Self-publishing is definitely the best option for those who are willing to put in the discipline and effort to make their book a success. A lot of writers may still choose the traditional route because it is seen as less risky. There are many factors that can contribute to your books success as a self-published author but below I have outlined 10 effective tactics that anyone can implement to increase their chances of success
1.) Make Sure Your Book is Properly Edited, Proofread, and Designed
You will need to have your book professionally edited and proofread. This would ensure that your writing is up to standard for success or else you will be promoting a low-quality book full of grammar errors. There are different types of editing: Developmental, copyediting and line editing. All 3 are recommended but it also depends on the kind of book you are writing. You would also need proofreading to ensure that there are no grammar or punctuation errors.
After the book is edited and proofread you would need to get the book cover and interior layout designed and formatted. This is to ensure that the book can stand out and attract readers. It would also ensure a great reading experience. If the book is not properly designed then it will not draw anyones attention. The editing, proofreading and design is essential and if they are not done properly then a lot of your promotional efforts will be wasted.
2.) Book Reviews, Referrals & Endorsements
Word-of-mouth or written endorsements can be a great way to build credibility, especially if it is from credible people or thought leaders in your niche. A book recommendation from the right person can make a huge difference. Remember to have at least two reviews next to your book every time it is being listed online as well as on the back cover. Your customers use these reviews to gain insight into the quality of the book as well as if it will be a good purchase decision.
You can consider having a foreword written by a thought leader in your niche. This is a great strategy for non-fiction books to be seen as more credible. You can also send an ARC(Advanced Reader Copy) to online reviewers who can review your book weeks before it is published. This leads us to the next strategy of early promoting…
3.) Early Promoting
You can start early to to build support and awareness at least 6 months before the actual book launch. This would help to raise momentum before the actual release. If you at least have your cover ready you can begin to promote the artwork especially if it is very attractive, or engaging in its design.
You can start early promoting to your family, friends and colleagues on social media and grow a Facebook page from the network you already have. I understand that growing an audience may be difficult, that is why you need to begin early. Consider joining Facebook groups where your target readers may be hanging out and creating content in these groups. You can also create your own Facebook group and build a community. Your book is part of your personal brand so if people know, like and trust you already then that will also increase their chance of buying what you sell or recommend.
4.) Offering Freebies & Bonuses
By offering bonuses to people who pre-order you can build anticipation before the actual book is released. This gives people more incentive to buy and complements the strategy of early promoting. It would also require creative thinking in order to decide on the right bonuses or benefits to entice buyers. You can offer people a preview into the book to build anticipation. You can also give away free helpful content and privileges to your customers.
One way to approach this is by offering a ‘reader magnet. A reader magnet is a free download that you offer to people in exchange for their email address. This allows you to keep in touch with them before, during and after the final book release. It is a more effective way for you to build your email list.
5.) Build An Email list
Do you have an email list that you can promote to? It is important to have an email list because only a small percentage of people on social media will actually see what you are posting. An email list allows you to more easily connect with your audience and keep in touch with them.
You need to have hundreds or thousands of enthusiastic subscribers by the time you finally publish your book. With email you can also track how your campaign is performing and see how they respond. Use your email list to build awareness and support through valuable content over time. If you can start with at least 10 people off your email list to purchase your book then you are already on the right path to success.
6.) Strategic Pricing
When pricing your book, try to be more strategic and consider what other people in your niche are charging and why, as well as which books in your niche are performing better. This would give you more insight into a more appropriate price for your book. Pricing has a lot of influence on your customers purchase decisions. Avoid pricing too far above what is out there or too low that it devalues your book.
Especially if you are selling wholesale to major distributors, they would need wholesale discounts to buy your book in bulk and still make a profit. Amazon KDP and Ingram Spark offers Expanded distribution to help you reach major book distribution channels by helping it get picked up by major retailers and wholesalers(e.g. brick-n-mortar, Barnes & Noble, Costco, etc.) By setting your book at a discount you have a higher chance of competing with traditionally published books that will also be competing for space on the shelf. But remember to put your retail price on the barcode because Barnes’n’Noble requires this, along with other bookstores.
7.) Podcast Interviews
Consider reaching out to hosts and content creators of podcasts that fit the theme of your book. These hosts are usually very supportive and would provide you with a platform to speak where your target readers may be listening. Avoid selling too hard on these interviews. Just try to be your authentic self and make sure what you are saying is beneficial to the listeners.
These hosts usually already have a large audience that they have built over the years and they will be willing to recommend your book to their audience. Podcast interviews are also free. Consider them to be a joint effort between you and the host and you can both promote the interview together. You need to have several appearances. They will also usually link back to your website which will help to improve your online visibility.
8.) Speaking Engagements
You need to get on more stages! You should also look into virtual events, especially with the pandemic. You can reach out to the hosts of these events and see if they can invite you to become a speaker and vendor. This strategy is one of the most effective, especially if you are a great speaker. Make sure the event is appropriate and fits the theme of your book.
A lot of your income may actually come from speaking engagements instead of book sales. So you can start with smaller local events for free then you can get the paid speaking engagements as well. Most people will want to see where you have spoken in the past before they pay you to speak. So you need to have footage of past events that you can show.
There are 3 ways to approach speaking: You can reach out to the event planners of upcoming events and find out if they have space left for one more guest speaker. The second way is by reaching out to the decision makers of organizations and groups to see if they have anything coming up. If not then you can pitch a speaking event to them that their audience would find beneficial. The third way is by creating your own virtual or physical event. This is effective if you already have a large audience.
9.) Write A Press Release
Write A Press Release to get national exposure and media attention, interviews, attention of journalists, and news articles. Press releases are also a great way to boost your SEO or visibility on Google. If you still hope to traditionally publish later then press releases will increase your chances over the long term.
www.pressreleasesender.com is a great resource for large scale press releases and they can also help you right your content in a more professional and effective way. For smaller releases and lower budgets you can use prlog.org which is free but will not get as much exposure. It is only known to improve your Google ranking.
10.) Digital Marketing
This could be a more short term strategy, depending on the duration of your campaign, your budget and how much return you get. But you can begin to see some fast results. Methods like Facebook ads, Amazon Ads, Google Ads and Kindle Lockscreen are also the most effective ways to expand your reach by specifically targeting people who are more likely to purchase, based on their interests and behaviors. But if you would like to move forward with digital marketing, make sure you have the budget upfront and that it is feasible enough for you to start seeing results. If you plan to handle the campaign yourself then you need to have a thorough understanding of how it works. Or else I would recommend paying an expert to help you.
- Amazon Ads: are the most effective because Amazon is seen as the most credible platform for purchasing books.
- Facebook Ads are an effective way to target people based on interests and behaviors.
- Google Ads charge you when people click on your ad so it is pay-per-click and targets your potential buyers especially based on their previous Google searches and interests.
- Kindle Lockscreen allows you to reach people more likely to buy your ebook on Kindle devices. You only pay when people click on the ad and you can target based on their genre interests.
If you found this self publishing formula helpful or if you know of any other methods that have contributed to the success of your book, feel free to reach out and let me know. You can also feel free to reach out to discuss your next book release and strategies that we can use to increase your chances of self publishing success. Click here and let’s get in touch.
