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Category ArchiveMarketing

young-man-working-on-his-macbook-pro-laptop-and-iphone-6-for a marketing campaign for his book.

Maximizing Your Book’s Visibility

A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Book Promotion Across Media Outlets and Strategies

In an era dominated by information overload, successfully promoting a book requires a strategic and multifaceted approach. Authors today have access to a diverse array of media outlets and promotional strategies, offering unprecedented opportunities to connect with readers. This document explores the best ways to promote a book, covering various media outlets and strategies that can significantly enhance your book’s visibility.

I. Understanding Your Audience

  1. Identify Your Target Audience:
    • Before diving into promotional efforts, it’s crucial to identify your target audience. Understanding their preferences, interests, and demographics will guide your promotional strategies.
  2. Create a Compelling Brand:
    • Develop a strong and consistent brand for your book. This includes a captivating book cover, a compelling author bio, and a clear message that resonates with your target audience.

II. Leveraging Traditional Media Outlets

  1. Press Releases:
    • Craft engaging press releases and distribute them to relevant media outlets. Highlight key aspects of your book, such as its uniqueness, relevance, and potential impact on readers.
  2. Print Media:
    • Reach out to newspapers and magazines for book reviews, author interviews, and feature articles. Many publications still have a wide readership and can help establish credibility for your book.
  3. Radio and Podcast Interviews:
    • Tap into the auditory senses by seeking interviews on radio shows and podcasts. Share your insights, discuss your book’s themes, and connect with potential readers.

III. Embracing Digital PlatformsSkipped (woman-wearing-an-apple-watch-and-reading-a-book-mockup-

  1. Social Media Marketing:
    • Leverage the power of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Develop a content calendar, engage with your audience, and use targeted advertising to reach specific demographics.
  2. Book Bloggers and Bookstagram:
    • Connect with influential book bloggers and Bookstagrammers who cater to your genre. Send them review copies and request features or interviews to tap into their dedicated follower base.
  3. Author Website and Blog:
    • Establish a professional author website with a blog. Regularly update it with content related to your book, writing process, and relevant industry insights. This creates a hub for your readers and enhances your online presence.

IV. Capitalizing on Online Retailers

  1. Amazon Author Central:
    • Create an Author Central account on Amazon. Optimize your author profile, add compelling book descriptions, and engage with reader reviews. Utilize Amazon ads to boost visibility.
  2. Goodreads Engagement:
    • Actively participate on Goodreads by joining relevant groups, participating in discussions, and hosting giveaways. Goodreads has a vast community of avid readers, making it an excellent platform for book promotion.

V. Paid Advertising Strategies

  1. BookBub Featured Deals:
    • Utilize BookBub’s Featured Deals to promote your book to a massive audience. While it requires a budget, the return on investment can be substantial, especially if your book is featured in the daily email to their subscribers.
  2. Facebook and Instagram Ads:
    • Craft targeted and visually appealing ads on Facebook and Instagram. Use the platforms’ robust ad targeting options to reach specific demographics, ensuring your promotions reach the most relevant audience.

VI. Building Author-Centric Platforms

  1. Podcasting and YouTube:
    • Start a podcast or YouTube channel related to your book’s genre or themes. This not only provides additional content for your audience but also establishes you as an authority in your niche.
  2. Online Courses and Webinars:
    • Develop online courses or webinars related to your book’s subject matter. This not only generates additional income but also positions you as an expert, attracting more readers to your book.


mockup-of-a-woman-and-a-man-holding-a-paperback-book-Justified

VII. Collaborations and Networking

  1. Author Collaborations:
    • Collaborate with other authors for joint promotions. This could include joint book launches, cross-promotions, or co-authoring projects that broaden your reach.
  2. Book Events and Conferences:
    • Attend and participate in book events, conferences, and literary festivals. Network with fellow authors, industry professionals, and potential readers. These events provide valuable opportunities for face-to-face engagement.

