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Book Marketing

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight on Jo Ann Richards

Midlife Magic takes you on the transformative journey of Jo Ann Richards’ life, from childhood through multiple bad marriages, she sheds light on abuse, divorce, and death. Her current marriage is to a military intelligence officer incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit.

Jo Ann was an active member of the Mormon Church for nearly 30 years until leaving it behind to fully embrace the world of UFOs, elementals, magic, and the paranormal. Through her challenges, she found her strengths, gifts, and inner power, and learned that dreams can, and do, come true.

Buy the Book

Connect with Jo Ann Richards

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight on Janine Bolon

Author Podcasting

Janine Bolon is an expert in podcasting and writing books. Author Podcasting is a guide for author’s who want to promote their book without coming off as salesy.

Inside Author Podcasting, you will discover:

  • Tips for creating a media kit.
  • What makes a guest hosts are eager to interview.
  • A checklist for after you appear as a guest.

Buy the book, Author Podcasting

Connect with Janine Bolon

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight on Clare Biedenharn

Heart to Heart: Spiritual Care Through Deep Listening

Heart to Heart Book

Clare Biedenharn became an advocate for her husband when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. “What would you do if this were YOUR family?” For many the natural inclination is to ‘fix’ the problem by offering suggestions, but that approach is limited by one’s experience and personal biases. There is a more effective way to connect with others. It is a skill that can be learned. It begins with a question – an open, honest question.

Dr. Clare discusses an effective model of listening she field-tested with critical care nurses. She consults with individuals, health care professionals, and organizations, helping them discover deep listening can lead to deep connection.

Where to buy the book, Heart to Heart: Spiritual Care Through Deep Listening

Connect with Clare Biedenharn

Book Marketing

Turn Your Book into Social Posts to Hook Readers

Turn your Book into Social Post

Your Table of Contents

Table of Contents from Easy Self-Help Acupressure for Grown-Ups

We’re looking at the table of contents for Easy Self-Help Acupressure for Grown-Ups. And why would we be looking at the table of contents?

Because today I wanted to encourage you to look at your book, go through chapter by chapter and pick out a tidbit, a valuable piece of knowledge that you want to share with your audience.

And from each chapter, you’re going to create a series of social posts

Canva

We’re going to head on over to Canva.

I created a folder with assets I’ve collected for Deborah.

Watch how easy it is for me to put new content, new assets into Canva.

From my computer, I’m going to grab two images.

Drag and drop to upload the images and assets. Anybody can do this.

Have a folder on your computer where you store all of your brand graphics and you can just drag them in to Canva.

Instagram Posts and Stories

In Canva, I’m going to select an existing template, something that’s already created and customize it. If you are using a template, try to find one with similar colors to your brand. As you get more comfortable, you will know how to adjust the color to match your brand.

Canva Instagram Template

Before and After

Deborah Myers Wellness Instagram Post

You can see where I started side-by-side with a finished design.

I selected a template as a starting place and added her colors to it.

I kept with that same template and duplicated pages. And then I brought in her logo.

How to

Let me show you how easy that is to do, so I’m going to duplicate this page.

I’ve got an exact copy of my page.

I’m going to Deborah’s folder in Canva. And as you keep creating, you’ll probably want to organize your designs and save them into folders in Canva.

I’m going to get rid of all I don’t need and leave “more tips that Deborah Meyers Wellness.”

Let’s bring one book in the series into the design. I uploaded the book cover image to Canva (drag and drop from my computer into Canva; it creates a copy of the file and doesn’t affect your original on your computer).

I’m going to do a little of editing to add a shadow to the book cover. I’d like the cover to pop off the page. Page Lift is the shadow that I’m applying to the book image.

Add a QR Code

I’m happy with that, but you know what. I’m not telling you how to get to the book? And, it is available for purchase. We can go to Amazon where we started. I was an Amazon affiliate. I am going to get the tracking code for the book, a link. I’m going to copy the link and we’re going back over to Canva and there’s a magic thing you can do, create a QR code. You paste that URL from Amazon right into Canva. Next, you select to generate a QR code. Boom, there it is. It creates a QR Code from the url you paste in.

