Tag: publishing

contests, Full Color Publishing, Production Options

Last Chance! Publish by April 30 to Get a Free Custom Cover for that Self-Publishing Book

It’s not too late to make to make April your most attractive month with a FREE Custom Cover from Outskirts Press. Upgrade the look of that self-publishing book and make your cover stand out in a crowd.

Any author wants to make the best first impression with his or her cover when it hits the shelf or is posted on the Web, and an exclusive custom cover, designed specifically for that book, is probably the single most important element in making that striking first impression.

A custom cover design led by a professional cover designer not only gives authors a far greater chance for an immediately favorable response to their books, it also helps them convey a sense of the style, tone and content inside, and that too has an immediate effect on potential buyers.

This option is normally $299 but if you order by tomorrow, it’s FREE! Just enter the promotion code COVERAPR15 when checking out of the shopping cart while purchasing the popular Diamond package or the full color Pearl publishing package by tomorrow, April 30, 2015.

Click to order the Diamond Package
Click to order the Pearl Package
self publishing news

Top 4 Reasons for Self-Publishing in April

There are lots of reasons authors choose to self-publish: creative freedom, control over pricing, immediate publication, etc.

Now with the promise of spring in full gear, here are 4 great reasons to start publishing your book this month:

  1. Spring’s new beginnings. Spring is the time for renewal, right? So why not renew your commitment to fulfilling your publishing dreams?
  2. That fat tax refund. Put your federal and state tax refunds to work on something meaningful by dusting off that manuscript and finally getting it to print. If you play your cards right, that investment will pay you back not just in sales revenue but in the deep satisfaction you’ll get from being able to say – at long last – that you’re a published author!
  3. Summer book fairs. April is the perfect time to self-publish if you want to have a brand-spanking-new book hot off the press for the excitement of book-fair season. Because self-publishers like Outskirts Press can get your manuscript to print in a matter of weeks, you could start now and have your book in hand just in time!
  4. National Poetry Month. Honor National Poetry Month in April by publishing your volume of poetry now. This national celebration of verse – designed to highlight the contributions of American poets and encourage more people to discover the beauty of this art form – has been taking place every year in April since 1996. (Outskirts Press offers a Poetry Formatting Kit that makes formatting and publishing a high-quality book as simple as cutting and pasting text.)

While there’s never really a bad time to get going on your self-publishing dreams, April is the ideal time to plant the publishing seed that will bear fruit later in the year.

Start Publishing Today
Outskirts Press News, self publishing news

Outskirts Press Earns AiA Honors, Stamp of Approval

Outskirts Press has been bestowed with an Honoring Excellence Award for Publishing Services by the Association of Independent Authors. The prestigious award recognizes entities that provide exceptional service to independent authors.

The Association of Independent Authors (AiA) has recognized Outskirts Press with its prestigious Honoring Excellence Award and Seal in the Publishing Services category.

The AiA award/seal recognizes consultants, businesses and organizations that deliver exceptional products and services to independent authors. Award recipients are nominated by the Honoring Excellence Committee and AiA members. Outskirts Press, the nation’s fastest-growing self-publishing and book marketing firm, is new to the Honoring Excellence roster of award-winners in 2012, and we couldn’t be prouder to joint the ranks.

“Our author support team has worked tirelessly over the years to provide all our self-published authors with the guidance they need and empower them to make their dreams of publishing a reality,” said CEO Brent Sampson. “We’re so proud to be recognized by the AiA for those efforts.”

The AiA recognizes independent author service providers in several key awards categories:

Ebook Services
Design Services
Publishing Services (in which Outskirts Press was recognized)
Book Awards
Book Reviews
Marketing/Promotional Services
Publications
Conferences and Online Webinar Series

We’ve always been proud of the self-publishing services we offer that make us unique, but there’s nothing like an “atta boy” to reinforce that we’re still on the right track.

Start Self-Publishing Now!

