The Self-Publisher's Marketing Thread

[jimr]

Feel free to join in with any tips you might have.

Ok, a few days, but better late than never (it's been a busy time just recently).

Originally I had intended to use my progress thread (https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...ie-author-to-freedom.49074/page-4#post-425483) to highlight some of the marketing ideas that have (and haven't worked for me). Took a long hard look at it and decided an new topic might be the best way forward.

Anyway first tip that has boosted my sales: links to your author profile and all other books at the back of each of your ebooks. Does this work? Oh yes! I recently released a scifi horror story and put links to all my other books in that genre at the back of the book. A few days after the horror story was bought I saw a sales of previous books spiking. Okay, I can hear some of you saying "coincidence", but I think not. I'm not seeing a single copy of my other books being bought - I see sales for all four of my other books in the horror category selling on the same day (none of these have links to any of my other books - yet).

What I've also experimented with is adding links to books in other categories. I realise some authors advise against this, but I disagree. Here's why - I am an author and I write in a number of styles and, whilst I enjoy most genres what I really want it to find out which is the most profitable. For me it makes senses to cross-link to other categories (apart from the *ahem* more adult offerings I have - although I'm sure some scifi fans are also interested in reading about were bears and BDSM). Does this crossing of categories work? Yes, I've also seen a sales spike in my other books).

Best advice I can give right now is to simply copy the Amazon descriptions for each of your books and past them under your Amazon affiliate link (use it - it's more money for you) at the back of the book.

An easy one to start with. Back soon.

 

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[Selfy]

Great thread! I hope others will chime in as well.

I'm experimenting as well.
I include a photo of other books, optimized to be light along with their descriptions.

Then a free book in exchange for an email subscribe.

But I'm not sure if a teaser is more effective. Thoughts?

I'n also experimenting cross selling between different authors under one publishing house (mine) but it's hard to see where subscriptions are coming from.

Is there a way to track how many people click (I'm using mail chimp)? I think that's my next thing.

How are you reaching out to email lists? New releases and what not? Do they buy?

It only makes sense to do this for quality books, but I'm pushing for quality so we'll see how it goes.

 

[jimr]

I prefer the teaser approach. Not sure how Amazon would view offering free books in return for an email signup - it's something you could try with a test account and some ultra-short (10k words) stories.

Not sure if this is what you're after: http://kb.MailCheat(Chimp).com/reports/about-click-tracking

So far my email list is small, but it's growing and subscribers seem to be hanging around. A good way to find out how many are still active is to send them a survey from time to time (not perfect, but gives you a better idea than simply tracking clicks). I do reach out and, from time to time, I also offer bundles exclusive to my small list of subscribers.

Hope that helps.

P.S I like the idea of using books images as part of the sales pitch - added to my 'to do' list.

 

[Gymjunkie]

I prefer the teaser approach. Not sure how Amazon would view offering free books in return for an email signup - it's something you could try with a test account and some ultra-short (10k words) stories.

Not sure if this is what you're after: http://kb.MailCheat(Chimp).com/reports/about-click-tracking

So far my email list is small, but it's growing and subscribers seem to be hanging around. A good way to find out how many are still active is to send them a survey from time to time (not perfect, but gives you a better idea than simply tracking clicks). I do reach out and, from time to time, I also offer bundles exclusive to my small list of subscribers.

Hope that helps.

P.S I like the idea of using books images as part of the sales pitch - added to my 'to do' list.

Surveys are annoying.. careful there..

Experiment with switching places at the back of the book for email list sign up and Book promo. You might be getting few sales but losing subscribers. Small tweak but important. Maybe it's better to just have email sign up and then one Book promo after it. But to all who subscriber, send the welcome email and then have links to the books on Amazon.

So just split testing things.

 

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[jimr]

Surveys are annoying.. careful there..

Experiment with switching places at the back of the book for email list sign up and Book promo. You might be getting few sales but losing subscribers. Small tweak but important. Maybe it's better to just have email sign up and then one Book promo after it. But to all who subscriber, send the welcome email and then have links to the books on Amazon.

So just split testing things.

Just to clarify, the surveys are more like fact finding exercises. I keep them few and far between and the focus is on the customers views; in particular, what they like/didn't like about the books. I don't agree that "surveys are annoying" - very subjective (one man's meat, another man's poison...). Sure, they don't flick some people's switches and there's no pressure to complete them. For me, the jury is still out on this method and if it tanks, so be it.

Yeah, totally agree on the message about minor tweaks and split testing.

Welcome email already exists and contains links to both my profile and books.

I'll update this thread at the weekend with my thoughts on mailing lists and how I've used them so far.

 

[Gymjunkie]

Just to clarify, the surveys are more like fact finding exercises. I keep them few and far between and the focus is on the customers views; in particular, what they like/didn't like about the books. I don't agree that "surveys are annoying" - very subjective (one man's meat, another man's poison...). Sure, they don't flick some people's switches and there's no pressure to complete them. For me, the jury is still out on this method and if it tanks, so be it.

