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In This Issue:
August Rankings for ECPA Publishers
Article: Six Steps to Finding a Website Designer
Development Opportunities for Authors
Quick Links:
 
 
 
 
 
 
About Rob Eagar:
Rob Eagar
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing who helps authors and publishers spread their message through innovative marketing strategies. He has trained over 200 authors, from beginners to best-sellers. The results his clients enjoy include: 
 
● Higher book sales.
● Increased media exposure.
● More speaking events at higher fees.
● Enhanced website activity and online influence.
 
Client Success:
 
Kathi Lipp
 
We're excited to share the success of WildFire Marketing client and first-time author, Kathi Lipp. She joined the Author Mentor Program, and learned how to build serious buzz for her new book, The Husband Project.
 
Since her book's release in January, sales have cleared over 13,000 copies in the first six months! This is an incredible number for a first-timer, considering that the average non-fiction book rarely surpasses 10,000 copies in it's lifetime.

Way to go, Kathi! You've set a great example for new authors.
 
August Amazon 
Comparison of ECPA Publishers
Amazon
Click here for a spreadsheet of our August rankings.

WildFire Marketing tracks the top 15 ECPA publishers according to the average ranking of their 20 best-selling books on Amazon.
 
Comparing this monthly data over time helps authors and publishers identify who is best utilizing this important online sales channel.
 
Note: Amazon rankings do not reflect accurate sales figures. However, they can help determine how specific publishers or titles perform over time versue their peers.
 
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WildFire Marketing E-Newsletter
August, 2009
The Skinny on Social Networking
Random Thoughts on Book Marketing
via the Internet

Marketing books via social networks has become an extremely confusing topic for many authors. Below is my attempt to offer some clarity with a selection of random thoughts on the subject:
  • The Internet can either be an author's best friend or an author's worst distraction. You simply cannot let technology and trendy ideas sidetrack you from a solid marketing plan. Use the Internet as part of what you do, not the only thing you do.

  • Don't focus on trendy social networking fads until after you've mastered essential core marketing tactics, such as creating a powerful author website, sending out compelling newsletters, providing free resources, public speaking, etc.

  • Always remember that it's the content, never the medium, that gets people excited. Social networking only works if you use it to make people's lives better.

  • Blogs tend to work better for an author who already has a large platform. Blogs are rarely effective at helping an unknown author build a platform from scratch.

  • Promoting a book via blog tours is overrated. They can cause awareness, but they rarely generate tangible book sales. And, this based on experience with several of my clients.

  • What makes an effective blog?
       a. Frequency: Post 2 - 4 times per week.
       b. Transparency: Express your personality.
       c. Value of content: Give truly helpful information.

  • Blogging Don'ts:
    1. Don't be overly promotional, or you will drive readers away because they'll think your blog is just a billboard.
    2. Don't live and die based on how many "comments" or "visitors" you get. Instead, focus on staying consistent.

  • When Using FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc:
    a. Get involved with your target audience.
    b. Participate in the discussion by asking questions and challenging misconceptions.
    c. Don't waste your time surfing and engaging in useless chatter. Get in and get out.

  • Don't write new content for every social networking site.  Take your same content and place it in different places.

  • Promote your book via social networking by giving away free value that encourages people to spread word-of-mouth.  Examples could include a free e-book, insightful article, humorous video, resource guide, etc.

  • Blogging, Twitter, and e-newsletters are the most efficient online tools for broadcasting yourself to large groups quickly.

  • Blogging, forums, and webinars are the most efficient online tools for discussion among large groups.
 

Six Steps to Finding an
Author Website Designer

Building an effective website is one the biggest challenges for many authors. If you don't have any technical or computer background, then website discussions can seem like talking in a foreign language. Here's six steps that have made life easier for many of my clients:
 
1. First, spend some time looking at lots of different author websites. Then, create a list of the top 3 - 5 sites that you really like. Write down what elements you specifically prefer about each site to show your web designer.

2. To find a good designer, locate their website address at the bottom of the Home page on the favorite sites you selected. Or, ask friends for the names of web designers they've used in the past with success.

3. Before you contact a web designer, go to his or her company website, and look at their website portfolio. Make sure their portfolio contains at least two sites in the style that you prefer. If you don't see any sample sites that catch your eye, then move on to another designer.

4. After you've located a web designer with a portfolio you like, initiate a phone call or email and describe the style of website you're looking for. Fee free to send them to my free resource called, Recommended Author Website Requirements.

5. Once you've located a web designer who makes you feel comfortable, get a ballpark price commitment in writing before you agree to any work. Plan on spending $2,500 - $5,000. If this is too much, then you're not ready to be a professional author. You simply cannot skimp in this are of marketing.

6. Tell the web designer that you'd like to see 2 - 3 rough concept designs of the Home page before you agree to a final style. This prevents the designer wasting time going in the wrong direction. Pick your favorite design, make any adjustments necessary, and get going. Your new website should be ready to roll in usually 60 - 90 days.
 
 
Choosing a Website Domain Address
To choose a good website address (name), use your name first. Or, if your name is hard to pronounce or spell, create a short phrase that matches your brand. Then, go to a website registration site, such as www.DomainsPricedRight.com and type in your phrase to see if it's available. Purchase the .com and .org addresses, because those are the most commonly recognized. You can usually buy a website name for around $10 per year with automatic renewal.

How to Measure Your Website Traffic
If your web designer or hosting company doesn't provide adequate site statistics, setup a free account at: www.Google.com/Analytics  Google provides free code that your web designer can insert into each page of your website. Once completed, Google will automatically track all of your website visitors, most popular pages, keyword searches, etc. - all for free!
Development Opportunities
for Authors

You won't sell more books by sitting still, praying more, or doing the same things you did last year. Wise authors invest in improving their marketing skills. WildFire Marketing offers a wide variety of services - at every price point - to help authors expand their platform and achieve their goals. Check out these options:
 
Free: If you've never visited my Free Resources page, you're missing out on over 15 articles packed full of helpful content. It's free...what are you waiting for?
 
$30 - 125: Get advanced-level teaching at affordable prices with my new 5-CD audio set, Speak and Sell Books in ANY Market Buy individual sessions, or get the whole set at a 15% discount. Bethany House Publishers recently made this instructional material required listening for all of their new authors!
 
$350: The best way for authors to make more income is to get lucrative speaking engagements. Yet, the best way to get more speaking engagements is to have a great speech!  Check out our affordable, Keynote Speech Makeover Service, which will pay for itself 10 times over! Send us your speech, and get expert feedback and advice on your critical presentations.
 
$450 - 950/month: Rob's most popular service for authors is his Marketing Mentor Program. Receive one-on-one instruction and constant encouragement to reach your book marketing goals. Choose from 3 different levels, based on your time and budget. Over 20 fiction and non-fiction authors recently graduated from this program with exciting results.
 
$2,000: Are you writing a new book? Don't consider it finished until your manuscript is loaded with essential marketing elements, such as word-of-mouth tools, media hooks, speech ideas, magazine article excerpts, and call-out quotes. Our new Manuscript Marketing Toolbox is a service that identifies and refines all of these promotional elements for you. This service saves the average author over 200 hours of extra work. Even better, you only have to sell 200 books to get full return on your investment.
 
For more information on any of these services, call 1-800-267-2045.