1. art and entertainment
2. books and literature

Steve Harrison’s
MARCH 2010
How to Turn Radio
and TV Interviews
into Sales, Part 1
By Steve Harrison
In the last 20 years, I’ve helped over 12,000 people get publicity on
radio and TV shows. But I’ve also learned that getting publicity is only
part of the puzzle — knowing how to turn that exposure into money in
your pocket is an equally important but often overlooked skill.
INSIDE
Radio Publicity
Opportunities ...........3
Shows on baby boomer
issues are discussed on
Born Before 64.
Web & Print Publicity
Opportunities ...........4
This month I’m excited to talk to you about an important topic: how
to leverage the publicity you get and really make the most of it.
Healthy Mom & Baby
wants books written by
health-care experts.
There are two main ways to make money from publicity. The first is
direct revenue. That’s when someone sees you on TV, hears you on the
radio or sees you written up in a magazine and they go ahead and buy what
you’re offering.
BookDaily.com offers
innovative email
marketing tips..........6
The second approach is to leverage your publicity. Imagine you are trying to land more consulting clients. Instead of just mailing a letter, you
include a CD of a radio interview you’ve done. By sending that recording,
you’re showing him or her that you’re an expert.
How to get your
books featured in
Publishers Weekly ...8
You can also use clips of your radio and TV appearances on your Web
site and in your talks. Letting people know about your publicity hits builds
your brand. When you can list in your bio that you’ve been featured in
Inc. magazine and appeared on TV, that adds to your cachet.
Upcoming features in
Publishers Weekly
editorial calendar ....9
Think about what media you’ve been exposed to recently, such as magazines, newspapers, blogs, radio and TV shows. My question is: How many
times in the last month have you read about a book and ordered it right
away?
Most people tell me that rarely happens. Why is that? It’s because we
are bombarded by so many people with different messages. If we haven’t
responded, we’re really saying that their message has not hit home for us.
If you’ve done interviews and haven’t seen a flood of orders, let’s face
the fact that it’s an uphill climb to get noticed and to get people’s attention — not just to get your message out there, but to do it in a way that
prompts people to take action.
It’s easy to just teach things in a talk or in an interview. It takes more
skill, practice and thought about how to give great value to the audience
— continued on page 2
Foreign policy topics
interest The American
Spectator . . . . . . . . 10
ChiKiiTV’s Internet
videos get over
17 million monthly
visitors . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ideas you can use:
Fellow authors reveal
new marketing
strategies. . . . . . . . 14
Turn radio and TV interviews into sales, Pt. 1...
— continued from previous page
and leave them wanting to sign up for what you’re
offering.
4 ways to turn publicity into the
maximum amount of revenue
Tip #1. Make sure people know who you are.
The main reason people don’t buy is because they
didn’t catch your name or what you offer. Be mindful
about how you’re positioned in the eyes of the audience. Do you want to be introduced as “Betty Jones,
author of Communication 101?” Or would you rather
be known as “Betty Jones, founder of
HowtoNegotiateaRaise.com?”
So, when booking an interview, be very clear
about how you want to be introduced. This especially
relates to TV shows that use a caption that comes up
on the screen when you’re interviewed. After you’re
booked, you can nicely tell the producer what you’d
like that phrase to be.
Tip #2: Stress the benefits.
This is really key. If someone says “people should
take more Vitamin C, and here is a study that shows
that,” people will think “OK, but who cares? How will
it benefit me?”
But if you say, “A lot of my clients who travel
often get sick. When you’re flying for more than three
hours, just by taking more Vitamin C you can avoid
getting colds and flu. That’s critical when you’re traveling for business.” See how you’re giving a clear benefit?
I’d like you to get recordings of shows you’ve done
or look at the press you’ve gotten and ask yourself
these questions: Did people know who you were? Did
you clearly communicate the benefits?
A helpful service called National Air Check
(www.national-aircheck.com) can record any radio or
TV station anywhere. If you give them 24 hours
notice, they can record any interviews that you do.
This gives you the opportunity to review the recordings and see how you’re coming across.
Tip #3: Create an emotional response.
Another reason people don’t take action or buy
your book is that they just don’t feel like it. They’re
busy, they’re distracted and they’re not motivated to
drop everything to go to your Web site or give you a
call.
page 2 • March 2010
A lot of times it’s because the guest hasn’t provoked a response. If you’re talking about nutrition, for
example, you need to paint some pictures that will
motivate people to want to change:
“Did you know that last year more people were
diagnosed with cancer than any previous year? Cancer
is reaching epidemic proportions, mostly due to the
American diet.”
You’ve got to get your audience to feel before
they’re willing to take action. Don’t just start solving
their problems. Instead, tell a story or paint a vivid
picture of the problem that you’re helping to solve.
Tip #4: Offer hopeful success stories.
In addition to sharing stories about problems, you
can also offer hope. People typically want to avoid
pain and strive for gain. Sometimes the gain is financial. Sometimes the gain is having an ideal relationship, popularity or health. What is the hope or gain
that people can take away from your message?
I watched an ad for ProFlowers.com on TV before
— continued on page 11
Steve Harrison’s
Editor & Publisher ..................Steve Harrison
Executive Editor.........................Bill Harrison
Managing Editor ......................Martha Bullen
Contributing Editors ...................Gail Snyder,
Virginia Sheppard,
Josh Popichak,
Melissa Jacobs
Production Manager/Design............John Gay
Book Marketing Update is published by the
Million Dollar Author Club, a division of
Bradley Communications Corp., 390 Reed
Road, PO Box 360, Broomall PA 19008.
Member services: 484-477-4220 ext 106;
fax 610-541-0281
Copyright 2010 by Bradley Communications
Corp. All rights reserved. Story ideas are
eagerly welcomed.
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
Radio Publicity Opportunities
n Themes such as spirituality, human potential,
mentoring, inspiring personal stories including
dialogue between genders, cultures and religions,
are what’s featured on The Enrichment Hour,
hosted by Mike Schwager. The newly launched
show, airing 7-8 p.m. Eastern every other Tuesday,
reaches listeners internationally via The Sedona
Talk Radio Network. Schwager is looking for
authors, celebrities, creative artists, motivational
speakers and opinion leaders in spirituality,
human potential, religions, and humanitarian
issues. Although the show has a spiritual orientation, it is also grounded in the news of the day
and real-life issues. Live phoners are used.
