From The Get a Book Deal® Coach

Book Marketing Training for
Self-Published Authors

With Stephanie Gunning

Home Study Course

Are you currently writing a book you intend to self-publish? Have you recently released a print-on-demand book and/or an ebook and yet you feel unclear how best to connect with your intended readers? Do you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of marketing?

Trust me, you're not alone if you feel ANY confusion about how to do a successful book launch or design ongoing marketing efforts for your book. With the emergence of new technologies, it's easier than ever to produce a book. But the next steps are often less clear. Being in charge of your fate as an author frankly can be a double-edged sword.

A few years ago, I remember how surprised (and frustrated) I was when one of the authors I wrote a book for simply refused to send out any messages to his community letting them know his book was available for sale. His reluctance made no sense since he'd so clearly expressed his pride and satisfaction with the book. His unwillingness to invest any efforts in promotion lost him money—but, worse, time. We had put our hearts and souls into writing the book and then he sat back and let its potential evaporate.

Another author had a tremendous ability to get booked on television—but she refused to mention the book when she was on the air. Again, it was an author losing potential earnings. Was it shyness? Confusion? Lack of knowledge or support? Delusions about her popularity? Perhaps she thought, "If I write it, they will come"? It made me sad to see her waste what I perceived as an amazing and enviable opportunity.

By contrast, I've seen and worked with authors who pursued their dreams and didn't let anything stop them. They were persistent and public about expressing their messages in every forum they could find—and they didn't ever stop: They kept at it and engaged with people, using the book to leverage new opportunities, broaden their audiences, form partnerships, and, yes, boost their incomes. Their books changed their lives.

Learning to take advantage of the online social networks and PR opportunities in a strategic way requires coherent planning. My clients have been published by companies small, medium, and large. Rarely have their books been acquired unless they had a demonstrable plan in place ALREADY. A key ingredient in success is to start ASAP.

Other clients chose to self-publish and created whole new businesses for themselves around their books. Those who succeeded—both with and without the support of a publishing company—were deliberate about their marketing strategy. They took a good look at their strengths and weaknesses, understood the needs and interests of their audience, and were highly engaged in relationships with their readers. And you know what? They had fun while they were doing it. They viewed marketing as a game.

My deepest desire is for you to have the SUCCESS YOU DESERVE and to make the whole prospect of marketing your self-published book AS EASY AS POSSIBLE for you. The funny thing is that you can ENJOY your outreach to your readers—your author-reader relationship! Wasn't this what you fantasized about when you were writing?

My name is Stephanie Gunning. I am a former senior acquisitions editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell, and I've worked closely with top self-help and spiritual authors for 28 years, logging a full 69,000 hours of editing and writing. Bestselling authors like Gregg Braden, Hale Dwoskin, Arielle Ford, Allison Maslan, and Eli Davidson have been clients of mine. Important authors and workshop leaders seek me out for my advice.

Books I've personally edited, co-written, and ghosted have been published by Hay House, New World Library, Jossey-Bass, Perigee, J.P. Tarcher, Applause, New Page Press, Broadway Books, McGraw-Hill, and other major publishing companies. All were sold by solidly crafted book proposals that included serious, actionable marketing plans.

I've been in the publishing game since before people were commonly using computers. As the world has changed, I've changed with it—staying on top of current trends and analyzing what is and what is not working. Today the opportunities are as limitless as an author's imagination. And I've put those skills and insights into practice. Of the books I have self-published ALL have hit the top of bestseller lists on Amazon. It's not hard to sell books when you are persistent and reach out using the right tools and tactics.

The Book Marketing Training Course is right for you if...

• You are looking for CONCISE FEEDBACK about your target audience
• You want SHORTCUTS and a DOABLE PLAN for managing your social media
• You want PROVEN information that leads to RESULTS
• You're overwhelmed about what really matters — GAIN CLARITY
• You're trying to figure out the RIGHT MIX of speaking, blogging, and tweeting
• You want to know what website FEATURES are most attractive and engaging
• You're WILLING and DETERMINED to do whatever it takes
• You want to know what kind of SUPPORT you need and WHERE to find it
• You've got an IMPORTANT MISSION and MESSAGE
• You've seriously ready to put yourself out "there" and GO FOR IT!

For 12 years working as an acquisitions editor at HarperCollins and BDD, my job was partly to ensure that the books to which I committed my company's resources and money succeeded. We couldn't afford to have any "lemons" on our list. Sometimes that meant "making lemonade." Other times that meant putting a massive launch strategy in place behind a bestselling author. Selling books and promoting authors was a team process that I've since adapted in my role as a consultant for independent authors.

Believe me, anything a New York Times bestselling author does you can do, too, in some measure. Once your eyes have been opened to what they're doing, that is!

For the last 16 years I've been a writer, editor, and publishing consultant to an A-list clientele that includes bestselling authors, major publishing firms, top caliber literary agencies, and innovative self-publishers. I have mastered the art of transforming powerful ideas into highly marketable books. My count of the books I've had published is somewhere around 24 (a few are still in the pipeline). In the last two years, I've put two of my own independently published books on the bestseller charts through online marketing, and contributed to the launch campaigns of dozens of other books.

In Book Marketing Training for Self-Published Authors I have enthusiastically shared every tactic, strategy, and secret that I know with you. Now these powerful lessons are ready for you to work through at your own pace and schedule—day or night—on your own computer screen, wherever you may be: in the comfort of your home, office, or favorite coffee shop.