"Marketing 101"--Just What's In A Brand, Part 2/6

In my original introductory article on this new six-part series--Just What's In A Brand?--I listed five points of consideration for the indie author & publisher to focus on and develop as they venture towards creating their brand of marketability, to ultimately, sale more books.

Establishing a Web Presence

In today's fast moving society of high-tech gadgetry it isn't enough for an author to be content with simply "having a book on Amazon" (or any other online retail store). It is not acceptable either for an author to say, "I don't know how to do this stuff" or worse "I can't learn it." Whether you chose to publish independently or had little or no choice to see your work in print, if you plan on making a dent in today's book buying consumer base, then you will have to learn how to establish (at the very least) a web presence that builds on your credibility of your book(s) subject material. If you aren't interested in building a website or quite possibly, can't afford a good web developer/designer, there are many free tools you can utilize. Something after all, is better than nothing at all. Personally, I am a fan of blogs and all their optimization (SEO) functionalities to help you gather customers based on your sites material. Establishing a web presence is easy but maintaining the data and staying current is the hard part, because it requires continual effort. I have listed some points to consider as you design and refine your marketing plan.

Questions you might ask yourself when evaluating your present website and/or blog, including any social networking media you might incorporate.

What does my website signify? What does it say about me as a person or literary professional? Are you utilizing every social networking site for fun, or to help establish your place in relation to your artwork? For instance, many people use Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and a blog. (These are are great places to start building your online/web presence...hint, hint.) BUT, if you skim through these sites of your fellow author and publisher (and of course, your own material), you might find they are spending an ample of amount of time discussing the weather or their favorite sports game and rarely, if ever, discussing their book's subject material. If you have a MySpace, Facebook, etc., you want to incorporate links to your storefront, images of your book cover and of course, summations of every blog post for people to navigate to and read. That leads us to one of the most important aspects of developing your web presence: Becoming the expert!

Becoming the Expert:
A major part of branding and marketing your book publishing business is solidifying your expertise within your book's genre or field. Article writing is by far the best way to get this done. If you have a blog (if you don't go get one now!) or website, you want to start working on a plan to contribute at least (at the very least) two articles per week about your book's subject matter. You can use these articles as a means to discuss or share quotations from your book and also interview other people, share tips & tricks or help develop others. These people you help are potential book buyers! If people trust your information, then they will surely trust your book. The more consistent you are with refining and defining your online presence, the greater chance of exposure and of course, possibilities for selling your business's product: YOUR BOOK!

Branding Tip:
Most of us wrote a book, then worked to develop our credibility for the information. Pretend instead, you were the subject matter expert already who HAPPENED to write a book. If you approach  marketing from this perspective, it will help shed light on new methods for marketing your businesses credibility (you) and your book's material (book) and ultimately, give way for people (followers) to trust you enough to purchase your product (sales).

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to Bobby's blog for marketing tips, tactics for writing and developing your story or news of how you can help the fight against childhood illiteracy.

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~Bobby Ozuna

Book Marketing Consultant
Co-Founder, READ3Zero Foundation
Literacy. Creativity. Learning.

You can connect with me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or become a fan of READ3Zero on Facebook. You can learn from other authors by listening to archived segments of The Bobby Ozuna Show on Artist First Radio Network. For information on how to help a child get published or help in the fight against childhood illiteracy, check out the READ3Zero homepage.

Marketing 101: Just what's in a Brand?

Just What's in a Brand? Introduction

By demand and an earnest desire to help the many people who appear lost when it comes to the most effective way to brand or market themselves, I thought I would offer some tips for consideration when working to develop a place for your business, organization or art--outside of the actual product. This is what's called brand-building.

A vast majority of my work involves authorship, but these tips can be applied to any business venture. If you wish to sale a product, then you have to learn to think beyond the product. It's not good enough to say (using books as an example) [that] "I wrote a book and now everyone should buy it." Like any successful business, you have to first consider the consumer. People spend money everyday, on something or many things--some of which are true desires to possess (needs) and others are simply purchases based on a good sale to their desire to own something else (wants).

Here are some things to consider when establishing a brand or marketability within your respective field. I use book publishing or authorship as an example here, but you should truly consider aspects of these examples when working to sell your product, contrary to what that may be.

