Promoting Through Extras

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Extra! Extra!

Promoting and Profiting By
Re-Packaging Your Book Content

A magician friend of mine recently asked for tips on making his book profitable. The magic words, of course, are 'promote, promote, promote'. As well as the obvious ways -- reviews, press releases, readings and signings, magazine articles based on your content -- there are other potential value-adding 'extras' you can produce. Each of these extras can raise awareness of your book, while bringing in a little extra money.

The content of your book and the research you did to support it, can be packaged in different ways -- as straight excerpts or supplementary materials. There are many formats in which you can offer this information, beyond the printed book. There are many options for each of those formats.

AUDIO

Audio book industry revenues in the US grew 360% between 1990 and 1998. More and more people are listening rather than reading -- perhaps a reflection of our busy lives. It is relatively simple to set up a tape recorder and microphone and create an audio version of your book. This audio version can contain the text of the book or accompanying materials:

	Excerpts for promotional purposes only. (That is, not the full book. Rather something that will intrigue readers and make them want to buy the book).
	Dramatizations. Perhaps your local community or school theater group would like to adapt and produce a part of your book, or create a piece based on your book. You can then tape the production and distribute it, in return for including an advert for the group.
	Discussions, You can tape book club-style discussions for fiction and non-fiction; support-group style discussions for self-help books. If you run a class, you may be able to get your students to engage in this discussion, for tape.

You can find audio duplication supplies online at Encore Music or Wholesale Tape and Supply and many other sites.

CD-ROM

Most computers bought in the past five years or so include a CD-ROM drive. A CD holds about 650MB of information. While a floppy disk can hold the full text of a book, a CD-ROM has space for much more. Why not add a few extras?

	Electronic editions. For a simple electronic edition that looks like the pages of your book, you can use Adobe's Acrobat software to create a PDF file. (see Adobe's site). You can include hyperlinks in PDF documents, but apart from that it is a relatively static form.
	HTML edition. To include more dynamic content, HTML is a good option. This is a format that can be read on almost any modern computer, and is familiar to most people. The disadvantages are that you cannot 'lock' the text to prevent a reader copying it or altering it. Also, it is hard to control exactly how things will appear on your reader's screen, since it will change depending on their monitor, resolution and font choices.
	Audio excerpts in .wav or .mp3. Consider recording all or part of your work, or even a greeting or introduction on a CD-ROM that contains your electronic edition. Recording an audio introduction gives a little more 'personality' to your book. Using a program like MusicMatch Jukebox and a good microphone, you can record directly into your computer. You can store the file as a .wav file -- an uncompressed, high quality format that will take up a lot of space -- or as an MP3 -- a compressed format commonly used for audio files, popularized by services like Napster.
	Supplementary materials. You can create a network of documents, articles or related, hyperlinked material, created like a website, but stored locally on the CD-ROM. This allows you to provide a navigational structure that may help your readers to access the information. You can also provide links to websites as well as email forms and surveys.
	PDF workbooks. You can create forms, quizzes, and other workbook activities to support the lessons in your book. Format these for 8.5" x 11" sheets and create a PDF file to ensure they look the same no matter what computer they are opened on. Your readers can print out the workbook pages on the paper that is already loaded in their printers.
	PowerPoint 'slide' presentations of your main thesis in summary (like your book proposal). This program allows you to create a slick presentation with or without animations, transition effects, sound effects and voice-over. You can include the free PowerPoint Viewer software, so that computers without the program can display the presentation.
	Video. You can include audio or video clips of interviews with research subjects or people willing to review your book on camera (but get permissions from your subjects). You could include video of discussions and workshops. You should definitely consider including a demonstration, if your book is about cooking, magic, crafts or other activities.

ONLINE

Website. You should have a website that includes information about how to order your book but also includes information that is interesting to visitors -- no one wants to visit a static page that is basically an advertisement. A novelist's website could contain a writing journal you kept while working on your novel; excerpts; additional scenes that you loved but had to cut from the main narrative; character sketches. Non-fiction writers can provide timely updates on the information in their book; updated appendices; breaking news in their field; workbook exercise; special reports. Both could include reader surveys; a reader feedback form (you can easily sign up for a free guest book service); fun quizzes; contests and more.

E-Newsletter. A newsletter is a great way for you to keep in touch with your readers on a regular basis. This is especially valuable if you have subsequent products for them to buy, or if you want to build up a reputation online.

PRINT

Newsletters. Your subject may lend itself to a printed newsletter -- perhaps there are associations or libraries or nursing homes that would subscribe to a newsletter on your topic. Like an online newsletter, this can help build your reputation and keep your products in readers' minds.

Printed excerpts. You can print excerpts of your book to send out with press releases, but you can also find other uses for them. You could send out an excerpt with all your correspondence -- that means greetings cards, letters and your utility bills. You never know who will read them. A more substantial excerpt, packaged like a chapbook, could be used in joint promotions, packaged with products that relate to your book, or are local (perhaps produced by a friend whose product sells well at craft shows). They can be left in train and bus stations for commuters to read; or given to associations that might be interested in your topic. Make sure the excerpt is juicy and leave them wanting more.

Workbooks. Even if your book is not non-fiction, you can create workbooks to accompany it. You can create a workbook for a book club, for example, with thematic questions, character sketches, and suggestions for further reading. If you teach a class you can create a workbook for your students to use in class and then take away, and include the cost in the price of admission.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

You are an expert on your subject -- if you have written a good, well-researched book, which I assume you have! Public speaking is only truly terrifying when you don't know what you're talking about. Not a problem you will have.

Opportunities for speakers exist all over the place, and often you will be paid a fee and expenses, for agreeing to speak. It is also a great venue for selling books and supplementary materials.

	Join a speakers' organization. If you don't know where to start, start here. This will help you practice, network and market. Examples include the Advanced Public Speaking Institute, Toastmasters International.
	Run a class at conferences. Every year, there are thousands upon thousands of conferences, on every topic imaginable, and every one of them is looking for speakers. They can't all get big names and most are happy to have experts, even if they are not well known. Start your search at Shaw Guides and imagine which of those conferences you could speak at: certainly publishing and writing conferences, but if you have other expertise, so much the better.
	Classes. Your local college or school district probably has an evening class program. You can be paid for teaching the class, and you might be able to sell your book to all your students as a course book. You can also charge for some of the supplementary materials you create -- which, in turn, can be recycled in any of the projects mentioned above.

***

Your book is information. This information can be packaged, and sold, in many ways, and it doesn’t take a magician to conjure up new sales opportunities. The ideas in this article are intended to get your creative juices flowing, and help you think of ways to re-package your material, promote your book, get out and have some fun, and perhaps learn some new skills along the way.

Sites mentioned in this article:

Adobe
Advanced Public Speaking Institute
Encore Music
MusicMatch Jukebox
Shaw Guides
ToastMasters International
Wholesale Tape and Supply

***

If there are other questions you need answered about publishing and book selling, email me at jd@jdwrite.com. If I don't know the answer, I'll try to find someone who does.

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