Latest posts from Chip MacGregor
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Step Four: Know Your Audience
If you were taking a class in marketing, this is the process you'd go through in order to create a marketing plan. So once you "know yourself," "know your strengths and weaknesses," and "know your goal," the fourth step you'll …
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Step Three: Know Your Goal
With all this marketing you're going to be doing for your book, what are you trying to achieve? What's the goal of your marketing plan?My experience is that many authors have a vague goal… sort of a sense… -
Step Two: Know Your Marketing Weaknesses
I was talking to an author a couple years ago who said she was going to hire a freelance publicist to help land her a bunch of radio interviews. Knowing she (1) hates talking in public, and (2) has… -
A bit more on branding (and a special offer!)
One more thought on branding yourself as an author: A brand isn't just a slogan. I once met a beginning writer who had business cards printed with the words, "The Queen of Suspense." Unfortunately, she was unpublished, so from a …
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More on Step One: The Value of Branding
My brother has worked in the auto industry for years. He's a parts & service manager for a dealership, but he used to be a car salesman. One day he explained to me the importance of auto salesmen driving around… -
Step One in Marketing Your Book
If you were to take a class in marketing, the first thing they'd tell you is that you have to KNOW YOUR PRODUCT. Since you're writing books, that means you have to know yourself and your manuscripts. What are… -
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So who does the marketing?
I had two people write to me last night, upset with yesterday's post. One of them asked, "Why are you slamming publishers?"
Hey, I'm not. I love publishers — love working with them, love doing good books. My point isn't… -
Where does the marketing money go?
Bob wrote to ask, "If publishers aren't going to spend much marketing my book, in what areas DO they allocate most of their marketing dollars?"
They're going to provide review copies to some media outlets and reviewers. They're going to …
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Aren't they supposed to market my book for me?
Dana wrote to ask, "How much of marketing a book is the publisher's department, and how much is the author's responsibility? It seems like publishers used to do more marketing."
It's funny, but authors tend to think there was this …
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When My Publisher Does Nothing
Continuing with questions about marketing, Dave wrote to ask, "What should you do if your publisher doesn't have adequate resources for marketing and promotion?"
Um…okay, here's a suggestion to all authors and wannabe authors: Before inking that deal, ask some …
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Thinking about Marketing Your Book
Once again, I'm inviting people to send in questions about writing and publishing, and we'll try to offer a bit of wisdom. Recently Bobbi wrote to me to tell me I've been too hard on marketing types in the past, …
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Hello, I Love Me, Won't I Tell Me My Name?
I don't know if it's possible to start out a blog and not say something about what the author has been doing. So… here it is: I've been writing a book.
No, I'm not kidding. It's called 40 Ways to …
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Time to Start Writing
A year ago I decided to take some time away from from blogging. I was tired, becoming repetitive, and ready to take a break. So I took a year off. I've had a lot of people tell me, "You can't …
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All Good Things Must Come to an End
Think about this for a minute…
4 years.
Hundreds of posts.
250 average readers per day.
A half-million visitors.
Time to hang it up.
I've said what I have to say, and while there are still questions out there (including …
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They say I'll be dancing again very soon …
So many people have written to ask about me; wondering how my back is, specifically. Thanks. It makes me want to do the happy dance, knowing that people have been concerned, and especially to know that people have been …
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What's the latest news?
Random thoughts on proposals and writing as we end the week…I am teaching a one-day workshop in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday, November 6, at the Sierra Hotel near Short Pump. If you're in the area, I'd love to have …
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NEWSDAY TUESDAY …
BIG NEWS … Sandra is sitting upright again!
Chip says it's age which caused my back to go out for no good reason last week. I say it's the onset of cold weather since I was reaching into my closet …