Paid Advertisiing

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FeliciaR

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Feb 15, 2011, 5:05:15 AM2/15/11
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As an author have any of you paid to advertise? Where and did it
work?

As a reader, where do you go to look for books? Do you look on
forums? Do you such the web in general? Do you know what you are
looking for before you start looking?

Thanks,

Felicia R.

Katherine Tate

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Feb 15, 2011, 5:47:59 AM2/15/11
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I have not paid to advertise yet. But your question about what works for me as a reader is genius! I never thought of thinking as a reader to consider what reaches me.

But the thing is, I have my favorite author list - those I follow and will buy anything from, and then I have recommendations from friends, and then I have some publishing houses I follow on FB and sometimes one of their posts grabs my attention. I also receive the e-harlequin newsletter and the carina press newsletter, and have occasionally purchased as a result of an advertisement on one of these.

Thinking of my own buying habits, I now realize the biggest competition is possibly going to be the "favorite author list." I am networked with most of my favorite authors but it's considered rude to market through them.by posting on their wall, etc However, I do acquire friends through my author pals, and I do respond to their posts with things I HOPE are witty. When it gets closer to my release date, I will use my cover art as my profile pic. The reason I'm not doing so now is simple psychology. People notice change. They will notice the change in profile photo. I want them to notice it when they can actually make the purchase. I will also probably change up my profile pic often to enhance others noticing the change.
--
Katherine "Kate" Tate/Kay Springsteen
http://kayspringsteen.wordpress.com/

Heartsight by Kay Springsteen available March 1, 2011 at www.astraeapress.com


Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 9:17:21 AM2/15/11
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Felicia,

I've done a lot of paid advertising.  I get good response from The Romance Studio and even more from Coffee Time Romance.  I have heard that Author's Island is a good place for readers.  I also advertised in Romantic Times.  I don't know yet how much that helped, but getting my name in a magazine with such a large circulation couldn't hurt, and they did give me a review.


Kristine Cheney

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Feb 15, 2011, 9:44:57 AM2/15/11
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Kate, just a thought...even your favorite authors are still looking for publicity and marketing. Perhaps a great strategy would be to tell them that and to ask them to do a swap marketing post. You will post and brag about their great read if they turn around and do the same.

I have also seen a lot of sites where individuals do book reviews and post their thoughts. Also the blog interviews seem like a great idea.

I always reference AP when I talk about Spartan Heart (and check out more great read at Astraea Press, etc.)

I still think for my personal use that I am going to order the bookmarks with my cover on it and all pertinent info printed on it. I plan to hand them out at the grocery store, with my tip at ever restaurant, at the bookstore if I see someone hanging out in the romance section, and I am going to ask my local bookstores if they will hand them out at the register as a freebie. All of this is tax deductible and one of us in the earlier posts said they knew where to order good quality ones for about $70 per 1000.

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From: Katherine Tate <words...@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:47:59 -0500
Subject: Re: Paid Advertisiing

Kristine Cheney

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Feb 15, 2011, 9:47:12 AM2/15/11
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Maybe a local ad in the Barnes and Noble newsletter would be worth the money?

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From: Elaine Cantrell <elai...@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:17:21 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Paid Advertisiing

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 10:13:39 AM2/15/11
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Good Reads is a nice place to put reviews.  You can friend people there and also load your own book into the system.  Author interviews at people's blogs are good too.  I signed up for google alerts, and after an interview I usually get some alerts.




Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 10:15:33 AM2/15/11
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I've probably missed the answer to this question, but are our books going to be available for the Nook?  If so, depending on the price I think the BN newsletter woudl be great.




-----Original Message-----
From: Kristine Cheney <tisa...@cox.net>
To: astraea-press-readers <astraea-pr...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Feb 15, 2011 9:45 am
Subject: Re: Paid Advertisiing

Stephanie Smith

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Feb 15, 2011, 10:42:27 AM2/15/11
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I live in a small county of 7000. For me the local newspaper(s) and radio station do human intrest stories. I am close enough to several smaller towns, (less than a thousand people) tourist travel through so I thought I would put fliers and bookmarks on the counters of the convenient stores, in hotel lobbies and restaurants, plus the local discount and farm/ranch stores if they will allow it.
 
Stephy

Stephanie Taylor

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Feb 15, 2011, 10:46:01 AM2/15/11
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Elaine, yes, they will be available on BN.com as soon as I get my act together.  I filled out a slot wrong in the application and they rejected me.  I tried to get it changed, but apparently they don't allow changes once you've already applied.  So they've deleted the account and told me I can start over.  ;o)  I plan to do that today or tomorrow.

Therese Gilardi

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Feb 15, 2011, 11:47:14 AM2/15/11
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thanks for the info!

