I have been writing and marketing e-books since 2000.  The things that work best for me when I market e-books is online marketing.  When I started writing and selling my e-books I started with a short instructional e-book for business owners and then moved on to letters and forms.  This worked well for me since the customer could download the letter or form and type their own information right into it, something they could not do with a paperback.

My Top 4 ways to market an e-book:

If you haven’t already, Order your copy of Mosquito Marketing for Authors TODAY!

I really stepped up my social marketing in January of 2010 to see if it would help me to sell more books. I can now (in July) answer that with a YES!  Some of the things that have happened for me due to using social networks as a marketing tool:

There are more but these are the top things that have happened due to my participating in and learning how to utilize social media in my marketing plan for my books.

I had the privilege of being asked to review a new marketing book by Carolyn Howard Johnson.  I love her other books so didn’t hesitate.  I wanted to share my review of her newest book with you.

With Social Media dominating every aspect of business especially marketing, Carolyn Howard Johnson is sharing practical marketing practices using social media that anyone can use.  While businesses everywhere cut their marketing budget due to the economy, the handful that keep marketing and using Carolyn’s books to help them be successful will be the last ones standing.  It is obvious Carolyn loves what she does and is good at it, lucky for us she is willing to share her tips and techniques in “How to Tweak your Tweets and Integrate your Online Presence” so that we can share in that success.  If you know nothing about Twitter but want to learn how you to can use it as a successful marketing tool – pick up this book – it is the only book on Twitter marketing that you will need.

I have had many emails and comments from you about my book marks so I wanted to elaborate a little bit about them.  I normally have them made a little bit over-sized, I have the books logo on tem, and the benefits of my my book listed along with my URL.

On the backside I have my URL and my “Top 14 Tips for a Successful E-mail Blast”

I include them in every book I send out, I leave a pile at my local chamber of commerce office and at local book stores.  I think it is something people keep long after reading your book, especially if it has some helpful information on it.

Today I am packaging up my citronella mosquito soap with stickers I had made up at Vista Print and sending them with a promotional postcard to everyone I sent a review copy of my book to.  Keeping the buzz going and hopefully making them laugh – which will make me and my book stand out.

As I sit here packaging up copies of my Mosquito Marketing for Authors book to send out to contributors, colleagues and the media I was thinking that it would be a good idea to post something to my blog each time I do some marketing for my book.   This way, as I am working on my marketing plan and taking actions I can keep you updated on each step I take, what happens if anything and how much work it is to really market a book.

When I was doing research for Mosquito Marketing for Authors, I kept a diary of everything I did to market my “Starting a Collection Agency” book and shared that with you in Mosquito Marketing so you could see what I had planned, when and what I did and what the results of those actions were.

So be sure to check back here often as I keep my “online diary” here on my blog of everything I am doing to market Mosquito Marketing for Authors.
Today I am printing letters to send to the folks on my media list with my press kit, a copy of my book, a promotional postcard and a book mark with my Top 14 Tips for a Successful Email Blast printed on the back.  I am customizing each letter and including my business card.  I send these out in a flat rate priority envelope.  I know that is can be cheaper in a plain padded envelope but I want my book to arrive in style.  Fast priority mail shipping in a free cardboard envelope that is red, white and blue is stylin’.  It also goes to the top of the mail pile when it is received.

I have always been very aggressive at getting reviews for my books, I send out free copies to people who will review the book for me.  In my experience, it has been a very worthwhile venture, most people I ask are happy to get a free book in exchange for their review, I also send PDF copies.

I have found one good way to get a testimonial that is short and can be used as a blurb on your website, book cover, or marketing materials  is to ask a past customer what they thought of the book, then work that into a quote and send it back to them asking if you can use it as a testimonial and giving them credit.

If someone has left you an amazon review you can take a sentence or two and ask them if that is okay to use.

Every day. Marketing is like exercise, you have to do it consistently to get results.

Not having a marketing plan can greatly impair your ability to be successful.  With a marketing plan you don’t have to spend so much time thinking and analyzing, you can do “the next thing on your list”.

Try to do at least one thing every day to market your book or business.  Another great way to get marketing into your schedule is to pick one day of the week as your “marketing day”, for me this is Wednesdays.  Schedule marketing activities into your schedule and don’t break the appointment, you will see a huge difference.

Do you market online? What online tools are you using? How are they working for you?

A great online way to make more sales and expand your platform is to participate in Joint Venture campaigns online.  Another great online tool is teleconferences, which can be done from anywhere, your office or home phone or your cell phone where ever you are.

Remember to be strategic and consistent in order for the greatest return on the time you invest into your online marketing.

When trying to promote anything, yourself, your business, your book  – you must start locally and then spread out from there to have success.

• Try covering a 100-mile radius of your location or a location where you might sell books, have a book signing or teach classes.
• Try donating copies of your book as a door prize at conventionsna dlocal auctions or events.
• Minimize expenses while maximizing exposure, for example use the internet instead of traveling.

I took a poll of over 150 authors and writers and these are the things that were the most commonly successful for them in order to build up their platform and to sell more books, I hope that you will do one or more of these things so you can be as successful!