Authors and booksellers - Don't overlook video promotion!

         I was cruising Ebay one day and discovered an intriguing book auction with a twist: the seller was not only listing the book but actually showing a video of it as he described it, from front cover to back, including the interior pages as well. It helped that his voice was radio quality, smooth as silk.

         For those of you who think this was just a "gimmick", it worked, got writers and seller to talk about this, getting the seller more "hits" or views (at least 700) and a very good final sales price.  I emailed the seller (more details below)

       Although I'm focusing on the seller, don't discount this as a technique if you are a WRITER, either, as this could work for you, too. Here's why I think the Ebay seller stood out from the legions of other sellers out there:

1. One problem with online sales is that you see a book and the photos can be artificially changed or altered, so that a pale, sunned book can look almost new.

 2. We live in a video age, where people like to get their information quickly. For those who don't like to wade through a detailed description, a short video can fill the gap.

3. More importantly, online sales haven't found a way (yet) to let buyers actually feel the book, hold it in their hands, truly appraise it. Somehow the video seemed a bit closer to seeing the book in person. I'm not sure why, but it sure made ME feel that way.

       I emailed the seller and he was kind enough to tell me how he did it. I then gave a heads up to Steve Weber   at http://weberbooks.com/selling/2007/08/making-videos-to-enhance-your-ebay.html

 and he followed up on this, being the very knowledgable and resourceful guy that he is and a great source of info as well.  Whether you sell or write books, you should subscribe to his newsletter. Better yet, buy one of his books and learn how to promote yourself. He has learned a lot from writing his books about (what else?) selling books, promoting yourself onlilne and plugging your business. His tips work.

           If you read his latest entry, you'll get an update on the video producer as well as options for making your own videos. It could be a cost-effective way to promote your writing and books. Just another way to keep up your learning curve!