This week's focus:

Thanks to Scott Stratten at www.Unmarketing.com for sharing this marketing tip at a conference we attended together last week.

Did you know that Amazon lets authors see who is highlighting notes in their books and tweeting content to friends? When someone reads a book using a Kindle device or app, Amazon stores the information they highlight. Plus, Amazon displays who used Twitter to spread word of mouth to their friends. How does it work?

1. Go to: https://kindle.amazon.com

2. Type in the title of your book in the "Search" box at the top right-hand corner.

3. Click on your title when it appears in the search listing.

4. You will see a picture of your book cover, a list that says "Posts from this book," and a section called "Highlights," which shows content that people notated while reading your book on their Kindle.

It may seem a little creepy that Amazon tracks all of this reader information. But, keep in mind that Amazon only displays information that readers agree to make public. There's no blatant invasion of privacy. Kindle readers can turn off this sharing feature if they desire.

Amazon's slogan for their Kindle service is "Read. Review. Remember." I like that tagline, and I think their new service offers some innovative promotional opportunities for authors. Here's why:

1. Authors get an unprecedented opportunity to peek into the minds of their readers. You can see what parts of a book resonate with readers the most, because you can literally see the passages that people highlighted. This ability allows the author to focus future blog posts, free resources, interview topics, or social media conversations on content that they know people already find intriguing.

2. Authors can identify and thank readers who share word of mouth via Twitter. By seeing who tweets your material, you can leave a message at that individual's Twitter account to show your appreciation for telling their friends. How cool is that?

3. If your book doesn't have many highlighted portions or shared posts, it could indicate that your book isn't being discovered or the content isn't capturing reader interest. Knowing that information can serve as a wake-up call to improve your marketing or strengthen the manuscript for your next book.

Even though this service from Amazon is unique, I would urge you to take it with a grain of salt. Don't base your book's marketing plan or primary promotional activities on the comments you see posted or the passages highlighted. Those comments listed only represent a small fraction of your total reader base. Instead, stay focused on marketing your book based on its overall value. Use the benefit of this service to gauge what kind of conversation is happening around your books.

I'm excited to see Amazon offer another ground-breaking service that brings readers and authors closer together. At times, they seem like one of the few organizations dedicated to helping authors break the down the walls of publishing.

Once you've checked out Amazon's Kindle service, what marketing opportunities do you see available for your book? Email me your responses or leave a post on my blog.

Rob's "Book Deal of the Century" was a Blazing Success!

I want to thank everyone who took advantage of special pre-order "book deal of the century." Over 180 of you capitalized on my incredible early-bird offer just for my newsletter subscribers and friends. And, I appreciate all of the positive and humorous feedback.

For those who missed out, the special offer is over. But, you can still pre-order at: www.startawildfire.com/books.html

My publisher, Writer's Digest, and I will have other fun surprises down the road as we near my book's launch date in late-May / early June.

Stuff to Help Authors Sell More Books:

Marketing Teleconference for Authors - April 18th:

"How to Put Marketing Gold in Your Manuscript"

Note: You don't have to be present for the live teleconference call. Everyone who registers gets a mp3 audio recording of the 60-minute call to listen on their own time. Register early for $49 at:

www.startawildfire.com/teleconferences2012.html 

Marketing Plan Template for Fiction and Non-Fiction Authors:

Over 100 purchased in the last three months! Get the 4-page template designed to help you think through the creation of a solid book marketing plan. Download for only $19.99 at:

www.startawildfire.com/marketingplan.html

Bestseller Website Tutorial for Fiction and Non-Fiction Authors:

A website is an author's most powerful marketing tool. Get the tutorial that walks you page-by-page to build a site that captivates readers and boosts your book sales. Download for only $24.99 at:

www.startawildfire.com/websitetutorial.html