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| destination360.com |
We send our thoughts and prayers to those who live on the East Coast as they recover from Hurricane Irene.
We have winners at SOS Aloha!
Saturday, August 20 - Heroes Span the Ages with Bertrice Small's THE CAPTIVE HEART and THE BORDER LORD AND THE LADY
- June M.
Sunday, August 21 - Jill Marie Landis' MAI TAI ONE ON
- Liz V.
Monday, August 22 - Dianne Venetta's JENNIFER'S GARDEN
- Estella
Tuesday, August 23 - Celebrating William Wallace's Legacy with Paula Quinn's CHILDREN OF THE MIST
- Debby
Wednesday, August 24 - Hau' oli la Hauna to Duke Kahanamoku - Ambassador of Aloha
- Raonaid
Thursday, August 25 - Jenn LeBlanc's THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE
- Jeanne M.
Friday, August 26 - Ben Mezrich's SEX ON THE MOON
- Janet
I am a winner with last week's survey - thank you for your kind comments! I still accept your feedback at this link. Here's the results from 30 readers:
E-Readers:
- 8 readers use Kindle
- 4 readers use Nook
- 3 readers use Sony
- 6 readers use their computer/laptop
- 10 readers do not have e readers
--- 5 plan to own an e-reader in the future
--- 5 prefer print books
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| gottabemobile.com |
Book preferences (readers could choose more than one):
- Historicals: 24
- Mystery/Suspense/Thrillers (including cozy mysteries): 19
- Contemporaries: 19
- Paranormals: 18
- Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction: 13
- Fiction: 12
- Other: 5
11 readers wrote that they read everything! Thanks to my son, Andrew, for compiling the data!
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| hawaiibookblog.com |
I have a new survey today - you can post your response in the comments. I recently received an email from a publicist who regularly sends me bookmarks. She asked what readers thought of the bookmarks as authors questioned if they are a viable means to promote their books. She added that authors are considering investing their promotional dollars in Internet advertising.
I responded that I appreciated the bookmarks - I distribute to readers here at Pearl Harbor and winners at SOS Aloha. But I also understand authors' concern about promotional costs. I noted that book ads on bloggers' sites do not influence me. I suggested that authors should invest their time and budget in a blog tour - visit as many bloggers as possible and giveaway their new book.
Now I ask for your input. What is the most effective marketing tool to attract your attention as a reader?
- Bookmarks?
- Book signings at bookstores?
- Guest reading at libraries?
- Internet advertising?
- Excerpts on their website?
- Guest appearance on blogs? Which blogs?
- Other suggestions?
All commenters will be entered into a drawing for a book of choice from my RWA Stash (or Aloha Treat). This drawing is open to all readers. Comments are open through Saturday, September 3, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 4.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
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| best-cruise-lines.com |
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Excerpts on the author website is a must. I hate it when you can't sample the book. I do think visiting review blog and participating in giveaways gives exposure to the author and their books.
ReplyDeleteAloha, Jane!
ReplyDeleteCan you give us a report from the East Coast?
Mahalo,
Kim
Big congrats to all winners!
ReplyDeleteI love bookmarks, they are always a good reminder to check if the author has new releases out. Another aspect are excerpts on author websites and guest blogs.
Hi Kim,
ReplyDeleteBook signings at bookstores are a good idea if you still have a bookstore in your area but I really like multiple author signings. The only problem for me with this is -- if it's an author I love and the book is out already chances are I have it already and I will not attend the signing.
Bookmarks -- always a good idea
Internet Advertising -- I don't always look at the ads.
Guest appearance on blogs -- also a good idea but let's face it there are so many blogs out there, I'm finding new ones every day. I have to admit that I only visit a handful of blogs faithfully every day.
Other suggestions -- Facebook -- promote your new release there, ask your friends to put a link of your new book on their page.
Word of mouth through different yahoo groups
I do not Twitter, so promoting a book there doesn't help me.
