A marketing strategy that makes sense and fits your budget is vital to your success
Book promotion and marketing is a full time job. Promotion is a long-term project and requires patience and the mindset that it is all about gaining exposure. The more times your book is seen or noticed, the more chance you have of gaining sales. (I know, right? What a revelation!) Remember this, you may love your book, but not every book brought to marketplace sells. The bitter truth is that very few new book titles sell, and this is especially true for self-published titles. Books that climb in the Amazon rankings are first, great stories that have been well prepared with thorough editing, proofreading, formatting and that have been wrapped in an eye grabbing cover design. However, even with all that, there is no guarantee your book will be successful. You may have a great product, but if no one knows about it, your book will languish in the vast ocean of six million titles on Amazon.
So what do you do?
Promoting your book doesn’t necessarily mean spending a lot of money
Promotion is essential. That said, don't jump into a program that promises instant success. There is no such thing. Many of the advertisements we see online guaranteeing that your book will be the next best seller are far from reality. (And that's being nice.) The book industry is very tough and crowded now, with a new Kindle eBook being published every three to five minutes, so gaining readers’ interest depends on many factors. How well the book description is written and how many positive or negative reviews a book has received affect a book’s sales potential. The popularity of the genre and realistic pricing are factors that influence a book’s success.
Categories are important
The Amazon book categories you choose will have a direct effect on whether or not you become an Amazon bestselling author. Choose the wrong one, and no matter how many books you sell, you won’t become an Amazon bestseller. Choose the right one, and you could become a daily bestseller with minimal marketing.
The Top 100 is the target
Amazon promotes the Top 100 in each genre. That is where you want to be! Everyone looks at the Top 100. I have had the first book of each of my series hit #1 in Christian Fantasy/Fiction and that genre is a tough one. However, it is no easy task to keep them on the bestseller list. I can go from #1 (a 7,500 ranking) to a #120 (a135,000 position) in a matter of a few weeks. It is not a sprint, but a marathon.
The bottom line: Book promotion takes time. You must be in it for the long haul. It is not only about royalties and rankings. If you diligently promote your book, you will, over time, establish your name/brand and build trust with readers. That sells books for years to come. Promotion services Over the past few years I have helped several independent authors climb up the Amazon rankings and into the top 100 of their genres. I am currently working with Seven Horns Publishing helping their talented authors reach new readers and gain needed reviews. If you are interested in finding out how you can get your book in the hands of eager readers in your genre, please email me at outofthestack.com As I said before, there is no such thing as instant success, but if you have a marketable product there is no reason why you can't have the satisfaction of having your book come into the light for others to enjoy.
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