Therese Gilardi

Matching Wits With Venus

Astraea Press, March 2011

join me on Twitter : ThereseGilardi

join me on Facebook

blog: http://theresegilardi.wordpress.com



--- On Tue, 2/15/11, Elaine Cantrell <elai...@aol.com> wrote:

Therese Gilardi

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Feb 15, 2011, 11:51:33 AM2/15/11
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i love your idea about restaurant tips - that is genius!  as far as bookmarks go, be careful about just laying a stack out somewhere.  i signed copies of "knowing pains", this anthology i contributed to in 2008, at this huge fair.  the editor sent me with a stack of around two hundred bookmarks, which i stupidly set out on a table.  half an hour later all the bookmarks were gone - i have no idea why anyone would have wanted so many.  kind of weird, but i have to say i assume they led to some internet sales.


Therese Gilardi

Matching Wits With Venus

Astraea Press, March 2011

join me on Twitter : ThereseGilardi

join me on Facebook

blog: http://theresegilardi.wordpress.com



--- On Tue, 2/15/11, Kristine Cheney <tisa...@cox.net> wrote:

From: Kristine Cheney <tisa...@cox.net>
Subject: Re: Paid Advertisiing
To: astraea-pr...@googlegroups.com

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:00:50 PM2/15/11
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Good to know!  My husband gave me a Nook for Christmas which I like very much.

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:02:59 PM2/15/11
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I did a book signing in a restaurant.  Didn't sell a thing, but maybe I should try again.




-----Original Message-----
From: Therese Gilardi <therese...@rocketmail.com>
To: astraea-press-readers <astraea-pr...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Feb 15, 2011 11:51 am
Subject: Re: Paid Advertisiing

Kristine Cheney

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:10:05 PM2/15/11
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Not a signing, just leave a bookmark with your tip and pass them out at the grocery store, etc. :)

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From: Elaine Cantrell <elai...@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:02:59 -0500 (EST)

Kristine Cheney

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:13:10 PM2/15/11
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Thanks for the anti-theft warning, Lol! Hopefully they did you a favor. :)

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From: Therese Gilardi <therese...@rocketmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:51:33 -0800 (PST)

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:13:07 PM2/15/11
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I schedule authors at my blog.  Would you like to do a short interview after your book comes out?

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:14:49 PM2/15/11
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Worth a try!

Therese Gilardi

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:20:56 PM2/15/11
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thank you, i would love to do this! i am still messing around with wordpress, as you know, but would like to eventually do something like that as well.  (i actually went to barnes and noble yesterday and loaded up on books on blogging, etc.)

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:26:05 PM2/15/11
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What address do you want me to send your questions to?




-----Original Message-----
From: Therese Gilardi <therese...@rocketmail.com>
To: astraea-press-readers <astraea-pr...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Feb 15, 2011 12:21 pm
Subject: Re: Paid Advertisiing

Therese Gilardi

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:27:16 PM2/15/11
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therese...@rocketmail.com

and thanks again!

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Therese Gilardi

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Feb 15, 2011, 12:28:32 PM2/15/11
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therese...@rocketmail.com

and thanks again!

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Joselyn Vaughn

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Feb 15, 2011, 1:04:18 PM2/15/11
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With Good Reads, you can also sign up as an author and do giveaways and other stuff.  I just finished a giveaway for Courting Sparks and had almost 1000 people enter. I also had around 80 add it to their to read list.  I thought this was great free exposure.

 

I’ve done paid advertising on Romance Junkies.  They have specials every now and then.  I’ve done a featured author thing.  I don’t know if it translated into sales , but then my last books were hardcover and $24 a pop.  Not easily spent on a whim. I also did a blog on RomCon and then an added promo in their weekly newsletter.  I wonder if this will change with a more reasonable price for the books.

 

Joselyn

 

http://joselynvaughn.com

Sucker for a Hot Rod - Astraea Press - 3/11

Courting Sparks - Avalon Books

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 1:14:09 PM2/15/11
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LOL.  Sounds like me.  I'll resend.

Elaine Cantrell

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Feb 15, 2011, 1:15:41 PM2/15/11
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I'll do this at once.

Kristine Cheney

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Feb 15, 2011, 1:48:51 PM2/15/11
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Excellent info! Wow! 1000 people in your contest, that is fabulous!

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From: "Joselyn Vaughn" <josely...@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:04:18 -0500
Subject: RE: Paid Advertisiing

Kristine Cheney

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Feb 15, 2011, 2:33:12 PM2/15/11
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You guys need to hit and register at www.heroesandheartbreakers.com! Wow! This is an awesome romance novel lovers site! I just made a profile and added my info and my book cover as my avatar! Awesome promo opportunity for FREE! Check it out, girls!

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From: Elaine Cantrell <elai...@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:15:41 -0500 (EST)
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