Congrats to all the winners!
Good morning everyone! I still have power here in Connecticut but not everyone does. They say the BIG winds will hit in about one hour. Hmm not so sure the winds so far have not been BIG.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the winners. And a big thanks from me!!
I love bookmarks. Whenever I get some, I check them all out and then go online and check out the ones that interest me.
Have to go electricity is flickering.
Congrats to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteBook giveaways and reviews on their own site or blog and on other blogs that are book related is a good way for readers to learn about new books. Winning a book from an author and liking it leads to book sales. That's what works for me!
Conrats to the winners!
ReplyDeleteBoookmarks are good, and excerpts are a MUST! I don't even look at internet advertising, I do read some blogs, but not many. Winning a contest is great too, I've found many new to me authors by entering a contest, and a great number of them are now on my list to be bought.
Hurricane now Tropical Storm near Connecticut. 2.7m w/o power. 9 dead, including 1 here from tornado.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for Mai Tai On One.
- Bookmarks? Have given to friends and family when received from authors.
- Book signings at bookstores? If author good w/ groups.
- Guest reading at libraries? Never tried.
- Internet advertising? No.
- Excerpts on their website? Excerpt fine but at least website needs to be current.
- Guest appearance on blogs? Good.
- Which blogs? Bookmarked variety, such as yours!
- Other suggestions? If author as guest invite comments, participate.
Congratulations to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteI think guest spots on blogs works well for me. Sometimes I will do a tour but I find that after going to so many different new blogs I tend to get overwhelmed and lose my way and many a blog will not inform you if you win and some make it almost impossible to know when and if you won. I do go to about a dozen blogs a day - some for the occasional book win but mostly just because I like the blog. I'm afraid I have enough bookmarks and would rather they put the money into a book giveaway which will surely get me to buy more of their books if I like it.
catslady
Congrats to the winners! Man, do I love the last photo! Stunning!
ReplyDeleteDepends on what their internet "advertisements" are. If they are those banners and stuff on blogs, sad to say I give them a brief look then disregard them.
ReplyDeleteNow I LOVE the bookmarks.
What I am really loving of late is the romance trading cards. I have my own little folder with card pockets for them. I squee when I get them.
Excerpts on their website is okay. I don't read 'em because I'll be impatient and want the book NOW. To keep from being impatient I don't read them.
Guest appearances on blogs/blog tours. Yes! I really do love this idea. It allows people to follow an author, learn a little more about them and series.
Donna Grant and I believe Lisa Renee Jones have a "street team". They send promo goodies to these members, and these people give out the promos to Book Clubs, Book stores (with permission). There are guidelines and rules. We can stick bookmarkers in their books
My favorite promos are guest visits on blogs and excerpts on author websites. I visit a lot of blogs weekly and about a dozen daily. This is the most frequent way for me to discover new authors.
ReplyDeleteI really don't pay attention to many of the advertisements I see online.
ReplyDeleteI visit a lot of blogs and love to see interviews with authors, it lets us get to know them a little better and when they interact with readers and answer a few questions or just chat, I really enjoy that. I've found so many new authors that I really love by visiting author blogs, blogs that have reviews, any blog that does interviews with authors ect.
I love giveaways for books and bookmarks. I actually have a huge, huge collection of bookmarks and every once in a while I give away bookmarks I have to whomever comments on my blog. I did this just recently and just asked an author friend *Heidi betts* for some bookmarks to give away on my blog later on.
I really enjoy following book tours on blogs and commenting and trying to win a book. I know a lot of us readers do and I really think that would get much much more effective marketing tool than advertising in ads. I just looked on my blogger dashboard and I follow about 160 blogs right now and I get introduced to many many new authors when I read reviews or read interviews on other blogs.
I wonder how many blogs other readers follow.