Author Spotlight, Book Spotlight, Marketing Options, Outskirts Press News, Promotions, self publishing news

Two Ways Barnes & Noble Can Help You Sell Your Self-Published Book

Two Ways Barnes & Noble Can Help You Sell Your Self-Published Book

Barnes & Noble is one of the most powerful booksellers in the country. Even with the popularity of Amazon, many readers still turn to Barnes & Noble for their book purchasing needs. As a self-published author, understanding the options available through Barnes & Noble (and the expectations of their customers) can help improve your book sales. Here are two ways Barnes & Noble can help you sell your self-published book.

1) Barnes & Noble Nook: E-readers are changing the way customers buy and read books, and their popularity is expected to grow as the holidays approach. You can expect many people to receive an e-reader as a holiday gift, which means they will be purchasing e-books. (This is in addition to all the readers who already buy and read e-books.) Since Nook editions are optimally submitted in a special format, be sure to check out the Outskirts Press Nook Format option, which makes it as easy as possible to publish a professionally-formatted Nook edition (yes, you still keep 100% of your rights).

2) Barnes & Noble Look Inside: This feature allows readers to get a sneak peek at the pages inside your book. It is the modern-day equivalent of a reader browsing through a bookstore, picking your book off the shelf, and flipping through the pages. It has been suggested that authors who take advantage of this feature have higher sales rates than those who do not.

By self-publishing with Outskirts Press, you can take advantage of these great options as well as many others.

Begin your exciting book publishing experience today at Outskirts Press with just a $35 down-payment by clicking here and then get ready to maximize your book sales on sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble when you are published. We’ll help you all the way!

 
Maximize your book sales with a free AMAZON EXTREME Marketing Package today.
Are you ready to jump-start your marketing efforts with a free Amazon marketing package worth over $300?

The Amazon Extreme Marketing Package from Outskirts Press offers self-publishing authors a head start on book marketing by taking triple advantage of the immense audience of Amazon.com, the largest online retailer in the United States. The package includes:

• an Amazon Kindle edition of your book
• Amazon’s Search Inside the Book feature
• Amazon Keyword Search tagging service
• A free book – “Sell Your Book on Amazon”

These valuable, popular options are free for authors who start self-publishing in October.

Start today with the promotion code below when you choose to publish with our industry-leading Diamond publishing service or our full-color Pearl publishing service to receive the FREE Amazon Extreme Marketing Package. Don’t delay!

Promo code: FreeAEOct2012

 

Click to order the Diamond Package
Click to order the Pearl Package
TOP 3 PUBLISHING HEADLINES
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY
“This is my 4th novel with you guys. What I really appreciate is your patience with a guy that is computer illiterate, but who has a passion to write. Maybe one of these days I’ll submit one that really takes off. If so, I think I’ll fly up there and take you all out to dinner. Thanks so much for your encouragement.”

Dan Price is a retired school teacher and the father of two sons. He lives in Houston, Texas.

Dan Price , author of How a Cockroach Saved a Deadman
book marketing, Outskirts Press News, self publishing news

Radio Interviewing to Boost Your Book Sales

Self-published authors dream of national exposure for their book on a popular show. When the opportunity arises, the hope is that the experience is a positive one that shows the author and the book in the best light and generates new interest among readers — and big, big sales.

Outskirts Press is thrilled to launch Top 10 Radio Interview and Media Training, a turnkey service that promises both. The Radio Interview and Media Training package includes an on-air interview by radio veteran Kevin Price on his popular, drive-time radio show, “Price of Business,” as well as pre- and post-interview feedback to help you use your time in the spotlight to full advantage.

Kevin Price, host of CBS Radio’s “Price of Business.”

Kevin Price, himself a publisher and the author of several books, is a 20-year radio veteran hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “the best business radio show host in the country.” His long-running CBS Radio show, “Price of Business” is based in Houston, Texas, but is frequently broadcast nationwide and featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Fox News, among others.

