May 2005: Email Newsletters and Blogs
At our May program, we explored two ways that publishers can use the Internet to promote their books and publishing program -- email newsletters and blogs (web logs).
Email newsletters are a valuable and cost effective promotion tool -- but overloaded inboxes, spam filters, changing subscriber behavior, and other challenges make it more difficult than ever to get them read. Loren McDonald presented valuable strategies for getting the most from your enewsletter efforts. He covered the best practices for enewsletters, including opt-in subscription methods, email design and format, and building subscriber trust. He also reviewed some of the major challenges like filters, bounced mail, and spam complaints.
The second part of the program focused on blogging. A blog (short for weblog) is a personal journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. USA Today recently reported that 8 million people have created blogs (a 58% jump in the past year) and that about 25% of all Internet users read them. Writer and blogger Kevin Smokler covered the nuts and bolts of blogs, how publishers can use blogs for publicity and marketing, and how to find the right blog to target, and much more.
April 2005: Powells.com with Dave Weich
Powell's Books is the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world. With physical locations in Portland, Oregon and the Powells.com web site, they are thriving in difficult times. The Powells.com site is now in its 10th year and has grown from 2.5% of revenue in 1998 to 35% of total revenue!
At this program, we met the man responsible for the web site's spectacular growth - Dave Weich, Director of Marketing & Development at Powells.com. Dave discussed how Powell's has successfully carved out a piece of the online market despite the dominance of Amazon.com. He also discussed the unique promotional opportunities that Powells.com has to offer, including author interviews and co-op advertising.
March 2005: Google and Publishers: Using Google Print and Ad-Words
At this program, attendees gained valuable insight into Google — the online search engine that's defeating Microsoft and pretty much taking over the world — and how Google relates to book publishing.
We found out about the intricacies of the Google Print program: how it works, how it can benefit publishers, and what its plans are for both the near and distant future. We also learned about the growing popularity and value of Google ad-words, which enable publishers large and small to reap the benefits of this ever-expanding mode of advertising.
February 2005: Making Your Books A Success: Why Publicists Have To Be Co-Publishers, with PR Pros Alice Acheson and Michael Larsen
At this program, attendees gained valuable marketing and publicity wisdom from two industry experts.
Alice Acheson, an independent publishing consultant with over 30 years of industry experience, revealed the path to success behind three books that far exceeded expectations. We learned how to use an author's background to help with promotions, when to cheerlead for your books to excite the in-house staff and the publishing industry, and how to change a marketing plan when all else fails.
Michael Larsen encouraged those of us working on publicity and marketing to become an essential part of the acquisition process. He got us to think like a co-publisher, helping to assess each book and each author's promotional potential. Your judgment about how an author will complement and supplement a publisher's promotional efforts will help the publishing house decide whether to buy a book, and what kind of financial and promotional commitment to make to it.
January NCBPMA Program with Sam Tanenhaus, NY Times Book Review
At our January program we happily welcomed Sam Tanenhaus, Editor of the New York Times Book Review. We all had a chance to meet and talk with the newly appointed editor over drinks and hors d'oeuvres as well as finding out all about the book review during Sam's presentation. Q&A followed. Click here to read the notes from this program.
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