What is the best way to market a book that is not selling as expected?
I wish to market a book that is not selling as expected in the market upon all the promises by the publishers. The book is one that should be okay for most business readers who wish to avoid scams .I am also about publishing my second book which is a novel and do not wish to make mistakes
You should look into search engine marketing and building an email marketing campaign to build long time subscribers to your work.
If you have a blog, it's a good idea to blog about your book or talk about your book within your networks.
I would do seminars and webinars about the subject of the book. Education is the best way to market. Also, consider speaking engagements to chamber of commerce and other organizations.
George Maabadi
Business & Sales Coach
Your response: Regardless of what the publisher promises, the author will be the marketer. Without knowing who your specific market is--demographic, psychographic, geographic--you will not sell books(http://www.tomblubaugh.net/blog-2/market-segmentation.html). Building a strong solid brand is crucial. It may take publishing three or four books before you will become known. Tom Blubaugh, Literary Strategist LLC |
Publishers today basically take an attitude of "We'll attach our name to the book and distribute it through our channels, but you need to guarantee X sales." Which means if YOU don't sell them (speaking, websites, strategic alliances, etc.), you're going to end up with a garage full of unsold books.
I suggest you reach out to radio and television stations, sending them a copy of your book and suggesting they interview you.
Robert Kyosaki, Napoleon Hill and many other good success coaches say about this issue:
If your book is not selling, often changing the title helps attract more readers. The title must be juicy enough to get people at least pick the book up in the store and browse through it.
'Think and Grow Rich' is a title Napoleon Hill came up with just hours before his publisher were to make his own title to the book because they needed to print it and send it to stores
You have to Brand your book somehow. TV interviews, Radio, Event participation and many other activities that will let people who you are. Event known people publish books that do not sell. So Tom Blubaugh is correct. You have o market your book. It is based on marketing and Public Relations. The most inexpensive is by participating in Events and Fairs. If you have some money, informationals.
Thanks but i fail to understand properly what you mean, explain further if you do not mind
There are SEVERAL things that you can do to sell more books, and mostly without even having to deal with advertisement. I have a new strategy that I literally spend a year studying and obsessing over. It has to do with category, keywords, and where exactly you implement the two. You can get the details here:
http://www.listmyebook.com/calling-all-authors.html
Good luck!
Hey Kelechi,
With respect, if you could provide us with an idea of what you are currently doing to promote, market and sell the book, it would help to give us a context in which we could provide feedback.
Here's 3 things I go trough with every one of my clients:
1. Where do your customers hang out?
Hang out where your target market hangs out and become an expert (get involved) in that place i.e. Spam forums maybe?
2. How are you standing out from your competition? Are you a credible expert?
3. Do you have a Brand? i.e. the Expert on business scams
I hope this helps!
Oh, the ultimate question and challenge for writers - unless you are with a major publisher.
Kelechi, I not only published my own a couple of years ago, I am working on an author's book launch as we speak for later this year....
1) Before you spend money on a Best Seller Book program.... book yourself radio spots on shows that discuss your book topic, i.e. go to Blog Talk Radio, or look through RadioGuestList.com and send an email to them requesting a spot on their show... EMAIL me if you want a sample pitch email you can send them.
2) Do the same for having a Blogger Author Interview done - which basically means having an interview done via email (you or they provide the questions) of which the blogger than posts the interview it on their website. Google - 'bloggers who post author interviews' and you will find a bunch.
3) Do the same for Blogger Reviews of your book.... Google "blogger book reviews'
4) Put your book on Amazon Author Central
5) Put your book on Goodreads
6) Give away free chapters (on website, facebook, twitter, etc.)
Google - How to Promote My Book Cheap or Free
You can do a best sellers program, but unfortunately many of those programs have diluted 'bestseller' status, as most now know that people are manipulating Amazon and other things to do so....
Being that your first book is a business one - you could approach corporations, associations, Chambers, schools, etc.. to buy your book in bulk, should it be about a topic for many.....
Lastly - be realistic.... google the 'average number of books an author sells' and I think you will be surprised how low it is. That does NOT mean I am advising you not to do something.... but understand what the purpose of the book is - 1) gain credibility 2) gain fame (NY Best Seller) or to 3) gain revenue.
If your goal is #1 - then be cautious of the amount of money you spend
If it is #2 - then be prepared to spend a GREAT deal of money
If it is #3 - you can find a balance between self-marketing and hiring resources to help you... but realistically, your book should be a pull through to other products and services....
Let me know if you need anything more. And know, fiction and nonfiction require different marketing methods....
Thanks. The book is a nonfiction. - http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000666344/UNKNOWN-TRANSACTIONS.aspx - advise i will appreciate
I purchased a program to make books best sellers. I have not had a chance to look at it. If you want to look at it, let me know.
I am finishing my book soon and hope not to have the same. I have friends that do well on Amazon with their books. I will be watching this for sure.
You as the author actually do the marketing and selling. It's important that you know who you are selling to. Are you trying to sell every business your book? This, most likely, will not work. Who is your specific market. What kind of businesses? Where? How large? Startups?