| Author |
Message |
    
Frederick A. Babb
Awareness Member
Post Number:
46
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 03:40 am: |   |
Here is an open letter to any and all who may have ideas to share.
As you may or may not know, I am in a military base in Spain which hammers me tremendously in my efforts to promote my books in the states. This is one of the reason that the "brick and mortar" issue of some publishers isn't really an issue with me. I have to rely mostly on the Internet to sale books.
Having said that, I feel that I have been successful in my first book, having gone over the 1000 sale mark, and my second one seems to be picking up steam. Still, I can't attend book signings, go knocking on bookstores for stocking and have little opportunity of placing articles and/or advertiments in local newspapers.
What can I do, given my handicap of not being in the USA, to enhance my sales even more? If anyone has any advice, tips or any ideas, please let me know.
Thank you for letting me state this (getting off soapbox)
Frederick A. Babb
Preview books: http://frederickbabb.bravehost.com |
Todd Hunter
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1724
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 04:48 am: | |
If you've gone over the 1000 mark, I'd say we should probably be asking you how to promote our books, not the other way around...
Can you not have book signings somewhere off-base in Spain?
Just curious... |
Frederick A. Babb
Awareness Member
Post Number:
50
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 05:12 am: | |
I could have off-base signings, but the books are in English and there is a limited audience that speaks and reads that off base... I am working on having one of my books translated into Spanish, but until that becomes a reality I have to endure English written books in a Spanish environment.
Frederick A. Babb
Preview books: http://frederickbabb.bravehost.com |
Laurel Johnson
Unity Member
Post Number:
3237
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 05:42 am: | |
If I were you, located as you are, I would try for foreign rights deals with european publishers. They can be very lucrative. Since I've read a couple of your books, I know they have a european appeal and flavor.
I'm with Todd. Since I cannot boast a thousand books sold, I should be taking lessons from you. |
Frederick A. Babb
Hunger Member
Post Number:
52
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 05:47 am: | |
Thanks Laurel. The UK would seem the obvious target for something like that. I will research. As for taking lessons from me, I always find myself looking up to someone of your talent instead of giving you lessons. But thank you for your kind words.
Frederick A. Babb
Preview books: http://frederickbabb.bravehost.com |
Joy Lee Rutter
Wandering Member
Post Number:
131
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 07:05 am: | |
Fred, have you used online news services such as PRWeb.com? It's worth a shot.  Good luck.
Joy
Joy Lee Rutter
|
Frederick A. Babb
Hunger Member
Post Number:
53
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 07:17 am: | |
Thanks Joy Lee. I have used them, but with limited success. I can probably credit 1% of sales to their services.
(By the way, I am wearing your Hunger Member uniform now. How does it look...lol)
Frederick A. Babb
Preview books: http://frederickbabb.bravehost.com |
Rebecca Easton
Wandering Member
Post Number:
170
Registered: 05-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 08:49 am: | |
Frederick, have you tried Radio promotion? Some talk news shows have book clubs and local celebrities can give your product away for contest winners. Stuff like that helped me get the word out locally about mine, plus the great thing is that you can get a great deal of the producer or format manager info online. Of course, I've already done the homework, but my novel is Fiction/sub genre-women's issues. Different crowd for your genre, right?
Becca
http://RebeccaEaston.com
|
Bill Nelson
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
356
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 09:11 am: | |
What is the process for getting into PX/BX(?) system, world-wide maybe?
bn |
Rebecca Easton
Wandering Member
Post Number:
176
Registered: 05-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 09:46 am: | |
Bill, call me stupid, okay, but what the heck is a PX/BX system?
Becca
http://RebeccaEaston.com
|
Claudia Turner VanLydegraf
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1518
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 09:52 am: | |
Frederick,
How about the MILITARY NEWS SERVICES and papers that cater to the military? And the NPR (National Public Radio) and Voice of Freedom radio services?
Wouldn't ads or blurbs in any of those also reach the homes of the service families here in the states? You have a built in audience, use it. People in the military and their families would burst with pride at having something sitting on their coffeetable that is written by a fellow serviceperson.
Claudia
(Message edited by Cltvcoyote on August 09, 2004) |
Gary D. Kessler
Hunger Member
Post Number:
95
Registered: 07-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 10:00 am: | |
Post Exchange/Base Exchange. The stores on military posts. Sounds like a good angle to try.
Best promotion vehicle from Spain would be the Internet (but, as others have said, if you've pushed your sales over 1,000, you must have already been mining the Internet very well). M.J. Rose is the master of this. Her coauthored book on buzz (you can find it on Amazon.com) might give you some new ideas.
For radio promotion, consult Kathleen Brehony and Karen Jones's "Up the Bestseller Lists!" If you are interested in connecting with U.S. newspapers, radio stations, and television stations, you can find their Web sites through Kidon Media at http://www.kidon.com/media-link/index.shtml.
http://www.editsbooks.com
"Finding Go: Matching Questions with Resources in Getting Published" (with Carol Kluz; Winterwolf; September 2004) |
Bill Nelson
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
357
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 10:47 am: | |
Rebecca,
Okay, you're stupid! PX is post exchange, the 'mall' on an army base.
BX, same thing, only called base exchange in USAF. They are like a WalMart for the military.
bn |
Rebecca Easton
Wandering Member
Post Number:
178
Registered: 05-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 10:55 am: | |
And if I am not in the military I know that how???? You're too funny and DON'T call me stupid! It was rhetorical.
Geez! 
Becca
http://RebeccaEaston.com
|
Frederick A. Babb
Hunger Member
Post Number:
54
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 11:29 am: | |
Great info people. I have sought the Stars and Stripes, but with little success. The PX/BX is much the same story since they bow to Stars and Stripes. But some of the other info here that has been given will surely be of use. To all, you are great!!!!! Trust me, I will let you know what works and what doesn't.
Frederick A. Babb
Preview books: http://frederickbabb.bravehost.com |
Bill Nelson
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
358
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 12:36 pm: | |
Becca,
I was simply bowing to your command!
To hear is to obey.
bill |
Rebecca Easton
Wandering Member
Post Number:
184
Registered: 05-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 12:42 pm: | |
Okay, a guy who will do as told? That's good to know. 
Becca
http://RebeccaEaston.com
|
Joy Lee Rutter
Wandering Member
Post Number:
133
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 04:37 pm: | |
Fred, you said: "By the way, I am wearing your Hunger Member uniform now. How does it look...lol"
It looks marvelous on you. Hope all goes well for you in promotion. Keep us posted.
Joy
Joy Lee Rutter
|
Diana Hignutt
Hunger Member
Post Number:
99
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 06:06 am: | |
Frederick,
I think you should be trying to make that military angle work for you. How could the press (military, American national literary, your original local area) not love the angle of a GI, struggling to write and promote his books while in service in another country. You should be able to mine a significant amount of press coverage with this, especially as you are managing to sell so many books. Press release people like Forward Magazine, the AP. I would think you should get some attention. Put the military to work for you. That's my advice.
Diana |
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