Review: Great Marketing Advice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 26, 2013
I recently read Staci Stallings' new book, Keys to Creating  A Successful Book Marketing Strategy, and learned so much about terms and definitions I didn't know existed - like landing pages, stacking waves, the Promo Chain, and website wheel.  I knew I was going to get a lot out of this book when I read the Foreword that states authors "are the link in the marketing chain that will make or break your book's success."  Yikes!  Then Staci goes on to say, "It's time to stop panicking and start learning!" and that's exactly what I did.Using the illustration of a Promo Chain, Staci identifies the different types of promotions, giving detailed descriptions of each one in an informative and user-friendly manner.  In the section on Landing Pages, she ushered me from absolute ignorance about marketing a book online into the realm of knowing enough to figure out how to use the strategies she outlines in order to publicize a book, get it into the hands of readers, and begin building an audience.I liked her advice, "Take one step at a time, then take another step in the direction you want to go."  She points out that making mistakes and trying again is okay.  Staci emphasizes that marketing can be done, even though there will be challenges along the way, and sometimes marketing plans don't always go as planned.  She gives authors permission to not take on too much or try to conquer the world in a day - her advice is to market books by taking small baby steps.  She doesn't sugarcoat the process or say it's going to be easy or that success will happen overnight, but through her step-by-step marketing lessons, she gave me permission to look like an idiot and not think any less of myself because of it.  Mistakes will happen and everyone makes them.Stacy is an author's cheerleader, and writes from knowledge gathered over the past decade of her own experience, including both failures and triumphs.  Her personality comes through in her writing, and she makes the marketing process sound fun and not like only a chore.  This book comes completes with website links and screen shots, so have your highlighter ready, `cause you're going to use it!Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.