by | July 17, 2015 · 10:13 am
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Shizzle-style book marketing

I know, I’m still weeks away from actually seeing my novel on Amazon, but being a planner I just had to think of a few marketing ideas. For if a book hits an overcrowded marketplace and no one is around to read it, does it make a sound? I mean, of course it doesn’t unless it’s an audiobook, but you know what I mean.

I looked around to see what others are doing. It’s not pretty. On Twitter, you get spammed by messaged from authors begging you to read whatever it is they wrote. Some of them send out a message once EVERY MINUTE. What can it possibly get you, other than getting blocked, and fast? I can’t even understand some of those messages, #because #they #are #so #full #of #hashtags. Most authors are following other authors, and thus the circle of spam is complete.

I was thinking of doing a blog tour, but the problem is, I’m really shy for an extrovert. Sure, I can chat up a stranger at a party, but I can’t bring myself to ask for help. How do you even contact another writer with “Hey, can I blog on your site about my awesome new book?” without being blocked and reported? I might have to figure this one out eventually, but not now.

Instead, I’ve decided to try some unconventional ideas, the kind of idiotic and rebellious crap my characters would try. I can’t use home-made bombs and kidnapping for obvious legal reasons, but here are a few possibilities:

1. Shock and awe tactics. Like paying a million dollars for a gorgeous blonde to run naked through a footy game, with “Shizzle, Inc” painted across her bum. It worked for Virgin. The problem is that I don’t have a million dollars. I could of course do it myself, but then I could lose my job and possibly my fiancé. For now I’m going with a relatively lame idea of hanging a massive poster off the pedestrian pass over King’s Way. Saying something like #ShizzleInc and maybe a pic of a blonde. It needs work.

2. Begging my readers like they’ve never been begged before. Forget spam, I say. Do it in person. I’m going to print the novel cover and as much of the beginning as I can fit on a folded A4 sheet, so it looks like a mini-book with details on how to download the real thing at the end. Then I will stand at one of the CBD train station in the evening peak hour and hand them out to women in their 20-40s with lame come-ons like “Something to read on your way home?”. That’s legal, right?

3. Reinventing the already invented. Thinking of posting a few chapters on Twitter, 140 characters at a time. I don’t know if it’s even possible or wise, but I will try. Cause that’s how I roll.

4. Creating a Shizzle, Inc virus that delivers copies of the book to every desktop in the world. Yeah, you can scratch that one. I’m still not sure how computers work.

That’s about all for now. I wish it was a nice fat list of ten. If you have any suggestions, I’d really appreciate them, the crazier the better!

44 Comments

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44 responses to “Shizzle-style book marketing”

  1. bookshelfbattle
    July 17, 2015 at 11:01 am

    I can’t imagine that’d cost you a million dollars.

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  2. drmegsorick
    July 17, 2015 at 11:15 pm

    Ana, if this blog post is typical of your writing style, then I’ll be the first person to buy your book! Good luck and thanks for the follow! Looking forward to more posts. Cheers!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Pingback: Shizzle-style book marketing | International Book Promotion

  4. John
    July 18, 2015 at 10:24 pm

    I would invest in the Shizzle Inc. virus. I would change it, however, to corrupt any other epub files on the target computer and transform them into your book. They won’t know what hit them!

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    • Ana Spoke
      July 18, 2015 at 10:59 pm

      Why stop there? It should change every Word file into my book… problem is, where does one find such talented programmers and hackers? Craig’s list?

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      • John
        July 18, 2015 at 11:48 pm

        Or a sci-fi novel. Quick! Write a sci-fi novel and then develop the technology to turn fiction into reality! Better yet, write a sci-fi novel about someone who develops the technology to turn fiction into reality to save time!

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      • dellanioakes
        July 19, 2015 at 2:10 am

        I’m sure in my sci-fi novel we have that technology. Unfortunately, they are in the year 3032, so it might be hard for them to do that so far in the past. They DO have time travel, of sorts, but that book hasn’t been published yet and I’m not sure they’d want to tip their hands too soon.