As I edit the image, it is easy to duplicate an item by selecting the element and holding down my option key as I drag.

I noticed the font is not one of her brand fonts. Myriad pro is one of her fonts and I uploaded it to Canva. I’m changing the font to match.

Okay. So now I’ve got this image. That is what I’m want, what I’m going to use for posting. I’m going to change the title up here.

Step-by-Step

(To save time, I will show you want I did in advance.)

  • I duplicate the page.
  • Go back to her folder in Canva.
  • Replace the Grown-Ups book with the cover of the Parents and Family book.
  • Go to Amazon and select the book, get the code, copy it to generate a new QR code in Canva.
  • The new QR Code appears in the center of the design. Delete the old QR Code image.

If you’ve got a series of books, rinse and repeat the steps with each book.

Download Your Designs

I want to download the Instagram post images I just created in Canva.

Select the pages to download. And as soon as Canva has finished processing my request, it’s going to ask me, where do I want to save the file? I’m suggest saving your images into the folder with your brand graphics.

When you download multiple pages at one time, you will get a zip file.

Double click to open the zip file.

If you are posting to Instagram, as you know, you cannot post from your computer/desktop.

I add the images to my photo app and then they can be uploaded to Instagram from a mobile device (phone or tablet).

Table of Contents is a Great Place to Begin

So that is my quick and easy tip on how to take your book content, starting with your table of contents, to create a story based on the chapters in the book. After you create your graphics, post to the channel of your choice. And today was a demonstration of creating stories for Instagram.

(I sent the photos to Deborah Myers to post to her Instagram account @deborahmyerswellness).

Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor.

I hope this series is of help to you.

You can find me on Instagram @bookmarketingmentor, And I’d love for you to follow me.

I’m doing my very best to post a new video on YouTube and update my Instagram feed each day in the 30-day challenge.

Watch the How To Video

I recorded an Instagram live because I’ve got to get over my fear of doing live video.

I’ll see you tomorrow when we are talking about writing a letter to your readers.

Get More Bang for Your Book with Book Marketing Mentor.

Book Marketing

Turn Your Words into Social Posts that Attract

Turn Your Words into Images

Today, we’re going to turn your words into images that you can post. I did a selection of quotes about writing. I met Lisa See when she was on a book tour at the Sonoma Valley Library. I selected her quote, copied the text.

Next stop, Canva.com

I selected a template for a Facebook post and paste her quote into the Canva frame. I’d like a background that would work with this idea. I use the element of a little typewriter, which could be your logo.

I searched in Canva and I found a background I really liked, water.

Add your website to the image.

Change colors and fonts to match your branding.

Turn words into Social Posts

In a few clicks I created a template. You can duplicate pages and make changes. In this case it is easy to adjust each of the quote images. I changed the background, the color of the text, and I kept the elements that I want to be on each of the images.

You can go through your book and pick a quote from each chapter or perhaps use the titles of your chapters for your designs. Develop your unique template from scratch or start with one of the templates in the Canva program.

You could quickly and easily create 5, 6, 10, 20 graphics using your words and branding for posting in just a few minutes.

Download Your Images from Canva

The next step I take is to download, the images. I suggest you name each of your pages with identifiable names.

You can publish directly to Facebook from Canva, but I tend not to do that because I want to control what I’m doing and where I’m posting.

I downloaded all three of images in a zip file. I’m going to be putting the images on Facebook, (https://facebook.com/bookmarketingmentor).
I posted the Lisa See and Terry Pratchett quotes.

Words into Social Posts for Fast and Easy Posting

That is how quickly and easily you can get your words out to your audience and become the master of your social channels. I would love to see how you are turning your words into social posts.

Judy Baker Book Marketing Mentor. I’m here to help you get more bang for your book. Get more readers, get more book reviews, and revenue.

