Customer Reviews

The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform: Leveraging the Internet to Sell More Books

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was not one of my favorites. I did not find it to be particularly well written, nor outlined well. And to make matters worse, I didn't think it was long enough to legitimately be called a real book. The body of the book is only 132 pages long. Then comes a less-than Directory of Resources from pages 133 to 140. And the book ends on page 143. There is an Introduction and 9 chapters as follows:

1. The truth about publishing
2. Web site strategies
3. Setting up your Web site
4. Web site enhancement tools
5. Building your expert status
6. Online marketing strategies
7. Online media opportunities
8. Amazon.com success strategies
9. Final thoughts

Without question this book is just another of a long line of Internet Marketing books on the market today. There is little new between its covers. Ever since early 2006 I have been aware of the author's "Internet Platform" because I read a couple of her books and Googled her name to find all the marketing techniques she had been using to promote herself and her business ventures. Overall, I have been impressed with the author and the self promotion techniques she has employed online. Unfortunately I have not found her to be a particularly good writer. Sorry. She does not focus on a subject well in her books and fully explain it. She tends to get sidetracked. And her editors (if she has them) don't catch her on this.

The title of the instant book provides that this book is an "author's guide" to Internet marketing. But what kind of author are we talking about? Is it an author of fiction, i.e., romance writers, fantasy writers, science fiction writers, chik lit writers, mystery writers, etc? If so, then why was there a need for Chapter 5 regarding "Building an Expert Status?" Is it an author of nonfiction, i.e., business writers, how-to writers, or some other book that needs to be written by an expert? If so, then why didn't the title to the book specify it was about authors who write nonfiction? Or is it not really an author at all, but instead a consultant who does some writing? If so, then why did the title to the book even include the term "author" at all?

The book is clearly an overview of the Internet Marketing tools and techniques the author has used to create her own Online Platform. But is she just an author? Or is she more like Dan S. Kennedy who she profiled in Chapter 4? He says he is first and formost a consultant and he publishes primarily for self-promotion reasons. He says there may be some profit from publishing books, but that is a distant consideration. So having said all this, is the book really one for authors? Or is it one for consultants? I think the latter.

Knowing what I know about Internet Marketing for authors, I was disappointed in the coverage of Amazon.com. I don't think an author should have shopping cart technology embedded in their author Web sites. I say this because authors should seek to maximize sales of their books on Amazon so the books will rank high on Amazon's top sales list ranking. The author should become an affiliate of Amazon and direct sales from their author site to Amazon where Amazon will process the sale. Their author blog or blogs should direct traffic to Amazon for book sales, too. If Amazon processes the sale, then there is no need for the author to have a shopping cart on their site.

I was also disappointed in the coverage of Amazon.com since Chapter 8 did not come close to helping the reader with Amazon as compared to the coverage presented in "Sell Your Book on Amazon" (ISBN: 1432701967). The instant book being reviewed could have re-written the best of that book and included it as Chapter 8. But that is not the case, unfortunately.

If the title were changed so it properly reflected its content, then I would give the book 4 stars! But that would have been a gift because I would have been rounding up my star rating from a 3.6. But since the title is off, and the book is short and not particularly well outlined or written, I am dropping my rating to 3 stars. It's just an OK book. 3 stars!

Every writer has great dreams and aspirations of selling many copies of their published book. Stephanie Chandler gives you the real story about publishers. They can make beautiful well-crafted books but selling those books? That's a key responsibility for the author. THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO BUILDING AN ONLINE PLATFORM gives writers the critical tools to sell their books into the marketplace.

As Chandler writes at the bottom of the first page of Chapter 1: "The reality in the world of publishing is that without marketing, a book simply cannot be successful. And even if you have the biggest publishers on the planet behind you, it is unlikely that they will run your entire marketing campaign for you. You will still be required to do the majority of the work."

Publishers use the word "platform" a great deal and Chandler explains, "The formation of a platform is essential for publishing nonfiction and helpful for writers of fiction. A platform encompasses your ability to reach a broad audience before the book is even released.". . ."Authors of fiction and gift books aren't always required to have a platform first. But if you come to the table with one, your chances of getting published will be dramatically increased. Agents and publishers want authors who can sell books. Once you realize this and figure out how to demonstrate that you can do that, your future in publishing will be bright." (page 6)

In a no nonsense style, Chandler gives you the details to stand apart from the run of the mill book submission or published book author--because you will be motivated and informed to sell more books.

The information in this book is dated. For example, the book recommends that authors create a presence on that new-fangled up-and-coming site called "MySpace." Facebook is mentioned only once, on page 78, in a list of websites you can set up a profile on (the other options on the list include tickle.com, friendster, eCadaemy, and Tribe). Other tips include creating an author website (no kidding? Shazam!) using HTML (hot tip: you can design one yourself, or hire someone to design it!). One tip: create a website at yahoo's Geocities (which no longer exists), and don't forget to submit your site to search engines! Amazon's Kindle had just been announced as the book was going to press.

One particularly frustrating tidbit comes in chapter 1, where the author lists five "puzzle pieces" to success. Puzzle piece number three, which I am not making up, is "Find and Agent or a Publisher." There is less than a page dedicated to that gem. It's like teaching someone how to paint the Sistine Chapel: "Step one: draw two overlapping ovals. Step two: Draw the rest of the @#%&ing Sistine Chapel." I imagine a gullible reader taking notes and going, "Get a publisher? Okay, I'll get right on that! I can fit that in tomorrow morning before steps four and five!"