        Ana, I understand what you mean about being shy and asking for help, but I many authors and bloggers are happy to help out their friends. I don’t like asking either, but I know that my friends and acquaintances will help me when I launch my next book. I wish I could post it and magically have readers arrive, but such is not the case. Good luck!

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      • Ana Spoke
        July 19, 2015 at 7:15 am

        Thank you for the support, Della. I’m looking forward to what I hope will be a snowball effect – a slow start with much pushing and grunting, until the day it starts rolling down the hill…

        Liked by 1 person

      • dellanioakes
        July 19, 2015 at 12:44 pm

        Me too! By the way, I host an author interview show on Blog Talk Radio. Please feel free to contact me through Facebook and we can set up an interview. I also offer my blog for other authors to announce their books.
        https://www.facebook.com/dellanioakes

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      • Ana Spoke
        July 20, 2015 at 10:13 am

        Omg, thank you so much Dellani! This is what I was secretely hoping for 🙂 There’s this tiny issue of me not using Facebook, is it ok if I email you?

        Like

      • dellanioakes
        July 20, 2015 at 11:14 am

        Yes, but be aware that I hate e-mail and very rarely check it. dellanioakes@gmail.com

        Liked by 1 person

  5. olivia barrington
    July 19, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    You said the crazier the better so here goes some ideas…1.Hire a hot air balloon or an airplane to float a banner over a big event with lots of people. 2. Have a cocktail party and on all of the cups,plates and napkins have Shizzle,Inc. printed.Wear a dress that has your book cover printed on it. Then as a door prize give a copy of your book away. 3. Hire someone in a clown suit to handout fliers on street corners with info about your book. 4. Have a flash mob do something to promote your book. 5. Sponsor a dance with a DJ that mentions Shizzle between songs and give your book as a door prize. 6. Get a car wrapped with the cover of your book and have it driven around where there’s large populations. 7. Hire someone with a car, trailer, public announcement system and put a big sign with your cover on it on the trailer and have them announce your book’s name, when available and where. 8. Have a city wide scavenger hunt for your book. 9. Have a raffle with money amounts for 1st, 2nd ,3rd prize along with a copy of your book plus on the raffle ticket it’s self have the title Shizzle,Inc and release date along with the other info needed. 10. Offer your book for free to the libraries and ask if you can have a greet and meet to get to know the author. Hand out fliers to library patrons with your book’s info. Well that’s list of ten ideas. Maybe one of them will give you an idea that will help promote your book. If I come up with any other ideas I’ll let you know. Good Luck! Look forward to your cover revamp!

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    • Ana Spoke
      July 20, 2015 at 10:11 am

      I love them, Olivia! Especially the one about the dress…can’t have too many dresses…I’m so doing that one.

      I have just a tiny issue with being in Australia, while the book is intended for the American audience. I could still do an online raffle…and send copies to US libraries (once I get to the paper stage). I might also do stunts here and post pics online 🙂 Anyway, awesome, awesome suggestions, thank you 🙂

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    • cuppajoeandthou
      July 31, 2015 at 1:57 am

      Great ideas! The cocktail party, flash mob, and car being my favorites!:)

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  6. brasfield
    July 20, 2015 at 4:53 am

    When I post my cartoons on Twitter, I get negative views! That’s how pointless it is. How is that even possible?

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  7. A.C. Melody
    July 20, 2015 at 7:48 pm

    Ana, first I wanted to thank you for liking my post. Secondly, Dellanionkes said it best – none of us like asking for help, yet you’ll find most authors & readers online are quite supportive! One of the best ways to get your name and/or book out into the public for free (yes, that million was way too much) is to become a Tour Host. This not only draws more traffic to your sites, but you’re helping out a fellow author in the process. It’s a win/win situation. Hope that helps, and good luck!

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  8. 10000hoursleft
    July 21, 2015 at 12:18 am

    I like possibility No. 2. A variation on it would be to print on a bookmark sized piece of paper (I guess you’d have to use tiny font!). That way people are more likely to hang on to your ad. Best of luck!

