Graphic Designer, Author, Business Consultant and Coach Karrie Ross Gives Away Insane Down to Earth Advice and Tips for Self Publishing, Book Design, Branding and Promotional that is Worth Stealing! You will also find some Life Coaching and Parenting Tips.
From time-to-time I received emails thanking me and telling me about success stories. Here is one I received recently from Bunny Mitchel in the UK.
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From: “bunny mitchell”
Hi Karrie
I just wanted to write to thank you, most sincerely for all the emails you have sent me with advice on self publishing. I have found them so helpful and, working on a tight budget, have really appreciated this free advice.
The best advice you gave me was to do something every day towards my book. I am excited to be having a book launch on 4th August and already have over 60 pre-publication orders.
Thought you might like to see my book cover design that I made with your guidance. I am very proud of it.
Thank you once again
Bunny Mitchell
www.bunnymitchell.yolasite.com
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Thank you Bunny!
Tell us about your book or story. Use the comments section below.
Remember do something everyday toward your book and promotion.
Karrie Ross Book Cover Designer
We are motivated by our senses. With book design sight is most pronounced. We have the cover image and title… our eyes read before and at the same time our mind clicks in to comprehend the connection. The 3D book image brings your book alive and into a space of reality. There are several different styles for the 3D cover.
The spiral binding image: usually used for a F**R-E=E ebook or just an booklet that you are offering. The spiral represents visually that the customer may need to bind the book themselves. This also says that the contents is from 1-50 pages. Continue Reading…
Here is another award show you might take a look at… remember, this is a part of your self publishing book promotion and marketing.
“The Axiom Business Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary business books and their creators, with the understanding that business people are a very well-read and informed segment of the population, eager to improve their careers and businesses. The Axiom Awards celebrate the innovative, intelligent, and creative aspects of the books that make us think, see, and work differently every day.” Axiom Awards
The Axiom Business Book Awards accepts entries starting in Sept-Dec (usually) To learn more about the Axiom Business Book Awards visit www.AxiomAwards.com
Remember, keep doing something every day toward your book and promotion.
Karrie Ross Your Book Cover Designer
If you are an author who has written a book within the last year, then award shows are something to really consider. And IBPA is one to look into submitting to. This organization really offers suggestions for the self and small publisher through their library and other specific mailings through the year. Which helps put your book out into the places for it to be seen.
I was pleasently surprised when with my membership I started receiving notices to teleseminar events the organization puts on that are full of infomation new authors can use. And after I had submitted my book to their awards show the Benjamin Franklin Awards competition, later in the year I received in the mail the three evaluations of my book from the show judges for my category, which I found very helpful. Yes, it’s after I’ve written the book, but the evaluations gave me some good pointers if I were looking to do a second printing.
I also started receiving requests for my book from newspaper and magazine reviewers. Yes! this is something we are all looking for when we write a book and these were due to the IBPA agressive mailings etc.
The Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards® competition for excellence in publishing includes fifty plus categories,recognizing excellence in both editorial and design, and is regarded as one of the highest national honors in independent book publishing. You can find more information at http://ibpabenjaminfranklinawards.com
There are many other award shows out there, this is one of the more prominant and deffinately one that is to be considered.
Remember to do something every day toward your book and promotion
Sometimes we just need to slow down and consider our clients and their motivators.
Twitter didn’t do that in my opinion… and had to reassess their action and did a quick back-step. I was wondering just how many of their employees actually are using twitter and did they even poll them to see how they liked the function of ‘replies’. And now, we users are primed for future changes, but not in the way I think twitter intended! Improvements in their eyes but in ours, their clients, a problem, a restriction.
I like twitter. (follow me here KarrieRoss on twitter) I’ve made some really interesting connections with people I wouldn’t have normally met. It could be because of location, industry, interests… but, twitter brings us all together in a sharing capacity and, for me, that is what the replies action is all about. Being able to carry on a conversation and share it with others and at the same time spreading who I am to people who might not know me, but the person I’m conversing with…NETWORKING
Now, lets take this lesson and apply it to your book, product or business.
When positioning your business and motivating your customers always remember to see your actions from your clients perspective and ask the question “Will this add to their benefit or not?”
Remember, do something everyday toward your book design, product or small business promotion and branding.
No one can deny how amazing it is that 2 million showed up for the swearing in of our new President Barack Obama, it was an event to be watched. There is a company, TalkingSpeaker.com who takes recordings and then turns them into promotional vehicles for your product, service or business. Here is one he is giving away with the Obama speech
Do you have a Kindle? I’ve been told that the fate of the printed book might be in danger!
I’m not sure I believe that, but, as a self publisher we need to be on top of the newest trends… and one of those trends is making our books available in eBook form to be read on the computer or other devices.
Then the question arises, do I protect it with a password? And is that password buyer specific or book specific? Should I be concerned about thieft and multiple reproductions?
My answer is only from my personal experience, please always be sure to research your answers on your own as well. When I make eBooks for my book design clients, I make sure they are locked in every way except for being able to print, but I don’t usually install a password for them to be accessed. Continue Reading…
The question of the book order form is often asked… do I or don’t I… and if I do, how many do I put in the back of the book?
I figure if you have the space, the pages based on the signature count from your printer, why not include an Order Form.
The form can help increase visibility in several ways:
1. Can be given to a friend if they are interested in the book.
2. Can list quantity sales costs or at least let the reader know this is an option. Groups might be interested depending on what your subject matter is.
3. If your book is picked up by a Library, the form(s) allow for readers to contact you.
Be sure to include the following on your form.
1. Your company contact information including, website, fax and phone to encourage immediate and extended sales. Also mention who the check needs to be made out to.
2. Email and snail mail addresses
3. Return policy
4. Tax, shipping and handling for one or quantity books
5. Offer information on your other services such as speaking, ebooks, consulting, coaching, mailing lists and other books.
6. Space for customer information: name, address, city, state, zip, phone, email.
7. If you ship international, mention your policy and shipping costs.
AND be sure to use the back of the form for more product and service promotion. In some ways this can be a nice income when your book is widely used.
Remember to do something every day toward your book and promotion.
From time-to-time I received emails thanking me and telling me about success stories. Here is one I received recently from Bunny Mitchel in the UK.
Here is another award show you might take a look at… remember, this is a part of your self publishing book promotion and marketing.
If you are an author who has written a book within the last year, then award shows are something to really consider. And IBPA is one to look into submitting to. This organization really offers suggestions for the self and small publisher through their library and other specific mailings through the year. Which helps put your book out into the places for it to be seen.
Do you have a Kindle? I’ve been told that the fate of the printed book might be in danger!
