanted to use video to promote books for what they are--books! To that end, we prefer to focus on the author’s own words to create what we call a “video excerpt” which is brought to life using interesting visuals and sound design.

This way, the author gets all the marketing benefits of using video, while still staying true to what they do best--the written word.

4. What advice would you give to authors who are just starting out with their internet marketing?

The internet is a wonderful tool for empowering the individual.  With a little technical know-how and a lot of hard work, you can successfully publish your book without the help of a traditional publisher, marketing company, or agent.  But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.  

If you don’t have a strong knowledge base in a particular area--be it social media or creating a video--seek out some help.  You can have the next great American novel, but without proper marketing, nobody is ever going to hear about it.  Handle the parts of the process you know and are passionate about and leave the parts you don’t know, or dislike doing, to a professional.

 

5. Do you think we'll see a bigger trend with bestselling authors and book videos in 2012 or is the trend already happening? Are the traditional publishers using book videos more as part of their promotions? Your thoughts?

You can definitely see it trending more and more towards video.  Already, its hard to find a major Young Adult release that doesn’t have a video behind it. But the real question is, will the quality of the video content be able to stand up to the quality of the writing? So far, this hasn’t been the case, but we’re definitely optimistic for the future.

5 Email Marketing Traps Book Authors Should Avoid

I know it's tough to market your book these days. With all the marketing tools out there for authors, it can get overwhelming. 

This morning I received a query through my LinkedIn for an ebook. Since I market authors, I assumed it was an author inquiring about marketing assistance. After I opened the email, I noticed the author had included a "free copy" of his ebook and asked me to read his book and pass along to my friends and colleagues. I did not know this person and I didn't know anything about his work or his book (despite the fact that he has 600 plus connections on LinkedIn, that doesn't mean anything to me).

Spam is a HUGE pet peeve so it's important to understand what NOT do when you use email to market your book. This also applies to any product or service and not just books. 

1. Do NOT solicit or sell your book to someone you don't know or has not subscribed to your email list. That's just common courtesy and you want to grow your email list and not lose subscribers. 

2. Offer your email subscribers valuable content, articles, and free reports/downloads. How can you help people and offer assistance? Email marketing is not about pitching your book 24,7. It's about making real connections with people. Think of your sales funnel. Only about five to ten percent of website visitors will actually buy the first time they visit your website. You need to provide them with valuable information so they'll stay interested in you, as the author, and your book. 

3. Do NOT give away your entire book away via email. Many people think this is an effective sales tactic and will generate more interest and will make the book go viral faster. If your book sales aren't a priority and you want to use the book to market your business (specifically non-fiction authors), then you can go that route but that's an entirely different marketing campaign altogether. However, if you are a fiction writer and book sales are your number one goal, provide only a sample chapter of your book. You want to generate interest with your sample chapter - just enough to entice the reader to want to buy your book. Why would someone want to purchase your book when they just read it for free? 

4. Include videos in your email marketing campaigns. Viral video is hot for book authors. If you want to try a visual marketing tactic, create a book trailer video (stay tuned - I will be posting an interview soon about the importance of book videos). You can also take on the persona of your character in your video and talk about the book through the eyes of your character. You don't need to spend a lot of money either. Use your webcam or digital camera. The video only needs to be a few minutes long, and it also puts your face in front of your audience.

5. Be consistent with your newsletters.  If you start an e-newsletter, make sure you send them out on a regular basis so you stay in touch with your subscribers. If you only send out emails every few months, then people won't take you as seriously and they will probably lose interest in your book. With the hundreds of thousands of book choices people have out there, it's very easy to lose people's attention. Your newsletter doesn't have to be long but be consistent - if you send out emails monthly then keep up with that schedule! Automate your newsletters through your CRM software, and implement an editorial calendar to help you stay on track. 

If you are a newbie book marketer, take these tips into account before you blast out emails to your email subscribers. You don't want to see people opting-out left and right -- not a good sign! 

 

 

Dawn's Light Movie Email Campaign Hits Big With Twilight Fans

For Twilight fans, there is huge online buzz circulating around their next movie. This is an example of an innovative digital campaign centered around the next Twilight movie, Dawn's Light. 

I love this campaign idea - VERY clever!

"The email was a "wedding invitation" for characters Isabella Marie Swan (Bella Swan) and Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, sent exclusively to Fandango's previous "Twilight" ticket buyers. Fandango says the unusual email promotion was to promote its advance ticket sales, timed to the fictional birthday of Bella Swan." (Source: www.mediapost.com) 

If you are a fiction writer, implement similar marketing ideas. Take on the persona of your characters AND take it beyond email marketing campaigns. 

• Blog from the perspective of your characters. Get inside the head of your characters: is there a special message or information you could pass along in your character's 'voice'? 
• Hire an actor to do a voice-over or shoot a book trailer with your character(s) as the stars. 
• Use creativity and humor to your advantage - entertain and educate! 

Even if you aren't a Twilight fan, you can take a few pages from their marketing campaigns - innovative and creative! 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Customer Service Goes Beyond Your Company's Social Media

When I experience bad customer service from companies, I try to learn from the experience and ask myself: how can I better serve MY clients? It is also a good reminder for me that I wouldn't be in business if it weren't for my loyal clients. 

