Positioning/Promoting Your Book: That Online Video Trailer

"About 90% of your book's success is how effectively you position and promote it."

That's what I warn prospects investigating my ghostwriting services.  I add: This even applies to brandnames who publish books.  Unless they're willing to take that second step of positioning/promoting, they shouldn't waste their time, hope and money on publishing a book, whether it's through the traditional agent route, a self-publishing service, or do-it-yourself PDF e-book.

The reason for this is simple: As the marketplace became Darwinian, it became a must-do for players to have a book to hand to prospects, clients, customers, media, other influentials, and potential employers.  We're expected to have a book, at least if we want to be taken seriously.  Instead of being a competitive advantage, it's morphed into a type of union card for the professional, creative, and technical industries. 

So, there are plenty of books out there competing for attention.  Amazon.com tracks those books which are getting that attention and those which aren't.  If your book isn't ranked high, it could be perceived as not of value.  That's the game, like it or not.

One of the most affordable and effective tools for that now-necessary monster job of positioning/promoting is the online video trailer.   Over the weekend I conducted a two-hour exclusive interview with Mindy Schwartz, who owns and operates Full Circle Admin Services which specializes in online video trailers.  I bumped into Schwartz when I was shopping for a vendor to put together a video trailer for my first novel "The Fat Guy From Greenwich."  A newbie at this, I needed a lot of information as well as hand-holding.

Nurturing but entirely focused, Schwartz takes an active role in advising clients about the length [usually 30 second to three or four minutes], music background, tone and content of the video.  The logistics are taken care for us.  Yes, Schwartz handles the technology, pacing, key text, selection of photos, and copyright for the music. 

The fee for this ranges from $300 to $500.  The turnaround time is about a week.  There are three revisions available but Schwartz usually gets it right the first time. 

And there is a going back and forth by phone [which Schwartz prefers] and email.  After we agree to work with her she has us fill out a form which gives her a feel for our organizational culture, branding, and message Download Book Video Questionnaire.  There are many ways to go: Plain-vanilla, ironic, informational, humorous, niche identity, mood-setting.  This is important since it defines the positioning of the book in the marketplace.  Here is a sample of Schwartz's work for an author.

In addition to the low-cost and fast production, the beauty of an online video trailer is the many ways it can be used.  Broadband has made that possible.  Here are just some of the ways Schwartz's clients leverage this positioning/promotional tool:

• Enhance any digital site, be that web, blog, twitter, social network such as Facebook, social community such as through Ming.com, and email transmission.

• Insert in e-releases such as Pitch Engine and PRWeb.  I have a hunch that no release will be compelling without an embedded video trailer.  It can also be part of a press kit.

• Establish branding.

• Provide the platform that a conventional resume used to.

• Allow for testing out a message, cost-effectively.

• Can be updated since costs are low.

Once authors have their first video trailer, they likely will build a marketing plan for their other professional activities, be it developing new business or searching for job, based on online video trailers. 

I am running ideas for my communications boutique by Schwartz [Mssphotography@aol.com, 615-330-1305].  What we're struggling with is how to capture the essence of my ghostwriting services, which are increasingly for digital applications.  Yes, I want to be in there mirroring the client's personality and thought process.  But I also want to get across that I'm post-print.  Too many have typecast me as the whiz who creates those opinion-editorials for THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.  Currently, that's not where the influence game gets kicked off.  It's online.

Comments

[propecia online]

do you know a method promote a book via video ?

[Sean Rushforth]

People searching for information on marketing communications maybe interested in the website Marketing Comms

[BookWhirl.com]

I totally agree with you that book trailers help draw attention from readers, even the non-reading market. After all, most people are inclined to visiting video hosting sites hoping for a good video to watch. And i think having video trailers is a beyond the box strategy of repackaging ones book promotion.