Book Trailers and Teasers - Made To Sell by BTP

Okay, you've got a killer book (at least you think it's killer) a great hook, and a hot idea for a book teaser. So how do you get your book teaser from concept to production without all the hassle?

Let's face it, getting anything done right is a lot of work plus plenty of headaches and worries that go along with it. Not to mention all the expenses. As an author, you have more important things to worry about and managing the production of your book trailer shouldn't be one of them.




What Makes Your Book Tick?

With Starship Book Videos you can "drop off" your big, book teaser idea and see it live usually within 2 weeks. No worries, no hassles, no huge expense, and best of all, you won't need to micro-manage the project because we specialize in book teasers and we know what's good for you and your book.

In most cases we stick to your concept and simply enhance it to maximize its sales potential. That's what it's all about, after all. You didn't work this hard just to entertain people. Which begs the question: What really makes your book and your book trailer sell?

Strange question, I know, but why do readers buy your books? I could be giving away a trade secret, but not really because we all know this. The difference is I'm willing to write about it. I'm talking about the metaphor your story represents.

In short, you write stories because you have something important that you'd like to share with the rest of the world. You want to make a point and you want that point to resonate with readers.

Well, that's how we approach your book trailer. We focus on that one metaphor, or the juicy hook you opened your story with, and we showcase that. That's what sells your story. That's the point of the book and without that point in sharp focus, you have no position in the marketplace.

I'll just leave it at that because it's getting a little technical and that's all the boring stuff nobody wants to hear. Fact is, all that boring stuff no one ever talks about is what makes your trailer effective.

Let's just say, it's a lot like the secret ingredients a chef might use for a great recipe. Everyone knows a favorite dish is really good, but no one really knows why.

For more details: starshipgrafix@outlook.com

New Book Teasers, Special Effects, and more

I've posted several new Book Teasers on the right column. One (Dawn of Ages) is based on an interesting Sci-Fi story and the other (Then Like The Blind Man) tells about a young boy's turbulent times with his troubled stepfather. Two good books worth checking out.

The book about the boy is deftly narrated by its author, Freddie Owens, but if you're ever in the market for good Voiceover talent, check out VoiceJungle.com. Their site is easy to use and they offer fair prices.

I've got another trailer coming up, actually a series of 5 trailers I'm working on so I've been busy with those. I'll post some of those here later to give you a sense of more approaches for what your own trailers might include by way of special effects.

As you know, I use special effects sparingly and focus on your story and weave a snapshot of its metaphor in your trailer. That's the juicy part without giving away crucial events. It is a tease, after all. Check them out.

You might have noticed my new logo for Starship Grafix. This is still part of Book Teasers Pub(licity) or vice versa since it's an expansion of graphic design services and not just book trailers. Now all I need is more than 24 hours a day to make it all work. Actually 24 hours are plenty as long as I sleep only 4 and "work" the 20.

Hey, it beats giving someone else 8 to 12 hours of your day for measly benefits and long commutes.

Okay folks ...I'm due for a nap.

Can Your Book Teaser Do This?

Book Teasers are now considered an integral part of book promotion, but like many things, they didn't start out that way. The beginnings of book trailers goes back to 2002 when COS Productions (Circle of Seven) started it all. It’s taken about ten years for everyone else to catch up, but slowly, others have seen the importance of book promotion through video and have added their own flavor to this relatively new marketing medium.

The success of book teasers should come as no surprise. It’s obvious that photos and video are far more effective than mere words on a page for conveying messages. People retain more information when they can see it and hear it, plus, it’s more entertaining than just reading. (Does the cliché, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” ring a bell?) In fact, advertisers know that images should always come before words in their ads, therefore they often place photos above headlines, knowing that prospects are first drawn to the imagery. This is not scientific, folks.

Everyone, except for the amazingly lucky Mark Zuckerberg (Founder of Facebook, who seems to have just discovered this.) knows that imagery is more powerful than printed words. But let’s give this entrepreneurial guy a break, he’s only 26 and still has much to learn. Let’s not forget, he has not built Facebook singlehandedly. My advice to Zuckerberg is to trust his (business) instincts a lot more. It’s hard to believe that he employs 500 software engineers. Does that even make sense? He needs to find a few good ones and send the remaining 498 to the unemployment line, which might raise the national unemployment average to 10%, but who really cares?

