CreateSpace Blog Save money in your book marketing efforts

A smart way to encourage influential people to read your book - think bloggers, book club moderators, social media addicts, etc. - is to offer to send them a copy. The cost to you will depend on how aggressive you are in your efforts (I've given away hundreds of books over the years), but here are three ways I've learned to save money:1) Offer to email a digital copy.If you can get a reviewer to read a Mobi or PDF version of you book, great! It won't cost you a penny. Some reviewers refuse to accept electronic files, but it's always worth asking.2) Use the "send as a gift" option on Amazon for a Kindle or print version.If the person you want to read your book will accept a Kindle version but isn't tech savvy enough to manage a Mobi file, offer to purchase a Kindle version of your book through Amazon. The reviewer will receive a link to download it within seconds, and you'll get a royalty on the sale! (The same goes for print versions, which can be a good option if you have Amazon Prime and the free shipping that goes along with it.)3) Request the "book rate" at the post office.I like sending books the old fashioned way because it allows me to include a personalized inscription for the reader, which I think is a nice touch. If you choose this option be sure to request the book rate, which will cut the shipping cost WAY down. The only downside is that to get the book rate you can't use the self-service kiosk and thus have to wait in line, but the money you'll save over time is worth it.What are you waiting for? Get pitching!-MariaMaria Murnane is a paid CreateSpace contributor and the best-selling author of the Waverly Bryson series, Cassidy Lane, Katwalk, and Wait for the Rain. She also provides consulting services on book publishing and marketing. Have questions for Maria? You can find her at www.mariamurnane.com.You may also be interested in...Are you making this marketing mistake?Marketing tip: Stay organized!