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  9. pjbyerwriter
    July 21, 2015 at 10:18 pm

    Great post, Ana. Enjoy your writing style. What is your book about? Genre? I’m in Australia too!
    Thanks for the like on my post; maybe we, as another responder has suggested, help each other and review each other’s books. I can send you a PDF of mine, YA titled Collision? It is a well paced read about a teen runaway.
    Love Olivia’s imaginative suggestions for promotion too. You’re going really well on your blog. Any tips ? traffic to mine is slow…
    Also, re confidence/ asking people for help, I figure we have to be brave and just put it out there.
    Cheers
    PJ

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    • Ana Spoke
      July 22, 2015 at 11:03 am

      Thank you PJ 🙂 It’s a comedy with a 20-year old female protagonist, so I guess it’s a chicklit. Thank you for the compliment about the blog, I have a lot of followers on Twitter and tweet links to the blog. I’ve been blogging and twitting for about 2 years now. Book reviews sound great, just need to find some time – I have a wedding to organise 🙂 I’m happy to host a blog tour for you, if you’d like?

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      • pjbyerwriter
        July 28, 2015 at 6:29 pm

        Yes I’d love to do a book blog tour…I understand the rush / overload planning a wedding. Our daughter is getting married in September! Very exciting. But I’m new to this book blogging. Can you give me a few pointers of how to do it, what you need? Thanks so much, and I’m happy to be a reviewer for you.
        PJ

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  10. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.
    July 22, 2015 at 1:14 am

    Hi Ana, thanks for following the blog.. I am going to be starting a new feature along side the Five Star Review and it is New Book Spotlight. – Cover, blurb, buy book links, profile picture and about the author.. Let me know when you are ready to announce. I am just in the process of doing a blog post on the subject. best wishes Sally

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  11. Melanie-anne
    July 28, 2015 at 1:29 pm

    I think a blog tour would be great, not only your book read and reviewed, but you could do guest spots so readers get to know you.

    also have you thought about doing a giveaway on Goodreads?
    Goodreads would be a mecca, its a gateway to soooo many readers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Ana Spoke
      July 28, 2015 at 2:35 pm

      Thank you, Melanie-anne. I am planning on doing a blog tour and already have one writer volunteering to host (anyone else?Pleease?). I have not done anything about the Goodreads yet, but I did see that they have something for writers…thank you for the prompt, I’ve put it on the list!

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  12. cuppajoeandthou
    August 1, 2015 at 2:09 pm

    At the end of August I am relocating to the Dallas, Texas area. If you make it there on tour and I can be of help let me know! It would be a blast to meet you! cuppajoeandthou@hotmail.com (aka: Diane Spencer 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Ana Spoke
      August 1, 2015 at 2:58 pm

      Thank you so much for the invite! I’m in the land down under, so a book tour in US is not on the cards…yet. If it ever becomes a reality, I’ll make sure to stop in Texas, never made it there when I lived in da South 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  13. cjm76
    August 1, 2015 at 7:55 pm

    Holy SHIZZLE! I can’t imagine how exciting this must be, Ana! Massive congrats 🙂 Thanks for dropping by my blog – I’m so happy to have discovered you XO

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. The Opening Sentence
    August 2, 2015 at 8:04 pm

    I thought of a promotion that involves attaching something to a motorway bridge. In Britain, causing a multi-vehicle pile up can lead to manslaughter charges, so I shied away from that idea. Handing out flyers is against the law in some areas, so my 100 paid for printed flyers are sitting around redundant. And as for streaking. . . my novel titles are too long to fit across my rump.

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. Marco
    August 3, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    1. Goodreads
    2. Instagram
    3. Sell your house for a Billboard in NY/LA
    4. Followed by dumpster diving waiting for book revenue…
    5. http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/led-walking-billboard-portable-human-billboard_60158914340.html?spm=a2700.7724857.35.1.X8xWn2

    And let us know what work(s)(ed) so we can copy it!

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