Personally, excerpts on an author's website are one of the best ways to draw me in. The excerpt does not have to be very long for me to make a decision whether or not I want to read that particular book. Also, newsletters from an author of interest is a great way to keep track of what is up and coming.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I LOVE bookmarks. Sure, I spend most of my time reading from my Kindle these days but I still have real books and need something to mark my place (I don't dog ear the pages). I also love the way they look so I collect them.
Things that influence me when I purchase a book: author's site (excerpts are key), blog tours (these are REALLY great because an author interacts with you in the comments), book trailers (have you seen the one for NOWHERE NEAR RESPECTABLE or the ones by Tessa Dare?), and conventions (sometimes you get an insiders look at what's coming up). Book tours, book readings (at libraries or online-- like here: Romance Lately) also make me want to read(move up in my TBR pile)/buy the book.
Sometimes reading reviews also helps me decided whether I want to buy a book or not.
I rarely pay attention to the ads flashing on the blog sidebars advertising a book.
I love bookmarks and collect them from authors-helps me to promote them to my friends too...
ReplyDeleteno one ever comes to a library near me who I read so an author reading at the library does nothing for me
with Borders just closing up there is only Barnes and Noble in my area and they seem to bring in children and non-fiction writers in my area - again haven't seen anyone I read or want to read
Internet advertising is only so so for me
Excerpts and things on the author sites is a must if they really want to sell me other books
I like guest appearances on blogs - they should have it on their website where they are going to be so that we can follow
Hi Kim,
ReplyDeleteI like bookmarks but they don't influence me enough to purchase someone's book. I do like to keep them though.
I also don't pay attention to the ads on the side of blogs or on facebook. What catches my attention is just seeing the book on various blogs on tour or even when other fellow bloggers talk about it on their blog or on Twitter.
As for reviews, they only influence me if I haven't heard anything about the book before, but still not so much. I tend to only read reviews for books I've read before or if they are written by online "friends".
Aloha! Thanks for your suggestions - all very good ideas to promote books!
ReplyDeleteKati R, I typically don't watch book trailer but I did view Tessa's after the buzz (I'm a Barbie Fan). I also enjoyed the trailer she created for Maya Banks' IN BED WITH A HIGHLANDER.
I am going to check out NOWHERE NEAR RESPECTABLE!
Thanks and congrats to the other winners!
ReplyDeleteI like bookmarks, but I think guest appearances on review blogs are much better advertising.
Hi Kim,
ReplyDeleteWe had fierce winds and rain, but we dodged a bullet in the city, but many in the surrounding areas are dealing with severe flooding, power outages and downed trees.
I do like the book marks and think they are a good idea. I am lucky that I am part of a wonderful romance that have authors in it and authors that want to come and do Book signings with us. Wonderful way to promote a book. I have bought a few books I never would of thought of if I hadn't met them.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that I found that helped was ARC, you can get alot of buzz on book because of them. I have found many depute authors that way, one of them being Thea Harrison. I read her book way before it came out. I let everybody over on the RT boards know how good that book was.
Huge Thanks to Andrew He did an awesome Job.
ReplyDeleteWell I DONT read the Advertising Unless it's a man in a kilt but then that all I'm Looking at is THE MAN IN A KILT;)
I Love bookmarks & Trading card & Book Covers I started combining them together in a Photo album I LOVE when there signed.
I Adore Blog( SMALL) tours some go on & On If I dont bookmark them I forget where they are to check back.( I visit blog not just for contests I have met wonderful friend's)
Newsletter with excerpt are great
there own web-page where you can find background on series LOVE THAT .
Since most of the Authors are American I have never been to a book signing But I Know I WANT TO.
Word of mouth is a great tool.
Hope this all helps.
Kim I will tell you on my header i have 5 blogs I go to every single day only 1 is not book related
4 blogs I go to often
Have a good one Ann/alba
Congrats to all the winners this week.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the site today, I thought the pictures were special.