Contact Schwager by email regarding guest
opportunities and to arrange a pre-interview, and
mail any books to his attention. Confirmed guests
will also be asked to send their author photo and
book cover, if applicable. Mike Schwager, c/o
WMCI, 8025 NW 10th Crt., Plantation, FL
33322; [email protected];
www.sedonatalkradio.com/the-enrichment-hour;
www.enrichment.com.
n Human interest topics and
lifestyle issues, including health,
entertainment, relationships, politics, business, science, sports, humor
and the latest news, are covered on
The Lisa Wexler Show. The magazine-style show, hosted by Lisa
Wexler, recently moved to weekday
drive-time and doubled its hours,
now airing from 4-6 p.m. Eastern.
Host
The program reaches listeners
Lisa Wexler
throughout Connecticut and Long
Island via WSTC-1400 and WNLK-1350 (Cox
Radio), and is also streamed globally online.
Wexler books many intriguing and outspoken
guests, including authors who can discuss the
many life topics her show explores. Phoners, instudio guests and some on-location interviews are
used. Let Wexler know of your show or guest idea
by mail, email or via her Web site. Lisa Wexler,
WSTC/WNLK, Cox Radio, 444 Westport Ave.
Norwalk, CT 06850; [email protected];
www.wstcwnlk.com; www.lisawexler.com.
n Topics related to how energy affects every
aspect of our lives are the focus of the spiritually-based talk show Energy Awareness Radio, airing at 6 p.m. Eastern Wednesdays to a global Blog
Talk Radio audience and via podcast. Host and
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
certified sound therapist/Reiki practitioner T
Love books a variety of interesting guests, including authors who can discuss raising awareness,
consciousness and vibration so every listener can
live the best life possible. Guest experts reveal
their own stories, tips and insights to help people
tap into the energy of the universe. Specific issues
of interest include: self-help/improvement, cultural issues, natural health, living in gratitude, spirituality, connecting with angels, the psychology of
dreams, cultivating relationships and using the
law of attraction. Author guests are asked to forward a review copy of their book prior to scheduling an airdate. Phoners are used. Contact the
host by email or mail. T Love, Energy Awareness
Radio, 4 Hidden Valley Rd., Newton, NJ 07860;
[email protected] or
[email protected];
www.blogtalkradio.com/energyawareness.
n Topics related to America’s millions of baby
boomers, from lifestyle and career to fashion,
health, romance, parenting, grandparenting and
retirement, are discussed on the television show
Born Before 64, with host Kathryn Raaker. The
show airs at different times in different markets,
including Ohio, Kentucky, Detroit and nearby
areas of Canada. In-studio guests are used.
Contact the host by email, with your guest ideas.
Born Before 64, [email protected];
www.BornB464.com (upcoming).
n The strategies and fun of the game of poker
are the focus of King’s Poker, the only nationallysyndicated poker radio show in the U.S. Hosted
by professional tournament poker player Michael
King, the show airs live each Saturday, 6-7 p.m.
Central, in at least 49 radio markets. Guests
include poker experts at all levels, including
national star players and book authors. Phoners
and in-studio guests are used. For more information, contact the host via email. King’s Poker,
[email protected]; www.gcnlive.com.
n Human interest topics ranging from parenting
to politics to pop culture get discussed on
TalkBack, hosted by Troy Derengowski each
weekday, 8-10 a.m. Eastern, on WHON and also
globally online. The call-in show has been airing
to audiences throughout Ohio and Indiana for
more than 17 years. Derengowski welcomes many
guests each week (including authors) to explore
current events and the lat— continued on page 5
March 2010 • page 3
Web & Print Publicity Opportunities
n Books written by health-care experts containing mainstream, proven information of interest
to women of childbearing age are sought by
Healthy Mom & Baby, a new 300,000-circ quarterly produced by the Association of Women’s
Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. The mag
is available to women through their nurses and is
also available online and by subscription. Healthy
Mom & Baby is written for women who are contemplating pregnancy, currently pregnant or have
recently given birth. The new mag shares a Web
site with a former print mag for women in general. Both the new mag and the Web site quote
experts from the CDC and FDA as well as Drs.
Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz. For inclusion in
the mag or Web site books must first be reviewed
by a panel of nurses. Email inquires are appreciated in lieu of phone calls. Finished books are best
and should be mailed to director of publications
Carolyn David Cockey. Healthy Mom & Baby,
1208 Western Pine Circ., Sarasota, FL 34240;
877-377-5326; [email protected];
www.health4women.org.
n New You plans a regular column on the latest books about cosmetic surgery, beauty, nutrition, exercise, holistic health and mental health
(including the psychology of happiness).
Launching in February, the 250,000-circ quarterly
is the first consumer mag to concentrate on cosmetic surgery. Editor JP Faber anticipates reviewing and excerpting books and using authors as
expert sources. Readers are expected to be 90 percent women. The mag will be distributed through
newsstands, bookstores, health spas, high-end
hotels and cosmetic surgeons’ waiting rooms.
Faber likes to receive advance reading copies and
finished books and prefers to be contacted by
email. New You, 1335 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach,
FL 33139; [email protected];
www.newyoumag.com.
n Business and human resources books are useful to Human Resources Executive, a 20-yearold, 15 issues-a-year mag with a circ of 75,000
that also draws 40,000 unique monthly visitors to
its Web site. The mag is read by senior level
human resources executives of mid- and large-size
corporations. It targets strategic HR initiatives
instead of the nuts and bolts variety. Anne
Freedman, who is news editor at the mag and
editor of HREOnline, appreciates getting
advance review copies and finished books.
Human Resources Executive, 747 Dresher Rd.,
page 4 • March 2010
Ste. 500, Horsham, PA 19044; 215-784-0910,
ext. 6382; fax: 215-784-0275;
[email protected]; www.hreonline.com.
n Health, fitness, relationships, sports, style,
technology, toys and anything else men 18 to
34 would find interesting or entertaining might
find their way into the new online mag The
Rugged. Launched in March and updated daily,
the online mag may offer some book reviews and
book excerpts and will also interview book
authors who have a unique take on one of the
mag’s regular subject areas. Founding editor Jason
Bacchetta prefers finished books and also welcomes authors who want to “guest post” on the
mag’s Web site. The Rugged, 1079 W. Round
Grove Rd., Ste. 300-236, Lewisville, TX 75067;
214-810-1037; [email protected];
www.therugged.com.
n Books about architecture, design, art, fashion, history and culture, especially those that are
heavily illustrated, stand a chance of getting in
two mags, HOME Miami, published since 2005,
and HOME Los Angeles, which debuts in April.
