Posts made in October, 2009
Some Lessons from the Trenches: Book Business Magazine's Virtual Conference (Slideshow)
Today Book Business Magazine’s Digital Content Day @ Your Desk virtual conference kicked off and ran without a hitch thanks to the hard work of the folks running it. I was delighted to be a presenter during the Social Media Strategies that Sell Books session with Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics. In my presentation I spoke about the nuts and bolts of executing an effective social media strategy. I tried to provide attendees with some concrete steps they could take immediately after the session. I outline the social media strategies that have worked for me in the past, and I touch upon some embarrassing setbacks as well. The presentations are available on-demand...
Read MoreThe Five Steps to Beginning a Social Media Strategy
In January I’ll be serving as a panelist at Digital Book World’s conference in NYC. The conference itself has mounted a substantial social media campaign to drum up interest and get attendees excited. As part of that campaign—and as a preview of the panel I’ll be on, they asked me to write up a list of concrete steps to beginning a social media strategy. I was honored to have been asked, and happy to do it, of course. Today they’ve posted that article on the conference blog. Below is an excerpt—but I’ll only give you one of the five steps here. For the rest, please read the article—and learn more about the conference—on the Digital...
Read MoreThe Billboard Analogy & The Importance of Proving that Social Media Sells
Coca-Cola isn’t alerted by Rickie’s Convenience Mart every time you buy an ice cold bottle after walking past their signs at the local little league field. Nike can’t run the numbers (groan) on how many times people have purchased new kicks after seeing skinnier people in their ads on the subway. And McDonald’s can’t track the number of times their mouth-watering billboard on the highway has prompted you to throw your new shoes in the backseat and detour your commute home through the local drive-through. None of these well-worn advertising strategies can show absolute proof of effectiveness. For example, at no point can Coca-Cola print out a...
Read MoreHow Can Book Publishers Use Social Media to Sell Books?
The world of social media presents great new opportunities for book publishers. Participating in the discussions raging on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and across the blogosphere will introduce a publisher’s books and authors to new audiences, new opportunities for market research, new authors, and new communities of loyal readers with powerful word-of-mouth clout. Heather Fletcher, from Book Business magazine, was nice enough to call me up and ask me my thoughts on the best ways that book publishers could use social media platforms to sell books. Here is an excerpt. And if you enjoy the interview below, be sure to watch my presentation at Book Business...
Read More