If you are discouraged because traditional methods of book or product distribution haven't brought you the profits you wanted, think Internet distribution. This Online promotion method is good for the long haul and costs you little time or money. With Online distribution the self-published author or Web business site gets to keep all the money. Whether you have a Print on Demand (POD) book, traditionally printed book, or an eBook, you can become your own distributor these ways: 1. Distribute through two-step email promotion campaigns. You don't need a Web site to sell products. Benefit from the easy and preferred way to buy by three trillion in 2002. First Step: Send a freebie to your different email lists. Think of your email groups--customers, clients, ezine subscribers, ePublishers, teleclass groups, and networkers. Offer to give them a free answer to one question. Offer a free "Special Report," or an excerpt from your book. These give your relationship a good start, because increased sales come from trust developed during relationship marketing more than anything else. Second Step: Follow up with your book sales letter. Each sales message includes: headline to capture attention, background of problem, where the potential buyer wants to be, benefits and features of how to get there. Add testimonials and be sure they are credible and sincere. Be sure to ask for the sale and include several easy ways to buy: toll free number, fax or mail by an order form placed at the end of the sales letter, or if you have a Web site, a link to where they can buy with a secure provider. 2. Distribute through your own ezine. Write your own ezine if you want to attract more credibility, trust, and sales. Because your potential clients and customers expect a lot of free information, include a lot of useful content such as a feature article, editor's note, resources and tips. You'll get to be well known as the "expert." In each ezine, add your sales messages for your products or service. Keep your ezine regular-once every two weeks or once a month to start. Keep it short--a real challenge to many of us. 3. Distribute by submitting how-to free articles to top opt-in ezines. Online readers love free information. They subscribe to ezines you can submit your well-written article to. After learning acceptable article formats from a book coach, start subscribing and submitting them. Collect 5-10 edited articles before you send. Thousands, even 500,000-targeted potential buyers will see your article with your signature file on it every time you submit it. Be sure your product is up on a Web site. Many Web publishers will take your e or print book, sell it, and distribute it or you for a commission of 60% or so. This is great for people who do not have their own site. 4. Distribute through your signature file on every email you send. At the bottom of each email is a signature file. It should have your name and title, your top benefit, a free offer, a link to where your book is sold, your email and Web address, and your local phone number. Everyone on the net accepts this subtle promotion form. If you do not include it, you are passing up an easy way to draw attention to your product. 5. Distribute through your own Web site. Create your Web site with marketing pizzazz. Don't just be creative and put up colorful graphics. Put up order pulling ad copy that convinces your visitor to buy. Create a sales letter that includes links to the buying page. Be sure your sales letter gives enough information for your potential customer to decide to buy. Make it long enough to include your customers' resistance, benefits and features of your book or product, and multiple testimonials. Ask a book or Web coach to guide you. 6. Distribute through someone else's Web site. Other ePublishers want your books--both print and eBooks. They want you to write a 100 word or less blurb (including benefits and testimonials). They will sell, distribute, and keep track of your sales, sending you a check every few weeks or so. Most give you royalties of 30-50% depending on whether it is a print or eBook. 7. Get an ISBN number. When you put an ISBN number on your book, you are listed in "Books-in-Print." Libraries, bookstores and Amazon.com ISBN require it. You pay $225 for 10 or $800 for 100 today. For the money and amount of work this is, you may do better by putting your money and time into other Online venue, because you don't need an ISBN number for that. 8. Distribute through a sales letter straight from your email. Every time I want to promote my teleclasses, I send a sales letter. The letter follows the free report I already sent a few weeks ahead to the same egroup. You may already have your ezine subscribers in a list. Collect all kinds of lists of emails to include satisfied customers, teleclass participants, ePublishers, or fellow networkers. Send sales letters that promote your books, your classes, or your service. Once I learned this follow-up method of staying in touch with my target audience, sales rose from $75 a month to $3000 a month in about a year. Each month, count profits, not numbers of books sold! Internet authors get to keep all the money! After several years of research and submitting to traditional publishing and distribution venues, I got discouraged and decided to become an author's advocate. I turned to the Internet 2 1/2 years ago, and find that with a little delegation, a little study with a knowledgeable coach, a little attention, and a little money, my great-selling eleven eBooks earn enough for me to make half my income each month. I encourage you to try this kind, gentle, and easy way to get your print or eBook into your audience's hand. |
