Now you'd like to generate online interest for customers with Author Videos? This tactic is essential to a successful promotional strategy!

What: Create a short video promoting both your book and yourself and post it online! The internet provides a growing community of eager readers looking for attractive and exciting literature. Berrett-Koehler created a 2-minute video that lets the viewer know who you are, the inspiration and big idea of the book, why you are uniquely qualified to write the book, why you chose BK as your publisher, and what you think the reader will get out of the book, or the takeaway.  This is a self-contained web-based marketing unit that can live and breathe 24-hours a day on our website, bkconnection.com, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, YouTube, and relevant social networks and online affinity groups.

Two BK author video examples:

VIEW CLIP #1:
Carol Kinsey Goman
Nonverbal Advantage

VIEW CLIP #2
Michael Dulworth
The Connect Effect

Why: 1) Nothing sells your books like a compelling pitch from you to your prospective readers. You can allow the visitors access to many aspects of your book which are effectively delivered in your own words. You may expand on many topics that can create a healthy, desired interest to read further: plot or purpose inspiration, philosophies and perspectives, criticisms, outside contributions and influences, and so on. When potential customers see and hear you, and can feel your passion for your message, they are better equipped to make an informed buying decision in your favor.  2) You need to stay competitive, and so does Berrett- Koehler.  If you search on the New York Times Bestseller list on Amazon.com, you will see that quite a few big books already include a promotional author video.  I predict by the year 2010 this feature will be a table stake, without which you will be at a disadvantage selling your books online versus other authors with similar themes who took the plunge.

How: After creating your video, you can visit a growing number of resources for online video posting.

-Creating your Book-Based Video is largely a product of your creativity. Successful videos range widely--including scripted interviews, expositions on your work's concepts, book auto-reviews and video book trailers using a variety of animation. What must be present in each video should be the exciting and alluring elements which make both you and your book appealing.

-Berrett-Koehler has produced a video production/content template to allow you to make videos at 1/3 to 1/4 the cost of doing it yourself as long as you re-use our standard format. Part of the costs are kept low by grouping 3 to 4 authors together in the same shoot, which amortizes the equipment rental costs. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, we will be scheduling video shoots throughout the year in conjunction with Author Days to include out-of-town authors.  If you are in other cities or towns, we'll send you the production template so that you will only need a local camera person to rent the equipment and shoot the videos according to the standards set forth in the template.  Afterwards, your local video person will send the tapes to me in San Francisco to create the final product.

-You may record your video on a webcam, but the digital video of a camcorder will retain a greater quality and professional appeal.

-Posting to large video data bases like YouTube or Outloud.TV is relatively simple, and only requires a video file and a free registered account. These sites currently accept video files in .wmv, .avi, .mov, .mpeg, or .mp4 formats. If you have a personal website, or a promotional website for your book, your video may be added posted with html directly to your site.

-Further promotion of your video would include URL links of your video on publishing websites, purchasing websites, book review sites and blogs, and social network profiles.

How Much: Depending on the video recording devices, websites, or profiles you already have, costs may range from hundreds of dollars to absolutely free. The total costs for a 6-hour shoot will be between $800 and $1,000.  With four authors, even at the top end, the price per author will be $250.  In some parts of the country where equipment rental or cameraman labor is higher, this price may fluctuate.  If this is still too high, I can show you how to create a budget-oriented video with your PC or laptop using a video cam.  For example, I shot the following BK Community Love Song from the built-in camera on my MacBook Pro, edited it with iMovie, and uploaded it to YouTube—all within three hours. The cost: $0.

Do-it-Yourself YouTube version

If you don't own a computer with a video cam, just borrow a friend's for the day. Purchasing a webcam and microphone will undoubtedly be cheaper than a camcorder, at the sacrifice of quality. Posting on your own website or book-promo website is ideal, but your video's URL can easily be planted in reviews, purchase pages, and profiles.

You can find free reviews and cost reports for camcorders on many sites--here are a few to start with:

(1) Camcorders on Yahoo
(2) Ratings and Info on Camcorders
(3) PC World Price Finder

Here are some sites to peruse for webcam and video software reviews and reports:

-Webcams and microphones
(1) Google C-Net
(2) Nextag Best Webcams

-Video Editing Software
(1) From PC Mag.com
(2) The Best from Videoguys.com

Help: Many sites and publishers offer instructions on creating book video trailers and reviews, some of which are free and others require a subscription fee. We've found a few sites that may help you get started:
(1) Authors on the Net (requires free subscription)
(2) 21-Day Trial Offer for Video Posting from InstantVideoGenerator.com
(3) Questionnaire by Patrice-Anne Rutledge for online book promotion

For more information about how to get started with the BK Author Video program in your area or to try one of the do-it-yourself methods, drop me a line at dmarshall@bkpub.com. David Marshall, BK Digital Community Builder