November 2009

Earlier this year, a prominent New York Times bestselling author (who was on a panel with a close friend of ours at a day-long event – which is how we came to hear this tidbit) waved their $15,000 speaking engagement fee to appear at the event, on the condition that the organization putting together the event buy a copy of their book for every member of that organization (about 150 folks).

Wow!

You and I may not be authors of that stature just yet, but there are ways to build your audience and brand up to the point where you can command that kind of payday. One of those ways, which has really begun to blossom in 2009, is the virtual book tour.

What’s a Virtual Book Tour?

Readings, signings, Q &A sessions – these are staples of the traditional book tour. Hosted by your local bookstore, often funded by the authors themselves, and rarely promoted by publishers, these event appearances help authors get the word out about their books and (hopefully) create the grass-roots sort of interest that could lead to a tipping-point in popularity. Or, at least, enough sales to justify the publisher investing in the author’s next book idea.

The Virtual Book Tour, on the other hand, lets authors and readers connect from the convenience of homes, offices, cars, park benches, libraries – you name it!

By using teleseminars and webinars to create virtual versions of traditional book tour whistle-stops (and create new kinds of promotional opportunities), authors and readers both benefit from Virtual Books Tours in three very useful ways:

1. Increased reach. The traditional book tour is often limited by travel time, gas costs, and simple logistics to a handful of cities. The Virtual Book Tour, on the other hand, busts through the limits of time, space, and national borders.

Authors can connect with their audience anywhere on Earth, and nterested readers (including potential mavens key to word-of-mouth success) don’t have to hope their favorite author cruises through town in order to enjoy the author in a “live-and-unplugged” kind of arena.

2. Lowered costs. An elite set of authors may have their expenses paid for. The rest of us have to foot our own bills. Rather than shell out thousands of dollars to get on the road (not to mention the opportunity cost of working/writing time lost to travel), the Virtual Book Tour offers authors an opportunity to get the word out in a much more cost-effective way. As for readers and other interested parties, not only don’t you have to drive to a location-based event, you don’t have to pay the (sometimes required) admission fee. What’s more, thanks to the immediacy offered by social media tools, you can find out about a Virtual Book Tour appearance within 15 minutes of the start, and make it with time to spare.

3. Engaged community. Authors all want sales, and what really helps with that is having a set of raving fans who can act as powerful and trusted promoters of your work. You can only engage with a few of these folks, and not very often, in the offline world. Online, however, you can create a much more expansive set of kindred spirits (call ‘em “Kindreds” for short). There, you can connect with your Kindreds in more unique, relationship-building, interactive, collaborative ways. On the flip side, what reader wouldn’t want the chance to have insider access to an author they love? Who wouldn’t be thrilled to take advantage of an invitation to exclusive forums, webinar breakout rooms, and intimate Q&A calls with inspiring authors?

And with the incredible, viral, instant-publishing-savvy social media platforms out there, you don’t have to have a huge machine behind you to get the word out about your virtual appearances, either. You can use the online venues you already have at your disposal, and give your audience the tools to spread the word.

We’ve had the opportunity to see how well this concept works first-hand in 2009, as charter members of the Author Teleseminars Ambassadors Council. Author Teleseminars is the brainchild of Elizabeth Marshall, whom we’ve known for a few years now and finally met in person last year. She’s a marketing powerhouse, a passionate community builder, and a respected writer in her own right (she co-authored The Contrarian Effect with Michael Port, which was selected as one of the Top 10 Business Books of 2008 by the editorial board of Amazon.com). The Ambassadors Council is the advisory board for Author Teleseminars, and it’s attracted some very heavy hitters in the online marketing world.

So, if you’re an author who’s not yet ready to charge $15,000 to groups who want you to speak at their events, and shell out $15,000 to drive across the country in a rented van, give the Virtual Book Tour idea a spin. Besides, it’s not about you – it’s about the audience who wants to connect with you, wherever THEY are.