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Barbara Howell

Guest post  by Author Barbara Howell. Howell is the author of Splinters: The Pain, The Passion, The Point published by Paige1Publishing in Tulsa, OK. Howell is a member of the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation, Inc., Tulsa Night Writers, and RHEMA Writer’s Bloc. Recently, Howell’s book, was chosen to appear in an upcoming release from Harper Collins Publishing, “The NEW Big Book of Layouts” honoring the best of the best in book design.

Before I began marketing my book, “Splinters: The Pain, The Passion, The Point” I was under the impression as most writers are, that the WRITING was the most important part of my book. And while, I’m not saying that the writing isn’t important, a lesson that I learned early on as an author was the importance of the book cover and design itself. My book, a memoir that outlines some of the adventures of my life as a woman succeeding in a man’s profession of woodworking, is not a “traditional” book. Non-traditional in the sense that throughout the book, I wanted to include photos and “show” the story rather than simply telling it.

When all was said and done, the book itself had taken on a life of it’s own, thanks to the skilled design team at Paige1Publishing. With color photos throughout it keeps the reader engaged and has a slightly “magazine” feel to it. I’ve had several readers comment on how “easy” it seemed to be to read and how the photos kept them “turning pages”. That aside, what makes a reader even pick up a book?

In a recent study released, there are on average more than 1,000,000 books are published worldwide every year. With all that competition it seems that authors are doomed to have their books sitting on store shelves collecting dust. Enter design. It’s true what they say, ‘a picture’s worth a thousand words’. And a ‘catchy’ cover is one of the most important pieces of any successful book. Very few books survive on the writing alone.

For a book to move off the shelves, it has to BEG readers to pick it up and demand their attention. Something different. Something new or just something that demands a second look. Whatever the direction, the cover design is invaluable to solid sales. Think about it, if the cover design isn’t solid how can the promotional design be?
Thankfully, my book design has proved itself solid, in the recent award I received. What’s interesting is that the very element–it’s untraditional layout–that caused me to win this award is the SAME element that was ‘rejected’ by a large book distributor in the U.S. It goes to show you that you can’t please everyone. Just remember the only target you’re aiming for is the readers! Don’t be afraid to stand out and BE DIFFERENT!

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Rather than talking “about the book”, I’m going to include a short excerpt for you to enjoy:

Social Media and You
So you wanna promote your brand? Drive traffic to your site? Get
noticed on the Web? Sounds a little overwhelming doesn’t it?

Well, if you are armed with the proper tools and tasks to get the job done, it’s simply a matter of being willing to put the time and effort into your venture.
When establishing a brand, company, ministry or business in today’s marketplace, one of the primary necessities to success is having a successful Web site. Notice I didn’t say “having a Web site”. The phrasing is “having a SUCCESSFUL Web site”. What’s the difference?

A Mall in the Desert
Today, with the democratization of information and technology, simply having a Web site is NOT enough to get you noticed. Creating a Web site is like building a mall in the middle of the desert. It may be the biggest mall in the world, with tons of stores and something for everyone, but if it’s in the middle of the desert who finds it? but if it’s in the middle of the desert then who finds it?

The first step to getting customers to visit your mall is building an Interstate Highway right beside it. Why an Interstate? Why not a winding 2 lane road? The Interstate offers a “convenient” route to travel. The traffic moves fast and the curves are few. Is that all it takes? Just building a road? The road is a start but it’s not the complete picture. For the road to be successful, there must be road signs, billboards and exits.

Visit the “MarketYourself: The Book” Web site to order your copy today!

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Joe, the owner of the first store, knew everything there was to know about the radio business. He sold them, repaired them and could rattle the brands off without even thinking. When asked "What business he was in" he would throw his shoulders back, stand a little straighter and reply, "The Radio Business."

Sam also owned a store that sold radios. He too, could be considered a radio expert. However, when he was asked, "What business are you in?" he would smile broadly and reply, "The Communication Business".

As the years progressed, radios became less and less popular. New technologies were being developed such as Cell phones, mobile devices and portable music alternatives. How did these 2 men react? Joe, the radio-man, stuck his feet in stubbornly and refused to change. Afterall, he was a "Radio Man". That’s what he did. He sold radios.

On the other hand, Sam, was constantly listening for the newest advancement in technology, soon he began carrying cell phones, portable music players and other tech toys. As fewer and fewer radios sold, he slowly quit purchasing them himself. Soon, there wasn’t a radio in his store, but his business was better than ever.

What happened to Joe? He used up all his family’s money trying to make a success out of radios. He wound up bankrupt and alone. Why? He was in the "Radio" business, not the "Communications" business.

The question is clear: Are you a "Joe" or a "Sam".  As designer’s this is an important question. As more and more things are going paperless, and design trends grow and expand, are we in the "print" business or in the "Design" business. Which sounds more fluid?

The moral of the story is, make sure you don’t try to "specialize" so much that if something new comes out and replaces your product or service, you will be left by the wayside. To continue to grow, we must be constantly learning. Go to seminars, read magazines and follow the technology.

Don’t keep trying to sell radios when everybody else has iPods.

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It occurred to me, after giving the subject a test-drive in one of my classes that these soon up-and-coming professionals know very little about HOW to actually market THEMSELVES.

That being the case, I am launching a new series called, “Market Yourself”. If you’re a freelancer, full-time designer or still a student, these keys to getting your name out there are absolutely invaluable.

Nearly every media tool that we discuss will hinge on how well you use it as an artist!

We’ll be exploring the “How-To’s” of Social Media marketing and the best way to use it to your advantage! Grab a seat and strap in, let’s get started!
 

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