The Miami mag is a 45,000-circ bimonthly while
the new L.A. version will initially be a 45,000circ quarterly. Readers of both pubs are affluent,
well educated, and urban and design conscious.
They also share a worldly and local sensibility.
Finished books are preferred. However, the staff
also likes to know about books well in advance of
their publication, so they will look at PDFs.
Books may be sent to book critic Michael Lassell
and editor-in-chief Beth Dunlop. HOME
Miami/HOME Los Angeles, 4040 NE
Second Ave., #313, Miami, FL 33137;
[email protected]; Michael Lassell,
114 Horatio 512, NYC 10014.
n Books about kayaking and about oceans and
rivers in which kayaking can take place are
sought by California Kayaker, a new 6,000-circ
quarterly that will also be downloadable as a PDF.
Readers are expected to be a combination of people interested in kayaking in northern California
and people in the industry who live outside the
area. Editor Peter Donohue prefers finished
books and is also interested in having book
authors write stories for the new mag. California
Kayaker, PO Box 282004, San Francisco, CA
94128; 650-868-8653; fax: 650-560-2783;
[email protected];
www.calkayakermag.com. &
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
Radio Publicity...
— continued from page 3
est news, to offer advice on lifestyle, health
and relationships, and to talk with callers
about issues like business and careers, faith and
religion, entertainment, sports and more. The
show also covers local issues of interest to
Ohio residents and interviews many national
experts. The host says he’ll consider “any
topic” that is fascinating and relevant. Both
in-studio guests (preferred) and phoners are
used. Prospective guests should tell
Derengowski if they plan to be in Ohio. Reach
him by email or phone him with interview
ideas. TalkBack with Troy Derengowski,
765-962-2576; [email protected];
www.930whon.com.
n Health, family, faith, relationships, living smart and going
green are a sampling of the many
topics featured on The Valder
Beebe Show, which airs each
Saturday and Sunday, at noon
Central on KKVI-FM in the
Host
Garland/Dallas/Fort Worth regions Valder
of Texas, along with Internet radio Beebee
and TV steaming each Sunday at 8
a.m. Central and via 24-hour podcasts. Hosted
by Valder Beebe, the award-winning show’s
topics correspond with the syndicated “BeeBe’s
Smart Living” column, and reach at least a
half million listeners and viewers. Beebe has
welcomed many experts to discuss life changes,
overcoming adversity, building careers, exploring metaphysics, saving money, managing time
wisely, exercising and surviving loss. Guests
have included celebrities, educators, health
professionals, speakers, scholars and many
authors, from self-published to bestselling. The
newest feature for the show is BeeBe’s Book
Club, because the host loves books. Live and
taped phoners, in-studio guests and prearranged on-location interviews and remotes
are used. Prospective guests should contact the
various producers/bookers (Tracee, Rhonda,
Kathrine and Vonnie) using the email below.
You may also mail your media materials.
The Valder Beebe Show, Attention Producers,
A Beebe Omnimedia Co, LLC, 15905 Bent
Tree Forest Circle, Loft #1089, Dallas, TX
75248; 972-798-7236;
[email protected];
www.valderbeebeshow.com. &
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
March 2010 • page 5
Learn successful email marketing tips
from the pros at BookDaily.com
Innovative service sends readers free chapters of new books
A chapter a day keeps the readers in play. That’s
the strategy behind BookDaily. Every day, this
email marketing company distributes 40,000 messages and its Web site gets 6,000 views.
What is in those emails?
The first chapters of
books, a link to buy them
at www.bookdaily.com
and advertising. Do readers open those emails?
Yes. BookDaily’s open rate is 20 percent, which is
above the industry average. Parent company
ArcaMax’s open rate is a whopping 45 percent.
What’s the difference between BookDaily and
ArcaMax? BookDaily emails the first chapters of
recently published books like Girl with the Dragon
Tattoo (Vintage) by Stieg Larsson and Are You
There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (Simon Spotlight
Entertainment) by Chelsea Handler. ArcaMax
emails classic books which are in the public
domain, like Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility
and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
In December 2009, six months after its launch,
BookDaily sent 1.2 million emails to the 75,000
subscribers it had enlisted. ArcaMax, which
began emailing books in 2006, has five million
subscribers.
How did these Web services get so many subscribers? And why is their open rate well above
average for email services? Scott Wolf,
BookDaily’s chief executive, says permission marketing is the key to the companies’ successes. He’s
recently unveiled new ways for authors and publishers to market to their readers.
How BookDaily whets readers’
interest with free first chapters
Wolf’s journey to book email marketing maven
began with a book and an email. The book,
Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into
Friends and Friends into Customers (Simon &
Schuster), was written by Seth Godin, a guerilla
marketing guru.
“Godin offered the first three chapters by email,”
Wolf remembers. “You had to go to his Web site,
page 6 • March 2010
put in your email address and then get the chapters by email. That is the definition of his permission marketing: getting customers to give a company permission to market to them. I did it. I
gave over my email address, got the chapters by
email, then bought the book on Amazon. That
process, reading the first three chapters, stuck
with me as very effective. So, when I joined
ArcaMax in 2001 to build up the Internet business, I thought that process would work for us.”
It has. The company used this strategy to increase
its revenues by 205.2 percent in three years. In
2009, the first year it was eligible, ArcaMax
notched a spot on the Inc. 5,000, the business
magazine’s list of the most successful private businesses. ArcaMax was ranked 19th in the media
category and 1,560 on the overall list.
How did Wolf achieve such success with email
marketing? He offered content as the bait for the
advertising hook.
ArcaMax began by sending emails with free
comic strips, “Dear Abby” and other editorial. In
2006, Wolf launched ArcaMax’s Book Club, a
virtual library of 700 titles from which subscribers
can select books to receive via email, chapter by
chapter, with advertising embedded in the emails.
Creating BookDaily
Since ArcaMax’s Book Club only deals with public domain books, Wolf wanted to provide more
opportunities for authors and publishers to promote their recently published books.
BookDaily was launched in May 2009 to provide
“book samples for book lovers.” It works much
the same as ArcaMax, but instead of getting the
whole book, subscribers receive the first chapters
of the titles they request. Subscribers log on to
the Web site, fill out profiles, select their books
and begin receiving emails that contain the first
chapter and a “buy this book” link to BookDaily,
which connects them to Amazon.
