You are probably right, you can but the difference is not always in the quality of the content, the difference is in the marketing. True, a well written book makes a huge difference however if no one knows about the book, you are not going to make a dime. Here are a few key ingredients in a profitable book marketing campaign.

Tell the world! Press releases are only the beginning of a book marketing campaign. They are important, however they are only the first step. Include a link to your website or your amazon.com page in every single communication you have; your email, your business card, brochures, and in your other publications.

You will note that I mentioned three other key ingredients in the prior paragraph:

These are three things rich authors use and make money from. Let's start with the website. Did you know that almost 70 percent of internet users use the web to research products before they buy them? That includes books too. When people are online searching for your topic do you want them to go to your competitor, the one with the website? Or do you want them to come to you? A website may be your first introduction to a potential customer or it may be a step in their purchasing decision. Regardless, it is extremely valuable. Without a website, many potential customers will just pass you by.

Email. Email is instantaneous and an integral part in any marketing campaign. However if you only have 5 email addresses, you are not going to make much however if you have 5000 emails you are sitting pretty. Now you are probably asking, "How do I get 5000 emails"? That's where your website comes in handy again. You simply post a sign up form on your website. Maybe you offer a free report or a newsletter in exchange for their email address. Now every time you have a new announcement, product, or promotion you have a list to send the information to. It's an excellent, and proven, method of selling your products including your book!

Other publications. Writing articles is an excellent way to drive traffic to your website and to drive purchases. Each article helps build your credibility and people's awareness of you and your book. Include your website in your bio and people will visit your website for more information.

We have been talking about marketing your book however TRULY rich authors use their book as the foundation of a business. Their book is often times the least expensive item in their product line however it builds credibility and increases repeat purchases. For example, if you write a book on how to choose accounting software for your corporation, your products could range from seminars and workshops on a variety of corporate accounting tasks to selling your own accounting software to consulting on site with corporations and helping them get their accounting software up and running.

So what's the difference between authors who are collecting dust on the shelves and authors who are sitting on the beach and still making money? Two words - sales and marketing. Rich authors don't sit idly by and wait for their book to make them money, they promote it and they use it to make more money. Your book is the foundation for the life you've dreamt of, get writing!