1.  Develop Your Web Presence--What does your website signify and is it created and written (and re-worked on a continual basis) to help search engines (potential customers) find you? How much time do you spend learning about the best ways to optimize (SEO) your website and online presence?

2.  Marketability--How are you trying to sell your work and have you determined your actual market? Trying to sell book products to people who don't read or (let's say) other authors who are competing against you? Are you working to establish an online presence that is catchy (building on wants) of those who fall into your customer base?

3.  Credibility--Do you write articles, teach classes, offer lectures, that solidify your expertise within your market? Are you available to help others learn how to do what you are (working) to accomplish? To help others with a serving spirit, doesn't hinder your ability to make money, but rather opens more doors for opportunity by helping others along the way.

4. Consistency--How often are you working online to develop a TOM (top of mind) marketing presence. As an example, when people think car company, do they think Chevy or Ford? When they think (for example) of your product line, art, book genre, etc., do they think of you or your works title? What have you done to help establish that want, based on your businesses product. Your product is not only your item for sale, but YOU!

5. Time--If you are writing a book or trying to sale a book to make money only, people can see right through that. And that, makes you no different than the hundreds of thousands of other authors on the market. What makes you (YOUR BUSINESS) different than the next? What do you offer a community, a market, consumers, etc that truly makes your business worth investing in--and ultimately--buying your product? I read once that anything you do for five years [you] become the expert at. All of this work takes TIME, but if you believe in your product, if you believe in your passion, etc., then time is in your favor, not working against you.

These are a few of the various points to consider when working to write your marketing plan, develop a marketing model and lastly, create your web model (links to) your various websites.

...supporting the independent arts...


~Bobby Ozuna
Literacy. Creativity. Learning.
Co-Founder, READ3Zero Foundation



You can connect with me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, join my Facebook group, the Facebook group for READ3Zero, or subscribe to my blog. You can learn from other authors on my archive page for The Bobby Ozuna Show on Artist First Radio Network. For information on how you can help the fight against childhood illiteracy and even help a child get published, check out the READ3Zero homepage.

Who are you in relation to your gifts?

If you had to define your life, based on the gifts you were given at birth, how would you share that with the world?



In working to complete my non-fiction book project, The Quest of the Independent Author, I felt inclined to include a chapter of inspiration, hope and encouragement. I have extended the invitation to my peers within the literary community, fans and friends from my blog and various social networking sites and lastly, to anyone interested in sharing their thoughts on the subject. The inclusion chapter for my book will be entitled: My Quest in Search of Me. I have asked anyone interested in sharing their thoughts to answer one question:

Who are you in relation to your gifts? Essentially the question is, how does your gifts and the manner in which you share them in your art and struggle to come to terms with them in your life define your existence?

I'd love to hear your comments and thoughts. If you are interested in seeing your blurb posted in my upcoming non-fiction book, The Quest of the Independent Author, then please, after posting your thoughts here on this blog, send me an email with a copy of that response HERE. I will compile a list of quotables to share in my book. Please, for the sake of structure, keep the responses between three and five sentences.

...supporting the independent arts...

~Bobby Ozuna

"The Bobby Ozuna Show"--May 27th, 2009

I am LIVE on the air with Mr. John Kremer tonight @ 7PM CST. John Kremer is the author of the notable book: "1001 Ways to Market Your Books" and his website, BookMarket.com features a wide range of invaluable resources, tips, information and inspiration for effective book marketing. Be sure to bookmark the show date and time listed below.

If you have questions for Mr. Kremer, you can post them here on this blog or email here. Also, don't forget to subscribe to this blog to stay current with book publishing news and events.

If you are interested in featuring an author or being a guest on The Bobby Ozuna Show, query here via email.

Sponsor consideration can be sent via email here. Remember, The Bobby Ozuna Show reaches a world-wide listening audience of some 40,000+ listeners per month (4 weekly shows).

Show Date & Time: Wednesday, May 27th @ 7PM CST
Show Location: The Bobby Ozuna Show via Artist First Radio Network

*Click LISTEN LIVE/On Air button to stream the show*

Talking Points for Wednesday, May 27th

*The Fastest Book Channel Ever--The Espresso Book Machine
*"The Dragon's Pool" book release by Edward Patterson
*"Summer League"--new book in Iggy the Iguana children's book series by Melissa M. Williams
*Creative Writing & Illustration Workshop for children, by Long Tale Publishing




...supporting the independent arts...

