One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is the creative way in which people are able to spread the word about their products. To me, this unique style of promotion is something I see with great regularity amongst indie authors and those who support them.
Take, for example, the remarkable Books for Bunnies scheme, set up by Suzie Welker. In one genius move, Suzie has found a way to raise money for the House Rabbit Society, whilst bringing the spotlight on dozens and dozens of authors. This is a great opportunity for book lovers to try something new, at the same time as supporting a wonderful charity.
I’ve also been floored by an exciting website from Pandora Poikilos, set up to help promote her title Frequent Traveller. The website appears to be a site like any other resort may have – but delve a little deeper and you’ll find trivia, a whodunnit mystery and great teasers about the book.
We have authors who have blogs or Pinterest boards for their characters, taking them very firmly out of the pages of the books and allowing readers to actually ‘interact’ with them via Twitter or Facebook. In the meantime, bloggers are thinking up increasingly more creative events to connect people and connect with people and spread the word about their blogs, such as the amazing Photo A Day challenge run by Fat Mum Slim.
As tiring as it can be to constantly be ‘thinking outside the box’ (especially when the box seems to keep changing!) it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. As a reader, I admire the creativity, ingenuity and spirit that goes into these efforts. Does such promotion make me buy books or follow blogs? Well, yes, it does. Perhaps largely because nobody is saying buy my book. Instead, their remarkable ideas and tenacity sell the book for them. Not only that but creative and exciting ideas are shareable. If I say, ‘I found a great book today’, I might get a few ‘Meh – I’ll add it to my 400 strong to-be-read list’ responses. If I can share a link to something exciting and involving? Well, trust me, I’ve seen the difference and it’s incredible.
When you put a sample of your work on your blog or on Amazon, you give readers an insight into the story and your writing style. When you look beyond that and apply time and effort into building something like the above up… well, that gives them an insight into your creativity. A sample – even a good sample – may be easily forgotten but something that makes you go “WOW!”? That could stick in there for months.
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Okay, now I need to be more creative in helping authors sell there book outside the book. This could get fun. Thanks for sharing Donna.
TOTALLY! Plus it is FUN! This is why I am constantly trying to think outside my own box. I want to highlight authors and books in such a way as to make them shine and not be on the meh list. Y'all are so creative in your book, why not? Again, as I do a lot the comparing of a book to a baby… you dress your baby in the cutest most adorable books to show off to the world, why not do the same with the book? I agree completely and this post is great! It also begs to mention that YOU do the same thing for the books and authors you promote, Donna. I have seen so MUCH here at TIE and everywhere else. You and this incredible site inspire and have been inspiring me to extend myself and really shine as a blogger, a writer and a presence here on the web!
I need to come up with a fabulous meme to bring gillions of readers to my blog. *sigh* But enough about me. I really do pay more attention when I see something fun or interesting. I completely ignore "Buy my book" tweets and messages. The recent C.J. West/Jillian Dodd ManDay competition brought both of them a lot of publicity and it was fun for those of us who participated, too. (It didn't hurt that I won some books from that one.)
I love these ideas, and thanks to Ky Bunnies for setting up that fantastic giveaway!
I think the key to making the most of thinking outside the box is to envision a strategy for the campaign that asks: who are the potential readers? Where can they be found? What would they respond to? This I mean in contrast to just making a list of contacts and sending the book out. I think if you take the time to ask these questions, sometimes you come up with something truly original.
Anyway, will check out these links, thanks!
Thanks, I love your ideas, Edward Smith