If subscribers don’t select books, or if they run
through their request list, they receive the first
chapter of The Book of — continued on page 16
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
Email marketing strategies from BookDaily’s CEO
Want to start your own email book marketing
campaign? Or are you looking to boost responses from your existing email efforts? Follow the
advice of pro email marketer Scott Wolf:
n Get the email delivered. “You have to get
the email to the right person and to their in
box, not their junk folder,” Wolf says. How?
“Use a double opt-in strategy,” Wolf
explains. “When you give (BookDaily) an
email address and begin the process of getting on our list, we confirm your subscription via email. The email says, ‘We have
your subscription request. Please confirm
that this is your email address.’ First, that
prevents someone from entering false information. Second, making people take a second, proactive step confirms their commitment. ‘Yes, I want this email,’ means a more
likely ‘Yes, I will read it.’ Then, people will
adjust their spam filters or whatever they
have to do to get that email.”
n Make the emails matter. “We’re not just
sending advertising,” Wolf says. “It’s not an
email that says, ‘Buy my book.’ If it’s just an
advertising message, no one wants to read
it. We are careful to balance editorial and
content.” Authors can adapt Wolf’s method
for their own use by writing emails that are
relevant to world events, or share meaningful experiences that key into a book’s message or even a poignant comic strip or joke.
n Don’t over design emails. “The email has
to be designed so that it will render properly
in different email programs,” Wolf notes.
“It’s difficult to design an email that looks
good in Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007,
Yahoo, Gmail, and AOL. For example,
Outlook 2007 doesn’t allow the use of background images. When that program was first
released, no one’s emails or newsletters
looked good in it. We started using HTML
to design emails, but then we went back to
text. HTML makes more attractive emails,
but if half of the design gets blocked, what’s
the point? It’s not about being fancy. It’s
about being effective.”
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
n DIY with email
templates. “There is
a science and art to
creating marketing
emails,” Wolf says. “It’s
a matter of understanding eye patterns, banner blindness, blocking
images and other technical issues. You have
to use the right font
Scott Wolf
and the right images.”
Wolf advises DIYers to try template emails.
Constant Contact is a well-known company, but there are other services that offer
different graphics to make your emails stand
out. Mail Chimp, icontact, and Vertical
Response are a few options.
n Don’t be shy. Sell your book. Wolf says
that some emails get too cluttered and lose
the marketing message. “Authors need to
understand that purpose of their email. Do
you want people to simply read the content?
Or do you want readers to click through to
a Web site and buy the book?” Provide a
clearly marked icon to deliver the marketing message.
n Send what you say you’ll send. “Make sure
that the emails match the readers’ expectations,” Wolf says. “Don’t send a bunch of
irrelevant material. Otherwise, the reader
will think, ‘I signed up for these emails, and
this is what I get?’ They will unsubscribe.”
n Test the emails. “Don’t just write the email
and send it out,” Wolf says. “Test it. One
tweak can make the difference.” For example, the email might get flagged by filters
which reject messages that carry too many
images. Or, the delivery system might dislocate the images from where you placed
them in the email. Wolf recommends
www.marketingexperiments.com and
www.marketingsherpa.com. “Online marketing is a whole industry,” Wolf says. “Get
educated.” &
March 2010 • page 7
Learn how to get your books
featured in Publishers Weekly
How can you get bookstores,
libraries, publishers, wholesalers, literary agents, movie executives and
the media in the U.S. and abroad to
learn about your book? Target
Publishers Weekly.
Considered the Bible of the publishing industry, book trade professionals read PW to learn about publishing news and trends and to find
reviews of upcoming and recently
published titles.
authors who are making national
TV or radio appearances. If you
have a major media appearance
coming up, email the details
(show name, date and your
name and book title) to
[email protected] at least
two days in advance.
• News on religion books should be
sent via email to religion editor
Marcia Z. Nelson at
[email protected].
You can maximize your chances of
having your book featured in PW by
referring to the pitching tips and editorial calendar below.
• Fax (do not email) queries concerning
review submissions of children’s books to
646-746-6738.
In addition, visit www.publishersweekly.com for
more information about book conferences and
trade shows, other features, announcements, profiles and e-newsletters. See “Contact Us” and
“Working with PW” for more information on key
editors and staff and for updates throughout the
year.
• Contact the PW regional correspondent who
covers the area you live in. PW describes the
correspondents as “our eyes and ears for those
regions.” They are actively seeking stories on
publishing news and developments, people,
trends, new publishing companies and issues
affecting writers and publishers.
Pitching tips
• For general information about who to contact
at PW, see http://tinyurl.com/yhycfsb.
• Southeast and Southwest correspondent:
Edward Nawotka, 713-254-0256;
[email protected]; New England:
Judith Rosen, 617-876-2469; fax 617-6611121; [email protected]; Midwest:
Claire Kirch, phone and fax 218-310-1867;
[email protected]; West and Pacific
Northwest: Wendy Werris, 323-934-2653;
[email protected].
• Books submitted for review must be received
at least four months before the book’s publication date. Submission guidelines can be found
at http://tinyurl.com/ykxmoyh.
• PW runs a regular column on small presses
and independent publishers. Contact Michael
Coffey ([email protected]) with
story pitches.
• PW is seeking breaking news about the publishing industry and photos for its daily ezine.
Contact PW Daily editor Jim Milliot via
phone (646-746-6867) to tell him about
your book news update. Submit photos of
author events to Rachel Deahl at
[email protected].
• PW Daily’s Authors on the Air column lists
page 8 • March 2010
• Suggest an author for PW’s Author Profiles
column to reviews director Louisa Ermelino
(646-746-6777). She has a 3-month lead time
and highlights authors with “a body of work
and something interesting to say about the
writing and publishing process.” First-time
authors are not considered for this column.
• Submit a guest essay to the magazine’s
Soapbox column, which runs every week on
the back page. Editors are seeking 700-word
op-ed pieces that
— continued on page 11
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
PW editorial calendar
Upcoming features for 2010
This calendar includes a list of Publishers Weekly’s special
issues, features and supplements planned for the remainder
of 2010.
You may pitch story ideas at least four months in advance to
the appropriate editors listed here. If an editor is not listed,
executive managing editor Michael Coffey is a good contact
April 12th issue:
([email protected]). Some issues will have multiple editors and some editors have yet to be announced.
Submission deadlines are listed weekly in the magazine
and on the right side of the home page at
www.publishersweekly.com.