VIII. Utilizing Email Marketing

  1. Build an Email List:
    • Create a mailing list by offering incentives like free chapters, exclusive content, or discounts. Regularly communicate with your subscribers, providing updates on your writing journey and exclusive offers.
  2. Newsletter Swaps:
    • Collaborate with other authors for newsletter swaps. This mutually beneficial strategy allows you to tap into each other’s subscriber base, expanding your reach.

Conclusion

Effectively promoting a book in today’s competitive market requires a strategic and dynamic approach. By leveraging a combination of traditional and digital media outlets, along with targeted promotional strategies, authors can maximize their book’s visibility and connect with a diverse and engaged audience. As the publishing landscape continues to evolve, staying adaptable and innovative in your promotional efforts will be key to achieving lasting success.

Resources

  1. Book Marketing Tools (Website):
  2. Reedsy Blog (Website):
    • https://blog.reedsy.com/
    • Reedsy’s blog features articles written by industry professionals covering various aspects of writing, publishing, and book marketing.
  3. BookBub Partners (Website):
    • https://insights.bookbub.com/
    • BookBub’s partner blog provides insights and strategies on book promotion, including tips on running effective BookBub Featured Deals.
  4. The Creative Penn (Podcast and Blog):
    • https://www.thecreativepenn.com/
    • Joanna Penn’s podcast and blog cover a wide range of topics related to writing, publishing, and book marketing, offering valuable advice for authors.
  5. Jane Friedman (Website):
    • https://www.janefriedman.com/
    • Jane Friedman’s website provides resources on the business of being a writer, including articles on book promotion, author platforms, and the publishing industry.
  6. Joel Friedlander’s The Book Designer (Blog):
    • https://www.thebookdesigner.com/
    • Joel Friedlander’s blog covers book design, self-publishing, and book marketing. It offers practical tips and advice for indie authors.
  7. ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors) (Website):
  8. Book Riot (Website):
    • https://bookriot.com/
    • Book Riot covers a wide range of book-related topics, including book recommendations and marketing tips. Their insights can be valuable for authors seeking to understand reader trends.
  9. David Gaughran’s Blog (Website):
    • https://davidgaughran.com/blog/
    • Author David Gaughran shares insights into self-publishing and book marketing on his blog, providing practical advice based on his own experiences.
  10. Author Marketing Club (Website):
    • https://authormarketingclub.com/
    • Author Marketing Club offers a variety of tools and resources to help authors promote their books, including book promotion services, tutorials, and a supportive community.

These resources cover a broad spectrum of topics related to book promotion, ranging from traditional marketing strategies to utilizing the latest digital tools. Exploring these platforms will provide you with a wealth of information to tailor your promotional efforts to your book’s specific needs and your target audience.

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We hope you find a book that will enlighten your life

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The Dragon Pit
The Dragon Pit
The Dragon Pit
​When a group of PhD students called The Dragon Pit decide to "Make a Difference” for their annual project, they agree the war on terror can only be won by fighting fire with fire by getting on the same level as the terrorists.
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Discover the drama of The Civil War - Buy both books - Save $5
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The Die Game - Book 2 of 4 of the Matari Series
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The Die Game - Book 2 of 4 of the Matari Series Illustrated
The Die Game - Book 2 of 4 of the Matari Series Illustrated
Illustrated - compares favorably to ROOTS by Alex Haley
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Sunset over Chania
Sunset over Chania
Explores the enduring bonds forged in war, and the profound impact of a son’s journey of self discovery
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79 UXBRIDGE ROAD - A WWII Romance
79 UXBRIDGE ROAD - A WWII Romance
79 UXBRIDGE ROAD - A WWII Romance
A WWII Romance
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Battlegrounds - Book 1 of 4 of the Matari Series
Battlegrounds - Book 1 of 4 of the Matari Series
Battlegrounds - Book 1 of 4 of the Matari Series
Illustrated - compares favorably to ROOTS by Alex Haley
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Dance of the Jester
Dance of the Jester
Dance of the Jester
An Urban Fantasy novel
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The Lodgers
The Lodgers
The Lodgers
A lodge appears to attract a disparage cast of residents complete with dark and colorful pasts.
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One Last Strike Before Dark
One Last Strike Before Dark
One Last Strike Before Dark
Jordan Aimes must abandon his life fictions and discover who he really is.
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Dawn of the New Templars Second Edition
Dawn of the New Templars Second Edition
Dawn of the New Templars Second Edition
A modern-day thriller about the rise of the New Templars
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Seeking Samuel - a Paranormal Love Story
Seeking Samuel - a Paranormal Love Story
Seeking Samuel - a Paranormal Love Story
A love that has been waiting for her for more than a century is found
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IMES - a dystopian thriller
IMES - a dystopian thriller
IMES - a dystopian thriller
A dystopian thriller that will blow your mind
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Against the Wind
Against the Wind
Against the Wind
Soon to be a major motion picture
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The Woman Who Never Cooked by Mary L. Tabor

