Success Story - Getting a local appeal

Paige Cummings is one of my authors who has done very well at attracting a local appeal for her book. She has also found that combining her marketing efforts with other self-published authors has made the experience more enjoyable and productive.

In her own words:

I have learned that marketing is critical, and it is a lot more fun when you are doing it with other people. Dac Crossley, another BookSurge author, is a close friend and writing buddy. We, with six other writing buddy pals, created a loose coalition called Southern Scribes. As a group we actively market and promote each other's works. One of our initial successes came at the Comer, Georgia Farmer's Market. Dac and I each sold ten books the first time out, and they have invited us back for any Saturday we wish to come. While there we networked with an individual who is responsible for "unusual" vendors for another (larger) Farmer's Market, and we will be doing booksignings there. We have made it into the newspapers three times so far-- one article on the Southern Scribes, one article on the Harriette Austin Writer's Conference and one photograph of Dac and I each donating a copy of our books to the Madison County Library. >From those three articles, we have been invited to two festivals for book-signings, two libraries for book-signings and to an art gallery for a combination art-show, book-signing and story telling.

My best piece of luck came when an old friend in my hometown (where Under the Liberty Oak is set) read my book while visiting her mother in the hospital. She told her husband, who happens to be an AP columnist-- he emailed about 200 people in his list who like his short stories and essays-- and told them about the book. Said that they might find some of their own pranks in print. And he also contacted the Brunswick, Georgia newspaper-- I am going to be a featured article in the bi-monthly magazine "Coastal Times."

Her and her husband also actively contact independent bookstores, local gift shops, and have taken out ads in free circulations.

You can find Under the Liberty Oak on Amazon.com at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/Under-Liberty-Oak-Paige-Cummings/dp/1419668013/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7613588-2714267?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187622536&sr=8-1

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