How to Sell Books at Schools

Issue #738 Aug. 10, 2013
Publisher: Joan Stewart

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

In This Issue

1. How to Sell Books at Schools
2. Animated Whiteboard Videos
3. New Posts at My Blog
4. Hound Quote of the Week

This Weekend in the Hound House:

I’m refinishing and painting a long piece of decorative glass in a wooden frame. The window installers pulled it out of my old house when I got new windows last year. I’m painting the frame bright turquoise and hanging it on my porch. It’s one of those projects you think you can do fairly quickly until you start, and then find yourself running to the hardware store every 20 minutes.

1. How to Sell Books at Schools Less

Fantasy adventure author Kevin Gerard is selling mountains of books during school visits where he presents fun, lively programs to students who arrive with checks in hand.

“With a little finesse and a lot of persistence, you can develop rewarding friendships with school librarians close to where you live—and if you dream like I do—all across America,” he says. “If you prepare for and execute your school visits correctly, you’ll increase your fan base and make some good money while having the time of your life.”

After eight years doing author talks at elementary and middle schools, he has developed a step-by-step system that any author can duplicate. It’s hard work–more than what some authors would be willing to do. But Kevin is having a ball.

He wrote a guest blog post this week detailing exactly how he does it. Please comment and add your own favorite book marketing or book publicity tip.

2. Whiteboard Videos

You’ve seen these before.

They’re called animated whiteboard videos and they feature a hand writing words with black marker on a whiteboard, complete with photos and music and other effects.

Here’s the best part. You don’t have to know how to draw because the hand isn’t yours!

Publicity Hound Bob Crawshaw said he created an animated whiteboard video after watching the iPad video training with Mike Stewart several weeks ago.

“As a result of your iPad webinar, I took the suggestion of using animated video,” Bob writes. “This YouTube video promotes my upcoming presentation at the National Press Club.

“So far, I have received good feedback.”

He used VideoScribe, a program that offers a free 7-day trial.

Give it a test drive. If you buy it, I get a small commission.

I’m going to test drive it and convert some of my tips lists into short animated videos for YouTube. I explained how to create the lists during the webinar I hosted last week. If you missed it, the three sample cheat sheets and sample tips lists are ready to be downloaded.

3. New Posts at My Blog

Offer freebies, pull customers with a Twitter whisper campaign

Dog Tweets–How to Make a Marketing Video

4. Hound Quote of the Week

“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.”

–Andy Rooney.