One of the many daily visitors...
Last night I officially started my next book, a non fiction on the alternative methods of marketing I’m using to expose End of Mae. I’ve been keeping notes since this started, and had a rough outline, but last night the first 2000 words went down.
Then today, one of the alternative marketing methods I have been experimenting with paid off big time. Many of you know that part of my promotional plan relies on Second Life, a virtual world where content is controlled by users.
A few days ago I released a virtual press release. From the comfort of my home I sent out a virtual teaser edition of my book containing the first chapter, a promotional shirt for men, a promotional shirt (and matching pantys) for girls, and a press release containing all the information about my book including the links to endofmae.com.
That web address is also in the description of the shirts, and the book can be opened and read and is a one chapter replica of the real paperback version. There was also what’s called a landmark, a way for the recipient to visit a place inworld, in this case the virtual ‘Heylel’s House’ I built where they can explore scenes from the book.
This cost me nothing, I already run a shop inworld (that’s what pays my one bill right now) so I had the equipment to make the book and so on. I sent my complete package to just over 500 people, all of them bloggers, marketers and other promoters.
No stamps, no knocking on doors… and it landed me an “Editor’s Pick” in Second Life’s Destination Guide. This is read by 150,930 on Facebook alone. This doesn’t include all the blogs that subscribe to the Destination Guide’s feed.
That is a marketer’s dream… inexpensive, easy and highly effective viral marketing. This is what my next book is about, and virtual worlds like Second Life are just the tip of the iceberg as to what’s available. I am experimenting now with End of Mae to see what works and what doesn’t, and all that I find will be in my book about my book ;p which will be called All You Need is “Like”.
I’ll be sharing what I find out with my family of readers here. So many wonderful books, and other projects are languishing unloved because marketing is typically thought of as hard, expensive and embarrassing.
I just happen to enjoy marketing, and am glad to do the footwork for the love of it. I am still blown away by the success of my first virtual press release, just days old and already reaching over 150,000 people.
All you need is “like” ;p
