tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post7559268564013874227..comments2024-03-24T16:50:00.727-05:00Comments on Maria Zannini blogspot: Promotions That Sizzled and FizzledUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-42144802057147204152013-11-09T13:43:12.986-06:002013-11-09T13:43:12.986-06:00Linda: I've been saying this for years.
In a...Linda: I've been saying this for years. <br /><br />In a good blog tour two things should happen. The host blogger should introduce the guest to NEW people. And the guest blogger should bring along HIS or HER followers over to the host blog. This is how networks expand.<br /><br />In a really successful blog tour you'll be saying such clever and entertaining things that other people will also tweet and share your post.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-40843951622249560952013-11-08T16:36:02.659-06:002013-11-08T16:36:02.659-06:00Too often a promotion/blog tour/cover reveal seems...Too often a promotion/blog tour/cover reveal seems to be limited to the same circle of blog friends so it's the same people visiting and commenting on the same promo. LD Mastersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01202135756299574972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-67594693267622787562013-11-06T05:45:47.621-06:002013-11-06T05:45:47.621-06:00Rebekah: Agreed. To me, it's a small token to ...Rebekah: Agreed. To me, it's a small token to offer the book to people willing to host you. And it's a nice gesture to show appreciation.<br /><br />For me, pie works too. :)<br /><br />Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-10865230196675691492013-11-05T19:40:34.421-06:002013-11-05T19:40:34.421-06:00An author not offering a free book ahead of a blog...An author not offering a free book ahead of a blog tour hasn't happened to me often. But a couple of times, I've seen a blog tour I was interested in, and instead of a saying somewhere to ask for a free review copy, they've specifically said that the book is available for purchase at such-and-such link. I usually just close the window at that point.<br /><br />I personally couldn't imagine asking for reviews and publicity on other blogs, and then say the hosts have to purchase the book. It is definitely a gratitude thing.Rebekah Loperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09910220361720811916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-51857049049127874912013-11-05T15:59:16.426-06:002013-11-05T15:59:16.426-06:00Rebecca: It never occurred to me to ask for a copy...Rebecca: It never occurred to me to ask for a copy of their book. I give mine away to anyone who hosts me, but I'd never to think to ask for a copy if I was hosting someone else. But that makes perfect sense. <br /><br />If nothing else, it shows a sense of gratitude.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-89713728284825239662013-11-05T15:57:38.273-06:002013-11-05T15:57:38.273-06:00Karen: I think it's a testament to your bloggi...Karen: I think it's a testament to your blogging abilities to be asked as a guest blogger. :)Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-28897650629665445572013-11-05T15:56:48.280-06:002013-11-05T15:56:48.280-06:00Raelyn: What I find surprising is that the people ...Raelyn: What I find surprising is that the people who are most annoying intimate that their books are doing fabulously well. <br /><br />Either they're lying or their mind-control spiel must be working on lots of people. Apparently, I'm immune to mind control. :)Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-16741036279742413212013-11-05T15:42:09.946-06:002013-11-05T15:42:09.946-06:00I've found myself more and more jaded to a lot...I've found myself more and more jaded to a lot of the promo events that happen on blogging and social media. I understand the purpose for them, and sometimes they can be effective, but they have to be interesting.<br /><br />My new policy is that I don't do any promos for people I don't know, or for genres I don't take a regular interest in.<br /><br />I... find cover reveals a bit annoying, especially. I will only do them for people I know, and where I've read their work (whether it's in the same series or not).<br /><br />Blog tours can be fun if, like you said, there's fresh, original content at each one. Sadly, I must admit to being one of the people who frequently ends up being just another review/promo post because of time constraints, so I've found myself not signing up to be a tour stop lately.<br /><br />And I won't do a blog tour for someone who won't give me a free (digital) copy of the book to read ahead of time. I won't recommend something blindly.<br /><br />I like the idea of book signings, but not necessarily as a purely promotional event. They seem more like a connection thing, where it will draw more of the people who are already fans, vs. new ones.Rebekah Loperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09910220361720811916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-1704083426876405572013-11-05T09:43:13.850-06:002013-11-05T09:43:13.850-06:00I'm with you about signings. I don't do th...I'm with you about signings. I don't do them, nor speaking events either. I'm just not good at personal interactions so why go to all the trouble to set things up when it's not my strength? Also agree with you about blog tours. I want to get some great blurbs from book blog reviewers but as far as blitzing and guest posting? Nah, really don't see it for book promotion. Although I often get asked to do guest posts for other reasons and I will nearly always agree. Karen Jones Gowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11378428503220197256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-22391031707561197112013-11-05T07:30:42.946-06:002013-11-05T07:30:42.946-06:00I'm not a promo person. Reading/hearing it gen...I'm not a promo person. Reading/hearing it generally bores me. Most of my comments on blog tours are to support the person I know (the blogger where the stop is or the author on tour). I do enjoy seeing cover reveals but like you mentioned Maria, how many times can you say, "nice cover."<br /><br />I'm not to the point where this is a factor for me. So I'm just going to soak up all this advice :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-7599514241849874182013-11-04T17:01:00.077-06:002013-11-04T17:01:00.077-06:00Jenny: LOL! I want to live in YOUR land.