~Bobby Ozuna

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"The Soul of Humanity"--January 22nd, 2009

Hello everyone, I am pleased to announce the next phase of my independent publishing career: The Soul of Humanity Internet Radio Show. I will use this show to publicize and promote independent artists from every facet of the creative world, giving back as much as I have been given in my literary journey...

The shows will stream LIVE over the Internet each Wednesday night @ 7PM CST and every week I will host a different author, artist, musician, etc and feature their work so we can ask the questions that matter the most: How they got where they are today...

Like many of you I started out small--with only a dream, an idea, a vision for what I believed my life could become. Now, some ten years after the first day I ever dared to pick up the pen, I am not only working to publicize and promote my own novel: Proud Souls but the works of others using creative (outside the box) measures like this blog, to help others along their path. It is imperative, if you wish to obtain a goal or see a dream become a reality, that you FIRST learn to pay it forward and help others along the way. Unlike the corporate world, where everything is cut-throat and people step over you to "get ahead" we have the privilege of allowing others to use our backs to help move them up the ladder. And instead of saying, so-and-so moved up before me, we should say instead: I helped ten others up the ladder and NOW ten others will be there to lift me up the ladder...

I have already begun booking various artists for my show; February and March of 2009 are now full. Below is a quick list of some of the artists you can expect to see (hear) on my show in the upcoming weeks. Be sure to stop by and say hello and then on the day of their interview, I will post a blog featuring that artists and their work. During the interview you will be able to send me an email here and I will ask as many questions to my guests as possible. If you can't get through, a better way of contacting my guest is by posting a blog comment on the day of their interview (before, during and after) and my guests will work to respond to each of you after the interview is over. Also, some of my guests (and I hope all of them) will be raffling off free prizes for the comment of their choice.

I am looking for sponsors as well. So, if you have a business you would like to advertise (web) and promote (over the air) please feel free to contact me for rates. "The Soul of Humanity" is a spinoff of the Artists First Radio Network reaching over 1.2 Million listeners per month. Every interview will be archived on my show's page forever. So by being a guest on my show, you get a blog posting from me,w hich allows fans to comment and find you on the Web and an archived copy of our LIVE streaming interview.

I look forward to a great year everyone and I can't wait to meet and greet and discuss every aspect of your creative endeavors. It's time you get some credit for all your hard work.

FEBRUARY SHOWS!!! (all shows stream LIVE on Wednesday's @ 7PM CST)

• Feb. 4th: Melissa M. Williams--author of "Iggy The Iguana"

• Feb 11th: David Alexander English--author, astrologer, public speaker
  

• Feb 18th: Rene Ozuna--musician/musical instructor and member of "The Tropix"

• Feb 25th: J.K. Coi-- author and blog host for "Living With Immortals"
  

In summation...I wrote the following lines to express my purpose and my vision behind my show: "The Soul of Humanity"

"Artists of the world add color to the cultures of every society... The musicians and singers are the songs by which the culture is celebrated... the writers are the voice of the people of the times...the painters and sculptors draw the worlds and icons that identify a people. Artists teach us how to dance...and how to laugh and how to imagine a world outside the scope of our sight... If you stripped a society naked of their artists...you would be left with a bleak world of pawns on a black and white canvas without a voice, without a thought, a song, a dance or the imagination to know what you are missing."

~Bobby Ozuna, Jan. 2009

~Bobby Ozuna

Ozuna Publications

www.OzunaPub.com

"Drawing Stories...With Words"

817-812-2009

Email: Bobby@OzunaPub.com

"Project PS"-- January 12th, 2009

To help jump start 2009 I will be opening this year with my first LIVE interview as a guest on The Tony Kay show. You can link to the show from the ArtistFirst Radio Network. ArtistFirst is a forum and spring board for promoting independent authors, book publishers, artists and musicians of every type. This Wednesday, January 14th, you can listen via streaming media on the Internet as Tony Kay and I discuss all facets of my indepdent book publishing endeavors and accomplishments, Proud Souls and my upcoming Internet Radio show: The Soul of Humanity.

