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Kindle Book Sales Strategy...Try This!

by aprilm
16 replies
This is a really cool strategy I recently came across for encouraging people to buy books in a series. If you sell in a series or related topic books, which is extremely lucrative, place an enticing summary or teaser chapter to the next book in the series at the end of the first book. And at the end of the teaser or summary, place a link to the whole book on Amazon.

Keep in mind that summary content will act as an advertisement for your book, so use compelling copy.

If you are using a teaser chapter, leave off right when the story or info gets good. :p

Every book you sell on Kindle should assist sales of other books in some way.
#book #kindle #sales #strategytry
  • Profile picture of the author LarryC
    Good idea. I actually published the first part of an urban fantasy series I started working on years ago. The whole format is a serial, so theoretically readers who get into the story will want to see the next part.

    Unfortunately, I've only sold a couple of copies of this so far. I've done better with how-to type nonfiction on Kindle. But the concept is good if you can get some readers hooked!
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      This should work very, very well on Amazon - if the reader really liked your book.

      Publishers of series fiction in the offline world have been using it for years, especially in what used to be considered 'pulp fiction' (westerns, series detective stories, romances, etc. meant to be read in a day or less).

      I have a whole box of those westerns as proof that it worked at least once...
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  • Profile picture of the author pizzatherapy
    This is a great strategy. I've seen this used on a number of books I've read over the years. The first chapter of the author's next book is included at the end of their current book.

    This is an excellent way to get interest going to get your readers to want to read your next book.
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    • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
      Good idea.

      There are a couple of other things you should do if you have a series:

      1)Have a name for the series. Amazon puts this in parentheses right after the book title.

      2)Design the covers so they look like a series. Ever notice that you can tell a "... For Dummies" book all the way across the room? That's because they're all yellow and the cover is designed in exactly the same way every time, with only the words different. Some other series have more variance in the cover designs but you can still see the resemblance at a glance.

      These might sound obvious, but I keep seeing Kindle publishers not doing these things.

      Marcia Yudkin
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      • Profile picture of the author aprilm
        Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

        Good idea.

        There are a couple of other things you should do if you have a series:

        1)Have a name for the series. Amazon puts this in parentheses right after the book title.

        2)Design the covers so they look like a series. Ever notice that you can tell a "... For Dummies" book all the way across the room? That's because they're all yellow and the cover is designed in exactly the same way every time, with only the words different. Some other series have more variance in the cover designs but you can still see the resemblance at a glance.

        These might sound obvious, but I keep seeing Kindle publishers not doing these things.

        Marcia Yudkin
        VERY VERY good advice. Thank you for mentioning this! This is so true.
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        • Profile picture of the author Bjarne Viken
          Hi Aprilm

          A really good idea with putting in an introduction to the next book in the current one.

          Another idea I felt like adding into the mix is giving the readers a lot of reasons to return to a site promoting the book by offering free support. I am in the process of releasing a book on Kindle and is actually a little afraid of doing it since I don't know how to compensate for loosing out on the buyers email by selling on Amazon.

          Any suggestions on that?
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          • Profile picture of the author aprilm
            Originally Posted by Bjarne Viken View Post

            Hi Aprilm

            A really good idea with putting in an introduction to the next book in the current one.

            Another idea I felt like adding into the mix is giving the readers a lot of reasons to return to a site promoting the book by offering free support. I am in the process of releasing a book on Kindle and is actually a little afraid of doing it since I don't know how to compensate for loosing out on the buyers email by selling on Amazon.

            Any suggestions on that?
            Hi Bjarne,
            I use my Kindle books to capture email addresses all the time. I have never offered free support, but I have offered a free report and called it a "free gift to all my Amazon readers". Some bite, some don't. Many do though, however.

            I know some authors might scoff at this, but what I do sometimes is place the "free gift" link at the very beginning of my book in the front matter. That way, even people who are just taking a peek inside my book and not buying will see the link and have a chance to check out my offer.
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            • Profile picture of the author JonathanG
              Hi April. Good idea. But how are you capturing the email addresses in the Kindle? An opt-in form?
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  • Profile picture of the author TiffanyLambert
    I read contemporary fiction (Anita Shreeve, Jodi Picoult etc) and I love when they do that. It always makes me want the next book - they're not even a series, just another story. It gives you enough (like a good sized chapter) to get a feel for whether or not you want to read it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Cool idea. This is something that I can definitely use - even with the courses that i'm selling on my site.
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    I did this with the very first info product I used, and I forgot about it. It did seem to work well though. Thanks for the healthy reminder and for getting rid of my morning brain fart...LOL :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author WriterWahm
    This is a splendid idea and it really works. However there are two situations where it's just going to piss off your readers:

    1. If the writing is poor and
    2. If it's just one story you've broken into parts (for fiction).

    The second is the most annoying (speaking from a reader's point of view and from numerous Amazon reviews). When a reader buys your book, they want a complete story. I'm not saying you can't have a series about a single character but each book must be complete. This is particularly true for romance stories; don't ever cheat your reader out of their Happy Ever After.

    Thanks for your tip. With good writing and a great subject, this will work really well.
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    Originally Posted by aprilm View Post

    If you are using a teaser chapter, leave off right when the story or info gets good. :p

    That is the reason why "cliffhanger" story series have always done well. People want to know how the story ends...
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Luxton
      Hi April,

      I have a quick question.

      At present I have only one book (which will be joined by brothers and sisters in the series).

      Once I have other books to link to and I update my original book with the teasers and links, do I get penalised by Kindle in any way e.g. because it's a new version I lose ranking/sales figures?

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
        Originally Posted by Martin Luxton View Post

        Hi April,

        I have a quick question.

        At present I have only one book (which will be joined by brothers and sisters in the series).

        Once I have other books to link to and I update my original book with the teasers and links, do I get penalised by Kindle in any way e.g. because it's a new version I lose ranking/sales figures?

        Martin
        No you do not lose rankings. Your old version will remain for sale the entire time your new book in the "review" and "publishing" process. You simply upload the new file over the old one at Amazon for the same book. And be sure to publish it.
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        • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
          I have read reviews where people rip up authors for adding samples and teasers at the end of their related books. I recall reading one reviewer say that with the long sample at the back, the book just came across as an ad for another book. So watch the length.

          I like to add a small blurb with a call to action to my author's site where the consumer can download a related report or sample. This way I get the email and they get something also.
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