The Woman Who Never Cooked absorbs one totally – a new review

by Michael Johnson

Publishers Note: Michael Johnson, who lives in France, is the author of five books and worked as a reporter and editor in New York, Moscow, Paris and London. See his full biography below.

Mary L. Tabor, literary author

Mary L. Tabor

Here are highlights from his review:

Any reader with an analytical bent will wonder, however, where the truth is located in a good story. I certainly did, reading Mary L. Tabor’s new collection of twelve short stories, The Woman Who Never Cooked (Outer Banks Publishing Group). She displays rare knowledge of human behavior in this assemblage of stories covering illness, deaths in the family, adultery, intimacy, dishonesty, dreams, love, family ties, and some surprisingly interesting details about food and how to cook it.

These stories display Ms. Tabor’s polished prose page after page. She has a sure touch for subtle humor as well as for rhythm, repetition, metaphor and simile. In one story she alludes to a man’s admiration of his current obsession, as her “thin, wispy shape like one of Monet’s poplars”. Or as he looked into her eyes, he saw “blue with flecks of white and yellow, reminding him of a Key West at sunset, sapphire blue and sun-struck clouds”

Read the rest of the review>

 

Mr. Johnson covered European technology for Business Week for five years, and served nine years as chief editor of International Management magazine and was chief editor of the French technology weekly 01 Informatique. He also spent four years as Moscow correspondent of The Associated Press. He is the author of five books.

Michael Johnson is based in Bordeaux. Besides English and French he is also fluent in Russian.

You can order Michael Johnson’s most recent book, a bilingual book, French and English, with drawings by Johnson:

“Portraitures and caricatures:  Conductors, Pianist, Composers”

Order your copy 

 

FREE Writing Course

Check out Mary’s FREE eight-session writing course…available from Outer Banks Publishing Group.

 

 

Bob Irelan, author of Angel's Truth

Book Clubs Offer an Effective Marketing Opportunity

By Bob Irelan, Outer Banks Publishing Group author of Angel’s Truth

Talking to book clubs about writing and about the book you’ve written is an effective but underutilized marketing tool.

The advantages include:

  • An audience that reads your book and is anxious to offer feedback
  • Face-to-face awareness of you as an author
  • Word of mouth communication to others about you and your book
  • Reviews by discerning readers
  • Typos caught – and readily correctible in today’s world of print on demand
  • Appreciation for your having taken the time and effort to talk to a relatively small but interested group
  • Additional speaking invitations resulting from members of one book club spreading the word to another club
  • The opportunity to sell and sign books. Readers love to give books as gifts.

Angel's Truth, a novelStart off by telling your audience that “everyone has a story to tell,” and encourage them to tell theirs. It need not be a novel. Maybe it is a memoir, a collection of recollections and experiences that were personally important and may be of interest or guidance to others. Maybe it is a chronological narrative; maybe just a collection of anecdotes.

