10 ways to synchronize your book and website

Success in marketing is simple ... Find the right message, use the right media, and deliver it to the right market." — Creator of "Magnetic Marketing," Dan Kennedy*. ..

Are you an author that wants to sell more books? Sure you are. We all are. I can say that with such confidence because if your message was important enough to be written; it is important enough to be read. Read by as many people as possible I might add.

In the new millennium the web must play an important role in your book’s marketing plan. Your website address should be included in as many places online and offline in your marketing materials as possible.

To develop your brand and increase your profits include your website address on all your printed media. Here are ten top ways to make sure your book and website are synched as precisely as your palm pilot and computer are:

1. Create a separate website address for your book.
Follow the lead of the best-selling authors in non-fiction publishing. Jack Canfield and Victor Hansen are not household names but their book series Chicken Soup is easily remembered.

Make your book site a direct response website. The more focused your book’s site is the better. It will be easier for your web visitors to locate and since there’s nothing to distract them they will buy faster. You can always link your book’s site to your concept site, if you have one with all your services, forum and general web community.

Additionally, make it easy to connect your website to your book. When you want to go to the Chicken Soup book series website, guess what you type into your browser’s web address box. You guessed it; simply type in Chicken Soup.

This principle is most effective with a concept title but it will work with any. Just make sure the web address is short and easy. Don’t try to use your whole title. Keep it simple and use the concept. Another good example is the Rich Dad Poor Dad series used www.richdad.com for their web address.

2. Give Away Sample Chapters.
One of the best ways to promote your book using your website is to give away 1-3 sample chapters or a mini e-course based on your book.

Fear of the unknown is one of the biggest impediments to sales. Even though the internet is growing leaps and bounds, there are still tons of people that are afraid to trust someone online. One of the best ways to get rid of that fear for the visitor is to offer them a free download of your sample chapters.

You can offer the free sample chapters in several formats. The most popular is Adobe PDF. Readers can download a free Acrobat Reader. Don’t forget your privacy statement promising not to share or sell your visitor’s email. Post your free sample offer in a prominent place and the privacy statement underneath.

3. Emphasize Testimonials.
Immediately below your free sample chapter, put lots of reader and authority testimonials. Hopefully you solicited pre-publication quotes from your readers as you were writing your book. If not, begin to gather testimonials from your readers. Showcase your best testimonials. Prospects want to know someone else has read and liked your book.

4. Focus on Relationship Marketing.
No one likes being sold. People want to know who they are buying from, especially since you are missing the face to face factor. Strive for a relationship with your readers instead of just a sale. Don’t be shy allow your personality to show. A client of mine was stressing over whether she should allow her picture to be posted on her website. Finally, she bit the bullet and her visitors rewarded her with increased traffic and sales.

The truth is people like to know there’s a person behind the website. Another client post a page of his favorite things on his site similar to what Oprah Winfrey does on her show—all with the purpose of connecting with his audience. While another post her family trips to personalize her site. Be real, be yourself and you’ll get more life long readers, customers and friends.

5. Offer Useful Content.
Have you begun writing articles in your field? If not, you should consider it. Writing articles (article marketing) is an easy way of getting free publicity. Publish a useful easy to read article in your field and you gain almost instant credibility. You may be saying I don’t have time to write articles in my field.

But wait, before you throw away this method of marketing. Have you considered transforming some of your book excerpts into short articles? It’s a simple way of making your book go the extra mile to help promote itself. Need some extra help getting your articles written? Click here for a popular resource of Earma’s “Putting Your Articles on the Speedway to Sales.”

Leveraging your profits by synching your book and website can be rewarding and profitable journey. Implement the tips above, synch your book to website and prosper!

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© Earma Brown, 13 year author and business owner
helps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Author of “Write Your Best Book Now”, she mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine “iScribe” at How to Write a Book Tips Subscribe now at
iscribe@writetowin.org