While it’s true that ebooks are popular – and necessary in order to compete in the modern bookselling marketplace – don’t think for a moment that the good old fashioned hardcopy has gone the way of the dodo. Voracious readers are not only still grabbing up hardcopy books by the millions, but authors and marketing pros need them more than ever as well.
In addition to taking advantage of those spontaneous opportunities to sell, there are several other smart ways newly published authors can use their author copies.
- Signing events. Signed hardcopies still hold a great deal of value for lovers of literature. Even if the face value of the book isn’t particularly high, readers value that personal touch that comes with an author’s signature. And, let’s face it, you’re probably not going to get the green light to sign their iPads and Kindles. Organize as many bookstore signing events as you can to get that valuable “face time” with your readers and potential readers.
- Library inclusion. Public libraries still rely on hardcopy books for the bulk of their book lending, so getting a spot on the shelf depends on having a hardcopy for lending. That presence in a public institution is a valuable bit of visibility. Reach out to city, public school, college, university and even federal libraries by sending along a copy of your book, a press kit and a request to be included in the collection. Follow up with a phone call to answer any questions they may have.
- Bookstore space. Similarly, bookstores deal in hardcopy books, and your book’s appearance here is priceless. You stand the best shot at the local mom-and-pop bookstore, but anywhere you can get shelf space is a plus. Include your press kit with your book, and be sure you make the shop owner aware of your special connection to the area.
- Marketing. Newspaper and magazine editors, radio programmers and TV producers are bombarded daily with requests for interviews, print space and on-air time. Many of these requests get a quick glance before being accepted or rejected. The trick is to make your request hard to ignore. Rather than send an emailed link to a sample of your book – an email that can, with a quick click of the mouse, be relegated to the virtual trash bin – send a hard-to-ignore hardcopy instead. Include your press kit (highlight your connection to the community, if it’s relevant) and consider pairing your book with a themed trinket to make it stand out.
Ready to publish your book and hold a hardcopy in hand?
| GET 3 TIMES MORE FREE AUTHOR COPIES WHEN YOU SIGN UP! |
For a limited time, receive THREE TIMES the author copies for FREE! Outskirts Press self-publishing authors are eligible to receive three times as many free author copies with their respective self-publishing package.
To receive the promotion, authors simply enter the promotion code 3XJULY14 when checking out of their shopping cart while purchasing the Diamond, Ruby or Pearl publishing package by July 31, 2014. Each of the eligible publishing packages includes a unique ISBN, standard interior formatting, a variety of professional cover styles, and distribution which includes availability through major online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
For authors choosing the most popular “Diamond” publishing package, this promotion delivers 30 free paperback author copies when the book is published. Authors publishing full-color books with the popular “Pearl” package can receive 15 free paperback copies.
In addition to receiving THREE TIMES Author Copies, you’ll also receive the following with your Diamond package:
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All in all, you’re looking at over $500 of free stuff in July!
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| AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY |
“I think Outskirts Press is a great publishing company. I would recommend Outskirts to any self-publishing authors, and the staff is excellent. They are a company you can trust-they do exactly what they say. Thanks for everything. I look forward to working with Outskirts again in the future. Great company!”
Dwight Slaughter was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1954. His expertise is basketball and mentoring youths and adult men, and he promotes concerts that give back to life-changing organizations and people.
Dwight Slaughter graduated from Verbum Dei High School, a school with one of the top 10 winning basketball teams of all time. While at Verbum Dei High School Dwight was voted number one player in the Country in 1972 by different sports magazines. He then went on to further his education and play basketball at Cal State Los Angeles from 1972 to 1976-a period that would set a precedent with new laws changing how colleges accept athletes. He was voted by ESPN and Sports Illustrated as one of the top 100 basketball players in the State of California. As a child, Slaughter relied on basketball to build his self-esteem and relieve the stress of mental and physical abuse. His gripping memoir follows his public career and takes the reader inside his personal life as well-into a childhood of abuse, betrayal…even murder.
– Dwight Slaughter, author of Inner City Strength
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