A Roadmap To More Book Sales for Authors

 

 

How do you get more book sales? Well, you have many options and actions that you can take. Here are some to consider:

1.      Price

Obviously, the price of your book can impact sales. The lower the price, the more sales, but if it’s too low, you can’t make much -- and if it’s too harsh, you can’t sell many copies.

2.                  Freebies

Giving your book out creates buzz. More readers will mean more social media posts, online reviews, and attention. 

3.                  Distribution

You need to be with Amazon KDP and Ingram Spark or with a publisher - in order to gain access to Amazon, BN, Target, Walmart, Apple Books, and IndieBound.org - all leading book retailers. 

4.                  Format

Making your book available in many formats and price points allows you to get people to buy how they like to consume a book, whether audio, e-book, hardcover edition, trade paperback, or mass market paper. 

 

5.                  Website

You need a website - don’t bother publishing a book without one. It’s like having a dog but no one to walk and feed it. It’s like ordering a steak for someone with no teeth. You get the point. 

6.                  Speaking 

Open your mouth, wide and often. Talk about your look on zoom and in-person at bookstores, libraries, churches, schools, and in front of any targeted group whose members would be interested in your subject matter. 

7.                  Book Awards / Writing Contests

You need to get third- party validation and recognition for your work. There are hundreds of writing contests and scores of book awards that you could and should apply for. Fear not - you have a chance to be a finalist or a winner. 

8.                  Social Media

You hate it and avoid it like the plague. You think it is a time suck filled with stupid people behaving improperly. True - yes - but you still need it to market a brand, your book, and yourself. Pick one platform -- likely Facebook -- and work it!

9.                  Traditional Media

Interviews with radio, T.V, podcasts, newspapers, magazines, trade journals, newswires, and websites- or feature stories - will get you lots of exposure for your book.

10.              Book Reviews

The window of time get professional book reviews is 3.4 months before your book is released. Otherwise, pursue paid professional book reviews.

11.              Bargain Book Deal Sites

Sites like Book Bub allow you, for a fee, to market your book with giveaways, deal-of-the-day promotions, advertising, etc. Try a bunch of them. 

 

You also want to generate:

·         Word-of-mouth marketing

·         Paid promotional deals

·         Help from a professional book promoter

·         Kindle countdown deals

·         Blog posts that support your book or site

·         By-line articles in publications to promote your book

·         Videos that can go on your site or be shared virally

·         Participation at book fairs

·         Testimonials from experts, authors, and influencers

·         Cross-promoting with other authors or entities

·         A strong Amazon page with the right meta data 

·         A detailed marketing plan for the neat 6-12 months 

 

There’s a lot more to be done, so get out there and market, market your book!

 

Don’t forget to create your:

·         Business card (for anyone that you meet)

·         Email signature mentioning your book and website 

·         Swag for sale or give-away

·         Postcard (to advertise the book)

·         Flier (to market the book)

·         Press kit (for the news media)

·         Speaker’s kit (to showcase you as a speaker) 

    Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.