The bes...Jenny: LOL! I want to live in YOUR land. <br /><br />The best advice I ever got from Angela James was to build my back list.<br /><br />My way of gaining visibility is slow and methodical, but I'd like to think in the long run it'll have staying power. Five years from now I want people to say, oh, that Maria. She's been around forever so she must be good. :o)Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-26672402366999610782013-11-04T16:57:57.194-06:002013-11-04T16:57:57.194-06:00Darke: I've noticed there aren't as many p...Darke: I've noticed there aren't as many people commenting on promo blitzes anymore either. Definitely deaf ears.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-41316434414834445732013-11-04T16:56:28.145-06:002013-11-04T16:56:28.145-06:00Sarah: As a cover designer I'm interested in c...Sarah: As a cover designer I'm interested in cover reveals, but there's only so many times you can say, "nice cover". And then what if it's a rotten cover? I'd schlep away silently.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-27352550538006379502013-11-04T16:55:07.937-06:002013-11-04T16:55:07.937-06:00Susan: If I could afford it, I'd hire a beauti...Susan: If I could afford it, I'd hire a beautiful woman to pretend she was me so I'd never have to go out in public. LOL!Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-65357235851655027362013-11-04T16:54:01.151-06:002013-11-04T16:54:01.151-06:00Barbara: Yes! I love conferences, but the bite on ...Barbara: Yes! I love conferences, but the bite on my wallet usually keeps me from participating as often.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-15217098477270799512013-11-04T16:53:07.562-06:002013-11-04T16:53:07.562-06:00Stacy: Events overwhelm me. If it weren't for ...Stacy: Events overwhelm me. If it weren't for the fact I buddied up with someone else, I'm not sure I'd do it. It's a lot of responsibility to entertain a lot of people.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-63136795175042019112013-11-04T16:51:37.803-06:002013-11-04T16:51:37.803-06:00Mac: At least you're being visible in the thin...Mac: At least you're being visible in the things you love to do. I think one reason people get jaded is that they do stuff they just don't enjoy. It becomes a chore. Readers can sense when an author phones it in.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-51019613191052929202013-11-04T16:50:46.027-06:002013-11-04T16:50:46.027-06:00Breaking through the static is really difficult. Y...Breaking through the static is really difficult. Your book tour was amazing, Maria. Best I've seen. Since I don't aspire to those giddy heights of being amusing and original anywhere, I've stepped away from guest blogging on the whole. There is a definite downside to that though. NO ONE found my last release. <br /><br />I'm going with the thought that building a backlist, actually writing more books, will work best longer term. Then the one book that finally hooks readers' attention will send them scrambling to buy them all.<br /><br />And yes, in my land of hope and candy, the candy is calorie-free!<br /><br />Jenny Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00320451924849353120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-90090022747836688232013-11-04T16:49:52.173-06:002013-11-04T16:49:52.173-06:00Renee: That's my modus operandi too. I try to ...Renee: That's my modus operandi too. I try to stay visible--through blogging, commenting, popping in on FB from time to time. Not enough to be a nuisance but enough to show that I'm a live person who's interested in others.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-9378195880341918362013-11-04T16:47:06.445-06:002013-11-04T16:47:06.445-06:00Anne: Promotion is a funny beast. It does work to ...Anne: Promotion is a funny beast. It does work to a point, but a lot of it has to do with the people who share and distribute your news. It requires not just word of mouth but it has to come from mouths who naturally influence others. That's the tricky part.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-62834458783690000342013-11-04T16:46:47.551-06:002013-11-04T16:46:47.551-06:00I rarely, rarely promote my books on social media....I rarely, rarely promote my books on social media. Only when they're about to be published and about a week after they are. I use some promo sites every four to six months, but that's about it. I think the LESS you push your books, the more special your promotions become when you do them. <br /><br />I think the constant bombardment of self-promotion has fallen on deaf ears. I help out when I can, signal boosts and all, but if it's a constant promo, I back off. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849835587452669592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-4947431328047940802013-11-04T15:19:19.672-06:002013-11-04T15:19:19.672-06:00Yeah i'm not as excited about book cover revea...Yeah i'm not as excited about book cover reveals anymore, just because it seems like they're everywhere. Unless i know you. Then i'm all over itSarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-14347943618772894852013-11-04T14:11:04.531-06:002013-11-04T14:11:04.531-06:00I like book signings but there are fewer and fewer...I like book signings but there are fewer and fewer venues for those. I really don't like blog tours and only tried one once. I have enough trouble keeping up with two blogs. If I could afford it, I would pay someone to do my promotion for me.Susan Gourley/Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02669793865290876168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-25197139133942735282013-11-04T12:51:20.513-06:002013-11-04T12:51:20.513-06:00I like going to conferences as long as I don't...I like going to conferences as long as I don't have to shell out too much moolah to get there. I like doing guest blogs, but you're right in that there can be too much too fast. People's interest wanes pretty quickly.Barbara Ann Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01751427987081847906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-79149163873224613602013-11-04T12:02:36.274-06:002013-11-04T12:02:36.274-06:00I think doing events with others is probably the b...I think doing events with others is probably the best. You get people looking at you who wouldn't normally see you. And I'll be doing that big book signing at RT. I don't expect much, but I've already got some new friends who are excited for me, so maybe some good will come of it. Who knows?<br /><br />I'm not a fan of blog tours, especially when the author or blogger isn't even interacting with the audience. It's just posted up there and nothing else. I'd like to know if the blogger has read it or if they WANT to read it, otherwise, it's just an ad and I'll ignore it.Stacy McKitrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07898731847653710759noreply@blogger.com