ZLS’s had it’s 1st of the year Poetry Event on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the Downbeat Jazz Cafe, located downtown Albany, NY. Our many thanks to the poets, observers as well as a few of the following businesses for making this event a great event:

Kaybond Enterprises

Downbeat Jazz Cafe

Hollywood Hustle TV

Citizens Bank

Hudson Valley Community College

AJEMM Brothers Greeting Card Company

College of Saint Rose

Urban Guerilla Theatre

DJ Dillon DJ Services

Cash Central

just to name a few of the companies there who helped us out by donating their time, money and services….

We could go on and on naming all the companies that donated and participated in making this event a great success but instead we’ll say-Thank You.

We look forward to the next event, February 20, 2010-7pm-9pm at Larks Tavern.

We look forward to seeing you all there and thanks again!

ZLS Publishing

So You Think You’re A Poet? Show It!

ZLS Publishing will be hosting it’s 1st of the year Poetry Slam/Fundraiser to help Habitat for Humanities so that they may help those in Haiti. The fundraiser/poetry slam will be at the Downbeat Jazz Cafe on Madison Avenue. The cost will be $20 but performers get in free and are asked to donate to Habitat for Humanities. Those looking to perform must sign up early as space is limited. Performers may sign up at 7:30pm and the show starts at 8pm. The slam will go from 8pm-10pm. There will be cash prizes and a raffle. For more information call Lishone’ Bowsky, CEO of ZLS Publishing-www.zlspublishing.com-518-265-5926. The show will be this upcoming Saturday, January 23, 2010.

Welcome to another edition of the Publishing Watchdog. If you aren’t sure what we do, please take a look through our blog as well as visit our website: www.zlspublishing.com

It is often said that the book publishing business is often like the music business. If that is the case, then writers need to think like Independent music artist and market at a minimum 10 times a day and take their books everywhere they go. If you look closely at the history of some of the Independent music rap artist such as Chamillionaire, No Limit Soldiers, etc. These individuals and groups believed they had viable music that could do well and so they carried their music with them everywhere they went and sold it everywhere they went. If they went to the grocery store, they had music with them. Even if they walked to the corner store, they had a few cd’s in their pocket. This tenacity allowed them to become known and to do well in sells. They got such a buzz in the streets that they were either picked up by a major label or sold enough records to get them some space, in which they could start their own Independent record labels.

The same tenacity needs to be done with writers. Everywhere you go you need to have your books with you. Books, customized book bags and maybe even pens. Carrying your books with packaged items such as pens and customized book bags serve dual purposes: 1) you can pull out the customized pen (which people always need) to autograph or write down important information; 2) You can put your book in a bag customized with your book cover information on it. You always want to make sure you have a bag for someone because you never know when they’ll need another bag.

As a writer, it is your responsibility to plan for the unplanned opportunities. Whether you’re shopping, paying a bill, or just taking a walk, you must have a few copies of your book on hand along with your bags and pens. If you go out 10 times a day, you are to carry a book with you all 10 times of the day. Carrying these items allows you to present a visual to impress upon someone that you are an author. Talking about being an author is impressive to most people because it looks as if you’re famous and even accomplished. If you take a look at how local people react to local musicians and how they drool over them, it’s mainly because they seem famous. You’ll be surprised how many people will go “Wow” when you hand them your book package. They may even ask to buy two or three, ask more information about you, or even ask you to come and speak. You never know who you’ll meet, but you have to be prepared. Musicians aren’t scared to walk up to someone and tell them about their music or sell them out the trunk of their cars, and neither should a writer. If you don’t tell them, you can’t expect them to know.

10 times a day isn’t a lot when you think about it. You do more than 10 activities in a day, so trying to reach at least 10 people a day is minute. It’s easy to start off with, “What do you do for a living?” You’ll be surprised how many conversations start off and continue with this very easy question. For those of you who are shy out there, you don’t have to think of anything complicated. Just asking this simple questions can encourage a conversation about you without sounding like a saleperson.

People are fascinated with talking to a real life author with a real book in their hands. Having a book in your hand gets the potential buyer excited. It’s fun for them and should be fun for you, as you get to talk about yourself and your book. Marketing is getting people to know you, but more importantly remember you. You have to be ready to have people know you at least 10 times a day and you have to be remembered. Carrying customized book products in addition to your book ensures that you are remembered, and that is important when trying to market your books.

Until the next time!
The Publishing Watchdog

Showing off your book covers is vital.

1) Studies show that customers who get customized products from companies or individuals go back to that company or individuals several times.
2) They build author awareness as well as author royalty.
3) No other author will have the same book cover on their product. When a customer sees your book cover and your name your book is improved in their mind.
4) Customized products are very easy to create, so they can be simply integrated into your book marketing plan. They can also be easily distributed to your customers, which makes it almost effortless to spread your brand image.
5) For every person who sees your book cover on that product, you receive plenty of free advertising. Just think how many people walk past your customer. Your book covered product could be advertising your book theme. Your customized book cover product is your persisistent, silent salesman.
6) By giving your customer a free product with their purchase of your book, you are adding an extra benefit to their purchase. The perceived value of the book is much highter than its actual cost. This increases customer loyalty.
7) The more people that have your customized book cover product, the better.
You can display your author website and other book information on that product.
9) With a customer author product you can place your book cover or words to give customers more info about you.
10) We are the only company providing customized author products for authors looking to expand their book market.
11) It’s a great addition or solution to your book marketing plan.

To find out how to get customized book products and get your book cover placed on your products. Go to: www.zlspublishing.com/shop

Welcome to another edition of the Publishing Watchdog. If you aren’t familiar with what we do, please take a look through our blog. Now onto the topic of the day…..

Why You Should Have Customized Book Products

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. Why is that? Because the ability to quickly visualize the details in a graphic way is a much more efficient way to process what’s being communicated. Today’s writer takes lots of time to write, edit and find the right publishing solution to get their book out there. The smart writer wants to ensure they have all the tools necessary to ensure book sales success.

Everyday, thousands of books are publisherd, the lucky ones make the bookstore shelves. The advantage of customized book products is that you have a customized product that speaks visually to your dream. It shows not once, twice, three times, but continously. Everytime that customer goes to the grocer store with your book cover on that bag, or write with your book covered pen, they’ll think, remember and tell their friends about you.

Being a new writer, it is your responsibility to market your book. Marketing is about growing a fan base and keeping that fan base. You keep that fan base by staying rememberd. Yes, they’ll buy your book, but that book will go on the shelves, and until your next book comes out you may not be remembered. You can ensure you are remembered and stay remembered by giving your customers products that they will remember you by. These customized products include products with your book logo on it as well as products they use on a regular basis such as: pens, pencils, totebags, etc. If they have children-crayons, pencils, pens, notebook.

There are hundreds of authors out there, but thousands more customers. Give those customers somethin to remember you buy in addition to your book. Doing nothing makes you look like every other author, but it doesn’t separate you from the others, and being a new writer trying to get your name out requires you to stand out from the crowd.

Find out how to submit your book cover with the leading and #1 Customized Author Customizing Store and get the products that not only get you remembered, but keep you remembered by visiting: www.zlspublishing.com/shop.

Until next time!

The Publishing Watchdog!