Then talk about what motivates you to write, what you learn in the process, what ups and downs you experience, and the sense of accomplishment you feel when you finish the concluding sentence.

Comment on how the publishing business has changed . . . about how it has become more “author friendly.”

Having done all this, it’s time to read a key passage or two from your book.

Most important — leave plenty of time for questions. You will get them and they will provide insight into how people read and whether you succeeded in delivering your message.

Bottom line: You will enjoy the small group experience, your visibility as an author will be enhanced, and you will sell books.

 

 

 

Summer Beach-reading - 2-book sale

Buy Angel’s Truth and get The Mansfield Killings FREE!

Get our two bestselling crime novels for the price of one!
ANGEL’S TRUTH & THE MANSFIELD KILLINGS

BUY BOTH for $12.99

List Price: $15.99
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on White paper
268 pages
Outer Banks Publishing Group
ISBN-13: 978-0990679080
ISBN-10: 099067908X
BISAC: Fiction / Crime

Angel Gonzales is charged with heinous crimes that law enforcement, the media, and most folks in Richmond, Texas, and surrounding communities are certain he committed.

The crimes and trial dwarf anything that has happened in that part of the Lone Star state in anyone’s memory.
When, against all odds, the jury renders “not guilty” verdicts, shock escalates to anger.

In the minds of many, justice has failed, and a brutal criminal is being set free. For Angel and his court-appointed public defender, Marty Booker, being judged “not guilty” isn’t enough.

Together and with help from an unanticipated source, they attempt to prove Angel’s innocence.

In the process, they butt up against prejudice, deceit, and a sheriff and district attorney who put politics, ambition, expedience, and arrogance above responsibility to do their jobs.

It’s a story of horror, hatred, belief, and persistence – a story of a Mexican-American teenager who nearly loses his life on the way to becoming a man.

 

BASED ON TRUE EVENTS
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE in 2019

Price: $14.99
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
280 pages
ISBN 10 – 0982993137
ISBN 13 – 978-0-9829931-3-2
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Language: English

On the night of July 21, 1948, Robert Daniels and John West entered John and Nolena Niebel’s house with loaded guns. They forced the family including the Niebel’s 21-year-old daughter, Phyllis, into their car and drove them to a cornfield just off Fleming Falls Road in Mansfield. The two men instructed the Niebels to remove all of their clothing, and then Robert Daniels shot each of them in the head.

What followed was the worst two-week killing spree in the history of Ohio.

 

Angel's Truth author Bob Irelan at his first book signing

“Angel’s Truth” author Bob Irelan shares what he learned from his initial book signing

Top of the page photo courtesy of Rancho Murieta Community Website

By Bob Irelan

Book signings are an effective marketing and communications tool, not only for established authors but most certainly for first-time novelists.

For me, a recent local launching/signing event for my first published novel, “Angel’s Truth,” proved to be a learning experience.

I learned that the audience is genuinely interested in what you have to say. And I was pleased by the number and quality of the questions.”Where did you come up with the plot? How did you choose the characters? How did you come up with their names? Is any of this based on fact? How do you go about organizing the narrative? Do you outline? Do you know the beginning, middle and end before you write? How do you go about getting published?”
That’s only a sampling of the questions I got, so be prepared.

The setting I used was a wine and cheese social, very informal, 4 to 5:30 p.m. It worked well. We had a framed table card of favorable Amazon reviews (“Here’s what readers are saying about “Angel’s Truth”) on each table and each person received a custom designed “Angel’s Truth” bookmark that quoted briefly from the book and gave information on where it could be bought. Good friends provided these and they were well received. Whether or not you bought the book, you got a bookmark as a gift and reminder.

I also told them the messages concerning discrimination, mindsets, injustices were ones I had long cared about. Also my belief that the truth often is not obvious — that it takes digging, commitment, persistence, plain old hard work to achieve it.

