Friday, December 03, 2010

Marketing Tip - Library Love!

Today’s outstanding marketing tip comes from Stephen Tremp Breakthrough Blogs

There’s a new movement starting where bloggers are helping bloggers promote their books through public libraries. This is what you can do to help, and benefit from, in just 5 – 10 minutes a week. Look up two libraries in major cities on the Internet and email them requesting to carry five books.

Here’s the deal:

* 50 weeks a year
* 50 states
* 1 state per week
* 2 libraries per week

This is so easy. Example: go to Google, type in Los Angeles libraries, then selected the first link LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY. Bring up the page and look at the side links to request books. Look for the link that makes sense as every site will be different. For this site select ASK A LIBRARIAN then scroll down and selected SUGGEST A PURCHASE. Then copy and paste the pertinent information (see below). In and out in less than three minutes.

Try the same for San Diego. Total time: just over five minutes. Done! Repeat process next week, maybe mix it up a bit and try different blogging buddy authors. Try Florida next. Miami and Orlando. What’s really cool is many metropolitan areas have a central library and this usually pops up first in a search. You can input author and book information into the online request form and they will decide if any locations get a copy. Yes, this is a centralized process.

If I promote your book and others in this manner, and one third of the libraries say yes, that’s 33 copies. If 10 people do this for you (and themselves), that’s 330 copies in the public's eyes in one year. That's a lot of exposure! Of course, you can promote more than two libraries a week if you feel so inspired. I know I will.

Following is an example of how you can save author and book information to a Word.doc, then copy and paste the information to library Web sites:

CassaStar
Author: Alex Cavanaugh
ISBN-13: 9780981621067
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press
Publish Date: October 2010
Review: “…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

Delicious and Suspicious
Author: Elizabeth Craig Spann
ISBN-13: 978-0425235539
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: July 6, 2010
View reviews at Amazon

Desert Hedge Murders
Author: Patricia Stoltey
ISBN: ISBN-13: 9781594147852
Publisher: Gale Group
Publish Date: September 2009
View reviews at Amazon

Beware the Devil’s Hug
Author: Marvin Wilson
ISBN-13: 978-0984615490
Publisher: All Things That Matter Press
Publish Date: September 1, 2010
View reviews at The Old Silly Blog

Breakthrough: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan
Author: Stephen Tremp
ISBN: 9780595474004
Publisher: iUniverse
Publish Date: December 31, 2008
View reviews at Breakthrough Blogs

Many library sites will have a box asking for reviews for each book, so you might want to take a few moments to go to an author’s Web site and copy a review or a link to Amazon reviews. Feel free to copy and use this info. Again, you can use other author info from week to week.

Finally, feel free to copy and paste everything and post on your blog for others to read and help spread the good word. Remember, it’s not important who sings the song, as long as the song gets sung.

Thank you, Stephen!


Just a quick add - you may discover some of these libraries require your library card number. Which means you can’t request a book if you don’t have a card.


However, you CAN still do something! Request the book at YOUR local library. (You do have a card, don’t you?) If it’s a book you’ve enjoyed or an author you like, get a family member or friend to request it in HIS or HER local library, too. All of this can be done online or you can make a phone call - your choice!


And here’s why publishers and authors LOVE IT when libraries order books - they aren’t returned!! One out of three books ordered by a bookstore is returned. But if a library orders a book, it’s not coming back!


So select a book from the list above or choose another - but contact YOUR local library today!

28 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Thanks so much for this, Diane! I've done library promo before and I've been happy with the results.

One way to get library information is Public Libraries.com. It lists physical addresses, phone numbers, and websites.

Jan Morrison said...

This is a fabulous idea! I will check out how it works in Canada and I'll let you know...think we need our card but still - if everyone who visited our sites did this in their own home towns it would still be wonderful.

The Old Silly said...

Excellent tip and strategy!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Elizabeth, thanks - the ALA site lists them as well.

Jan, wouldn't that be awesome?

Robyn Campbell said...

Yep, great post. And as soon as I am signed by an agent and said agent sells my book and book comes out, I'll do this.:)

Yup, I gots a library card. Don't all writers? *grin*

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I can talk some friends into helping!

Anonymous said...

Diane, that's a great point about libraries not returning books like bookstores may do. And I'm noticing some libraries do ask for a library car number. Some do and some do not. Its hit or miss and requires a little work. But I think over the course of the 50 weeks, looking back, we will find a lot of our books will have been ordered and will be sitting on their book shelves.

Eric W. Trant said...

How about that... with the added benefit that we don't need to directly publish the book, and that it might be read by multiple serial-readers, resulting in more author exposure moving forward, esp. if they like the book.

- Eric

Eric W. Trant said...

Correction: Meant to say you don't need to ~purchase~ the book.

- Eric

Summer Ross said...

Thats an interesting way to promote...

Jules said...

Wonderful reminder :) I have already done his for both Alex and Stephen at my local Library :D
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane .. yes Steve's Library Page tab is a brilliant idea .. and the idea can be spread around .. giving local areas new books to read ..

Great - so glad you're promoting it here .. Hilary

Hart Johnson said...

This is an amazing idea! I am putting this in my long term list of blogs to keep in mind, but I am currently thinking in that week between Xmas and new Years that I will do a writer's resolution list, and this goes THERE.

Chris Phillips said...

I love this idea.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Wow, Diane, thanks for spreading the word -- Stephen's promo idea is great advice for us all -- I regularly request books from my regional library system for blogger friends, books published by Five Star, and authors of the organizations I belong to. My library probably thinks I eat books instead of reading them.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

This is probably one of the easiest things one could do to support an author and it doesn't cost a dime!

Jennifer said...

This is an AMAZING idea, I love it!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

This is a great idea. My local library actually had my book before I even spoke with them about it.
Another good thing about library books is they wear out and the library will purchase a replacement if it was a popular book.

Jai Joshi said...

Yes, I read about it on Stephen's blog too. It's a great idea!

Jai

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

What a neat idea. My local library requires you to have a card to place an order, but I'll find others that don't. Thanks for the idea.

Jemi Fraser said...

I thought this was a brilliant idea when I read it on Stephen's blog the other day!

Anonymous said...

I think this is such a great marketing idea. I hope lots of people have success with this.

notesfromnadir said...

This is a wonderful idea & I'm so glad that Stephen thought of it & that it'll be making the rounds!

Raquel Byrnes said...

Ooh! Very cool...I'm going to request CassaStar! Thanks!
Edge of Your Seat Romance

Unknown said...

I think this idea is wonderful! What a way to promote new authors.

CD

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Susan, you're right - and the average is 18 check-outs before the book is replaced.

Raquel, I'm sure Alex will appreciate that!

Okay everyone, get busy! I've contacted ten libraries so far this week.

TerryLynnJohnson said...

wonderful!!!

Prill Boyle said...

Great idea, Diane!