Self PublishingITRSpring07

Welcome to the latest edition of the Ink Tree Report. We have recently revised the newsletter and changed the format just to keep things fresh. So, you'll find new sections and new information in this edition and in those to follow.

We are also in the process of updating and revising our Self Publishing and Book Marketing Packages on our website, so be sure to keep checking back.

At Ink Tree we are constantly asked this question: “Will you market my book for me?”. The most common reasons for the request are that self publishers don't feel they have the time to take on the marketing task, or they simply don't know how.

Our most common reply to this query is, “Who knows your book better than you do?” .You are the best person to approach volume buyers, corporations and book clubs because you are the ideal person to explain the benefits of your book. The benefits are what you are actually selling, not the book itself. Buyers always want to know the answer to this question, “What’s in it for me?”. Who is best qualified to answer that question? You are, of course. Also, you are the person who knows the “story behind the story” of how your book came to be. You are the best person to respond to questions about what qualifies you to write about the subject matter of your book. Those are the reasons that we published the Kits on our website (www.inktreemarketing.com). We at Ink Tree want you to have the tools, the contacts and the confidence to manage your own marketing and publicity campaigns. The most attractive and unique feature of our information kits is the FREE consulting time that we provide by email.

Our other response to “Will you market my book for me?” is to ask you how many books you want to sell in order to pay for someone else to market your book? If you have to pay thousands of dollars to buy the time of a marketing expert or a publicity person, you must be clear about the number of book sales that are required to pay for the service. You may never have a profitable publishing venture if all of your profits go into paying other people. Once you have achieved success with your first book, you can then think about hiring marketing professionals. Until then, your best option is to manage your own sales and publicity campaigns. Gain experience and expertise before you give away all of your profits, and you will be qualified to assess the efforts of the professionals you hire in the future. A small investment in education now will pay huge dividends in the long term. After all, your goal is to sell many books to make money, which is the reason you started a publishing company... isn't it?

© Ink Tree Ltd. 2008
www.inktreemarketing.com

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Questions from Self Publishers

Q: "Should I sell my CD or DVD with my book or should I sell it separately?"

A: It is not uncommon to sell a book and DVD combination - you just include the cost of the DVD in the retail price. Because DVD's are usually sold in a separate section of book stores, most people will not bother to search out the DVD and pay for it separately. Also, customers feel as if it's too costly to have to buy two separate items.

Do you have a publishing question you'd like to see featured in our newsletter? Send it to us at info@inktreemarketing.com with the subject line: "Newsletter Question".

Don’t forget to submit YOUR book! You'll find instructions at the end of this section.

Available at: www.gourmania.com

With 600 healthy recipes the cookbook provides "a buffet of exciting international flavors" with ingredients found in your local supermarket. Healthier food choices don't always mean that we need to sacrifice flavor for nutrition. Culinary expert Norene Gilletz proves that healthy cooking can be as nutritious as it is delicious in her latest cookbook, Norene's Healthy Kitchen.

The award-winning mystery about a local medical examiner being stalked by a killer who claims to have killed her before.

A hint of paranormal, a gritty mystery with erotic undertones, and a true page-turner. To be enjoyed by fans of Karin Slaughter, Tess Gerritsen and MJ Rose. The film rights for this book were picked up by Gold Circle Films, (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, White Noise), and it was named Runner-Up in the 2006 Do-It-Yourself Los Angeles Book Festival.

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***The intention of our Mention My Book section is to give free exposure to self published books. Every bit of publicity counts! If you want to submit your book for mention, please send an email with the subject line “Mention My Book!” to us at: info@inktreemarketing.com***

We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.