Date: January 14th, 2009
Time: 5PM (CST)
Location: LIVE via the Internet on The Tony Kay Show
*click the URL above, bookmark it and save it to listen on Wednesday*

...AND COMING SOON!!!

The Soul of Humanity Internet Radio show will go LIVE on Wednesday, February 4th @ 7PM CST. The Soul of Humanity will be dedicated to all facets of the arts, independent artists and the worlds they create. I am presently looking for guests for the show. I have thus far booked seven tentative interviews and I am looking for more talent. So, if you have a book to promote, a publishing firm, a new CD or even artwork available for sale on the world wide web, please contact me here. Be sure to type: "The Soul of Humanity" in the subject line.

The cost of the interviews is $100 USD payable via PayPal to Ozuna Publications. What you get is a full one hour (roughly 52 mins) of streaming LIVE interview with me, Bobby Ozuna, author of Proud Souls. Also, I am in the works of creating a spin-off quarterly anthology that will feature articles about each of my previous 12 guests. In the quarterly anthology you will get a chance to further feature your work, a website and your artwork. Be sure to contact me first before transferring any funds, so we can talk about the interview and make sure my show is a fit for your creative endeavors.

**IF you have questions about the interview process or wish to discuss whether you are a fit for the show, call me here: 817-812-2009**

Sponsors & Advertisers Wanted

I am also looking for sponsors for the upcoming show. If you would like to purchase a banner ad (full,half,qtr) for my new website & blog, please contact me here. Be sure to put "TSOH-Sponsor" in the subject line. Also, advertisement rates for the quarterly magazine will be posted at a later time.

What do you get???

You get a banner advertisement on both my blog, "Drawing Stories...With Words" and my future website for "The Soul of Humanity" Internet Radio show. You also get an announcement at the end of four shows detailing your company name, slogan and website and/or telephone number. Right now, the cost for this service for a 30-day period (on the banner ad) and four radio shows advertising your business is available for the LOW cost of only $300 USD.

Be sure to bookmark the Tony Kay Show and be ready to tune-in and listen as I discuss the vast world of independent publishing!!!

"PS: We Wanna Know"--November 17th, 2008

I was recently interviewed on the "Interviewing Authors" blog hosted by Crystal Adkins. She is an independent book reviewer for Kendall Publication.

Interview with Bobby Ozuna

It took me a while to get the answers just right...you know I am always brutally honest and yet sometimes, I struggle with the rebellious side wanting to say more than the (um...) professional side...

In the end I think the interview went well. I was very pleased with Crystal's interview questions and being long-winded, I couldn't help but elaborate and share more and more of myself. It seems at times there  is so much more left to say when I am done...

Being an artist of any type means having to expose yourself to the masses. No one likes a reclusive author. Maybe that worked in years past but it doesn't work anymore. Part of being in the spotlight means having the courage to become emotionally naked...and it is something I have become very good at....(no pun intended).

Be sure to stop by her site (here) and read the interview post. Feel free to comment too!

"Project PS"--November 5th, 2008

I have added the new picture...the one with the clouds breaking through over the cabin... Please tell me what you think...this may (or may not be) the one... Keep the comments coming!!!




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Okay, so my mini-vacation lasted a bit longer than usual....sorry!!!

I can promise this much, I have been busy since returning from my fishing trip with my family, but I haven't been operating at full-speed ahead..yet. I am happy to announce the new ISBN's have been ordered for my new editions to Proud Souls. What this means is I will FINALLY release the electronic (eBook) version of Proud Souls, which will probably retail for just under $9~10 bucks and within weeks following (maybe just after or just before Thanksgiving) I will release the hardcover edition.

I am still fumbling between cover ideas for the hardcover edition. I could offer the same image cover as the trade paperback but I wanted some variety, like the major book publishers offer with their books. Below are some potential cover images for the hardcover edition. I'd love to know what you think!!!

This photo above is an actual picture of Justin's cabin sitting on Lake Kemp in Seymour, Texas. It almost gives you an identical view of what Justin is looking at each night while he drinks himself to sleep. You can see the small hill across the lake and see (at least) one small Mesquite tree by the water's edge.