June 14th:
n Trends in Scholarly &
Academic Publishing
June 21st:
n Children’s Book Debut
Authors
(Diane Roback, Ed.)
August 16th:
n Guide to Regional Trade
Shows
August 23rd:
n War & Military
n Comics/Graphic Novels:
Fall Titles
(Calvin Reid, Ed.)
August 30th:
n Indie Sleepers
Sept. 6th:
n Music Books
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
May 10th:
June 28th:
n Adult Fall
Announcements
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n New Voices in Fiction
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
July 5th:
n Fall Audio
Announcements
(Parul Sehgal, Ed.,
parul.sehgal@
reedbusiness.com)
n Reference
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n Hobbies & Crafts
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n Audio Books
(Parul Sehgal, Ed.,
parul.sehgal@
reedbusiness.com)
n The Self-Publishing Beat
July 12th:
n Horror
July 19th:
n Children’s Fall
Announcements
(Diane Roback, Ed.)
n Sci-Fi and Fantasy
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
April 19th:
n Summer Movie & TV
Tie-ins, May-August
n Earth Day
n Gay and Lesbian
Publishing
April 26th:
n Pre-Book Expo America
issue
May 3rd:
n Mysteries (Dick
Donahue, Ed.)
n The Self-Publishing Beat
May 17th:
n Large Print
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n Digital Printing/POD
Supplement
n Romance
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
July 26th:
n Fall Religion Listings
(Marcia Z. Nelson, Ed.,
pwreligion@
sbcglobal.net)
n BEA Show Dailies
(May 25, 26, 27)
n Religion Update II
(Marcia Z. Nelson, Ed.)
May 31st:
August 2nd:
n Erotica
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
May 24th:
n Summer Reading:
Staff Picks
June 7th:
n The Self-Publishing Beat
n Business Management
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
August 9th:
n Cookbooks
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n The Self-Publishing Beat
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
n Health
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n What’s New in the
Young Adult Market
n The Self-Publishing Beat
Sept. 13th:
n Comics
(Calvin Reid. Ed.)
n Spanish Language
Feature
Sept. 20th:
n Pets and Animals
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n International Spotlight:
Frankfurt Preview
Sept. 27th:
n New Age
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
Oct. 4th:
n Sports Books for the
Holidays
(Dermot McEvoy. Ed.)
n The Self-Publishing Beat
Oct. 11th:
n Illustrated Gift Books
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
n Religion Update III
(Marcia Z. Nelson, Ed.,
pwreligion@
sbcglobal.net)
Oct. 18th:
n Bibles and Sacred Text
(Marcia Z. Nelson, Ed.)
Oct. 26th:
n Spotlight on
Books—Plus
Nov. 1st:
n PW’s Best Books
of the Year
(Louisa Ermelino, Ed.)
n The Self-Publishing Beat
Nov. 8th:
n Trends in Technology
n Home Improvement
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
Nov. 15th:
n Romance
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
Nov. 22nd:
n Mysteries
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
Nov. 29th:
n Diet and Fitness
(Dick Donahue, Ed.)
Dec. 6th:
n PW Publishing Person of
the Year
n The Self-Publishing Beat
Dec. 13th:
n African-American Titles
(Calvin Reid, Ed.)
n Movie & TV Tie-Ins,
January-April
Dec. 20th:
n Personal Finance (Dick
Donahue, Ed.)
n Children’s Book
Debut Authors
(Diane Roback. Ed.) &
March 2010 • page 9
Foreign policy topics interest David Aikman,
contributor to The American Spectator,
Weekly Standard and Salem Radio
If you have a book that relates to foreign policy
issues, particularly those pertaining to the Middle
East, Russia, China, global strategy or Islam, making foreign policy commentator David Aikman
aware of it may be a no-brainer.
A best-selling author of
10 books, this former
23-year foreign correspondent for Time now
contributes pieces to
conservative media
such as The American
Spectator (circ 50,000), The Weekly Standard (circ
60,000), and the Christian-oriented Salem Radio
Network. In addition, he understands the need to
self-promote.
Aikman rather modestly says he likes to “build up
knowledge on topics I already know something
about.” The erudite British-born U.S. citizen
speaks six languages, including French, German,
Russian and Chinese, holds a doctorate in
Russian and Chinese history and has reported
from more than 55 countries.
Writing about what interests him
For the most part, he now has the luxury of writing about topics that interest him, although many
of the book reviews he does for The Weekly
Standard are assigned to him. Not long ago, he
reviewed two books that discuss how people
relate to dogs as though they were human. More
to his taste was reviewing a book about Adolf
Hitler’s meeting in Munich in 1938 with then
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlin.
Aikman’s father was in the RAF during World
War II and Aikman has a special fondness for
that period in world history.
As a contributing editor for The American
Spectator, he writes two- or three-page articles
about news events that catch his attention. He
did a piece on the 20th anniversary of
Tiananmen Square (he was there during the violent crackdown on university students in China),
and the Mumbai terrorist killings. For The
Weekly Standard, he has done lengthy pieces
exposing the Chinese labor camp system and dispage 10 • March 2010
cussing the visit he made to Haifa in 2006 when
war broke out between Lebanon and Hezbollah.
Aikman also records editorials for Salem Radio
Network, a conservative Christian network comprised of 2,000 radio stations across the U.S.
Again, he eschews politics in favor of foreign policy — and although the network is Christian, the
only religious topics he tackles have an international theme. For instance, he might do a piece
on Christians being persecuted in Afghanistan
but seldom deals with domestic religious topics.
One can learn more about Aikman by taking
note of the books he has written. Among them
are The Mirage of Peace: Understanding the Neverending Conflict in the Middle East; The Delusion of
Disbelief: Why the New Atheism is a Threat to Your
Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness; Billy
Graham: His Life and Influence; Jesus in Beijing:
How Christianity is Transforming China and
Changing the Global Balance of Power; A Man of
Faith: The Spiritual Journey of George W. Bush; and
Great Souls: Six Who Changed a Century.
What he’s learned about self-promotion
As an experienced author, Aikman has learned
that many publishers and publicists do not do an
adequate job of promoting books by lesser-known
or debut authors. He has been assigned publicists
who did not read his book and, even worse, had
no idea what it was about when they wrote press
releases that were sometimes inaccurate.
He now insists on reading press releases written
about his books before they go out and makes
certain that the book jacket copy is accurate.
“They may call you an expert on Zen Buddhism
and you’re not,” he observes.
