iUniverse.com
iUniverse.com Talks with Debbie Gisonni, Author of Vita's Will
|
| We talk to Debbie Gisonni about turning life's negatives into positives, having a marketing plan, and the way to look at your book as you devise marketing strategies. |
|
|
Q: You have managed to receive a large amount of publicity for Vita's Will in a relatively short time, including articles from the San Francisco Chronicle and Fortune Magazine's On-Line Edition. How were you able to get so many different media outlets interested in your book and how have you harnessed so much great publicity to your advantage?
Before writing Vita's Will, I spent 15 years magazine publishing for the high tech industry in the areas of sales, marketing and management. I had the experience of knowing how to launch products, position them and promote them. Before the book was released, I developed a comprehensive marketing and promotion plan that included such things as a web site, target markets, promotional tools, friends and family strategy, charity alliances, workshop and presentation proposals, news releases, TV/Radio producer letters, sample articles for magazines, budgets and timeline. I worked with a professional media strategist to solidify all of my media angles/pitches and once the book was released, I hired a publicist to help me implement the plan. My first mail campaign was a three-tier approach to over 600 media people. It included a teaser mail piece, which was a simulated Last Will & Testament. This was followed by a postcard, which was then followed by a full press kit and book.
Editors and producers have been very receptive to a very well prepared and packaged press kit and follow up.
Q: You have a website, reallifelessons.com, dedicated to promoting not only Vita's Will, but also your organization, Real Life Lessons. How important has online marketing been to your publicity efforts so far? What role will it play in the future?
Extremely important. Coming from a high tech background, I can't imagine being in business without a web site. My web site has been most useful as a tool that's used by the media or by readers after an initial contact has been made either through a press kit, phone call or interview. For the media, all of my press materials including show and article ideas can be downloaded, which makes their job easier. For the readers, information about me, my background, my schedule, how to contact me or how to purchase the book is easily accessible. Since most TV interviews are fairly short and magazine articles can only fit so much information, the web site provides a place where TV viewers or readers can go to for more information.
As Vita's Will and Real Life Lessons gain momentum, more people will be using the site as a resource in the future. One of the areas that I just started to build is "your stories" where I invite readers to share their own true stories and real life lessons. As more stories are added, this will become a place where people can go to learn about other people's triumphs and to help them overcome their own challenges in life.
Having the web site is also invaluable to me as an author because it allows me to connect with the readers, one on one. They tell me their stories and give me feedback on the book. Many have put their own reviews of the book on my site.
Q: How were you able to turn your own personal tragedies into something that, by all accounts, is so uplifting and positive for your readers?
I've always been a positive person by nature and felt that everything that happens in my life, happens for a reason. I certainly would not have asked to have lost four family members in four years, but I did. We're all dealt a unique set of cards in life and how we play them is up to us. I prefer to find the silver linings in every cloud. What I realized when I began writing the story is that I had learned a heck of a lot of lessons about life by going through that experience that could help millions of other people with their own life challenges. By telling my story, offering advice and articulating the succinct lessons, I knew I could touch people in a profound way. When a reader tells me that I've given her a new perspective on life or have helped her through a challenge, I feel that those tragedies where not for nothing.
Follow up: You've gotten so much positive response from your readers, that some are even sharing there own stories and life lessons with you. Has there been one that touched you more than the rest?
All the stories are both heartbreaking and heartwarming. One that comes to mind has to do with suicide, since my sister's suicide was the most difficult to deal with. A woman wrote to me and told me that she knew exactly how my sister felt because she had attempted suicide herself at about the same age (early 20s) but was unsuccessful. She was left paralyzed from the waist down and now uses her life to help others. She was thankful for having lived even in her disabled condition because she realized afterwards what a terrible mistake it would have been and how it would've hurt her family and friends. She wrote to me, not only to tell her story, but after reading my book and knowing the personal torment I went through in dealing with my sister's death, she wanted to make sure I knew that my sister never wanted to intentionally hurt anyone.
Q: So, what's next? Do you think it would be possible to do a sequel to Vita's Will? Or, do you think your writing will take a new direction in the future?
I have already developed a business plan for a series of books under the Real Life Lessons banner. Although the topics will vary, from the serious to the trivial, the mission will not. Each book will help people implement change or manage change or loss in their life; whether at home or at work.
In addition, I'm working on magazine/newspaper articles, workshops, presentations and TV proposals under the Real Life Lessons mission. I think Vita's Will would make a great movie!
Q: Has Vita's Will met your expectations of success so far?
Yes, in the short time since distribution has been available, the book has been in the top 3% and 1% sales rankings on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Since there is no bookstore visibility, I can only attribute this to my promotional efforts and readers' word of mouth. Before that, in the first few weeks after publication, when the book was not yet available via major distributors, it was the number one best seller on iUnverse.com's site.
The readers' comments are my other measurement of success. After working on writing the book for over a year, I couldn't be objective as to whether or not it would reach people in the way I intended it to. Thankfully, the readers' response has been so positive. When people hear about the book, they tell me they "need" it. Then after reading it, they want to buy it for all their friends and family. That's a great feeling for me as the author.
Q: What is the most important advice you can give to other authors on how to be successful in this new world of publishing?
Think of yourself as a brand and your book as a product under that brand. If you don't know anything about business and how to market a product, take a class or get some advice from someone who does know. Always take every opportunity to talk to anyone about your product and your brand. You never know which conversation will lead you to that one big break!
April 2, 2001 |