Although Justin drove a 1952 Chevrolet pickup truck, this truck is very similar. Not being the truck expert, I believe this is a 1954 model. I took this photo behind an old garage that reminded me a lot of what The Hawk's Nest would have looked like prior to becoming the small town watering hole. Something about the rustic look of this old truck seemed to epitomize the attitude of Justin Bower.


Here is another angle of the same pickup truck. You can see the Texas license plate which identifies the setting of my novel.

This is a shot of the old tire shop I found in Seymour back in March of this year. Behind this tire shop is the old rusted Chevy pickup truck. Again, this garage reminded me a lot of what The Hawk's Nest may have looked like prior to becoming the town's bar.


Let me know what you think of the images...and if you feel I am way off...I can get back to the drawing board...


I will be sure to notify everyone of the eBook release and also of the upcoming hardcover edition.

Be sure to catch my upcoming interviews....I will have two written interviews posted on various blogs online and one LIVE interview on a national broadcast radio station!! Stay tuned for more details!

GREAT post and feedback for (effectively) promoting your book online...

If you are serious about promoting your work online...take a look at (social media and technology guru) Chris Brogan's latest string (which is still going by the way...): "Promoting Your Book Online."

If you ever wondered...how do some writer's market more effectively than others? And why, if I am trying everything I can to gain exposure, does it seem like some writer's move more quickly up the ladder of success than me??? Well, fear not! You are not alone. Everyone feels that way...including me...and even those who are, well, up the ladder...

Check out Chris Brogan's post on book promotion (title URL above) and read the comments...and learn from those who have been there...and those who are still trying... Be sure to offer your feedback...because that (in the end) is how we learn...grow...and progress...towards success!!!

~Bobby Ozuna

"Marketing 101"--Turn your book cover into a 3-Dimensional image

Add a 3-dimension look to your book's cover art...

Another way to add more flare to your book's online appearance is to create a 3-dimensional "box" cover. There are various vendors who offer products to produce such a look and they retail anywhere from $24.99 to $99.99 (and up depending upon your desire to create 3-dimensional videos that accompany your books image).  You can also hire a graphic artist to produce your book's 3-dimension look for a nominal fee. Do a Google Search for graphic artists...that's a good starting point... 


*Disclaimer*

It's a great way to promote your book's cover image, but can be cost (in-effective) when considering you may only have one book cover and the cost of such applications do not justify the return for making one image for your single title. Something to think about...

The idea is to create a virtual image of your book that gives your novel a living impression online. Anyone can create a book cover in standard dimensional rates--as they are all over the Internet. But the idea of presentation--and the fact [that] you care enough about your product to go the extra mile--speaks a lot about how much you believe in your finished product.

I have compiled a quick list of vendors and applications below; some I have found along the way.  Again, they are not cheap. I have learned a lot about Adobe Creative Suite these past few years so I was able to compile the images on this blog using what I have learned at home. I think it's a great way to promote your book's cover (front and back) in a manner that sets your work apart from others...

Each of the box shot (application) vendors will require a front, back and spine image to complete. If you created your own book cover, you should have those files on hand and ready to use. You will want to use the highest resolution (quality) you can.  


Read the note below about my new graphic design SERVICE I am offering other independent authors. If you want to see your book cover turned into a 3-Dimensional image, please, continue reading...

*TruBoxShot Cover Editor 
*Insofta Cover Commander
*3D Box Shot Maker
*533 Soft Box Shot Maker

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If you are interested in hiring my services...I can create replica images as the ones I posted for Proud Souls (above)--one front and one back cover image--for as little as $20USD (total). 

Feel free to contact me here: bobby@bobbyozunaonline.com. Be sure to put "3D Box Cover" in the subject line; I will get back to you as quickly as possible to discuss payment arrangements via PayPal if you wish to hire my services.

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Best of luck to you!!!


~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"

"Project PS"--NEW Amazon Review! October 20th, 2008

Reviews are very tough to come by these days....I started out strong...then...things just dwindled away...but that's just part of the game...

I want to thank Jessie O., of Goose Creek, South Carolina for her latest review of "Proud Souls" on Amazon.com. I truly appreciate you taking the time to support my efforts as an independent author!!!