While promoting his book Jesus in Beijing, Aikman
persuaded his publicist to send a free copy to any
academic who requested one. Then he primed the
pump by sending letters to 50 colleges and universities with theology departments that might be
interested in receiving a review copy.
He has also found that “small scale marketing is
more effective than large scale marketing.” He is
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
Turn radio and TV interviews into sales, Part 1...
— continued from page 2
Valentine’s Day that was targeted to men. On the
screen they showed several women who said
things like, “My friends were just shocked at how
generous he was” or “He really showed the other
men.”
by following what you are talking about today, she
not only lost weight but met a man on the beach
and they got married a year later.
Stories like these help people experience a
“why” —why should they take action?
The ad’s underlying message was, “Order these
flowers, because you’ll look really good compared
to the other guys out there.” ProFlowers focused
on the positive outcome of ordering their flowers
and made that message into a little story or
vignette.
As you’ve noticed, I put an emphasis here on
stories. It’s amazing how few people really tell stories, even brief ones, as I just did. Tell stories that
show what can happen as a result of following
your advice.
So you also want to tell a story. If you’re a diet
expert, the story could be about a woman who lost
weight and finally fit into a bikini … but there’s
more to it. Maybe she had been divorced and had
gone through a really dark period in her life. But
Those are four valuable tips you can use to get
more powerful results from your publicity. Make
sure you read my column next month, when I’ll
share more key strategies for turning interviews
into sales. &
not above going into bookstores to ask if they
have a book by David Aikman. If they do, he
asks if he can sign it and may also arrange to give
an informal coffee lecture.
Pitching info
n Aikman’s major interest is foreign policy.
n He focuses on China, Russia, and the Middle
East. He will do religious topics only if there is
an international tie-in.
n He likes books written by both academics and
journalists, although he favors the latter
because books written by journalists tend to
have more immediacy than those written by
professors.
n Best way to pitch is by email. Simply provide
him with the title of the book and several sentences on what it is about. If he’s interested in
receiving the book, he’ll let you know.
n Aikman will more than likely answer your
email even if he is not interested in receiving
a copy of the book.
Contact info
David Aikman
38042 Forest Mills Road
Leesburg, VA 20175
703-608-8030
540-338-3060
[email protected]
www.davidaikman.com &
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
Publishers Weekly...
— continued from page 8
address timely publishing issues and solutions or offer personal reflections on one
aspect of writing or publishing. Both
humorous and serious essays are welcome.
Send to: Lynn Andriani, 646-746-6909;
[email protected].
• PW’s Spring and Fall Announcement
issues are widely read by industry professionals, bookstore managers and librarians, so make sure you send information
on your books well before the deadlines.
Dick Donahue (646-746-6729) is the
best contact for these announcement
issues.
Contact Info
Dee Watson
Executive Assistant
Publishers Weekly
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 646-746-6759
Fax: 646-746-6631
www.publishersweekly.com &
March 2010 • page 11
Have a hot topic about parenting, health, cooking or sex?
ChiKiiTV’s Internet videos provide
expert solutions for 17 million women
Busy women need fast solutions to everyday problems, and they often turn to female-centric Web
sites to find them. One of those sites, www.sheknows.com, gets over 17 million monthly visitors
and is the third largest Internet destination.
What are those visitors watching? Online videos
filled with expert information and advice from
authors.
ChiKiiTV produces thousands of those videos,
and the company is looking for experts to interview. ChiKii produces original, three to five
minute videos for some of the most trafficked
sites on the Internet, including YouTube, Hulu,
Grab and SheKnows.
ChiKii produces SheKnows’s
Daily Dish video, hosted by
Shay Pausa, founder of ChiKii.
A new video debuts every day,
Monday through Friday. That
means ChiKii needs a lot of
fresh content.
ChiKii produces videos on a
wide variety of topics, or
“channels,” including love, sex,
Shay Pausa
beauty, healthy living, pregnancy, parenting, career, finance, travel, home and
garden. While videos are ChiKii’s main output,
the company also distributes articles, excerpts and
essays. ChiKii puts new, written content on its site
once a week; SheKnows adds new content daily.
Whether in video or written form, ChiKii aims to
provide women with information, fun and a sense
of community—like having an Internet girlfriend. That is why Pausa named her production
company ChiKii. It’s the Apache word for girlfriend.
Pausa is now a host, executive producer, and
expert in digital entertainment for women. How
did Pausa’s production career begin?
“I was in a different field,” Pausa says. “A series of
health issues caused me to write a bucket list.
The list had crazy things, including producing. In
2005, I went to a TV industry conference and
everyone talked about the Internet being the
page 12 • March 2010
next big thing in production. I thought that
maybe I should produce specifically for the
Internet. When NBC bought iVillage, the
Internet production field took off and I knew that
I wanted to be part of it.”
She took a unique approach. “I wasn’t interested
in creating another Web site,” Pausa says. “I
decided that I would find Web sites that needed
programming instead of creating Web sites.”
Why did she focus on women and moms? “It was
the thing I felt that I knew the most about,”
Pausa says. “I know a lot of women with interesting stories. Plus, 80 percent of all buying decisions are influenced by women. I knew that’s
where the sponsorship and advertising dollars
would be.”
Putting all of that together, Pausa approached her
first target: SheKnows. “At the time, SheKnows
was among the top ten sites for women. But the
site was all written content. I met with them and
asked about their video strategy. They didn’t have
one. They said video was something they wanted
to do, but they had not gotten to it. I asked them
to let me produce the videos. We started with ten
segments. That was three years ago.”
Now, ChiKii produces Daily Dish as well as additional videos and special programs for SheKnows.
One of those programs is Real Moms Guide, a 26episode reality series that follows four mothers
facing different issues. Sponsored by Mott’s, the
show began taping its second season in March.
ChiKii is also producing two other series. Home
Stretch provides room makeovers for deserving
moms. Families Collide follows couples having
their “meet the parents” experiences. But expert
advice videos remain ChiKii’s focus.
Pitch headlines, tips and examples
“I’m looking for a lot of experts,” Pausa says.
“Every day, we’re covering a lot of topics.” Pausa
says that parenting is her number one subject, followed by health.
What’s the best way to pitch story ideas?
“Talk to me in headlines,” Pausa says. “The headSteve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
line gets our attention. Then give me the tips or
bullet points. Write the pitch the way you would
see if you watch the Today show. ‘A new study
says that our kids are in front of TV and computer screens for 7 hours a day. What’s it doing to
them? Author so-and-so has three tips for parents.’ Then list the three things.”