I like to get bookmarks, however, I like reviews by the book bloggers and trust they are
giving an honest review on the books from authors because this is how I buy books, I also check reviews on amazon before I spent money on a book.
Congratulations to all the winners and happy reading!!!
ReplyDeleteSurvey questions:
- Bookmarks? - I like bookmarks but wouldn't think it's the best use of marketing $$. I have a lot of print books & I use a book thong or a magnetic bookmark. And I have a Nook.
- Book signings at bookstores? - Not something I do because the authors are going to go to the bookstores where I don't drive (driving in traffic issues).
- Guest reading at libraries? - I live in a community with a very small library. I'm not away of anything like this, but am making a note to check further.
- Internet advertising? - Sorry, I don't pay attention to this. Lately I've found they overlay the post I'm trying to read and I can't get rid of them!!
- Excerpts on their website? - A definite yes! Blurbs and excerpts are what hook me and have me adding the book to my lists to buy/read. I agree authors should keep their website current and they should also include blog tour schedules listed; links would be helpful, too.
- Guest appearance on blogs? A big Yes. I like reading about authors, either through posts or interviews. Contests or giveaways, IMO, are a great way to get me hooked on the author and books. Good use of marketing $$.
Which blogs? I've only been following blogs for about 3 months and I find new ones all the time. I'm currently following about 170 blogs through blogger or emails. I'm about ready to trim that down as I find what works for me and what doesn't. I would hazard a guess that authors and publishers have a good idea which review blogs would be good ones to visit. (I never followed blogs until I retired, and right now, I have more time than normal!).
I personally am not crazy about authors using FB because there are too many abusing it. One, maybe two posts a day is more than sufficient. I've blocked some authors who over post. I don't use Twitter.
I agree that author newsletters are a good vehicle for keeping us informed, too. Again, not interested in an email everytime they get a good review.
Thanks, Kim!!
I love following blog tours for books. Reviews & competitions get my attention. Author interviews I enjoy. As for promo items: I don't need any more bookmarks or pens. The upside is I tend to pass these around to friends.
ReplyDeleteI love Bookmarks and if it really catches my eye, I'll carry it into a bookstore to buy the book.
ReplyDeleteI also love it when my favorite author is in one of my local bookstores. How can I NOT buy a book and get it signed? Not too many come to Columbus though.
I am NOT influenced at all with internet advertising. Please save your dollars! But, as you've suggested, if I've seen the same author on a few of the blogs that I regularly follow, I am more inclined to go buy the book because of the buzz and favorable comments that I've read. I think this method of advertising - guest blogs - is probably my greatest influence. For example, I never would have discovered Margaret Mallory or Tessa Dare had it not been for blogs - this one included! I now own all of their books. :D I'd be happy to expound on my thoughts in this area if anyone is interested.
Excerpts are great, free short stories that are linked are even better for marketing when in places like Amazon and on author's websites. Meeting authors at booksignings/readings/conferences are memorable. I love bookmarks but lose them constantly.
ReplyDeleteELF
Congrats to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteHere are my thoughts regarding book marketing:
1. Bookmarks/romance trading cards/book swag - they are great in that I love receiving them and if they catch my attention, then I will note down book titles or authors to look into when I go buy some new books.
2. Book signings at bookstores - since I live in Canada, there really isn't a lot of American authors that I read who would have signings at nearby bookstores (even though I do live in a major Canadian city), so it is not really an effective marketing tool in this case.
3. Guest reading at libraries - same situation as above regarding book signings.
4. Internet advertising - I would say no if what you mean by internet advertising is only book ads and banners on sites/blogs because I tend to ignore them unless they really catch my eye.
5. Excerpts on author sites - This would only be effective marketing if I do go check out the author's site. Otherwise, I think it is more effective if excerpts are posted on blogs as part of blog tours or giveaways.