I appreciate it so much when people take it upon themselves to share their thoughts, criticisms and feedback of my work with the Amazon community. I can't stress this enough--if you did NOT like the book--that's just something I have to accept. Not every book or style is good for every style of reader. So, if you did or did not like it, I want to hear about it. I think the readers out there searching for a new book deserve to hear honest feedback, whether it's good for me or not. I have nothing to hide...

So, if you've read the book...take a moment to share your thoughts with others...naturally...it would help me because it gives my work credibility.... Click here to post a review on Amazon now...

If you haven't read it and you are interested in reading the thoughts of others...click here to read more...

"Project PS"--NEW book formats coming soon!!!--October 20th, 2008

I am pleased to announce two new book formats for Proud Souls which I will release before the end of the year!!!

The first format which will be released in November of this year is the eBook version of Proud Souls. This download will be available for under $10USD. I should have released this format long ago, but there were many "particulars" I was not comfortable with in relation to how eBooks are released. I could have chosen from many vendors, such as the (ever-coming) popular Lulu.com, but being I have maintained my independent publishing company "in line" with the corporate giants, I felt it was imperative I released my electronic version with the same options, availability and security offered by the more established book publishers.

Proud Souls on Amazon

The second format to be released this year will be the hardcover. I am going to offer a new cover with this format. I am working on the cover changes now and once I find the right look, feel and image, this book format will be available for the standard retail (hardcover) cost of $24.99USD.

I am also busy working on the initial production stages of creating Proud Souls as an audio book/CD. Knowing how much I hate the sound of my own voice, I am debating whether to allow a guest to read the book in its entirety. Still fumbling around with ideas...

Please stay tuned for more details...

~Bobby Ozuna

"Drawing Stories...With Words"

"Under the spotlight at Melly's Spot"

Recently I was interviewed by the witty, incredible and super talented Melanie Anderson, author of "Racing for the Shore" (Linden Bay Romance, LLC), among several other titles. I have to say it was a very unconventional interview I believe you will find very entertaining. I mean seriously, just imagine an interview with me and the words My Little Pony???

Click the URL above (or click here) to navigate to my latest interview. Don't forget to leave a comment!!!

Click here to subscribe to my blog, "Drawing Stories...With Words" if you haven't done so already to stay current with my latest updates on "The Other Side of Glory", blogging and marketing tips and reader interviews.

~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"

Win a FREE autographed copy of "Proud Souls" this Friday!!!

As everyone should know by now, tomorrow--Friday, October 3rd--is my Podcast interview with Angel Lesa, LIVE and UNSCRIPTED via BlogTalkRadio's, "The Odd Mind."

This will be--by far--my biggest platform. This is my greatest opportunity thus far to reach a new set of fans....a new audience...a greater reader-base...and I am as terrified as I am ready.

One thing I will be doing to help encourage listener support is offering one complimentary autographed copy of my book, Proud Souls to one commenter to my blog. Anyone who posts a comment to my blog--on Friday night--will automatically be included in the drawing and I will announce the winner next week. Be sure to post a comment that links to your email or web address so I can contact you!!!

All preparations have been made, with the exception of one slight change. Angel Lesa will not be able to interview me, as we have a schedule conflict, but her associate--Yvonne Mason--will be hosting the interview at the originally scheduled time, 8~9PM, CST.

Here is the web URL for the podcast interview: BlogTalkRadio--"The Odd Mind"

Be sure to set your reminder and listen in! If anyone knows me, an hour is a long time, but when dealing with Bobby Ozuna, it's just a moment...because I can talk!!!

~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"

 

Buy Now from Amazon.com

"Marketing 101"-- September 24th, 2008

Make it easy for readers to locate your book on Amazon.com with the "Buy from Amazon.com" widget in your Blogger blog.

