• Set up a postcard campaign
• Create a texting campaign
• Offer gift certificates
• Create a special holiday Website
• Use email marketing
• Write a press release
• Ask customers to write reviews of your products or service
• Hold a contest

If you’d like some help brainstorming a marketing campaign for the holiday season,  here’s what you need to take into consideration:

• Who is your idea customer?
• Where are they already going online?
• What information are they looking for?
• What do they want to know about your products or services?

;Create a marketing campaign that will grab the atteetnion of your market.

Make is short, but provide enough information that someone can buy right now.

Offer an incentive for buying now.

Use a holiday them.

If you’d like a free 30 minute consultation to look at your current marketing campaign, or to brainstorm a new campaign you can set up for the holidays, feel free to give me a call at 888-228-8923. I’ve got limited openings – and there is no cost or obligation.

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To contact me, you can click the tab above that says ‘contact me’ or click this link to be taken to the ‘contact me’ page.

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First of all, I’d like to invite you to my ‘Business Breakthroughs’ radio program.  It’s live every Friday night at 6:00 p.m. ET, and you can join me and my guests here: Cheryl Antier Business Breakthroughs Radio .  I have interesting guests and if you’re a writer, a coach or an entrepreneur who wants to write a book, build a strong author’s platform or build the business side of your writing business, this is a place to learn the real ‘back story’ from other people who are doing it.

When:

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So now it’s time to get to Step 2 of the Book Marketing Plan.  Step two is all about choosing your topics.  This is pretty self-explanatory.  What’s the subject of your book?  What topics are related to your subject matter?

You want to choose between 6 and 12 Main Topics.  Your topics need to relate directly to the subject matter of your book, and they should be the most important ones you can think of.

Your topics need to be ones that you, yourself, are passionate about. (Because you’re going to blogging and writing about them for a long time – so if they don’t hold your interest, it’s going to get pretty boring pretty quickly). Your topics also need to be ones that your readers and target market are interested in, too, for obvious reasons.

Once you’ve chosen your topics, it’s time to start thinking about sub-topics. But, there’s something even more important you need to do first…

Start by getting organized

Since you’re going to be marketing your book for several months – or longer, it’s better to get organized right now.  Because the longer you’re promoting your book, the easier it’s going to be to get lost and disorganized – especially since you’re going to be promoting your book on more than one site and in more than one way.

The Tools and Resources an Author Needs to Organize their Book Marketing Campaign

Figuring out what tools you need to organize your book marketing campaign can drive you crazy – and right into the poorhouse, if you’re not careful!

Which is why Hannah and I are sharing our strategy with you on this blog, and showing you the tools we use – and the results we get.

So stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, when we share the only essential tools you need to put together your own book marketing plan and promote your book!

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If you’re one of the ‘tens of readers’ of  my blog, (as one of my favorite bloggers says), then you’ve probably got a lot of plans and hopes and dreams too for your business in 2010.

But do you have a plan to “Create Success in 2010″?

I’m asking because I’ve gotten 27 emails (among hundreds) in my email box since the first of the year with that particular sentence – or the variation “Creating Success in 2010″ -  in the subject line.

Out of curiosity, I opened each one.

• 3 were the same affiliate link, selling someone else’s products.
• 6 were people promoting their own products – everything from e-books and ‘how-to-do-something’ videos to high level coaching programs.
• 2 contained inspirational thoughts and law-of-attraction type messages.
• 7 were other people selling the same affiliate program in the internetmarketing/how to start a business niche.
• 4 contained some actual ideas for creating and measuring success.
• 5 were from clients with their ideas, questions and suggestions for projects I’ll be working on in the coming year.

So, gramps, it looks like I’m going to be busier than a one-armed paper hanger with the hives this year. (Whoo hoo!)

Luckily, I did my business planning at the end of the year, the way I always try to do. One of the things I like to do is look back over the results I achieved during the year.  I look at sales (of course), but also the individual elements that combine to make a successful internet business.  And then I also look at how much fun I had – because I honestly believe that if you’re not having a good time running your own business,  you might as well be working for someone else, collecting a paycheck, and putting fun into other aspects of your life.  And then I look at my ‘made a difference’ results.  Because, that’s one other area I believe is vital – in business and in life.  Are we making a difference to someone else?  Are we serving others?  Because again, if you’re not, what will people remember – what legacy will you leave behind?

