| Whoever coined the phrase, "You get what you pay | | | | your website. Visitors to your website can click the |
| for", was not an author. There are countless free | | | | small thumbnail picture of your marketing material and |
| tools available on the Internet that can help you sell | | | | be taken to the full sized version. I would |
| more books than you ever thought possible. Below | | | | recommend adding audio to your marketing material |
| are a few of my favorite free tools for authors. | | | | pieces. You can read the text contained in the |
| Google Talk | | | | marketing material or give a short audio introduction |
| Google talk is an instant messenger service with | | | | about the marketing material they are about to read. |
| some nice features. As an author you should have a | | | | This will give your marketing material a high-tech feel. |
| website. Wouldn't it be nice to communicate with | | | | You may also want to use Issuu as an option to sell |
| potential customers in real time via the Internet | | | | e-books. Issuu gives you the ability to upload your |
| whenever they had a question about your book? | | | | publication and set the link as private. Setting the link |
| Well now you can, for free! Google Talk has a nice | | | | as private means that no one can find the link |
| feature called Google Chatback. Google Chatback | | | | without knowing the exact web address at which |
| allows visitors to your website to see if you are | | | | the publication is stored. Only you know that web |
| online and available to chat. | | | | address. |
| Whenever I open the program Google Talk on my | | | | TIP: Setting a document to private only allows you |
| computer, my status automatically changes to | | | | to keep the web address private. If you use this |
| "available". Whenever I close Google Talk on my | | | | service as an e-book option, please be aware that |
| computer, my status automatically changes to | | | | users can still download, and even embed this private |
| "unavailable". Now, any visitor to my website can click | | | | document in their website,. |
| on that box when I am available and connect with | | | | Issuu does offer premium services, but for authors, |
| me instantly. I will get a message on my screen | | | | the free version of Issuu is adequate. |
| through Google Talk informing me that someone | | | | Screen Recording Software |
| wants to talk with me through Google Chatback. | | | | Your book should be a gateway to more sales. Many |
| Almost instantly, I am connected to that web visitor | | | | times a single book sale will convert into 3 more sales |
| who proceeds with a question about my book. Many | | | | through your website. If your book lends itself to this |
| times, the question will not be about the book, but it | | | | type of follow up sale, check out Camstudio.org and |
| will be about the subject matter of the book. These | | | | Both offer a free program that allows you to record |
| questions are essentially gateways to a future book | | | | your every movement on your desktop. This |
| purchase. At this point, I answer their question and | | | | recording can then be transferred to a video format, |
| then offer the web visitor a small coupon code -see | | | | where you can then post it anywhere on the |
| the coupon codes section of this chapter. By this | | | | Internet or your website for free or paid viewing. Tip |
| time, they are so impressed that their question was | | | | Cam is a more feature rich program but a bit more |
| answered by the author and they have a coupon | | | | difficult to use than Cam Studio. |
| code, that they will order the book. Google Chatback | | | | OoVoo |
| is a wonderful way to instantly be available to any | | | | adds a human experience to online interaction. With |
| web visitor. | | | | OoVoo, you can experience free video conferencing |
| Issuu is a free, user-friendly website with a few, | | | | with an easy to download and install software |
| handy applications for authors. First, if you have any | | | | program. All you need is the OoVoo software and a |
| kind of marketing material from a brochure to a | | | | couple buddies with a webcam and you can all |
| catalog to a presentation, they can be uploaded to | | | | connect live, via video, on one screen. The free |
| Issuu and viewed in full color in flip-book format. This | | | | version allows three people to connect at once. If |
| is a great way to save on printing and mailing costs. | | | | you want more than three, a paid version is available. |
| Instead of printing and mailing expensive marketing | | | | As an author, OoVoo can be used to connect live |
| materials, upload your marketing material to Issuu. | | | | with customers on your website. Go to and follow |
| Now readers can view your documents in full color | | | | the instructions to add the "Call Me button" to your |
| and turn the pages as if they were holding and | | | | website. You can even add it to your e-mail signature. |
| flipping through the pages in their hand. Readers can | | | | Once a contact sees this Call Me button, they simply |
| even zoom in or out on a particular section of the | | | | click the button and will connect to you live via |
| marketing material. | | | | streaming video. This software easily puts your face |
| Once you have uploaded your marketing material to | | | | directly in front of customers. |
| Issuu you can create a thumbnail view to put on | | | | |