Excuse my digression, Zuckerberg’s Facebook is an entirely different topic, but it’s his young, unchecked zeal that grates. I really think that Facebook is practically useless to humanity and only serves Zuckerberg and his corporation for the most part. LinkedIn is so much more useful and purposeful, but what do I know, I guess the world needs Facebook. (teenagers at least) Oh, where is the love? Hey, the guy’s personally worth 7 billion dollars. Why should I have any mercy on him?

He’s not about to buy me out any time soon. (Damn those lucky Winklevoss twins who sued him for theft of Facebook and were awarded and paid 65 million dollars for nothing, and they’re still bitching about it. Something tells me I should believe Zuckerberg, and I do. But why pay out so much money unless there was proof of theft? Hard to say, but something smells rotten here and if that’s the case, the twins are effectively out of a 50 billion dollar corporation. I think they should tuck their tails between their twin legs, lick their wounds and shut the fuck up!

Okay, let me take a deep breath now. I’m in a happy place…the waves are crashing, gently taking my body afloat and drifting me away into the unknown…a place… uh, never mind. Where was I?

Oh, book teasers, of course. How could I possibly have gone into a rant about Facebook? Believe me, that’s easy for me these days, but back to the exciting world of book promotion. (timpani here) Hey, you do want to hear about my amazing book teasers don’t you, and what they can do for your books, right? Just nod in agreement and we’ll move on. You know how Vets get flashbacks about war, well I get flashbacks about things like Facebook. I’m harmless, don’t be frightened. Honestly, if you haven’t gone crazy by the time you’re 50, you haven’t lived through any hardships. It’s around that time when life is nothing but a re-run and this time you’re desperately trying to get it right for a change.

O…kay…

Hang in there, this about to get interesting. Listen, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s this: We’re all more alike than we think, even in our shades of white and brown. We’re all human and we all bleed red blood, (unless you’re a Vulcan, then your blood is green) and we all hurt the same way. Did you know that God created all men to be filthy, scheming, wretched animals and He created all women as fantasy-driven egotists who can turn asexual on the spot and can never get enough of men’s money? Well, no God created men and women in his image, but somewhere along the line, that all got FUBAR. (Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition)

Okay, let’s get started for the love of God. Let me ease you back into my wonderful world of book promotions via book teasers and what they can do for you and your books. Come on folks, this is not rocket science. Video…good, words…bad. You get the idea. Some people loved the movie more than the book, while others swear the book was far more detailed. No kidding, a screenplay is only 120 pages long compared to a novel which can go on for hundreds of pages more, which in that case it can be a mini series. Point is, video, moving photos and music sell, and let me say that I’ve always loved the movie more than the book. Besides you can get through it in a couple of hours. Then again, novels have their place and are far more detailed and include many things (often boring things) that movies don’t.

Which brings me to my main point. Just because you’ve written a long novel, doesn’t mean you have to produce a lengthy trailer. Book teasers are a lot like writing a logline for a movie, as far as content goes. You can’t possibly fit everything your movie, novel or book is about into a 30 second or minute and a half teaser. That’s why they call them teasers. All they are supposed to do is tease you, intrigue you and excite you enough for you to want to buy the book. Nothing else. They are not miniature movies, they are marketing and promotional messages, and their function, their aim is threefold. Teasers must entertain you, they must excite you, and they must motivate you to take action. Anything else is unacceptable and useless as a sales tool.

The biggest mistake most trailers make is that they try to tell too much of the story and often give away the all-important intrigue and curiosity they’re trying to convey in the first place. Let’s face it, why would anyone want to see a movie or read a book they already know everything about? Remember this: if your book teaser does not have a sense of mystery about your story or does not convey curiosity, it will not work as a sales tool. In fact, trailers that tell too much, or go on too long will bore the viewer and turn them away.

This is where great copywriting comes in. Writing, you say? Uh, yeah, you still need a concept, a hook and amazing words to go with all those fabulous images you’re flashing around. Either spoken or in print form, or both, they must boost and tie-in your mages in a cohesive and interesting way in order to succeed. Again, most trailers don’t have this going for them. They are nothing more than a bunch of pretty pictures and lame music to go with it.

But it takes so much more than that. The right soundtrack and sound effects are crucial to the success of you teaser. If you want viewers, prospects, and reading enthusiasts to buy your book, you must give them a good reason to want to buy it. Established authors benefit from teasers because their built-in fan base already knows or expects these authors to entertain them with their story since they’ve already had a great reading experience with previous books. But where does that leave unknown authors? Glad you asked, because unknown, unproven writers have the advantage of offering something new and different. A totally new experience that readers are always on the lookout for. So in many ways, new authors have plenty to gain with the right book teaser promoting their books.

