11/14/07--NEW IMAGE WRITERS WORLD

Hi Everyone,

Here's what I was saying...

Day by day, I kept hoping that some guru, or one of my yahoogroups,  would show me the answer to making the kind of money that would pay a few bills and have enough left over to purchase books.  I kept combing those 500 e-mails every day, and wishing some genius would be in those tired marketing strategies. But they were the same empty promises.  The same rip offs.  No innovative, told in a simple, up-to-date, think-out-of-the box way.  It was all pseudo-hidden secrets coming from real pseudo-marketing gurus.  I wanted to hear from a real person who done something that worked--but, 

I purchased more software that that was being pushed over the Internet, but still made few sales. Now I had started to reach into my dwindling savings account. That’s when I got desperate and started looking for the all-too elusive publicist. That turned into a disaster. I lost money without an apology. Not all publicists are not like that, but that one was.  Further, I got ripped off for things I never received, and some other tales of woe that are too negative to discuss. I refuse to give any power to it. 

At that point, I was hardly able to purchase the books that I needed because Publish-On-Demand books are expensive. I couldn’t afford to go to bookstores for book signings because they take 40-55% from my $20 book, leaving me with about 10% real profit after shipping and promotion. I learned not to expect the bookstores to promote my book. At best, they would send an e-blast to their local customers. If I wanted people there, I had to promote, promote, promote, beside giving up 40-55% to the wholesaler and store.  

A few local book clubs sustained me through those rough times. Some purchased directly from me, leaving me with 100% gross. After paying for the books to be shipped to me, there was no need to spend money on promotion because the book club members pre-purchased the books so they could read them before the meeting. The host was happy to receive nice $25 bed and bath, or an autographed copy of my novel to give away as a gift for gratefulness.  That left me with about 75% profit.  Besides, book club members talk your book up too. They get the buzz out if they really like your book.

Still, I had to pull back to stay alive, or I was going to have to find a job.  But, I had made up my mind that this enterprise had to work, and I had to work hard at it.  I couldn’t wait for the Big Boys to take over and do this for me.  I had to rethink my plight and my sale strategies. I made notes and prayed and thought about my book enterprise. People loved my book, would call me at 3 o’clock in the morning screaming about they came to the end and it was the best book ever written by an African American author, except for Walter Mosley’s Devil in a Blue Dress, and stuff like that. Still my sales were just dragging along.

But as sure as I was alive, I knew there was a way to make a financial difference with my books. OK, look at it like this:  if someone, some company, some organization got wind of  The Mayor's Wife Wore Sapphires, and purchased just 20,000 copies, I could have $400,000 tomorrow. Now how about that? Even if I were to net 50% I'd have $200 grand, and that's not half bad.

It know it can happen. And if it can happen to me, it can happen to you. I'm going to share what I know.

And we'll discuss all of how I finally clawed my way out of my financial hole.  No, I didn't sell the 20,000 copies, but I've got a good lead on it. And you better bet I'll keep working it.

See you.

Marti

p.s. the teleseminar where I lay it all out is here:  Phone   218 862 1118

                                                                                      28033#

Don't forget to send in your question before hand so we can get expert answers to the most pertinent one. send to writelink3@yahoo.com

http://archives.zinester.com/19298/146122.htmlhttp://subs.zinester.com/19298http://archives.zinester.com/19298email@domain.comSubscriberUnsubscription link