After being introduced, I spent a few minutes describing what motivated me to write the book. The motivations included my desire to try writing fiction after a long career that mandated all my writing be factual. I also told them the messages concerning discrimination, mindsets, injustices were ones I had long cared about. Also my belief that the truth often is not obvious — that it takes digging, commitment, persistence, plain old hard work to achieve it. And, while the plot is shaped around two vicious murders, I wanted to deliver a satisfying, surprise ending.

I read several passages from the book, starting with the first couple of pages. Because “Angel’s Truth” is a mystery, I selected other sections deeper into the book which pulled them into the plot. I didn’t tell too much, just enough to entice them to read the book and try to figure out who did what and where it was headed. That amount of time for reading passages seemed about right.

Then came the questions – the absolute best part of the afternoon. My advice: Don’t cut these off; make sure you allow enough time to answer any and all questions. And, if/when you know the questioner, personalize your response.

I closed with this final thought.

“Everybody has a story to tell. It may be biographical and of interest to future generations of your family. It may be a detailed narrative or a collection of anecdotes. Or, it may be fiction. Whatever the choice, I challenged them to commit their ideas to paper.”

That resonated because several folks thanked me afterwards for the prompting.

We ended with signing and selling the book. Logistically, I found it worked well to have someone serve as cashier. That allowed me time to personalize each signing.

And, as my mother would say, “Remember the basic of thanking everyone at the beginning and end.”

Bottom line, this initial event for this first-time writer of fiction, was a very satisfying and educational experience. I hope some of the above details will be helpful to you.

Learn more about Bob Irelan in his interview and why he believes truth is so important or follow him on Facebook.

Bob Irelan at his book signing for Angel's Truth

Photo by Jon Irelan


New Amazon Book store

How to get more book reviews on Amazon

Here is an excellent video by Michael D. Butler on how to get more reviews for your book on Amazon. You can find more information on his blog, Beyond Publishing.

Only 65% of the world’s books are purchased through Amazon according to Forbes but that is still a big enough number to smartly utilize their platform.

In this video Michael D. Butler, Best-Selling Author, Publisher and Book Launch Expert shows new and veteran authors HOW to get MORE verified reviews on Amazon without getting slapped and shows what is the tipping point to get Amazon to push your book out to the wold.

On this video we talk about:

  • What makes a review verified?
  • How can I my reviews actually show up on Amazon
  • How can I avoid getting “slapped by Google and Amazon”?
  • What is the MAGIC number for getting Amazon to push my book out to the world?
  • How many book sales on Amazon translate into an Amazon Best-Seller?

Getting Reviews on Amazon is not easy but it is very important if you want Amazon to push you out.

 

 

The Mansfield Killings soon to be a major motion picture

Outer Banks Publishing Group author Scott Fields’ novel, The Mansfield Killings, based on the true story of the horrific murders of the Niebel family in 1948, will be made into a major motion picture in 2018.

Outer Banks Publishing Group, OBX PublishersProduced by Forbidden Tears Productions of Waldron, Arkansas, the movie will be filmed in Waldron and on location in Mansfield, Ohio and at the historic Ohio State Reformatory (OSR) also in Mansfield, where the story started. The Shawshank Redemption and Air Force One were also filmed at the reformatory.

Jennifer Anderson-Bounds, owner and producer Forbidden Tears Productions, was chosen as Female Producer of the Year 2016 and won the Humanitarian Award from WIND International Film Festival 2016. She was also awarded 2nd Place in Indie Film Festival 2015, along with a nomination for Best woman filmmaker 2015 in Barcelona.

Scott Field’s literary agency, Gilbert Literary & Film Agency International of New Zealand, secured the movie contract.

Scott, who was three years old when the killing spree occurred, said he had dreamed all his life of writing a story that would become a movie. When he heard about the murders, he became obsessed with writing the story into a novel and completed the manuscript in four months.

