Let’s be honest, selling books is hard these days. The stats tell us that the average self-published author will sell fewer than 250 books, and the average published author will sell fewer than 2,000 books. Books are now more cost-effective and easier to access, which has created a wealth of competition. Estimates tell us that one million books are published every year.
Entrepreneurs understand the value of publishing their knowledge in a book. A book is a great way to establish authority and build your brand. However, you have to sell books to accomplish these goals.
Gaming the system.
There are a lot of ways to game the system and make a bestsellers list, which helps your book get exposure. There are companies you can hire that guarantee placement on a bestsellers list, but they cost an arm and a leg. You can pick low-competition categories in Amazon and sell as few as ten books (in a particular period) and become a “#1 Amazon best-selling” author. Authors even make their book free through Amazon’s KDP Select program and claim “bestseller” status.
The latest tactic is the “free book” giveaway. In this strategy, authors say their book is “free,” but when you go to claim the book, you are told you have to pay for shipping and handling. A free book ends up costing you between $7 to $10. They use this strategy because when the books ship, they count as sales towards hitting the New York Times bestseller’s list. It’s another way to game the system, and many book buyers are frustrated with the lack of transparency. If you’re charging for shipping and handling, don’t claim to be giving away a free book.
How to sell books.
Selling your book, and selling it consistently, is not easy, but it’s also not a mystery.
Read: 5 Thing to Turning Your Book Into a Best Seller
Here’s what gets best selling books to, well, be best selling books!
1. Have a professional cover. A book is judged by its cover. With millions of books on Amazon, one of the most effective ways your book stands out is with an engaging cover.
2. Have a catchy title. The title of your book should be three to five words that catch people’s attention right away. The subtitle should promise the reader what they’ll understand if they read the book. Go beyond cliche’s.
3. Have the book edited. As much as you’d like to think you can edit your book, you can’t. You’ll miss things because you’re too close to it. Hire a professional. These first three points are vital to ongoing book sales. Bad editing, a wrong cover, or a weak title will keep booking buyers away from your book.
4. Market your book beyond social media. For years, social media has been the “unicorn” for entrepreneurs. We hear that it’s the best way to market your book and other offerings. It’s not. Social media is just one part of what should be a diverse marketing strategy. To reach your audience on social media, you’ll have to pay for it. The organic reach of social media has been on the decline for years. Most authors don’t have the money to invest in social media advertising.
Read: How to Network Like a Millionaire
5. Build your author platform. In the end, this is how you consistently sell books. The formula for consistent book sales is: as you grow your author platform, more people are exposed to what you do, if they like what they see, they buy your book. Your book is the first thing they buy because it’s the lowest barrier of entry to do business with you.
How to grow.
There are a few ways to grow your audience and book sales. Mostly, you need exposure.
Be a guest on as many podcasts as possible. Podcasting is huge right now and a great way to get exposure to audiences all over the world.
Guest post on blogs. Being a guest post on blogs can be huge especially if the blog you’re guest posting on has a massive audience with readers who are actively commenting all the time.
Find a blog that fits your niche then approach that blog and ask them if you could guest blog for them. The worse they’ll do is say no, but it’s worth trying. Here on The Millionaire’s Digest, we are always looking for guest bloggers who want to be a guest blogger for all our Readers! If you’re interested, leave your comment below!
Also, if you are an entrepreneurial author, don’t fall for the “get-rich-quick” strategies too many Internet marketers are using. Gaming the system might work, but it won’t translate into consistent book sales or a message being spread. Consumers are smart and won’t fall for it. Focus on building your audience first, and then the sales will follow.
Reblogged this on greyzonebooks and commented:
This is really valuable information! It’s been interesting to read articles such as this one as I think about publishing.
I found this most interesting as like all authors I need to get my book known to as many people as possible.
Many thanks
I’d love to guest blog for you!
Hi there, I too would love to guest blog for you
thank you for this post! aside from those valuable tips you write I think writers like us should never forget to give value first thru our writing, the sales will follow!
I will be glad to do a guest post! 🙂
Great advice, thank you so much!!
One great advice again coming from the Millionaire’s Digest. Noting all important stuff in mind. Keep going guys!
This advice is very helpful! I agree with everything you wrote. Thank you!
I would love to guest blog. lisameister.WordPress.com lisameister42@yahoo.com . Thank you.
Great info in this post! I’m sending my draft to an editor on Tuesday. Kinda scary…but really exciting!
I’d love to guest blog for you!
Reblogged this on Don Massenzio's Blog.
Great post – i would love to guest blog for you as well – but you would have to talk me through it as I’ve not done this before (well i don’t think I have) 🙂
Good information. Thank you for sharing.
Sound advice. I’ve got to the point where I’m looking to publish in a minefield of options. I’ve also been building a platform via social media in readiness for pronoting. Your advice on extending that is very interesting. Thanks for sharing ?
Awesome source of information. Thanks for sharing!
I would love to do a guest blog for you, could I write about what prompted me to write what I write? Or would that be too personal and focused?
I would like to be considered to guest blog. I am close to publishing my first book. It is a devotional book. Thanks for the advice.
Hello
I was interested in being a guest writer for the Millionaires Digest.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hey Helen,
We don’t accept guest writers. At least, not yet we don’t. Sorry about that, but if you still need anything else, I’m here to assist you!
-K&L
Thank you for the post. The information presented is completely true. As a new self-published author platform building is not for the faint at heart. As I look at stats it is interesting to see what methods actually produces sales vs. just generating buzz. Self-publishing requires a lot of patience and discipline.
This is great advice. The first list I’ve seen that isn’t painfully obvious or ridiculously impossible.
If it be possible, I’d be interested in guest posting on your blog. I am a newly published author looking for ways to promote.
Hey Matt,
We don’t accept guest writers here at the Millionaire’s Digest. At least not yet we don’t. Sorry! But the good news is, pretty soon we will! You’ll just have to keep up to date with us by frequently checking back with us!
Sincerely,
K&L
-The Millionaire’s Digest Author, Publisher & CEO
Reblogged this on WilliWash.
Awesome list! I love that you included “have a professional cover” because I’m a book cover designer. 🙂
http://www.EmmaleeDesignsArt.com
I’ve been considering writing a book of my own soon and branching out into that field, so thanks for sharing! These tips really helped. 🙂
angieyhsim.wordpress.com
Noting it for future ?