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In This Issue:
October Rankings for ECPA Publishers
Rich Author vs. Poor Author (pt. 2)
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.
 
Ask Rob
 
Rob has started a new service taking your book marketing questions for free. Visit his blog to send him a question and see answers already posted.
 
Client Success:
 
"Rob Eagar's pragmatic approach to book marketing is refreshing.  His results-driven training gives our authors the skills that help them sell more books through their media appearances and speaking engagements.
 
We believe so strongly in him that we have made his audio CD teaching resource available to all our new authors. And, we highly recommend his personal coaching services for authors that want to take their platform to the next level."
 
Tim Peterson
Director of Marketing
 
 
October Amazon 
Comparison of ECPA Publishers
Amazon
Click here for a spreadsheet of the October 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
October, 2009
 
Tease Your Audience
to Sell More Books

As an author, do you dream of landing that big interview on national radio or TV and watching your book skyrocket onto the bestseller lists? Do you have fantasies about Oprah begging you to be a guest on her show?
 
Those are nice dreams, but let's be honest. How many times do you conduct an author interview that never goes anywhere? No boost in book sales...no major website hits...no speaking inquiries...nothing happens. Are most of your interviews just one dud after another?

Some authors experience this problem because they mistakenly believe that giving an interview is a prime opportunity to teach a large group of listeners. They see the microphone in front of them and suddenly think class is in session with a captive audience. However, there's two problems with this mindset that can hurt your book sales:

1. You're audience is never captive.
They don't have to listen to you if they don't feel like it. For instance, they can change the channel, turn off the program, pay attention to something more interesting, or simply let their mind wander.  It's your responsibility, not the host's job, to keep an audience riveted on you and your message.

2. You rarely have time to cover sufficient material.
Most radio and TV interview last less than 10 minutes. You're really lucky if you get anything over 30 minutes.  That's because most programs are formatted for short, 8 - 10 segments with commercial breaks. So, you generally have less time on the air than you think.

Therefore, it's crucial to use your brief interview to tease the audience, rather than teach the audience. Now, I know the word "tease" may offend some people. You could be thinking, "It's not right to tease my audience. That's just manipulation or shameless self-promotion." If you feel that way, then let's consider the most ethical action you could take towards your audience.

For example, let's say you wrote a non-fiction book that helps parents communicate better with their children.  Or, maybe you wrote a novel about a woman overcoming deep tragedy. What is the best thing to do for your interview listeners? Is it wise to overwhelm your audience by trying to cover every teaching point you can cram into 10 minutes? Most people won't remember what you say anyway. So, wouldn't it be wiser to use your interview to motivate people to get your complete message?

The best way to help your audience during an interview is to lead them to what they really need, which is your whole book. You could try throwing a ton of information at the audience. But, that's like a doctor who throws a box of Band-aids at a group of people who have a serious illness. Band-aids won't cure their problems. Instead, a wise doctor urges people to go down the path to get fully cured.

Your job during an author interview is no different.  Use the brief time to engage the audience, get them interested in your message, and inspire them to go buy your book. Don't bore people with your information. Tease them to seek out your entire message.
 
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For more help improving your author interviews, check out my audio teaching session, "Turn Media Interviews into Book Sales." If I sufficiently teased you,
click here.
 
 

Rich Author / Poor Author:
What's the Difference? (pt. 2)

Poor authors try to pay their bills by writing as many books as possible. They live off of advances and dream of royalty checks. Yet, few writers can make it on a $1.00 royalty. Sadly, this one-dimensional mindset blinds them to other streams of income. Some authors even think the best way to sell a book is to quickly write another book.

In contrast, rich authors realize their book is a pathway to more lucrative opportunities called spin-off products. For example, I used content from my $15 book to create a spinoff $25 audio CD set, a $150 video curriculum, and lucrative speaking seminars. My book itself didn't pay my bills, but the spinoff products combined to create a nice living for my wife and I.
 
In addition, remember that people learn in various ways and formats. So, if you limit your message to just a book, then you will limit your income and influence. Instead, focus on meeting the needs of your audience, then the offshoot potential will be endless. You could offer speaking seminars, videos, downloads, e-books, audio, coaching sessions, paid subscriber newsletters, etc.
 
Ask yourself right now, what new spin-off products could you create from your book?
 

Note: I'm NOT suggesting that the goal of writing is to get rich. However, if your writing isn't financially self-sustaining, then your ability to help others will be limited.

Are You Ready to
Spread Your Message like Wildfire?

Learn how to sell your books like wildfire from Rob Eagar's new 5-CD audio set: Speak and Sell Books in ANY Market
 
Disc 1: Market for More Bookings
Disc 2:
Make Your Website Work for You
Disc 3:
Write Newsletters that Get Results
Disc 4:
Get More Media Coverage for Your Message
Disc 5:
Turn Media Interviews into Book Sales

Speak and Sell BooksThis 5-disc audio teaching set also contains 10 bonus resources, such as listener handouts, author website checklist, and samples of professional newsletters, press releases, and speaking contracts.
 
The price is a bargain at $125. Find out why Bethany House Publishers recently made this instructional material recommended listening to all of their new authors!
 
 
Other affordable options for authors: 
$350: Public speaking is one of the best ways to sell more books. Yet, the best way to get more speaking engagements is by having a great speech in the first place!  If you're not getting enough requests to speak, check out our Keynote Speech Makeover Service  Send us your speech, and get expert feedback on how to turn your presentation into a powerful book selling tool - without being cheesy.
 
$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.
 
Don't forget the FREE stuff: If you haven't visited Rob's Free Resources page, you're missing out on 19 articles packed full of helpful content. It's free...what are you waiting for?
 
For more information on any of these services, call 1-800-267-2045.