When asked about his reaction to the movie deal, Scott said,

“Without doubt this is probably the most fascinating and exciting thing to ever happen to me! When I was just a little boy, my parents took me to a movie, and instead of wishing that I could be an actor, I wanted to be the guy who wrote the screenplay. It was the beginning of a dream that has been with me for about 60 years. I am not talking about an occasional dream…it was with me practically everyday.”

“My mother wOuter Banks Publishing Group Author Scott Fieldsas a great writer, but she never pursued her talent. I inherited it but being a Kmart manager and raising a family of three kids, I had no time to write even a short story. Then after 30 years in management, I became a common worker and began to write. After having a few short stories published, I decided that it was time to try writing a novel. Since then I have had 16 novels published, but the dream was still there.”

He said at times it was difficult to write the novel because the killings were so atrocious and brutal.

The Mansfield murders was the worst two-week killing spree in Ohio’s history. On the night of July 21, 1948, Robert Daniels and John West, former inmates at the Ohio State Reformatory, entered John and Nolena Niebel’s house with loaded guns. They forced the family including the Niebel’s 21-year-old daughter, Phyllis, into their car and drove them to a cornfield just off Fleming Falls Road in Mansfield. The two men instructed the Niebels to remove all of their clothing, and then Robert Daniels shot each of them in the head.

The brutal murders caught national attention in the media, but the killing spree didn’t stop there. Three more innocent people would lose their lives at the hands of Daniels and West in the coming week.

The two parolees were captured after a 14-day manhunt in Ohio when West attempted to shoot it out with police and sheriff’s deputies at a road blockade north of Van Wert, Ohio. West was killed by police and Daniels was captured, tried and convicted.  He was executed in the electric chair on January 3, 1949.

The Mansfield Killings where the murderers were captured

The scene at the Van Wert roadblock, where West was killed and Daniels captured while sleeping in the car on the front top rack – July 22, 1948

Scott Fields tirelessly researched the killings, the capture and trial of Daniels and even interviewed a surviving member of the Niebel family to weave this tragic story bringing the reader back to those dark days in the summer of 1948. What led to these brutal killings, and why was the Niebel family singled-out to be savagely murdered? It has been more than sixty years since the tragedy, and, yet, this question still remains unanswered. The killing spree is not only remembered to this day, but is an important and dark part of Mansfield lore.

___________________________________

The Ohio State Reformatory

If you are ever in Mansfield, Ohio, be sure to tour the historic Ohio State Reformatory, the most haunted location in Ohio and one of the shooting locations of The Mansfield Killings.

Hauntings have been documented over the years by professional paranormal investigators and TV shows on the paranormal, including Syfy’s Ghost Hunters and the Travel Channel’s popular, Ghost Adventures.

Ohio State Reformatory

View the informative video about the OSR and its rich history.

Order a copy of The Mansfield Killings at our bookstore.

OBXPG Logo Wreath

Happy Holidays from Outer Banks Publishing Group

Enjoy this phenomenal performance by Pentatonic and their version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen this holiday season.

ebooks as gifts

Give an eBook as a gift

Now you can give your favorite book worm an ebook this holiday season. And with ebook reading apps for any smart phone, tablet or PC your recipient doesn’t need to buy a specific ebook reader.

 

 

For the Kindle or appKindle Gift Feature

Simply click on the “Give as a Gift” button near the bottom of the check out box and Amazon will send an email to your recipient on how to download the book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Nook or app

Nook ebook gift feature The process is the same as the Kindle. Just click on the “Buy as a Gift” button at the bottom of ht check out box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Mac iBooks appiBook Gift buying feature

Download the iBooks app on your Mac or PC to enter the store or select books in iTunes. Choose your book and then select the drop down menu on the Buy Book button and choose the first item, “Gift this Book.”

 

 

 

 

For Google Play Books

Google Play Store gift cards

If you purchase a book from the Google Play Store, you will have to buy a digital gift card and send that to your recipient. Purchased books from Google can be downloaded to any device for reading. For more information on how to download books to other devices, see Google’s Play Books help page.

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