If you have a book for sale, then you are surely doing all you can to make your book not only available to the public but visible to everyone who stumbles upon your blog. It is imperative that although you work to promote your work and the work of others who helped you get where you are, that you make buying your book as easy as possible for the casual passer-by. And one handy tool available to all authors who have a book to sale, is the "Buy from Amazon.com" widget available via your Amazon Associates program. (See image example below)

*Everyone who has something for sale on Amazon can easily join the Associates program and thereby advertise for Amazon and with Amazon.com.*

BUILD AMAZON WIDGET AND COPY HTML CODE:

To add this widget you simply navigate to Amazon.com and login to your account or simply click the [Join Associates] link at the bottom of the Amazon.com homepage. There you will find a quick and easy one page synopsis and summary of the program and also the link to complete your [online application]. Here you will be promoted to logon using your Amazon.com credentials and once through their secure server logon process you will begin setting up your payment options. These options are intended to help Amazon.com determine where and whom to make checks payable to. See with the Associates program, when you allow Amazon.com to post their widgets (although you can physically post them wherever you choose on your homepage or blog site), Amazon.com will reward you with a % of earnings based on sales generated by links from your websites.

Once you have completed the application process (takes less than the amount of time it takes for you to enter your name, address, & telephone) you will be on your way.  Once in your Associates account generalization page you can then select from a wide range of available Amazon widgets to post on your site (such as the one above which is a direct reference to my book) by selecting the "Build Links/Widgets" link on the left hand sidebar.

The whole process can take less than one hour (depending on how much time you want to spend perfecting the color, size, etc.) and then it's on to the next step: Posting the widget within your Blogger blog. The final step before posting the widget to your blog will be collecting the HTML source code. Amazon.com is so gracious, the developers even put a nice easy [copy] button on the last step. Take that HTML code and paste it into a Wordpad or Notepad document for the next step.

ADD AMAZON.COM WIDGET TO YOUR BLOGGER BLOG TEMPLATE:

Login to your Blogger account and @ the dashboard, select the [layout] option. Once in the layout editing screen, select (where on your blog layout you want the widget) and select (either) ADD PAGE ELEMENT or ADD A GADGET.

*You may need to be upgraded to the latest version of Blogger for these instructions to fit exactly. But keep in mind, you essentially are trying nothing more than to add some HTML/JAVA code as a page element or gadget.*

Navigate to the option that allows for a new HTML/Java SCRIPT option. The window that pops up (blank) is now ready to paste your code from previously--that you should have saved in either Wordpad or Notepad. Paste the code within that window and select Save and you are done.


~Bobby Ozuna
Drawing Stories...With Words

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"Marketing 101"-- September 23rd, 2008

Need a spot on the WWW for a relaxed, unscripted, and casual interview to promote your writing style and stories? Or better yet, are you looking for a place to showcase the BEST aspect of you as the person, as opposed to you as the (busy body professional) writer? Stop by "Melly's Spot" and unwind...

I have made a new friend in Contemporary Romance author--Melanie Anderson. She is the author of such works as "On The Run" and "Born to Run" with her latest release "Racing for the Shore." You can view all her works at her homepage: Author Melanie Anderson

"Melly's Spot"

Melanie's blog--Melly's Spot--is the place where she showcases her writing, her creative side, her humor and also her interviews of other writers. So, if you are interested in an interview, stop by her blog and contact her. Tell her Bobby sent you!!!

You can also find her on MySpace here.... and yes, I do believe that is "My Little Pony" in the background...

Remember, we artist survive, NOT by stepping over one another...but by pushing and pulling one another up the ladder of success...after all...we are not corporate sharks in a suit!

~Bobby Ozuna
Drawing Stories...With Words

"Project PS:"-- September 19th, 2008

Preparing to enter..."The Odd Mind"...

Blog Talk Radio, hosted by Angel Lesa

I am pleased to announce [that] I will be a guest author on Angel Lesa's author podcast show: "The Odd Mind" featured on her Blog Talk Radio show. This interview will be conducted LIVE and completely UNSCRIPTED on Friday, October 3rd from 8~9PM CST.
I am prepared (as Angel Lesa so eloquently warned me...) to answer all things related to my writing style and my writing approach... apart from the size of my underwear!!!

The Odd Mind

You can navigate to her Blog Talk Radio site or directly to her homepage for "The Odd Mind" above using the reference URL's. Be sure to bookmark the URL's and save the date: Friday, October 3rd, 8~9PM, CST. There is a number you can call to ask me questions as well as a chat feature if you wish to remain a bit anonymous.

You can review the list of upcoming author interviews--especially the listing for yours truly--by clicking the microphone image below.

I expect GREAT things to come from this interview, as "The Odd Mind" has over 16,000 listeners!!! This is a wonderful opportunity for me to shine and (more importantly) tell the world about your favorite novel: Proud Souls.


