Preparing For Your Virtual Book Event
I was looking through some old email, and came across a newsletter from “Author Marketing Experts” that I thought you might be interested in part of it that focuses on marketing your book. Where do you begin? How do you begin? There are many ways, this post focuses on virtual books events.
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As space in bookstores keeps narrowing and their event calendars keep filling up faster than ever an author has to wonder how on earth will they get to do an event, if ever? Sure, you can do events in other spots like spas, coffee shops and retail outlets, but what if the sweat equity of making the events happen stops balancing against the people who attend and/or buy a book? Unless you’re doing a speaking engagement as part of a larger event, crowds can be tough to predict. Enter the virtual marketplace. Here an author event can take on a whole different life. Events can be promoted around the world and people can attend and gain exposure to your book and message without ever having to leave their home.
Types of Events
There is no limit to the types or amount of events you can do. The only thing that limits you is your imagination, and possibly your time. From the standpoint of sales, there’s no better way to spread the message about your book than through your own passion for the topic. Studies have shown that authors who do speaking events (whether online or off) as part of their promotional efforts sell three times as many books as authors who don’t utter a word at events. But it’s not just the speaking that makes sales soar, it’s what you say that counts.
When it comes to the exact types of events you can plan, let your book and your audience be your guide. For example, if you have a book that lends itself to an educational program or series, consider building a variety of teleclasses. If you have a book of fiction and you feel strongly that the audience couldn’t possibly be interested in a seminar series or educational session, then try planning a one night event only. Often though, we find that when authors begin planning these types of events they really do find more and more reasons to talk about their book.
Pricing, Timing, and Other Tricks to Make your Seminar Successful
Teleseminars or author events don’t have to be complicated - the simpler you make them, the more you’re likely to do them. When it comes to the logistics of planning an event, all you need is a conference line and these days, they’re easier to come by than ever. You can register at Free Conference Call, www.freeconferencecall.com, and get access to conference lines whenever you want them. Keep in mind that the dial in is a toll number so you’ll want to notify your participants that long distance charges will apply. You can also get a toll-free number, and I’ve often done this when I have a paid seminar. You can get a toll-free line through Free Conference, www.freeconference.com. You’ll pay a per-minute, per-line fee (meaning that you’re only paying for what you use) and rates do vary, so if Free Conference doesn’t seem to offer what you want, shop around.
When it comes to pricing, it’s hard to pinpoint a perfect number. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to teleseminars, and pricing will vary depending on several components. First, determine the end goal of your teleseminar. If you’re using this as a funnel to get people to another level of purchasing, then perhaps a free or minimal cost would be appropriate. If this seminar is designed as a standalone and a possible funnel, (although most seminars work as funnels regardless of how you plan them), then a smaller fee, perhaps around twenty dollars, might be best suited for this particular session.
Having worked both free and cost-based seminars, I can tell you that the response rate is often much better when you charge. Some classes charge just $1 as a psychological way to get people engaged in attending, while other classes charge nominally more, upwards of $300 to $1,000 depending on the class, content and specials offered (we’ll address specials later). What you decide to charge will depend on your audience and topic. If you’re teaching a class to CEOs, then your fee will probably be substantial. If your session is for working-class, hobbyists, or stay-at-home parents, then the fees will vary widely.
In order to sweeten the pot, you might consider offering deals and specials that are only given to those who participate in the call. These could be workbooks, special reports, audio recordings of previous calls, discounts on future programs, consulting or future programs you’re promoting. What you offer will depend on your book and business, but remember that sometimes incentivizing the calls can help up the ante when it comes to sign-ups. It also offers additional bottom line value if you’re planning future calls and want to expand your platform or sphere of influence.
As any of you who have done teleseminars know, it can be tough sometimes to keep people till the end of the call. Sometimes listeners get the information they came for and click off, and it can be discouraging to hear the “ping” of the conference call exit bell, but here’s a quick way to combat that: offer them some exclusive piece of information, possibly the most important piece of your call, at the end of the call. Alternatively, you can also hold giveaways (should you decide to offer them) until the end of the call.
As we discussed earlier, you’ll want to record each session you do so you can resell it, and offer it as a bonus to attendees. Luckily, recording a teleseminar is easier than ever. Depending on the conference call service you use, this recording might be included in the package price of renting the phone line. If it’s not, you can turn to services like Audio Acrobat, www.audioacrobat.com, to record your call. You don’t need any special equipment, just a phone line and three-way calling to dial into the recording number. It’s really that easy.
The End of the Event is Just the Beginning
Your event is over, now what? The reason you had the event in the first place: getting and staying on your readers’ radar screen. The truth is, if you want to capture future sales, it may take a round or two of follow-up to make that happen. Don’t waste an opportunity to follow-up with a brief thank you for attending note, additional sales items, or adding your attendees to your newsletter list. Whatever you do, keep ‘em in the loop!