In addition to an spot on Price’s show, authors get to meet with the famed host, who will provide pointers and insight from both an author’s and broadcaster’s perspective on preparing for the interview. The package provides several additional benefits:

  • Eight minutes of air time in a Top 10 radio market (Houston) and the fourth-largest cityin the United States, during the highly coveted drive time slot.
  • An MP3 recording of the interview broadcast. You can use this recording to further promote your books via social media, your personal or professional website or via other media outlets.
  • A short feature story and clip from the interview posted to US Daily Review website. The national news website receives roughly 250,000 hits monthly, and articles posted to the site are frequently picked up and recirculated throughout the blogosphere.
  • A “post-game” analysis of the interview. Receive media training in the form of a review of the interview broadcast that addresses your strengths and weaknesses, and offers practical advice on improving your performance in the future.

This type of press is valuable, but the benefits you reap from professional media feedback are priceless — and could pay off for many years to come. Learn more about this package by visiting Outskirts Press.

Free book marketing webinar

book marketing, Outskirts Press News, self publishing news, Webinar

Learn All About Content Marketing in Free Webinar

Outskirts Press authors can pick up valuable book marketing skills in a free, live webinar on Oct. 24. The event will teach authors how to get the most out of their publishing experience by using content marketing to promote self-published books online.

Self-published authors attending this webinar will learn from the convenience of their own computers how to effectively use content marketing to boost book sales, and attract business and media attention.

“Outskirts Press continually supports self-published authors with the tools they need to write, publish, publicize and distribute their works,” CEO Brent Sampson said. “We felt that online content marketing was too powerful a tool not to arm our authors with, and we want to equip as many self-published authors as possible to use this tool to make their books successful.”

Each Outskirts Press self-publishing webinar is chock full of information self-published authors need to get the most out of their self-publishing experience. Attendees of the free, 30-minute Content Marketing Webinar will learn:

1.Little-known content marketing tips that most authors aren’t yet using
2.Content marketing best practices
3.How to use article writing as a book marketing tactic to reach potential readers
4.How to build a blog presence and get the most out of it

The Outskirt Press Content Marketing Webinar will be held online Oct. 24, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Space is limited, so authors who plan to attend are encouraged to register early. Registrants will receive an email with the webinar link on Oct. 23.

If you miss the emails, the details for accessing the webinar will also be available in the “My Toolkit” area of your Outskirts Press Publishing Account by Oct. 17. You will see access to your toolkit immediately upon completing your check-out or anytime you visit the My Toolkit link from your Publishing Center. Participants who are unable to view the webinar live can view a recording of the webinar for a brief period after the live event.

Free book marketing webinar

Marketing Options

Frankfurt Book Fair Registration Deadline: July 27!

Will we see your book at the Frankfurt Book Fair? If you haven’t already registered, the deadline to do so is Friday, July 27.

Since its inception in 1949, Frankfurt has evolved from a small publishing event into the largest publishing event in the world! As a matter of fact, each year, over 250,000 publishing professional and industry insiders attend the Frankfurt International Book Fair, which hosts over 50% more international publishers than BEA.

By arranging exhibition through Outskirts Press, your book will receive valuable, face-out exposure on an exclusive shelf with other Outskirts Press titles.

A representative will be on-hand to personally answer questions about your book. Outskirts Press will provide the necessary copies of the book and all the necessary contact information for both the author and publisher. This way, interested parties can make further contact, during or after the fair. All inquiries Outskirts Press receives about your book will be forwarded directly to you for personal follow-up in a Post-Show wrap-up.

Click here to learn more or reserve your spot at Frankfurt.

OR…

If you want to save even more, consider the Global Book Tour package. With it, you can save up to 25%. That’s four publishing events (Frankfurt, Beijing, London, and BEA) for one low price! Learn more by clicking here.

TOP 10 DIAMOND BOOKS FROM OUTSKIRTS PRESS AUTHORS
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY
“Everyone has been so nice and helpful. I look forward to publishing more of my books with you.”

