|
|
Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Nov 2, 2018 6:11:21 GMT
I thought it might be nice to have a thread where we all share our best advice for running book promotions. Feel free to ask any questions you have on the subject, as well. I'll go first with a problem I noticed someone on Kboards just recently experienced.  1. Make sure to give amazon and any other platforms you're selling on plenty of time to change the price before your scheduled promos start. If you only give amazon or the other stores a few days your book could get stuck in republishing which could ruin your promo. Also make sure you keep an eye on amazon to be sure the price has been changed in time. Never assume or take anything for granted when it comes to indie publishing! |
|
|
|
Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Nov 2, 2018 6:52:56 GMT
2. If you sell a lot of books amazon may promote them in their newsletters. If get promoted in their newsletter you will probably sell even more books. There is probably a very specific algorithm which determines whether you end up in an email blast or not. But unlike Amazon Ads and every other email service it's free! Sign up for as many amazon newsletters as you can and go through them periodically to see what's in them and to see if your books are ever mentioned. Use a dummy email account just for these if you don't want your regular email inundated with amazon emails. I've had a book mentioned in a newsletter before. I was excited at first until I realized it was a personalized email sent to just me because I had looked at my book on amazon.  But this may still work to your advantage if you can get as many peeps to click on your book page, as possible. Those that don't buy it right then might get an email about it later that makes them decide to buy. You never know. You can see all of their book newsletters here: www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/emailsubs I am signed up for all of them except for Spanish language. |
|
|
|
Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Nov 2, 2018 7:04:10 GMT
3. Have your own email list. Then you can mail peeps whenever you like about whatever you like. You have to get signups, and then you have to convince them to open, read through, and click your links. Plus, it's extra writing and thinking. And you'll need to pay for an autoresponder service if you hope to have more than a dozen or so readers on your list. So this one is more advanced, and lots of authors hate it, Many believe that email doesn't work anymore, etc. But amazon certainly doesn't believe that.
Neither does Selena Kitt, Patty Jansen, and any of the other author peeps who still have newsletters. But it's no big deal if you don't want to have one. This is just one promotion method of many.
|
|
|
|
Post by writeway on Nov 4, 2018 2:37:16 GMT
4. If you're wide remember to promote ALL retailers. I see too many wide authors who still only push Amazon then wonder why they don't sell anywhere else. You should promote just as hard (if not harder) at the other retailers as you do on Amazon. This means sharing links to ALL retailers at all times, running ads targeting all retailers, and using promotions offered by retailers outside Amazon to gain readers on other sites.
|
|
|
|
Post by davidvandyke on Nov 6, 2018 19:42:46 GMT
Like writeway says, when running promos or ads, make sure to include (or even prioritize) the other retailers. They are often easier to get traction on, due to less competition. Less effort can go farther. For promos, choose only promo sites that include all retailers--and tell them so! I am pretty sure I got one promo site to expand beyond Amazon by lobbying for it.
For your per-click ads--usually FB or BookBub ads (not features)--target ebook audiences in your genre away from Amazon. They will be cheaper and more effective for the price.
|
|
But this may still work to your advantage if you can get as many peeps to click on your book page, as possible. Those that don't buy it right then might get an email about it later that makes them decide to buy. You never know. 