You can find me at bookmarketingmentor.com and on https://Facebook.com/bookmarketingmentor.com and on https://Instagram.com/book marketingmentor.com.

And join me in the 30-Day Challenge

I’ll see you tomorrow. When we talk about three questions for your social channels.

Download the 30-Day Calendar and prompts.

Book Marketing

Want More Book Reviews? Try Asking for Them

Asking for Book Reviews

Welcome to Day five of the 30-Day challenge. Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor, your guide to getting more bang for your book.

Today, I’m talking about asking for book reviews. They also called reviews blurbs and testimonials. You can extract phrases from a book review and put it on the front or back cover of your book. As you grow a list of book reviews and blurbs, consider updating your book to include the best comments.

Get what you want by asking for it

Did you know if you ask for book reviews, you’re far more likely to get them?

How do you ask?

https://amzn.to/3n9UQE0

One of the best ways to ask is inside your book. The book you’re seeing on the screen is one that I worked on with my client, Deborah Myers. Inside her book, in the back matter, she writes:

“Thank you for reading.”

And then she has a love letter to her readers.

“Dear Reader, I hope you’re enjoying implementing the Daily, Clean Your House Flow® into your life. And that this book continues to be a valuable resource.”

She asks readers to give her feedback.

She says,

“Finally, I need to ask a favor. If you’re so inclined, I would really appreciate a review of Easy Self-Help Acupressure for Grown-Ups, whether you loved it or hated it—Your feedback is welcome.

If you have the time, here is a link to my author page on Amazon, Amazon.com/authordeborahmyers. You can see all my books listed on that page.

Just click on Easy Self-Help Acupressure for Grown-Ups.

Thank you so much for reading this book.”

Deborah S. Myers, Deborah Myers Wellness

That is how easy it is to ask for a review.

Why Ask for Reviews?

Amazon will start showing your book more frequently when you have more than a hundred reviews.

And here’s another fact, when you launch your book, you may have beta readers and ask for advance reviews. Excellent.

Ask for feedback and for reviews on your website. And if you are, if you’re a nonfiction author, ask people to post on social channels, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, you name it.

Reviews live not only on Amazon.

Another tip: encourage people, remind them to to write a review.

If you’re doing a campaign and you’ve asked people to review your book, follow up. You are not bothering them. Be polite and remind them of their offer to review your book. You might say:

“Oh, just curious. What did you think of my book?”

Or

“Here are some of the key points in my book. I would love for you to give me feedback on them.”

You can give people a framework for providing a review, tell them where to post the review. And, you’re asking for an honest review, not only positive reviews. Even one-, two- or three-star reviews can provoke conversations. And sometimes a one-star review points out exactly what someone else would find valuable.

Where to Ask for Reviews

  • Put your request for a review inside your book.
  • On your website,
  • On your social channels.

Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor. I help authors get more bang for their book.

And tomorrow in day six of the 30-Day Challenge. We’re going to talk about branding.

You can find me at https://bookmarketingmentor.com and on

Instagram com/bookmarketingmentor.com

Facebook.com/bookmarketingmentor.com.

Reviews are third party endorsements of your book.

Judy M. Baker, Book Marketing Mentor

Book Marketing

Sell More Books with an Engaging Back Cover

Structure the back of your book to appeal to the needs of your readers. The story you display can engage and invite your audience to look inside or buy your book.

  • Blurbs are third-party endorsements of your book
  • What will this book do for me?
  • Bullet lists provide a snapshot of your content without giving away all the details.

Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor, welcome. It is day three of the 30-day book marketing challenge. And I said, I would talk about book covers, especially the back cover of your book.

But before we do, let’s look at some of the most outstanding book covers of the year, compiled by Print Magazine. I was a subscriber to their print magazine for many years. The quality of the book covers selected is stellar. You can scroll through the designs. Some of the book covers are disruptive, original, enticing. I promise to spend more time on front covers another time. Consider a viewing of the best covers as a prelude to the discussion of back covers.

https://www.printmag.com/post/30-of-the-best-book-covers-of-the-year-so-far

The NY Book Editors have a comprehensive article about what to put on the back of your book cover. The most critical elements.