If you’re curious, here’s a snapshot of my plans for 2010:

• Getting rid of two ventures that were not profitable in 2009.
• Adding three new passive income streams that, after initial research look promising.
• Only accepting 2 0r 3 ghostwriting book projects for the entire 2010 year (If you’ve decided 2010 is the year you’re going to write your book, get in touch with me now, and lets see if we’re the right fit!)
• Working with Dan (my business partner to launch two new niche ventures)
• Continuing my regular columns and writing about travel
• Planning for the next series in my radio show
• Working with my copywriting clients
• Doing some ‘pro-bono’ grant writing to help build a school in Africa

My business plan for creating success in 2010 doesn’t leave much time for slacking off this year. I’m committed to creating success in 2010 for my clients, and for my business.

I’d love to hear about your plans for success… What are you going to be doing differently in 2010?  What will you be doing the same? Where do you want to be 12 months from now?

Also, if you’ve got advice for someone just starting out, some words of wisdom to help them make 2010 “their year” – please feel free to add your comments below!

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First of all, no matter what business you’re in, getting current publicity is vitally necessary… If you’re not entering into the conversation, if you’re not on top of what’s in the news as it relates to your topics of expertise… then you’re going to be left behind.

And this is especially true and important if you’re an author working on your book.

If you’re not staying out in the public’s eye, and talking about what’s going on from your status as an expert, and letting people know how what’s going on is going to impact them, then you’re going to become yesterday’s news – and the world will move on without you.

Look, publicity is an investment – because once you’ve gotten the publicity, doors will open for you, and other opportunities will fall into your lap.

So let’s look at the ABC’s of Publicity that will help you promote your book…

A is for “Advertise” your book… I’m not talking about taking out an ad in the New York Times or USA Today, I’m talking about getting creative and creating a kind of publicity matrix to help you promote your book in as many different ways as possible. (Some ideas to consider: Posters, flyers, postcards, media releases, newsletter – yours and other people’s, Website, email list, personal letters, networking, twitter, facebook, myspace, forums, local bookstores, book signings, book reviews, local and cable television bookings, etc.)

B is for “Bookings” – you need to talk about your book. So start thinking about radio (internet and traditional) stations, newspaper interviews, blog tours, speaking engagements, etc.

C is for “Creativity” - you don’t have to spend a lot of money – although if you don’t have any kind of budget for your marketing strategy, you’re going to need to plan on spending a lot of time to successfully promote your book. Here’s one way that’s been under-used, but is becoming more mainstream – find corporate sponsors of your book.

D is for “Direct Marketing” – don’t forget to send out notices that your book is ready for purchase.  You can use email (no spamming,please), postcards, personal letters, joint ventures, piggy-back marketing, etc.

E is for “Eye Catching” – My grandmother used to say, ‘Pretty is as Pretty does’… And in today’s hectic, over-advertised, busy worlds, people are getting slammed all the time with advertising. The problem is, too much of it is the ’same-old, same-old” – make yours stand out from the crowd.

F is for “First in Mind” – This goes back to having a platform, creating a brand and coming up with a way that when someone thinks about your topic, or your niche, or even your genre, your book is what pops into their minds first.

G is for “Giving it all you’ve Got” – When it comes to publicity, too many authors will send out a media release or two, maybe do a virtual book tour, and a book signing at their local bookstore – and then they’re done.  The problem with publicity is, it’s a process, and it’s something that happens over time, with continued effort.  If you don’t want to promote yourself, then do you and your book a favor, and hire someone to handle your publicity and promotion.

H is for “Hook” – What’s your hook?  A Hook isn’t a “big over-reaching idea” – it’s the one little thing that grabs people’s attention and helps to create a buzz about your and your book. This is a biggie, so make sure you take the time to find the right hook before your start your book promotion campaign.

I is for “Ideas” – When you’re looking for ideas for promoting your book, take a look at what’s going on in other industries, with other authors and with marketing campaigns for other products that catch your “eye”.  It’s a good idea to create a “swipe file” of advertisements, promotion ideas, posters, flyers, etc. Not to steal, but to help jumpstart your own marketing plans.  Sometimes just one idea can fan the flames of your creativity and result in a fabulous promotional campaign that nets you lots of ongoing publicity.