Everything is about story and curiosity. Your book teaser must reveal your story’s premise with a good amount of curiosity in an interesting way. If you want readers to follow-up on your story and buy your book to see how it all ends, you must intrigue them from the start and never let them down. (If you want repeat business, that is, and who doesn’t?)

If you’ve written a great novel or have a non-fiction book you’d like to promote using book teasers, drop me a line and ask away. You’ve got questions, I’m sure, and I have plenty of answers to help you sort it all out.

Dynamic Book Teasers like the ones you see here start at only $595. That includes, writing concept, imagery, and soundtrack all for one low price. Voice-overs and film footage is priced separately according to your particular needs. (About 2 week turnover.)

Get answers here: bookteaserspub@gmail.com

Book Teasers Pub! Behind The Scenes

What is the one thing that motivates prospects to buy your book?  Good question, and I’m sure that every buyer has their own particular reason, other than liking your story, for buying your book.

Here are a few hard facts why people buy books:

FICTION:

• They are bored. (They’re looking for something new and exciting to read.)
• They love books. (They’re constantly searching for great stories.)
• They like the book cover and title (Collect books for the art.)
• They like the premise of your story (They believe in the story concept.)
• They identify with your protagonist or other secondary character. (They can relate to the character’s circumstances and want to take the journey of discovery along with them. They want to become your character.)
• They recognize you, the author and like your work. (They enjoy the author’s writing style/platform.)
• They’ve bought books from a particular author before and were happy with the outcome of the story. (A repeat customer, a fan.)
• They are curious about the story. (How will it end?)
• The book reminds them of something emotional. (They’re attached by sentimentality.)
• They like the price. (They think the price is not too high, maybe even a bargain.)
•  

Non-Fiction:

• They are attracted by its title (They like what the title implies.)
• They are convinced (by its title and back copy) that your book can solve their problem(s).
• They like the wit and candor in which you deliver your message. (They like the hook or angle of your approach to their problem.)
• They agree with the price. (They don’t feel like you’re picking their pockets.)

This by no means encompasses all the reasons people like to buy books. I’m sure you can add a few reasons of your own. It’s all subjective, but notice how much more authors of fiction have to offer by way of benefits (entertainment value) as opposed to non-fiction books, which are capable of not only entertaining, but of solving a particular problem, even though they might be priced higher on average and by comparison.

That’s good news for novelists, in particular because if they write a great classic story, they are practically guaranteed to succeed by public approval and its marketability is assured. Ever hear editors, publishers, or lit agents say that they like a story but they’re unsure how to market it? That’s code for “Your story has no hook, and it’s not commercial enough.” That usually happens with literary work, and why they love genres so much, since genres are for the most part, proven canned formulas, or “high concepts” that work every time. Meaning the concept has built-in marketing, such as, a tidal wave hits Manhattan, an asteroid is headed for Texas, or zombies take over the planet--something to that effect.

These “no brainer” concepts are easy to market and why they have all been done before, in different ways. They are easy to sell not only to movie studios, but to global audiences. Ca-ching! Get the idea?

But what happens to the unusual story? You know, the one that that’s been peddled for ages and nobody seems to want it because it’s not mainstream enough. Great stories like Robert Duvals’ “The Apostle”, or Kevin Costner and Michael Blake’s, “Dances With Wolves.” Blake’s novel Dances, was virtually unknown until Costner turned it into an academy-award-winning movie.

Promotion doesn’t always come easy. That’s the point. What does any of this have to do with book trailers? Everything! You see, marketing is about one thing and one thing only--has been, always will be. Marketing has always been about an emotional connection between spectator and story form, whether the story comes in cinematic form, literary form, or the words and acts of a playwright. It all starts with that one emotional attachment. No attachment? No connection, and no possible sale.

So, how do we turn book trailers into bundles of emotional content? 


Drum roll, please…Easy…you find the story hook and play it up. (Come on, what did you expect?) Let’s remember, all stories have a certain angle, some are stronger than others, but an angle nonetheless, otherwise they wouldn’t have been written to begin with. This angle, or hook is what the reader, in our case, will identify with and latch on too. (BTW, on an upcoming Post, I’m going to talk about “story hooks,” and how to develop a stronger angle if yours happens to be weak and rather undefined. You don’t want to miss this, because it will change everything about your writing.)