6. Guest appearance on blogs - I think this is very effective, especially if it is a part of blog tours or giveaways on blogs that I subscribe to because it can allow me to get to know an author and I always find it interesting to find out some interesting 'behind-the-scenes' tidbits about the book they're promoting, such as where their story ideas/concepts came from, etc. Once they get my attention and piqued my interest, I would be more inclined to note their book titles down.
Overall, I think the most effective means of marketing would be through word of mouth on book blogs, especially if there are blog tours that include guest posts, excerpts and giveaways because I think it's a great way to catch a reader's interest and giveaways do generally drive more internet traffic to the blog/site. For me personally, if blog tours for the same book appear on a few of the blogs that I subscribed to and those bloggers are raving about the book, then I would definitely be intrigued and get excited about reading it too. If I am really interested in the particular book, I would also seek out other blogs that are hosting the same tour to read more and to enter giveaways for it.
So that's my two cents on this, hope it helps! :)
I enjoy reading guest appearances on blogs. I have lots of favorite blogs that I visit. Facebook is another great marketing tool.
ReplyDeleteI love those bookmarks and trading cards. I love winning books too. I have won books by new to me authors and after reading them and falling in love, have gone out and bought all their other books. Congrats to the weekly winners!
I like author bookmarks. I use them all the time for my bookmarks. I also like when authors visit blogs and post their blog tour on their own website so I can follow them. I like it when authors talk at RWA meetings or other writer groups. I enjoy author websites, especially if I can learn more about the author and not just about their books.
ReplyDeleteKim,
ReplyDeleteFor me the two most important ways an author catches my attention and as an effectgive marketing tool are their newsletter and blogs (both their own and yours of course?).
I do check out other blogs as well periodically and enjoy reading the interviews to find out more about the author. I have found many new authors that I love this way as well. I find particularly new authors can benefit. I "discovered" Stephanie Sloane on a blog and now encourage others to be sure to pick up her books. I think it's important to tell others about authors we love to help them get the attention they deserve.
I love to see excerpts from the books. I like athor interviews. I also love giveaways of books and also swag. Bookmarks are cool, you can never have enough of those.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway and hope to win.
christinebails@yahoo.com
Goodness I never realized bookmarks were so popular. I'll have to look into getting some. From the point view of a reader, I rarely read interviews, but love a good excerpt and a well written review that highlights both good and bad.
ReplyDeleteGiving away books. It doesn't have to be the new release, it can be from the backlist or even a free online prequel to the new release, anything that attracts interest/attention to the fact that there is good stuff to read.
ReplyDeleteAs an international reader, giveaways on blogs or Twitter are something that make me take notice. (Unless it's US only, in which case it just makes me grumpy!)
This is my reaction:
- Ooh! Free book! Do I want to win it? *checks out book info*
- Yes! *enters giveaway* *fingers crossed*
- Darn, didn't win. MUST HAVE BOOK ANYWAY! *orders*
- *reads booK* OMG it was gooooood! *goes on glom of backlist*
I can name at least five favorite authors who came to my attention through a giveaway, whether I won the book or not. The giveaway is what brings it to my attention and creates the need for me to read the book—I don't read all reviews, even on my favorite blogs, but I do read giveaway posts/interviews.
I don't enter ARC giveaways, unless it's an eARC, because I'd rather just own the book. (And what do you do with a print ARC after you've read it? I had one that cluttered my shelves for a couple of years, then I got frustrated, tore it up and recycled it. I felt so guilty tearing up a printed work!) But an eARC before book release? Bliss! I'll even write a GR review should I happen to win—and I hate writing reviews! (I mostly just squee on GR and Twitter.)
Updated websites and excerpts are a must. Anything to make impulse buying easier will make more sales. Links to bookstores (Courtney Milan offers a free code at her site linking to 8(?) online stores), backlist info with series order, a printable book list with ISBNs…make it easy and frustration-free to buy your books!
And while we're on the subject of websites, please don't kill my eyes with white text on a black background! I won't want to visit again. :(