Book Marketing Tip #35 – Create a presentation and upload it to SlideShare.net

NOTE:  In January 2018, an updated and expanded edition of The Smashwords Book Marketing Guide was released, offering 65 book marketing ideas and new "Deep Dives" sections exploring social media strategy, how to work with beta readers, and how to earn free press coverage. 

To download the new Smashwords Book Marketing Guide for free, here are the coordinates:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Kobo
Smashwords

The new 2018 edition of The Smashwords Book Marketing Guide is also available as a serialized podcast on the SMART AUTHOR podcast, starting with Episode 10.

Click here to access all SMART AUTHOR podcast episodes.






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The information that follows on this page is from the 2013 edition of the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide, which will remain here for historical purposes only.


Book Marketing Tip #35 – Create a presentation and upload it to SlideShare.net

Consider creating a SlideShare Deck for your Book.  I LOVE Slideshare.  Slideshare is a free service, owned by LinkedIn, which allows you to upload and promote online presentations created with PowerPoint or similar presentation software programs.  I started using Slideshare three ago to publicly share the PowerPoints from the workshops I do at writers conferences, and to date my 24 presentations have had over 200,000 views.  I've also used them occasionally for PowerPoints created for the sole purpose of sharing on SlideShare and to embed in the Smashwords Blog.  You can access the complete library of my Smashwords presentations on the Smashwords SlideShare page at http://slideshare.net/smashwords/presentations.  One of the cool things about Slideshare is that not only does the site itself get a fair amount of traffic, its cool embed feature allows your friends and fans to embed your presentation on their websites and blogs (much in the same way people can embed YouTube videos).  Here’s what an embedded presentation looks like:  http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/04/can-ebook-data-reveal-new-viral.html 

How authors can use Slideshare:  Do a PowerPoint book trailer for your book, upload it to Slideshare, then embed it in your blog or website, promote it across your social networks, and encourage your fans to embed it in their blogs and websites too.  You can even embed YouTube Videos in your Slideshare Presentation, as I did in my "Upon the Gears" presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/upon-the-gears-of-big-publishing-asja-may-15-berkeley-ca which included a video of Mario Savio, a leader of the free speech movement at UC Berkeley in the '60s.  Or, imagine you're doing a presentation at your local library about you and your books, then create that presentation and put it up.  At the end of each of my presentations, I add hyperlinks to where viewers can learn more about Smashwords, or connect with me via the various social networks, or email me direct.  Obviously, I'm out there promoting ebooks, ebook education and Smashwords.  You can promote yourself and your books.  Or, share what you've learned about e-publishing and share it with your fellow writers.  Maybe create a presentation on ebook formatting tips, or how to design a great cover, or share your own ebook marketing tips.  The point is, just get yourself out there in as many places as possible. Ebook buyers (or whomever you want to reach or help) consume all forms of media.  These SlideShare presentations are just another form of media.  Once you get your presentation up and out there, it's a perpetual calling card, waiting to be stumbled upon by someone looking to consume the information you presented.  Over time, you may get dozens, hundreds, maybe even thousands of views (Slideshare tracks the views for you) depending on the quality of your content and how well you promote it (Hmmm, just like ebooks!).