I find it disappointing that large corporations such as Toyota and Alaska Air have forgotten the basics of their customer service. Despite the fact that I shared my unpleasant experiences with their company on their social media, the buck stopped there. Alaska Air sent me a canned email response but it was a sad attempt to make up for the bad customer service I received. You would think they would bend over backwards to keep me as a customer since these companies have to be extra competitive these days. Few people are buying new cars in this economy, and people can choose Alaska's competition. 

It's one thing to respond to customer complaints on social media, but companies need to take it one step further to ensure that their customers walk away satisfied and happy. My suggestion to these corporations such as Toyota and Alaska: take your customer service offline and return to the basics.

Have I heard from Toyota since I received their canned "we are sending your complaint to our upper management" response on their social media? No. Have I received a letter directly from Toyota apologizing for the fact the dealer almost ruined my car because they installed the wrong recall part in my car? No. Have I received an apology letter from the local dealer where this happened or was I offered a complimentary oil change from the dealer to make up for what happened? No. If I had received an apology letter or even an offer of a free oil change, I would have a lot more respect for Toyota's commitment to their customers. 

Think about this stat and how an unhappy customer could negatively affect your business AND your bottom line:  

According to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs in Washington, DC, a dissatisfied consumer will tell between 9 and 15 people about their experience. About 13% of dissatisfied customers tell more than 20 people.

In this tenuous economy, companies cannot afford to lose customers due to negative experiences. As much as I tout the benefits of social media and online reputation management, remember to connect with your customers BEYOND social media. Treat your customers like real human beings and not just a number floating around the cyber ethers! And pick up the phone once in awhile to connect directly with your customers and clients. It's nice to hear a real, live voice -- make sure your customers know that you care! 

 

Name One Technology Gadget You Can't Live Without In Your Business

Is it your iPhone? Your laptop? You iPad? Check out the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur (I weigh in - Tip #23). As much as I love technology, I sometimes just need to take a hiatus -  "tune out" and  turn off my Crackberry and laptop and get away from it all.

As much as my Blackberry and laptop makes life (and running my business) much EASIER, there are days when it's both a blessing and a curse. I've caught myself getting into that "texting while waiting in line at Starbucks" mode and I have to stop myself. Sometimes it's good to tuck away your phone, smile at another human being and just "smell the roses"! 

What are your thoughts? What is the ONE gadget you can't live without in your business? How has technology made your business more efficient? 

Thanks to Randy Mitchell For The Shout Out On The Inspirational Writer

I had one of THOSE weeks...Murphy's Law moments and I think the Universe is testing me. But despite the glitches and bad customer service craziness (stay tuned for that blog update!), I received a nice surprise from inspirational writer and author, Randy Mitchell. I've helped Randy launch and market his first novel, Sons In The Clouds. 

Randy shared one of my book marketing articles on his blog. Randy is a great example of a self-published author who has taken social media by storm. His ebook was nominated for the Global eBooks Award for Best Inspirational Fiction. 

I encourage you to check out Randy's book which is available on Amazon, Kindle, iBooks and Sony. 

Thanks so much for the shout out, Randy! 

PS - What did you WISH you knew before you started your business? I was featured on Carol Roth's blog (tip #12). Great tips on there by other small business owners and entrepreneurs! 

Death Threats Against Women Bloggers Must Be Stopped

I thought Labor Day would be an appropriate day to share this post. Women have worked hard over the years to break down glass ceilings and make their mark on the business world. I thank the courageous suffragettes, women's rights' activists, and ALL women who have suffered and struggled so I can sit here today and freely express my opinions and viewpoints via the written word.

Domestic violence against women is a cause near and dear to my heart. I had the privilege of working a stint with the CA Partnership to End Domestic Violence and heard Robin Givens speak about her personal domestic violence nightmare when she was married to Mike Tyson.

I was infuriated when I read this blog post by Naomi Dunford, successful entrepreneur of IttyBiz. As a female entrepreneur and blogger, the power and strength behind her words really hit home with me. I'm a big fan of Naomi's blog and love her sassy energy. Her blogging style may not be everyone's cup of tea, but NO ONE has the right to threaten death against another  human being based on what Naomi writes. Death threats equal hate crime, and should never be taken lightly. Whether you are man, woman, or child, NO one has the right to make you feel unsafe online and this is a form of "online terrorism". I definitely won't sit back and allow my voice (or my fellow female writers' voices) to be stifled.

I encourage you to take a stand today and spread this message along with me and Naomi. We will NOT tolerate violence against women - in any way, shape or form! As women (and men who love and support women), we must stand together and fight.

"What you can do:

Today, I’d like to ask you to do a few things for me.

First, please share this. You know how.

Second, do something amazing today – write, create, share – and do it as loud as you can.

WE know we can never be silenced. Now it’s time to show THEM.

They will not stop me. Don’t let them stop you."

As a writer, I allowed my voice to be stifled far too many years. I even had an ex-boyfriend who told me I would never make it as a writer (as a copywriter, I proved him wrong!)

I dedicate my blog post today to Naomi Dunford and ALL female bloggers, writers and creative kindred spirits. I also dedicate to women who have first-hand experienced violence against them, and who have triumphed. Don't EVER let anyone threaten, intimidate or scare you into NOT expressing and sharing who you truly are.

To the cowardly hate mongers: you will NEVER silence our collective female voice and we will not tolerate your violent threats against us.