The Tip Sheet

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issue of : November 2006

In this Issue

 

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"Every journalist has a novel in him, which is an excellent place for it."

—Russel Lynes

If you've got a great quote you want to share, send it to kohand@plannedtvarts.com. Many thanks!

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PTA's Newest Service Promotes You on the Internet

We are proud to announce our newest initiative, PTA Interactive, our response to the ever evolving ways in which books are bought, sold and promoted. Our online PR program utilizes the Internet's cutting technology to give your book the elevated profile it demands.

We promote your authors and titles by generating online word-of-mouth, securing third party endorsements through social media (media, bloggers, social networkers, readers, experts, reviewers and other authors), and creating original content online - the principal drivers of consumer attention today.

Here's How It Works
Our core digital communications program is intended to generate online word of mouth and drive book sales. PTA Interactive will generate at least 25 placements (guaranteed) over the course of a customized three-month program. We strategically focus on placing your information on other people's influential blogs, online media sites, podcasts and video blogs, as well as the creation of original content for your own blog, social networking pages and author pages. We share links, tags, content and perspective to reach the people most responsible for generating book sales within a community.

PTA Interactive can creates targeted campaigns and stand-alone promotional elements, including:

  • Online Book Tours: teleseminars combined with Internet technology
  • Viral Email Blasts: spreading the word through e-newsletters
  • Podcasts: We develop a series of podcasts with the author and provide distribution and publicity. Pod casts can also be made available through RSS Feeds and online stores such as Audible.com and iTunes.com
  • Viral videos: Build, write, maintain and promote author-related videos for distribution through the Net
  • Author Blogs: Share information and perspectives from an author in advance of the release of the title
  • Web sites and Micro-sites: Create specialty Web sites for authors and titles
  • Virtual Book Readings: Schedule and promote virtual readings in communities such as Second Life

We remove the headache of managing multiple partners, decoding the technology and solving the mystery of what works and what doesn't work in online PR. Our programs helped Consumer Reports become one of the top selling magazines; James Patterson reach #1 on The New York Times Bestseller List; and BN.com, Amazon.com and Audible.com re-shape book selling. We combine decades of book publicity and promotion with some of the deepest digital communications experience developed through companies such as AOL, CompuServe, Microsoft and Prodigy.

CONTACT: Brian Feinblum 212-583-2718 feinblumb@plannedtvarts.com

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PTA'S FREE TELESEMINARS

Upcoming TeleSeminars (Please note the new time):

Remember, our TeleSeminars are free (excluding your call cost). If you missed our last TeleSeminar with Allan Hunkin, who discussed Podcasts or Jerry Simmons or WritersReaders.com you can dial the replay line at 507-726-3837 (Press the # sign after you dial in) to replay them or go to our website at www.plannedtvarts.com to download past TeleSeminars.

  • November 16, 8-9pm EST with Steve Lillo
    Mike Stewart, who founded www.InternetaudioGuy.com He has spent over 20 years composing radio jingles, television scores, and produced music heard all over the world. He has worked with musicians Tommy Roe, Joe South, The Shirelles, Isaac Hayes, Eddie Floyd, and countless others. He will discuss the benefits of owning the right equipment and utilizing it to record yourself to make quality multi-media audio and video products that can be marketed for high profits
  • November 29th, 8-9pm ET with Linda Hollander
    Tom Antion. He is an internationally acclaimed expert in Internet Marketing for small business. He is a full time professional speaker who has been featured on major news media worldwide including the Canadian Broadcast Network, The Australian Broadcast Network, Associated Press, The Tokyo Today Show and hundreds of radio, television and print outlets across the United States. He will inform us of how we can: Sell more books online. Get more hits to our website. Uncover additional products/services to sell via the Internet.

Here's how to participate:
Call 580-474-3600, then press in the code: 222089#.

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SURFIN'

You are doing research for an upcoming book and you need sources to check. Where can you find out if there has been a book ever written about your particular subject? Start your bibliography at the world's largest library - The Library of Congress they are online at http://catalog.loc.gov/ From this portal you can do simple or advanced searches by title, author, subject, publisher etc. While they don't have every book ever published in English they do have more than anyone else.

Now you've completed a book and you were looking for worldwide rights and you just received an email in German, Spanish or even Chinese from a publisher. Just because you speak and read only English shouldn't stop you from trying to communicate. The best free online translation service we have found is http://www.freetranslation.com/ which converts written English into eleven languages and from English, eight languages, among them; Russian, Japanese and French. The service is simple: cut and paste your text into their textbox, press translate, and you get an instant translation. Now it is rather basic, but at least you can get the gist of what is written. For a fee the website will provide an exact literal translation of important documents.

A rest would be great after completing your book and distribution deal, so it's time for a vacation. But since you're not a big hotel or resort sort of person you want to stay at a bed and breakfast (B&B) or charming inn. Short of a recommendation from a friend, a great place to search is http://www.innsite.com/ which lists thousands of B&B's in not only the USA, but Europe, Canada, South America, the Caribbean and all around the world. With an easily searchable database, they have links and great information about thousands of B&B's & inns.

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WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?

Here's a sampling of our latest bookings.

For I Could Have Sung All Night (Billboard Books)by Marni Nixon with Stephen Cole we booked:

  • Entertainment Weekly
  • Cindy Adams
  • The Associated Press
  • Playbill


For A Teachable Faith (The Olive Press) by Jennifer Sands we booked:

  • The 700 Club
  • Hour of Power
  • Aspiring Women (Total Living Network)
  • Coral Ridge Ministries (National TV & Radio)
  • "It's Time for Herman & Sharron" (Christian Television Network)
  • "Janet Parshall's America" (Salem Radio Network)
  • "Strength for Living" (FamilyNet Radio & Sirius Satellite)
  • Midday Connection" - Moody Radio Network
  • HomeLife Magazine - Cover story
  • The Sun (National Magazine

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LOOK WHAT'S COMING UP!!!

These are dates that just might relate to a Morning Drive or Satellite TV Tour topic:

January 2007
1stNew Year's Day
1stEllis Island Immigrant Station in New York formally opened (1892)
1stRose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl
2ndOrange Bowl
3rdSugar Bowl
5th - 8thElvis Presley Birthday Celebration (Graceland)
11thAmelia Earhart Day
15thMartin Luther King Day
16th"Hello Dolly!"" opened on Broadway (1964)
17thBenjamin Franklin's Birthday (1706)
28thSpace Shuttle Challenger exploded (1986)
19th - 29thSundance Film Festival
25th - 27thMillenium Chess Festival (Virginia Beach)

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