Stay tuned for more details!!!

~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"

"Project PS:"--September 18th, 2008

As a writer...sometimes you just have to listen to your own voice!!!

If there is any part of the "being a writer" process I don't like or care for...it would be the moments I have to read my own work! I don't know what it is...maybe the sound of my own voice or the simple fact [that] I have to read the very words I wrestled with for months to bring to life and agonized to quiet while I tried to sleep? I honestly don't know what it is...

But in the end, like any profession, sometimes you have to do things you don't really care for, whether you like it or not. So, for those of you who missed it the first time around, this is your chance to listen as I read the Prologue and first chapter to "Proud Souls." If you have not made up your mind to purchase the book, perhaps my words or the manner in which I read them (yuck) will sway your decision. If you have, then maybe it's a good time to (a.) read along with me or (b.) send the link to that certain someone who has been bugging you to tell them what "Proud Souls" is all about...because honestly, apart from these two opening chapters... I have never read my own book...but that's another story, isn't it???


Please don't forget to comment...tell me what you think... I know I sound like crap, but don't rub it in!!! I am hoping the printed words on the pages of my novel, will more than speak for themselves...



PS: Remember, you can EASILY subscribe to this blog by clicking the image below (little dude reading the paper...)
I am also available via MySpace and Facebook....so don't be afraid to hit me up...

~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"

"Marketing 101"-- August 25th, 2008

Get out there and "Plug Your Book!!!"

If there was any one written guide I might recommend as a valuable source to help independent authors and publishers with their book promotion, it would have to be Steve Weber's "Plug Your Book--Online Book Marketing for Authors."

I purchased a copy of this book over a year ago, just about the time I "went live" with "Proud Souls" and after all these months and countless reads and re-reads of the same material, there isn't a moment that goes by that I don't say--"I am sure glad I bought this book!"

Steve Weber has been working as an online book dealer since 2000 and has become one of the most successful and highly rated book sellers on eBay and Amazon.com. And in 2007 he released "Plug Your Book" as a means to help authors--both independent & self-published writers as well as those published the traditional route--with effective, planned and Internet-based marketing concepts and strategies all outlined in one bound guide.

Remember, marketing, like writing doesn't have structured written rules that apply to every type of artist in their artistic niche. There are however effective proven guidelines that must be applied in order to be successful, the same as a writer might consider story structure or an artist might consider perception and depth with relation to color. What Mr. Weber has done for us lowly writers out there trying to make a name for ourselves is this: He has provided a baseline for effective book promotion, with a table of content that can be utilized as a "to do" list to help us achieve our goals.

Some of the material covered in this book are effective social networking with sites like Facebook and MySpace, obtaining and gathering book reviews, beginning and maintaining a blog and more importantly, how to get the most from the largest online bookstore in the world: Amazon.com.

Some of the steps may not apply to your particular genre, but 90% of the content within the pages of this book will apply to anyone trying to market their book, regardless of whether its fiction or non-fiction. Like our writing we have to "think outside the box" with relation to our marketing campaigns and often that makes the road towards success an uphill battle. But regardless, that is the path we have chosen as writers. Like Robert Frost said: The Road Less Traveled. But regardless of whether we choose the path of lease resistance or the road less traveled, it is imperative that you have a solid and thorough understanding of what the vast majority of artists like yourselves are doing to market their work. "Plug Your Book" is a definite source of material that will help you understand where you are missing the mark with some steps you may already be applying and introduce you to other concepts you may not have considered.

So, whether you are in the infancy stage of self-publication or have already been racking your brain to market your finished work, I believe "Plug Your Book" can help (at the very least) provide an effective baseline to help you prepare, apply and follow-through with your marketing campaign. I have been working to promote "Proud Souls" for 13-months and I contribute a vast majority of my success to the content within the pages of this book. Had I learned a majority of this information on my own, I would not have come as far as I have with relation to my own novel this quickly.

And as an FYI..."Plug Your Book" is the ONLY book marketing guide I own thus far and for me, it has been just enough to get me where I am and I highly recommend you grab a copy and go!!!

Best of luck to you...and remember...I believe...because you believe!

~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"
www.BobbyOzunaOnline.com