Yeah, totally agree on the message about minor tweaks and split testing.

Welcome email already exists and contains links to both my profile and books.

I'll update this thread at the weekend with my thoughts on mailing lists and how I've used them so far.

Thing with surveys is as a biz owner you want to send them but as a customer you don't do most of them and they are just like 'not another one.. ugh.. no time'. I might fill out 1 in 10 of them and that's only for someone who's done a LOT of beneficial things (then you want to pay back..).

Heck, I have and email that only asks one simple question, few days after people sign up and download my hiring a cover designer guide and most don't even answer. 1 in 40 takes the time. That is great when people answer but even with the value I try to provide, I still don't expect much because online, time and attention is so hard to get.

 

[jimr]

Okay, let's put this one to rest: some people don't like surveys and some are happy to help. The idea behind this thread was to give forum members an insight into the marketing methods I've either used or am trialling, with results. What each member takes away and applies, or discards is totally up to them.

I appreciate your views on the topic of surveys but the point is being laboured now. Each to their own.

 

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[Gymjunkie]

Okay, let's put this one to rest: some people don't like surveys and some are happy to help. The idea behind this thread was to give forum members an insight into the marketing methods I've either used or am trialling, with results. What each member takes away and applies, or discards is totally up to them.

I appreciate your views on the topic of surveys but the point is being laboured now. Each to their own.

Jeez, so good discussions are only those that are hiney-slapping each other (YEAH, I AGREE!) and no other stuff? Just explained my POV a bit more.. Not belabouring it. I even added a smile to kind of agree with you at the end and said that you can get some people to answer questions.. but don't expect too much so you won't be dissapointed.

If I wanted to nitpick more I would..

Anyway, good marketing thing so far has been Bundles. They have been losing effect slowly as market is getting more of them but they are still good thing that works. So some Fastlane authors in same genres could possibly combine and do something maybe..

 

[jimr]

Okay, next step...

Mailing Lists
I subscribe to the theory of having a mailing list full of rabid fans/readers. Even better is a responsive list.
So far, I only have about 60 subscribers.

Here's what I've done so far to build a list:

Mention my subscription link at every possible opportunity. Mine is attached to the profiles of each of my pen names (the author pages). Each book has a link at the bottom of a bio page I include at the back of each book.

Frequent deals and offers have been useful in helping me build a list via referrals (had a few emails confirming this). If you want to someone who knows how to work this angle hard then I suggest you look at Selena Kitt's and sign up for her list even if it's just to see how she works.

If you have a website, give readers the option to sign up from here.

Cross-promotions have brought in a few subscribers, but the jury is still out on this one. You could always search Facebook for author groups and use these as a starting point to find people writing in your genre (I'll come to FB in a later post).

Gymjunkie made a really good point about bundles: they still work, but the returns are decreasing. One tactic that seems to be working very well right now is the use of mirrors (I have an interesting discussion with an adult fiction writing about this topic). Obviously you need to be careful about how you market these (personally, I haven't offered any mirrors to my list but I do have a couple on Amazon and Kobo).

For anyone wanting to know what the conversion figures are like, I'm getting about 6%. Obviously that's a pretty small number right now but my list was only started a couple months ago and I'm currently working on trying to get 10 new subscriptions per day.

TOP TIP: Always ensure you are tracking both emails opened and link clicks in whichever mailing list software you're using.

As I said before, this is purely a brain dump of everything I am doing. Feel free to use the methods, or not, if you so choose. Any q's then PM me.

 

[Gymjunkie]

Email subscription offer shouldn't be at the bottom of a Bio. It should be one separate page right after they are finished and are loving the story. The page has to be one strong call-to-action. Might need to do a giveaway (short story or even a book that is selling etc), might not. But do not relegate email list to bottom of any kind of page. It's too important. Goes before Bio or any other promotion page for other book.

 

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[jimr]

Email subscription offer shouldn't be at the bottom of a Bio. It should be one separate page right after they are finished and are loving the story. The page has to be one strong call-to-action. Might need to do a giveaway (short story or even a book that is selling etc), might not. But do not relegate email list to bottom of any kind of page. It's too important. Goes before Bio or any other promotion page for other book.

Location of subscription offer probably explains in part why I still have a small list.

 

[Gymjunkie]

Location of subscription offer probably explains in part why I still have a small list.

Yup. Most likely. With people being so click-happy and short attention spans to move to the next thing, you have to have most important things dominant and most 'in their eyes' so that during those few precious seconds they have finished reading they would see what you need to show the most. Not anything in just any kind of order.

Same for websites, signup form on the sidebar is ignored a lot, so it's not a super great place to have form (still should be there on some pages).