J is for “Jumpstart your Campaign” – When you’re ready to start promoting your book, create a multi-pronged campaign that hits in as many different media as possible – all at once.  This really can help to jumpstart your promotion and publicity efforts, because your readers – and potential readers – will start seeing your book everywhere.  And it’s necessary, because according to direct marketing experts, a consumer has to see your name or your advertisement at least 7 times before they’ll buy.  So you want to “go wide” at first, to help create a buzz.

K is for “Kick it up a Notch” – Once you’ve done the first promotion blitz, don’t stop there.  Kick things up a notch and do some more.  Remember promoting your book is a process. To do it right, it takes time and effort.  So create an organized plan. Start with pre-promotion. Then the first marketing campaign, and then the second wave. And then have a plan for what happens after that….

L is for “Lessons Learned”.  Keep track of what works – and what doesn’t. One of the best ways to do this is to get yourself a notebook – a publicity journal.  Some authors like a 3-ring binder so they can add pages or move them around as needed. Others prefer a diary-type book or day planner. Having a calendar is useful, and a place to put contact information or other people’s business cards is also good. Basically you want to track not only what you’ve done to promote your book, but the lessons you’ll learn along the way – what doesn’t work, or what you’ll do differently the next time.

M is for “Modeling is a Good Thing” – Don’t waste time, money or effort in reinventing the wheel. Those old sayings that “success leaves clues” and “Find someone who’s already successful and follow in their footsteps” are also true when it comes to promoting your book and getting publicity.

N is for “Networking”. You’ve got connections. The people you know have connections. If you’re networking from a place of honesty and integrity, and with the main goal of helping others, then use your connections. Don’t be shy about it. You might be surprised to find how willing other people are to help build a buzz about your book.  Warning: Don’t suddenly start networking and asking people to help you if they haven’t heard from you in over a year – first of all, they probably aren’t going to remember you. And secondly, it’s those kind of networkers who give everyone else a bad name.  Networking should be a part of your every day activities.  Build your network and keep it going – before you start promoting your book.

O is for “Open Mind” – Stay open to new ideas and always be on the lookout for ways to promote your book. Ideas can come from anywhere, anything and anyone.

P is for “Platform” – It’s one of the first questions an agent or publisher is going to ask.  In its most basic form, your platform is who you are and what you stand for.  It’s your “public face” if you want, and it needs to include what you’ve done – such as your credentials, your expertise, your most recent speaking engagements, previously published work, interviews, etc. – Basically everything that says ‘why you’ and ‘why this book’.

Q is for “Quick Start” – Sometimes you can get almost overwhelmed by trying to plan your entire campaign. If you have that “deer in the headlights” look, don’t let it stop you.  Choose one element of your publicity and promotion campaign, and just do it – move quickly and just get one thing done.  That’s usually all you need, and it will get things moving again.

R is for “Respect” – Like the song says “R E S P E C T” – First and foremost, respect yourself, your talent and perseverance in finishing your book.  Secondly, respect for the people who buy and read your book.  And respect for the people who are making an effort to help you promote your book.

S is for “Speaking” – Becoming a speaker – and even eventually getting paid for it, is one of the many ways authors can put ‘legs’ under their writing business. Not only is speaking an excellent way to promote your book and get scads of free publicity, but it can also become a source of additional income.

T is for “Tie-Ins” – How can you tie your book in with the latest news stories, current events, local happenings or buzz-worthing things that are going on? For example, is there a cause you truly believe in? What about doing a tie-in with one of their fundraising campaigns, and donate a portion of your book’s proceeds to the nonprofit?  It doesn’t matter if your book is fiction or non-fiction, there are ways you can get additional publicity by tying it in to what’s going on in the world, or your little corner of it.

U is for “Universe”. What’s yours?  This is about finding your niche or industry and making contacts with the people in it. Set up a Website, create a newsletter, get people on your list.  These are the people who will be most interested in buying your book. Start building your universe now.

V is for “Visibility”.  If people don’t know who you are, what your book is all about, – or why they should care, they won’t. Get out there. Be seen. Be heard.

W is for “Website”.  You do have a Website, right?  With an online news room?  And a publicity or media kit?  And a sign up box so people can find out what’s going on with you?

X is for “Xtra! Xtra! Read all about it!” (Ignore the spelling, I’m using a little artistic license here…) You need to learn how to write media releases – hire someone who does to start building a buzz.

