When it comes to tech-savviness, I’m a Ph.D. – Push here, Dummy! So it took sitting through three similar sessions at Book Expo America to begin absorbing the technical aspects of a breakthrough marketing concept called BookGrabbr. The marketing part I grasped immediately since it echoed the concept that launched Book●ed: use personal contacts and endorsements through the internet in ever-widening circles to broaden awareness and interest in new authors and books. What excites me about BookGrabbr is how quickly, widely, inexpensively and relatively easily a book could be promoted.

The online marketing tool allows authors and publishers to give away eBooks or sections of eBooks in exchange for a social share from consumers. The idea is that by offering consumers books by requiring them to post about it on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, they will spread the word about the book with their networks and the books will take off virally. For self-publishing authors, the digital file they create for Print on Demand, eBooks or traditionally printed books can be used with BookGrabbr. Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Worthy, Regnery, Beaufort and Dunham Books are among mainstream publishers test driving BookGrabbr as a new social media marketing tool. An attractive featured benefit of BookGrabbr is the analytics provided to clients, including detailed demographics to help make better marketing and editorial decisions.

BookGrabbr’s library already contains more than 2,000 books, many from well-known authors and of popular titles. A “Grabb” occurs when someone “clicks” to download a book to their own BookGrabbr library. So, if an author’s book is “Grabbd” 500 times, and that author has 250 friends (less than the average number of “friends” the average Facebook user has), the total amount of potential impressions on Facebook would be 125,000.

In addition to Facebook, BookGrabbr supports platforms for Twitter and LinkedIn, further expanding a book’s reach. Each time someone chooses to read all or part of a book for free from the BookGrabbr library, they must make your book available to all of their social media friends. This implied endorsement of a book makes it more likely that “friends” will check it out, too. Books downloaded to a reader’s BookGrabbr library cannot be printed or shared. Availability of a book through BookGrabbr can be chosen for a limited time or ongoing.

Whether an author decides to offer an entire book or just excerpts will likely be determined by the author’s goals: building a “brand” (such as a series), getting people to purchase a printed edition of the book, wanting to build buzz for a book that could lead to sales, speaking engagements, etc. Offering a book through BookGrabbr is a way to get people talking and talking leads to sales. The possibilities are as plentiful as one can imagine.

There are other companies offering some of the services you get from BookGrabbr but it appears that none are as comprehensive or tech-progressive as BookGrabbr. It’s a company worth looking at.

Elephants are big and powerful. You can’t miss them and don’t want to stand in their way. There’s a lot to like about elephants. But there’s a problem with elephants: they can’t tap dance.

Major publishers are like elephants. They make a big splash in the pool of public awareness. They carry the bulk of book promotions and sales. They are noticed wherever they go and if you are an author, you want to be invited to ride them. But they can’t move as quickly and adeptly as competitors in a rapidly changing market.

As the publishing industry is changing to meet reader and author interests, smaller indie and university publishers are gaining on the behemoths of the book world. Even self-publishing is surging ahead in its ability to connect authors and their books with booklovers.

At last month’s Book Expo America, North America’s largest convention for the publishing industry, the biggest booths and the longest lines for author autographs were hosted by the major publishers, whose names you already know. And some giants you’ve never heard of: The largest presence, in booth size and speakers, was China (North America is viewed by China as a major market for publishing services as well as readers of Chinese and Chinese-to-English translations). But the programs discussing what is new or changing in the book world were largely run by indie publishers and self-publishing/marketing services.

Two sentiments frequently heard at BEA: 1) Major publishers put the bulk of their marketing support behind already-well-established authors leaving lesser-known authors to fend for themselves; smaller publishers have smaller marketing budgets but will work harder for emerging authors. 2) There are more choices and opportunities than ever for authors to make their mark in the book world.

Lines are blurring among service providers. For example some book distributors have become book producers with quality that successfully competes with traditional printing. Meanwhile, other distributors are helping authors get into previously inaccessible target markets such as libraries and the military. The internet and social media have opened doors wide for authors to promote their brand and their books where readers are increasingly influenced on buying decisions.

The savviest self-published authors have sold millions of books, matching or surpassing major publishers. The operative word is “savvy” – from good writing to production, distribution and marketing – regardless of who publishes a book, all the pieces of the puzzle must fit together to make a book a success. Authors must be prepared to walk their brainchild (or brainchildren) past the embryonic stage and birth to a long and successful life.

Future Book●ed blog posts will help authors through the process. To see my previous posts with information Authors should know, go to Categories and click For Authors.