I know how it feels to be judged by the way I look. I am missing both middle fingers from birth. I never understood, as a young boy, why people treated me so different just because I was missing my middle fingers. It was like I had a disease that others would catch. The only reason I knew I was different was because that is what people told me. I have had people hit, spit and call me all sorts of mean names just because they were afraid of what they did not know. I always knew that I am no different from any of you ten-finger people. We are all human. “Sorry” never helped me.”

– Mark D. Hadley, author of I’m Sorry

book marketing, Marketing Options, Marketing Packages, Outskirts Press News, Promotions

Make Your Book Marketing Budget Go Further: Get $100 Off Outskirts Press Book Blast

The Outskirts Press Book Blast is a bargain any time, but now it’s an even better deal. For the month of June, Outskirts Press authors get $100 off an already affordable book marketing campaign package! Just use the promotion code BKBLAST100 at checkout.

The Outskirts Press Book Blast includes five of our most popular book marketing options, including a Custom Press Release, PR Publicist Campaign, Book Review Submission Service, Book Video with social network distribution, and 5 hours with the Personal Marketing Assistant.

1. Custom Press Release

The custom, professionally-written press release combines information solicited from the author with the professional expertise of our PR writer for a unique, custom release that is focused on the uniqueness of your book. As the author, you will receive a copy for your records or to further refine and then our News Wire distribution kicks in.

Through distribution, your custom press release is:

  • electronically distributed to a database of approximately 100,000 media contacts, newsrooms, industry analysts and freelance writers who receive daily email listings of press releases that match their filter criteria. In the publishing category these include newspapers (Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today, for example.), magazines (Foreword, Publisher’s Weekly, etc.), and applicable websites and ezines
  • posted to syndicated news feeds on other websites through our XML/RSS news feed. Adding this news feed increases exposure to your press release.
  • optimized for search engine indexing.

2. PR Publicist Campaign

With the PR Publicist Campaign, a publicist will handle further press release distribution of your custom-written press release with additional, targeted distribution and follow-up phone calls to key leads.

We will email your custom release directly to book reviewers and editors in print, radio, television, trades, ezines, syndicates and wires locally, regionally and nationwide. This additional distribution circuit is exclusively available through the PR Publicist Campaign, and consists of over 21,000 national media contacts. Applicable trade publications selected for your subject are included free of charge. Then, we will send you every single media lead that results from your publicist campaign.

3. 60-Second Book Video Trailer and Digital Viral Distribution

The Book Video Trailer is like a movie trailer for your book. With this service, you enjoy several benefits:

  • Music, text, video — we handle the entire production for you.
  • You take a look at the first version and make revisions.
  • We modify the video once to your specs for the final version,
  • Final length is 1 minute for optimal online video sharing.
  • We send you the 6mb video file via email.
  • Now you have a Book Video to use in any/all of your marketing efforts, however you want.

We also upload your video to popular social networking websites, perfect for enhancing search engine optimization for keyword searches of your name and book title. Successful viral marketing efforts begin at all the sites where we distribute your video, including:

  • Yahoo! Video
  • MySpace
  • Daily Motion
  • Twitter
  • Metacafe
  • Blip.tv
  • and more

Our book videos are unlike any other book videos available, featuring Hollywood-style production values and a cutting-edge look and feel. Take a look at a sample of our new and improved Book Video Trailers with enhanced online network distribution that includes Twitter and Facebook!

4. Book Review Submission

With the Book Review Submission Service you send us 10 copies of your book, and we administer the submission of your book to book reviewers who, in our experience, have demonstrated a tendency to review alternatively published and self-published books. Included with the promotional copy of your book is a professional cover letter designed to grab the attention of book reviewers.

While no one — neither the author nor Outskirts Press can guarantee a review or a glowing endorsement — positive reviews on popular websites and blogs or within popular journals can improve sales and lead to the word-of-mouth that can drive sales.