Y is for “Yes you Can!” You can do this.  You can promote your book and get the publicity you need.  Getting publicity is a process. It takes time, and planning, and concerted effort.  But it can be done, and it’s not that hard once you understand the process.  And, like I said, if you don’t want to do it yourself, then surround yourself with a team who will do the heavy lifting for you.

Z is for “Zig Zag” – Don’t forget to stay open to changes and have a ‘Plan B’ in place for those times when Murphy’s Law steps up and kicks you from behind.  For example, are you willing to step in to be a last-minute guest on a radio talk show? Or if the projector suddenly quits when you’re about to give a talk – can you wing it? If something can go wrong, it often will.  But that doesn’t have to be  recipe for disaster if you just take the time to think about contingencies and have a backup.

So there you have it – my ‘off the cuff” ABC’s of publicity. If you’ve got different ones, I’d love to hear what they are. Just post your comments in the box below!

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And even though I’m not in the states, we still celebrate Thanksgiving, and I wanted to take a little time out to do just that…

First of all, I’m thankful for my family – the French ones and the American ones… You are the most important people in my life, and if I don’t tell you often enough, I’m grateful to belong to such a crazy, wonderful bunch of people. (I especially want to say Thank You to my husband, Alain, my mom Louise, my sister Cathy and my cousin Mary Jane.  You are my strongest supporters, my fan club and the people I know I can always turn to, whether I want to share laughter or tears.  And I hope you know I’m there for you in the same way!)

Next, I’m thankful for my friends – you know who you are… You’re fabulous, fun and my life would be a little less colorful, a little less flavorful and a lot more boring without you in it…

And I’m thankful for my colleagues and my clients.  You make my professional life interesting, exciting and full of twists and turns that are never expected, but add to the adventure that makes my business so much fun.

And I’m thankful for Dan Shaw, my intrepid partner in business, who always knows exactly how to make technology work and who has made being in business more profitable, fun and rewarding.

And finally, I’m thankful for the technology that makes it possible for me to have the life and the business I have while living where and how I want to live.

If you’re in the states, I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving too!

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You probably already know that writing a book and becoming a published author is one of the best ways to create credibility, build your brand and establish your expertise in your niche or industry.

But writing a book is hard work. And if – on top of writing your book -  you’re also busy running a business or a practice, or doing other things, you might not have the time and energy required to devote to writing your book alone.

Which is why so many people – including professional authors, celebrities, business professionals, speakers and coaches routinely hire the services of a professional ghostwriter.  (Did you know?  Hollywood uses more ghostwriters than the entire book and newspaper industry… combined!)

When you hire a ghostwriter you’re adding an expert to your team – someone who’s on your side, understands the process and can help you turn your ideas into a completed manuscript – listing you as the author.

My job as a ghostwriter is to take care of all the details of your book – to take the big idea you have, the chapter titles you’ve struggled with, your outlines, all the beginnings you’ve struggled with, the endings you’ve probably changed so many time… and help you create a finished, polished product… One that engages, empowers and excites your readers.  (In other words, it’s my job to make you look brilliant… to showcase your expertise and position you as “the” expert in your industry or niche.)

Here’s What a Ghostwriter Does

Every ghostwriter has their own style of working and system.  If you’re still looking for a ghostwriter, you’ll want to interview several ghostwriters, until you find someone you’re comfortable with.

I can’t speak for other ghostwriters, but here’s what I do:

I work with you in the way you’re most comfortable – to help you flesh out your book.  That may mean we take your outline, draft manuscript or even just the idea… and start creating the actual paragraphs, pages and chapters.  If there’s additional research to be done, I can do that too – if you’ve already got sources and data compiled, that’s great and means things will go faster.

We’ll work together one-on-one. We can meet by phone or by email.  Some of my clients prefer to “speak” their books to me, while others would rather “write” them out.

Once we’ve figured out how you work best, the actual work gets going.  We’ll put together a schedule to meet, and a goal of so many chapters or pages a week.  After each meeting, I’ll work on your manuscript, and send it back to you for your approval and any editing or changes you want to make.

Anyway, that’s the basics of how it works.  If you’d like to find out more, click the “contact me” button, and let’s set up a time to talk. You can ask me any questions you want, and I’ll be happy to answer them.

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If you’d like more information about how to make money as a writer, please check it out here: Writer’s Business Academy.

If you’re looking for a copywriter, ghost writer or travel writer, feel free to look around this site.

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