Your book cover is a way for you to connect with your audience and tell them what will surprise them when they get inside the book.

Jane Friedman, one of the most respected authorities in the publishing world, offers great insights about writing the content for your back cover.

250 Words

You just have a small amount of real estate. About 250 words will fit on your back cover. And so this is a perfect example of what you might put on your bullet points and how you can structure the language so that people want to know more.

Reedsy offers a book cover template showing some very particular things. And if you look here, the tagline for your book for testimonials, man, that would be the best way to have created a book cover because those testimonials mean other people are endorsing your book and are saying it’s worth the time and the money to read it.

If you only have one good testimonial, put it at the top, then tell some more information about what’s inside.

It’s about your readers

You can include a short bio and a small picture. Your book cover is not about you.

Scribe Media has some outstanding examples of covers.

Notice the placement of the ISBN is going to be consistent with most book covers. The Reedsy blog post about what goes on the back covers includes your tagline, a blurb. And a brief description of your book, your author, bio, and maybe your photo.

And remember, you only have a short amount of time to get people’s attention.

Masterclass offers an entire course on writing your back cover.

Your back cover is an advertisement for what’s inside and Kindlepreneur talks about the content of your back cover. Craft a synopsis, add a blurb, excerpt from book reviews, a book description, and why someone should take the time to read your book.

How to Create a Back-Cover Blurb that Sells

BookBaby says if you get just one fabulous endorsement, feature it. You can update your cover when you have new or more impressive endorsements after your initial launch.

Examples of book covers

Contrast, Color, Concept for the Back of Your Book

Contrast in color between the background and foreground makes covers easy to read. Watch out for fonts that are too small, decorative, or otherwise low on the readability scale.

I pulled a few books from my bookshelf.

Own Your Niche

Own Your Own Niche by Stephanie Chandler her back cover is easy to read, easy to see what’s here. And she used bullet list of what is inside the book.

Fifty Shards of Grammar by Arlene Miller

Now my good friend, The Grammar Diva, Arlene Miller, is prolific. One of her books is 50 Shades of Grammar. It is fun and educational.

Canva Book Cover Ideas

42 Book Cover Ideas to Inspire You

Canva offers a fast way to prototype a cover. Their blog post about cover ideas provides a checklist and visual guide to creating a stellar back cover.

As you craft your back cover, remember these tips:

  • Your back cover tells a story, describes what is important to your readers
  • You have a small amount of space to get the attention of your audience
  • Think of your cover as an appetizer enticing you to keep reading
  • Make type readable, use contrasting colors and fonts
  • Include testimonials and blurbs if you have them
  • Bullet lists are easy to read
  • Keep your bio brief
  • Include white space

Tomorrow I will share how to make videos from still images. The 30-Day Challenge will help you develop a workflow for posting.

Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor

Get your 30 prompts for book marketing posts at https://bit.ly/30Prompts

Resources

https://www.printmag.com/post/30-of-the-best-book-covers-of-the-year-so-far

https://hbr.org/2019/05/how-to-make-sure-your-book-gets-read

https://www.canva.com/learn/book-cover-ideas/

https://writingcooperative.com/5-key-aspects-of-marketing-that-drive-book-sales-1d31ca93f2c

How to Create a Back-Cover Blurb that Sells

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-back-cover-blurb-that-sells

https://blog.reedsy.com/back-of-book-cover/

Writing Your Book’s Back-Cover Copy

https://nybookeditors.com/2017/11/designing-your-books-back-cover/

YouTube episode https://youtu.be/3g-e6mEtkh8

What’s on your back cover?

Use the space on your back cover to help you reach more readers and sell more books. I would love to see examples of your book covers. Share a link to your book in the comments.

Book Marketing

Day One of the 30-Day Posting Challenge for Authors

Using Canva to Create Graphics

Thirty Day Challenge 9-1-21, Using Canva

Stop procrastinating. Learn how you can create eye-catching graphics for your posts using Canva. Four minute video where I walk you through modifying a graphic and using your brand colors and style.