5. Personal Marketing Assistant

A Personal Marketing Assistant can help you with more personal and specific marketing needs focusing solely on your unique book and “platform” as an author. You will get a 5-hour block of time to consult with your assistant and figure out how to successfully market your book. There are many things your Personal Marketing Assistant can help you with:

  • PR Publicist Campaign lead follow-up
  • Suggesting advertising venues for your book and placing those ads for you
  • Calling bookstores in your area to pitch your book and/or arrange book signings
  • and much more

Order Now

book marketing, Marketing Options, Marketing Packages, Outskirts Press News, Promotions, Uncategorized

Ramp Up for a Summer of Selling with Free Ground Shipping

Spring’s in full swing! It’s always an exciting time in self-publishing, with many self-published authors taking advantage of promotional opportunities such as spring book fairs and ramping up for a summer of selling.

Outskirts Press knows that stocking up for the big book-selling push can get pricey. We want to ease the burden so you make the most of a season of sales. So, through the end of May we’re giving all currently published authors FREE SHIPPING on orders of 50 or more within the continental U.S.

Chances are you’ll need extra books for upcoming promotional events. By combining free shipping with our bulk order discounts, you’ll be well-stocked for summer promotions – without depleting your bank account!

Here’s how free shipping works:

1. Login to your Publishing Center and place an order for 50 or more copies of your book(s) in a single format before May 31.

2. Select normal ground shipping with a delivery address in the continental United States.

No promotion code is necessary. You will see the free shipping reflected once you place your order. It’s a snap!

If you’re not sure how to approach marketing your self-published book and haven’t yet taken advantage of Outskirts Press’ many promotional services, consider contacting a Personal Marketing Assistant to come up with a solid action plan for this summer.

Marketing Options

Top 5 Book Marketing Options for Self-Publishing Religious and Spiritual Authors

Believe it or not – you must market different books in different genres differently. Likewise, we have created a list of our marketing options that tend to yield the highest return on investment (ROI) for self-publishing religious and/or spiritual authors because each of them can help you reach the target audience that is already looking for YOUR book.

1. Spring Arbor Christian Distribution – The purpose of Spring Arbor Christian Distributors is to provide superior distribution services for books that enhance people’s relationship with God. Outskirts Press authors with the Diamond or Pearl publishing package can receive submission to Spring Arbor Distribution for free.  It is also available to Ruby authors as an additional paid option. Since Spring Arbor is a distributor with a specific purpose, not all titles submitted for consideration are accepted. Spring Arbor holds ultimate discretion for the titles they accept.

 
 
 
 



2. Personal Marketing Assistant – Outskirts Press Personal Marketing Assistants are available to work with Christian authors, regardless of where they published, in 5-hour blocks of time to develop a marketing plan (if needed), introduce new marketing strategies and carry out the marketing tactics necessary to reach the target audience and achieve your goals. For Outskirts Press published authors, this option is included in the Book Blast package.

 
 
 
 




3. Spirituality & Health Magazine Co-Op Advertising – Spirituality & Health reaches over 85,000 predominantly successful, professional readers who have grown to value authenticity, meaning and balance in life. They are invested in exploring the spiritual aspects of life and are on a journey focused on health, self-knowledge, authenticity and integration. Outskirts Press published authors can reach these affluent readers of Spirituality & Health magazine through co-op ads that are only a fraction of the cost of running full color advertising on their own. (NOTE: As of today, only one space remains for our upcoming Spirituality & Health ad — ACT SOON!)

 
 
 
 



4. Amazon Kindle Edition – There are several benefits to having your book available in Amazon’s Kindle Store.  Read more about the benefits of the Kindle Edition in this post: Amazon Kindle Books Now Available in the UK – Great News for Self-Publishing Authors!
The Kindle Edition is available for all authors, regardless of where their book was published, and is included in the Amazon Extreme package.

 
 
 
 



5. Article Ghostwriting and Distribution – One of the proven ways to market yourself and your book on the Internet is to write and distribute related articles that demonstrate your expertise in your subject matter. Even if your article does not blatantly promote your book, your “About the Author” byline section does, including a link to your webpage. This is also good for Search Engine Optimization for your webpage.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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marketing support and services like this?

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