Strong angles are the main reason audiences/readers will consider buying your book. They feel as if your story is already an emotional part of them and they begin to develop an attachment to it in ways they cannot explain.  Yes, it’s psychological, but it goes beyond that, insofar that if they don’t buy your book, they’ll be missing something that is already part of their psyche. Suddenly, they must have it, and hopefully, they want it right now!

People wanting things has always been what selling is all about. In a word, DESIRE. Desire is something you feel that you cannot live without because the connection you have made with a certain object, product, or book, must now become tangible and real. It must move from infinite space, from the fantasy realm into your mailbox and into your hands, so that you can internalize everything it has to offer, until you and the book are one.

How funny is that? I’ve just unleashed a small part of the dynamics behind the science of marketing so that you can see how experts use marketing techniques to make a sale. Sounds complicated but when all is said and done, properly, that is, your book trailer must adhere to certain scientific, proven advertising principles that have been around for ages.

I’ll bet you’ve never quite heard it like this before, but that’s only because I’m distilling a behind the scenes account of the making of effective promotion material, not just book teasers. These principles apply to all marketing in all of its forms: display ads, classified ads, print and media ads, brochures, media kits, you name it.

Okay, enough of that. Just thought I’d blow your mind with something offbeat just to get your attention, which is the first thing your teaser must do. That’s relatively easy depending how you look at it, especially in this over-saturated age of mass advertising--ads that you see on just about every empty space. Nothing is sacred. Wherever you look, advertising is there. And just like a life-threatening onslaught, your senses shut down and tune out to avoid the pain.

In this case, the pain of advertising and information overload. Too much, is simply, well…too much. People start to tune out everything around them in order to make sense of whatever is left. Although your brain is capable of processing billions of bits of information at any given time, it also needs rest to catch up from all the processing so it can formulate ideas and thoughts into comprehensible bundles of information. (What?) Otherwise, we go stir-crazy.

Okay, I’m always stir-crazy, but that’s another story. What I’m trying to say is that once you get their attention with either imagery or sound, then you must entertain them for the next 30 seconds or minute and a half at most. I don’t recommend putting together a long teaser, for over 2 minutes let’s say. Most people have very short attention spans in this digital age of instant access and dual core processing speeds. People just don’t have the patience to sit still for several minutes at a time. Even Time Magazine, many years ago, started to shorten all their stories to one page. Readers have become either too lazy or too shrewd to turn through page after page of advertising to get to the rest of the story.

The same holds true for just about any advertising medium these days, especially the internet. Everyone is accustomed to whisk by at lightning speed and take in loads of pithy information and just move on with the busy lives. There’s simply too much to get to and apparently very little time to do it. So, in short, your book teaser must open with a bang of sorts. And that doesn’t literally mean with anything loud, but it does mean to open with something relevant and possibly meaningful to the viewer. There is no time to waste. You must get right to the point and as in speech, you must avoid repeating yourself. That goes mostly for imagery. Repetition in text or sound is sometimes acceptable or even necessary, but repeating images is dull and grounds for clicking right out.

What follows all this madness, is that you must never lose sight of your core message, which is, “Here’s an amazing story you’re going to like, written by an extraordinary writer. You can now order this book!” Everything else is subjective and open to interpretation. You certainly don’t want to say too much. You don’t want t give away too much of the story, especially important parts, and you want to avoid mentioning price at this point. 


The only thing you want to do is to excite the viewer and motivate them to find out more by visiting your website, or going directly to Amazon or any other bookstore, and buy your book.

 It takes a lot of effort to work-up excitement and emotion (in a book teaser) to turn a prospective buyer into a paying customer. That’s the goal, plain and simple. Building excitement into every book teaser is the main criteria when I sit down, write copy and select images for your trailer. Without that, there’s nothing left but a bunch of pictures and music.

But pretty pictures and music and a shot of your book cover is not enough. That’s just what book teasers look like, and sound like. What they must do (motivate readers to buy your book) is what I specialize in and strive for in every trailer. That’s the BookTeaserPub! difference.

Just see for yourself. Log onto YouTube and search for any of the trailers you’ve seen on this site, and see what viewers and book buyers have to say, and email me with any questions. I’ll be happy to get back to you promptly with the answers you’re looking for. bookteaserspub@gmail.com