10 Ways to Use Audio to Sell More Books

Ten Ways to Use Audio to Sell More Books by Penny Sanseveri

Note: Reprinted from The Book Marketing Expert newsletter, a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. Web: http://www.amarketingexpert.com.

We all know that audio can be a powerful way to engage your audience, but can it really help you make a book sale? You bet it can. Here are some ways you can use audio to help sell your book:

1. Audio book samples: Do a reading from your book, maybe a chapter or two and load it onto your website (if you don't think you're a good reader, have someone else do it or hire some voice-over talent).

2. Audio on your website: While I'm not in favor of having an audio file load when your website does, there's some merit to having a short little audio "Hello, welcome to my site message." For an example of this, check out the Author Marketing Experts site at: http://www.amarketingexpert.com (scroll down to A Word From Penny).

3. Daily/weekly podcast: Podcasting is powerful, there's no two ways about it and it's here to stay. Creating your own podcast that you update daily or weekly is a great idea and a terrific way to draw some interest to your book.

4. Teleclasses: I've personally done teleclasses for years and I love them. They're not only a fantastic way to promote your message, but you're also educating on your topic which is always a great idea. Remember: record every teleclass you do so you can use it as another sales item on your website.

5. Audio series: Consider creating an audio series based on your book's topic. Remember though, if you're just rereading the content from your book then these CD's aren't necessarily an added value item but an audio book. Your audio CD needs to be different from your book in order to entice the reader to buy it in addition to the book. So, for example, if you finish your book and you say, "Gee, I wish I had included a chapter on XYZ," now you can create that additional chapter (or chapters) in your audio series.

6. Freebies: Offer any of your audio products as a freebie to add value to a sale is a great idea. Something I'll do at the end of a speaking gig is offer a free audio CD to anyone who buys a book after my session!

7. Speak up! It's not always about a recorded product or podcast. Get out and talk about your topic in front of a crowd. Passion sells, and if you speak passionately about your topic, your audience will resonate with your message and (hopefully) book sales will follow.

8. Book trailers: Well, maybe that's cheating a little. Technically it's audio and video, but we're still talking about hitting the same sensory targets. Book trailers are hot. If you don't believe me, just Google them and see what I mean. Getting your book into a visual medium can be powerful. Don't believe me? Check out this trailer about my book: Candlewood Lake: http://www.redhotinternetpublicity.com/bt.html.

9. Radio is another powerful way to sell books. Keep in mind that one radio show often doesn't sell books but doing many shows might. Also, if you're going to do radio, get some media training so you're spot-on in your presentation and can relay your most important points in succinct, bulleted, benefit-driven points. These will help engage the listeners and encourage them to buy.

10. If you're going after radio, don't forget Internet radio. While the podcasting craze is taking over a lot of the Internet radio territory, there are a still a lot of shows out there in need of guests. Also with Internet radio you tend to find more niche topics so you can really target your shows and your readers!

Using audio to promote your book is a powerful way to gain additional reader attention. Not only that, but you never know who will respond better to audio than to a printed review, ad, or article. Putting the audio element into your sales arsenal can make for a powerful partnership, and the good news is that every day, audio and the creation of audio products becomes more accessible.

For more podcasting resources, click here.

John Kremer's Ten Million Eyeballs Internet Marketing Events

7 Ways to Use Audio to Increase Your Web and Email Sales

by Alexandria K. Brown

Thought about adding audio to your website yet? You should. While great copy does a good job of selling your services and products, audio will amplify the effect of your words. Audio gives you a more personal connection with your Web visitors. Social psychologists tell us that humans are more likely to trust you if they can both see you and hear you. And prospects are more likely to buy from those whom they feel they know, like, and trust.

So let's think about how you can build that instant rapport with your prospects (AND boost your subscribers and sales to boot)! What could you do with audio? There are unlimited possibilities of what can be done with audio on websites and in email, but here are seven simple ideas to get you started.

1. Greet Your Website Visitors. Welcome visitors to your website with your own voice. It's a much warmer welcome than text alone.

Important: Don't just say welcome (yawn). Drive them to taking action, like signing up for your free ezine or special report. (You can see EXACTLY how I do this at http://www.EzineQueen.com.)

2. Create an Audio Class or a Series of Audio Lessons. Audio learning is still hot! Teach your audience via your voice instead of just words on the page. Think about developing a series of mini-audio lessons for your prospects. (You can see how I promote my FREE audio class at http://www.EzineQueen.com.)

3. Share Your Interviews. If you don't have an interview clip already, ask a friend or colleague to conduct a short, dynamic interview with you via phone. Record it and post it at your website. Or, do a series of interviews with other experts in your field and post them at your site.

4. Samples of Teleseminars. Want more signups for your free and/or paid teleseminars? Then start recording them. Pull out the highlights and post free clips of them at your website. (I'm in the process of doing this myself.)

5. Pump Up Your Testimonials. You probably already have customer testimonials on your site. Now amplify their impact with audio. Have your customers record their testimonials in their own voices, and post them on your site along with their names and photos.

6. Make Your Emails and Ezines Talk. Liven up your emails by making them talk to your prospects, subscribers, and customers. The members on your lists will feel like you are right there with them. (And remember, it will be that personal connection that encourages people to hire you or buy your products.) Be the first in your industry to do this, and watch your numbers rise!

7. Audio Postcards. Reach out to your best customers and prospects for holidays, birthdays, or other special occasions by sending them an email postcard accompanied with a personally recorded message.

— Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning Highlights on Marketing & Success weekly ezine with 28,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at http://www.AlexandriaBrown.com.

Audio Acrobat — You can use this wonderful service to generate podcasts, broadcast Internet radio shows, and create other audio content by just making a phone call, recording your talk, and hitting send to syndicate your audio podcast to 27 podcast directories like iTunes. You can also create and send audio or video emails, post audio or video to your website with neat players, and so much more, all for only $19.95 a month. That's an incredible bargain. Sign up for the 30-day free trial today!

InstantTeleseminar.com — This service allows you to create and host unlimited teleseminars (limited only by your time!). As many as 300 people can listen in via the phone while another 2,000 can listen in via the web. Anytime, day or night. Whenever you set up a teleseminar. You can also host and record interviews with anyone using this service. All recordings are hosted indefinitely with the service or can be downloaded so you can sell them as mp3s or audio CDs. All this for only $47 per month. I really don't know how they do it for that low price, but I'm not complaining.

Using Teleseminars to Create and Market Books — This teleseminar by John Kremer shows you how to use teleseminars to create new content, write new books, build important relationships, promote your books, and sell more books. In this seminar, I revealed a secret tip on how to begin creating relationships with top media and book buyers, even months or years before your book comes out. This one tip could boost your book marketing program to levels few authors or publishers have ever enjoyed. Mp3 audio download, $47.00.

1001 Ways to Market Your Books, 6th Edition describes more than 1,000 ideas, tips, and suggestions for marketing books — all illustrated with real-life examples showing how other publishers and authors have marketed their books.

“Without glitzy idealism or funky hopelessness, Kremer does a sound job of talking about marketing, telling stories from his own and others' experiences. He knows his subject, imparting important information in a fast-paced, very open way. Extremely good stuff here.” — The Book Reader

May, 2006. 704-page softcover. $27.95. ISBN: 0-912411-49-X.

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