The author may be the expert on a subject, but to
make good video, Pausa needs illustrative examples. For example, Pausa was contacted by an
attorney who warned of the dangerous side effects
of fertility drugs. “It’s a great topic, but the lawyer
didn’t have any women who had experienced
this.” Pausa doesn’t have time to locate examples,
so if you have them at the ready, tell her so in an
email.
Planning to pitch a story around a holiday or
national event? “Give yourself a good two
months in advance of a story topic related to
something timely,” Pausa says. “It’s not just
because we get so many submissions. It’s because
we need time to schedule and coordinate the
technical aspects.”
Here’s another helpful tip. Keep the book. Send
the video. Pausa’s production office has boxes and
boxes of books. More important to her is video of
the author.
Pitching tips
n ChiKii has a two month lead time. So
contact Pausa way ahead of time if your
topic ties in to an upcoming holiday or
event.
n Send email pitches to
[email protected].
n Start the email by writing a headline, and
then include a few tips or bullet points. If
you have a visual way to illustrate the
story, mention it.
n In your pitch, explain how you can address
one or more specific topics that ChiKii
covers. Watch the segments at
www.chikiitv.com before you pitch.
n If you have people available to be interviewed for the segment, be sure to write
that into the email. The more “case studies,” the easier it is for the producers.
n Send a video of yourself to the producers.
Embed it in the email, or use
YouSendIt.com.
n ChiKii publishes articles, essays and
excerpts. If your subject isn’t right for
video, pitch it for prose.
“I love to see people on camera because it gives
me a lot of information,” she says. “It’s best to
send (videos) electronically via email or
YouSendIt.com.”
Pausa created a unique way to produce segments
from satellite interviews. She makes it look as
though the author is on her set in Arizona.
Before you pitch Pausa, watch ChiKii. Segments
are readily available at www.chikii.com and
www.sheknows.com. There are many different
topics, so find the right one to pitch. Make sure
you understand what ChiKii is, and does before
you contact her.
“My cameras are live on my side, and the cameras
are live on the author’s side. Both sides are
recorded. The author – or the technical staff –
emails me the digital file of the interview that
they recorded. We edit it together here, and it
looks seamless.”
“I can’t tell you how many times I get emails that
say ‘This is good information for your readers or
listeners.’ I don’t have readers or listeners. I have
viewers. If you’re just mass mailing me, I’m not
interested.”
Satellite technology is expensive, and so are sat
tours. Pausa says that authors can seek sponsorships from their publisher or from a company
looking to market its brand.
Create satellite tours
How are the videos created? ChiKii uses satellite
hook ups and works with authors doing satellite
tours. “Sat tours” are when authors go to production facilities in their hometowns and conduct a
series of radio, TV and video interviews.
Pausa offered a successful example. “Jackie Silver
has a book, Aging Backwards, and she got sponsored by a product called Ageless Fantasy. The
company booked Jackie on a sat tour and she did
radio, TV and video web, including us. In her
interview, she gave five or so tips for aging backwards. Within those tips, — continued on page 15
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
March 2010 • page 13
Ideas you can use
Smart professional strategies from your fellow authors and publishers
Mandy S. Williams is not the usual author. For
one thing, she loves to race Ferraris. For another,
she has a master’s degree in international finance
and knows the importance of doing her homework before approaching any business venture. In
addition, her brain is set up to make unusual connections, something her sister Tina Pennington
found out when she first confided in Williams
that her husband had just lost his job and she
didn’t know what to do about it.
Williams not only offered her sister advice, often
in instant messages, phone calls and e-mails, but
took care to preserve all of their exchanges with
the idea of turning them into a book. Pennington
was not initially thrilled by the idea; Williams
recalls that her sister had a look of horror on her
face when she said, “I’m going through a crisis
and you are coming up with a business venture?”
That venture became What I Learned About Life
When My Husband Got Fired!, which the sisters
self-published in 2009 under the pseudonyms Red
(Pennington) and Black (Williams). And just
like the original genesis of their book, the sisters
have made some unusual marketing moves from
which others can learn.
Receiving help in unlikely places, like Neiman
Marcus’ window
Williams came up with an unusual idea to launch
the book—seeking the help of her local Neiman
Marcus department store. As one of its devoted
customers in the Houston area, she knew the
store fairly well. After doing some research,
Williams learned that the upscale retailer of
designer apparel, jewelry, accessories, and beauty
and home products also sold specific books from
time to time if they were a good match for its
customers. Furthermore, Williams was convinced
that she and her sister represented the two types
of customers Neiman Marcus serves—the couture
customer and the more down-to-earth contemporary and online customer.
Tip No. 1: Approach businesses you patronize
Even though Williams is a regular Neiman
Marcus shopper, she still did all she could to learn
about the company before approaching it. She
determined who their shoppers were, read the
page 14 • March 2010
company’s financial statements and annual report
and probed the difference between their stores
and their online business. Previously Williams
had run the marketing and sales department for
an oil and gas company and learned this lesson:
Before you call on a customer know more than
that individual knows about their company.
The first person Williams contacted at Neiman
Marcus was the general manager of the store she
patronizes. She presented him with an overview
of the book and a press release. Unfortunately he
did not know where to refer her.
Tip No. 2: Offer specific
benefits to potential partners
Then Williams got a lucky
break: The president of
Neiman Marcus sent her a
note soliciting feedback from
her and other key customers.
Williams seized upon that
opportunity to tell the president about her book, and the president subsequently put her in touch with key people in the
organization in Texas. They liked the idea of
promoting the book because she was able to
demonstrate to them that she understood their
marketing and demographics and was able to tell
them how selling her book could help them.
The sisters’ book was subsequently featured in a
large window display that included mannequins
representing Red and Black. It was part of a tie-in
to Neiman Marcus’ fall fashion trend show. The
show’s theme not only featured black and red
clothing but also the concept of “getting back to
basics,” which jibed with the book’s theme. Even
better, in a press release, the store manager compared the self-published book to The Devil Wears
Prada.
The Neiman Marcus kickoff also helped Williams
get written up in Publishers Weekly. Williams
had been reading the pub for several years before
she decided to write a book and realized that she
wanted to be featured in the magazine. She had a
specific individual in mind she planned to pitch
but learned that the phone number for that person was wrong on the Web site. Undeterred, she
phoned another staffer, Judith Rosen, to ask for
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
ChiKiiTV Internet video...
the other writer’s phone number. To Williams’
surprise, Rosen expressed interest in writing about
the book and then did so.