You can download a pdf of a blank calendar or access the template in Canva.

Judy Baker Book Marketing Mentor

Welcome to day one of the 30 day posting challenge. Every day in September, you are going to post to one social channel.

And I wanted to start by showing you how you can create graphics in Canva, just by modifying something that exists, or you can start from scratch. You don’t have to be a designer.

And here is the design I selected and modified.

The original is kind of beige, which is not my style. I’m a bit more poppy on my colors. I changed the colors around, changed the content a little, and I’m going to do that even more because I’m going to create a PDF so that you can print it out and fill in what you’re going to do. (I discovered I can share a template with you and you can begin your calendar with the template and make the changes you want right in Canva! 

And you can put stars or stickers on the days that you complete your posting. You can add a page title. This is a 30 day challenge. I want to make a copy of the design. I’m going to duplicate the page. I did some work ahead and will share it with you.

I went in and started filling in what I’m going to do. So you can see each day I put in what I’m going to do.

Today that I’m doing a video tip on Canva. Tomorrow I’m going to do something on author profiles on the third, it’ll be back of the book. And on the fourth, I’m going to show you how to use still images to create a video .

You’ll have blanks you can fill in if you print this out or go to Canva and use the template calendar.

All I wanted to do was come in here and make a change. And so on the sixth, I’m going to talk about branding.

Did you notice how simple it is to make changes? I can go in and change existing text by typing over it.

If I wanted to change the font, I can do that too, but I don’t want to do that right now.

I’m fine with, with what’s in there.

Join the 30-Day Challenge

So I want you to join me on this challenge. You’re going to post to one social channel every day for 30 days.

You’ll find what I’m doing on Instagram. I’m @bookmarketingmentor, and I’ll be posting here and on Facebook, @bookmarketingmentor,

The links where you can find me 

Judy Baker Book Marketing Mentor

Welcome to day one of the 30 day posting challenge. Every day in September, you are going to post to one social channel.

And I wanted to start by showing you how you can create graphics in Canva, just by modifying something that exists, or you can start from scratch. You don’t have to be a designer.

And here is the design I selected and modified.

The original is kind of beige, which is not my style. I’m a bit more poppy on my colors. I changed the colors around, changed the content a little, and I’m going to do that even more because I’m going to create a PDF so that you can print it out and fill in what you’re going to do. (I discovered I can share a template with you and you can begin your calendar with the template and make the changes you want right in Canva! 

And you can put stars or stickers on the days that you complete your posting. You can add a page title. This is a 30 day challenge. I want to make a copy of the design. I’m going to duplicate the page. I did some work ahead and will share it with you.

I went in and started filling in what I’m going to do. So you can see each day I put in what I’m going to do.

Today that I’m doing a video tip on Canva. Tomorrow I’m going to do something on author profiles on the third, it’ll be back of the book. And on the fourth, I’m going to show you how to use still images to create a video .

You’ll have blanks you can fill in if you print this out or go to Canva and use the template calendar.

All I wanted to do was come in here and make a change. And so on the sixth, I’m going to talk about branding.

Did you notice how simple it is to make changes? I can go in and change existing text by typing over it.

If I wanted to change the font, I can do that too, but I don’t want to do that right now.

I’m fine with, with what’s in there.

So I want you to join me on this challenge. You’re going to post to one social channel every day for 30 days.

You’ll find what I’m doing on Instagram. I’m @bookmarketingmentor, and I’ll be posting here and on Facebook, @bookmarketingmentor,

The links where you can find and follow me 

https://www.instagram.com/bookmarketingmentor/ and https://www.facebook.com/bookmarketingmentor

I will post links to the videos that I’m creating every day.

Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor. I help authors get more bang for their book. Find me at https://bookmarketingmentor.com

and https://www.facebook.com/bookmarketingmentor

I will post links to the videos that I’m creating every day.

Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor. I help authors get more bang for their book. Find me at https://bookmarketingmentor.com