Other helpful tips: network with the media, other writers, and bloggers. In case you either genuinely didn't know that, or had the intelligence of a stick. You think I'm kidding, until you get to the sales-improving tip on page 39: "You are quite likely losing money if you don't offer a way for website viewers to purchase your books..." Facepalm.

I should write a book: "How to Publish a Best-Seller!" It would be simple: 1) Write a best seller. 2) Sell it!" (And don't forget to put up a Geocities website with some of that HTML)

As an author struggling to establish a presence on the web for my own books Virtually Maria (Virtual Trilogy) and A Matter of TimeI found Stephanie Chandler's book by far and away the most useful to date.

Why is this? Simply because it is full of very practical steps - from website strategies, to building your website and (very importantly) establishing your "expert status" as a "platform" from which to sell your books.

Stephanie Chandler's philosophy is simple - publishers will be far more interested in publishing your book (or your own sales will increase if you are a Print of Demand self publisher) if you are already a known expert in the field of your books, or you have an established presence on the web in the form of a high-traffic site.

This book tells you have to achieve these things in very practical step-by-step terms.

Congratulations to Stephanie Chandler and many thanks, not just from me but from all the POD book producers out there, who were looking for the secret key to promoting their books on line. That lock has just been opened!

Many a novice author often fails to realize that when their book is published the responsibility for publicizing, promoting, marketing, and selling that book is mostly (if not entirely!) going to be on their shoulders. The good news is that the art and science of successfully selling a book in today's volatile and competitive marketplace can be done on as small a budget as $20 for the template of a website or blog. For those who don't know how to accomplish such a feat, book marketing expert Stephanie Chandler has written "The Author's Guide To Building An Onlkine Platform: Leveraging The Internet To Sell More Books", a step-by-step, articulate and practical compendium of instructions and advice. Chapters cover how to go about launching a website or blog; how to determine the target audience for a book; what kind of information will be needed to interest the intended readership of a book; how to optimize a website with search engines; the principles and techniques of publishing a monthly electronic newsletter and building a mailing list; and keeping up the struggle to bring a book to the attention of those most likely to be persuaded to buy it! Simply stated, "The Author's Guide To Building An Online Platform" is an ideal instruction manual that will materially assist any writer seeking to build a long-term career for themselves as published authors.

I bought this book after reading Terry Whalin's very helpful newsletter "The Writing Life" (http://www.right-writing.com/newsletter.html) in which he recommended it.

The book begins by explaining what Ms. Chandler calls "the truth about publishing," - the fact that, for the author, there is more to selling books than just writing them. Production costs are so high that publishers routinely expect authors to make as much effort to promote their books as they can.

Promotion, however, begins long before the book is written. Your website is the best tool you have for marketing yourself; but, as one online contributor put it, promoting yourself on the Internet is similar to planting seeds: the effect of doing both takes time.

Although this may seem self-evident to most people, it is remarkable how little of what is accepted as common knowledge is actually put into practice. Few people really understand search engine optimization, though there are plenty who talk about it, and even fewer who know how to maximize their web presence. This book provides practical advice for how to do both.

I read the book in several short sittings over the course of a week; however, it took as much time to jot down all the things I needed to do to improve my own online marketing plan and to check the numerous websites she mentioned and that also seemed relevant to me. I intend to incorporate many of her suggestions into the maintenance of my web site. I recommend that you buy this book and do the same.

Bruce Hoag, PhD
Co-author of Managing Value-based Organizations: It's Not What You Think (New Horizons in Management Series)

As the self-publisher of my first book, I readily admit I have a great deal to learn. Can't say writing the book was the easy part -- yet, I certainly understand there is MUCH I need to learn to get my book out so people can benefit from the discoveries I have made in my Executive Coaching business.

Twice during the evening I found myself getting up and "checking" a website she recommended. Now I wish I had this book before I published my book. Obviously, I missed a number of opportunities to get some advance publicity.....and let's not even think about how I didn't have the advantage of ALL her information on press releases for the book.

Today I got up bright and early and started implementing ideas she discussed in her book. For starters, you wouldn't believe how many places you can put your profile. Amazing thing is that you are probably already a member; yet haven't taken advantage of the profile on the sites.

I still have a number of things circled that I haven't tried. Though I'm planning on getting up early tomorrow again and implementing some more of her great ideas.

Kathy Condon author of the book "It Doesn't Hurt to Ask: It's all about communication."

This book came highly recommended by Barbara Winter who has a chapter in this book. The book was a perfect match for what I needed as I began to select domain names, creating websites and looking at creating e-books to build my online platform. The author writes as if you are in her presence, coaching you on "how to do" this. The Directory of Resources she has included is a definite plus. A must have purchase for those who are going to create a business utilizing the internet.

Stephanie Chandler has expertly covered a great deal of complex information in a compact book. And while the focus of the book is on book marketing, much of the information would be very helpful for any product or service being marketed on the internet.

Although I have read several similar books recently, Ms. Chandler included info that I had not come across before. My entire copy of her book is marked with little Post-It flags that are "to do" reminders for me. There's also a good directory of resources. -- Phyllis Zimbler Miller

What an excellent source for an author at any step in the process. Publishers are depending on the author to help market the book these days. Stephanie gives some very practical advice about creating a buzz for your book with the Internet. She not only offers suggestions but points you to the specific places where you can go to do just that. She also gives samples of press releases, email newsletters, etc.

This is definitely a book I will keep in my library. I highly recommend this one to any person considering publishing, whether self-publishing or traditional press. A+++