Tip No. 3: Listen to your readers
When they completed their book, Williams and
Pennington thought its strength was that it was
amusing and it also happened to have relevant
and useful information. Readers subsequently told
them that they believed the book’s strength is its
useful information, which just happens to be told
in a fun fashion. The sisters have also discovered
that their audience transcends specific age groups
and sexes, appealing to everyone from high
school seniors to senior citizens. They have
accordingly made adjustments to their marketing
plan, which leads us to the next tip.
Tip No. 4: Stay nimble
Rather than build a marketing plan that you’re
locked into, the sisters advise keeping an eye out
for new opportunities that may present themselves.
Tip No. 5: Make yourself look bigger to attract
the media
Even though the sisters’ publishing company, Red
& Black Books, L.L.C., is a two-person operation,
they did not want it to appear so. The folders and
other materials they send to the media and their
Web site sport a consistent logo and look. Their
full media package includes an overview of the
book, information on its potential audience and a
review copy of the book.
This professional-looking package helped them
get on Cover to Cover Live, a national radio interview program on Sirius/XM Book Radio, which
they pitched using information from Book
Marketing Update. Most impressively, Williams
and Pennington were given a half-hour of air
time while the first half-hour went to bestselling
author Nicholas Sparks.
The full media kit also came in handy when they
were contacted by television producers from their
local Fox station in Houston who ended up featuring the duo.
For more information on Red & Black Books,
visit its Web page:
www.redandblackbooks.com &
Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update
— continued from page 13
she pitched Ageless Fantasy. It worked really
well for all parties. Jackie promoted her book,
the company got promotion, and we got great
editorial content. She was a great guest.”
Give great, short interviews
When asked what she is looking for in a guest,
Pausa replies, “The number one thing I look
for in an author is the ability to give us the
sound bytes we need. When I ask a question,
talk to me in sound bytes so I can edit it.”
Because the video segments average four minutes, Pausa says that brief, information-packed
interviews are the best.
“The very, very best (guest I’ve had) was Jan
D’atri, author of Rescued Recipes. She had high
energy, she knew her stuff, she came prepared
and she was an absolute delight. I didn’t want
her segment to end. S Renee was another great
guest. I said, ‘I need three tips about time
management.’ She gave me exactly what I
asked for.’”
Pausa says that an informative guest is good,
but an energetic guest is great. “Having good
energy is the best thing a guest can offer,”
Pausa says. “I want someone communicating
with the host, and the audience. It’s called
cheating the camera. It means the guest is
including the audience in the conversation
without looking at the camera.”
Another tip: brevity is the soul of video. Pausa
says that great guests keep their answers and
their tips brief. It’s not a lecture. It’s an interview. “There’s nothing more aggravating than
asking one question and having the guest
answer the next five. Then we spend more
time editing, and it’s not worth it.”
There is another option for authors who are
not quite ready for prime time or unable to set
up a satellite tour. Essays, articles and excerpts
might be the best way to land a spot on ChiKii
or SheKnows — but don’t send them blind.
“Pitch the essay or article first,” Pausa says.
“Follow the same guidelines for pitching a
video, but tell us that you’re just pitching an
article. If it’s right for us, we’ll ask for the written document. And, occasionally, we’ll publish
— continued on page 16
March 2010 • page 15
Learn successful email marketing tips from the pros...
— continued from page 6
the Day. Readers can also cruise the Web site and
read the first chapters of numerous books. By
January 2010, BookDaily had 75,000 subscribers
and offered the first chapters of 80,000 books.
“We have an agreement with a company, Dial-ABook, that works with 1,500 publishers,” Wolf
explains. “That agreement allows us to publish
the first chapter of those books.” The first chapter, and only the first chapter, Wolf clarifies. “We
aren’t going to serialize current books and make
them available for free. We’re in the authors’ corner on that. The authors wouldn’t make any
money and neither would we. Our goal is to get
subscribers to buy the book.”
If authors and publishers don’t work with Dial-ABook, or if they are self-published, can they still
get their books in front of BookDaily’s subscribers? Yes, and it’s free.
“They can set up an author account on our site,”
Wolf says. “As long as the ISBN number is in the
system, we can work with the book. After we verify the identity of the author or publisher, we
walk them through the process of uploading the
first chapter in a text file. Then, we pull book
cover images and reviews from Amazon. The
book and the chapter appear on the Web site
almost instantly.”
BookDaily’s new features for authors
and readers
BookDaily has just introduced new features that
Wolf believes will benefit readers and authors. In
addition to the first chapter, authors and publishers can put content on sections titled “media”
and “bio.” The bio section can be whatever background information authors want to share with
readers. The media page can include photos,
reviews and other press mentions, and links to
audio or video clips. It’s all free and makes it easy
for authors to educate readers about their books
and their careers.
BookDaily has other opportunities for authors
and publishers to get in front of subscribers. For
$450, authors can make theirs The Book of the
Day that gets emailed to subscribers and featured
on the home page of the Web site. For $300, publishers can “sponsor” a genre for a week. Genres
such as mystery/thrillers, romance, travel and
page 16 • March 2010
business/investing, appear on BookDaily’s home
page and in the weekly emails.
“We view the promotional packages in two tiers,”
Wolf says. “Large budgets can own a category. A
science fiction publisher with enough titles can
own the sci-fi Book of the Day every day. Their
books can be the only ones promoted. That
would cost about $1,000 per month for genre
sponsorship.
“On the other end of the spectrum, for authors
who are self-published or books that don’t have a
broad appeal, we have $50 or $100 per month
packages where we ensure they get a certain
number of impressions with our subscribers,”
Wolf says.
“We have 75,000 email subscriptions to
BookDaily,” Wolf says. “It’s in our best interest to
connect our readers with great books.”
Contact info
BookDaily
ArcaMax Publishing, Inc.
729 Thimble Shoals Blvd., Ste. 1-B
Newport News, VA 23609
Phone: 757-596-9730 ext. 202
Email: [email protected] &
ChiKiiTV Internet video...
— continued from page 15
a straight book excerpt.”
Pausa says that the written medium is a good
way for men to get exposure on ChiKii and
SheKnows, since the majority of their videos
feature women.
“I haven’t yet found my Dr. Oz or Dr. Phil,”
Pausa says. “But I’m still looking.”
Contact Info
Shay Pausa
ChikiiTV Media & Production
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Steve Harrison's Book Marketing Update