I've written my book - what now?

38 replies
44 thousand words of literary genius but how do I get people to buy it?

I'm waiting for the proof copy from Amazon's CreateSpace and now I need to get people to buy my book.

I have a website that mirrors the title of the book so somethings are in place. My question to you is "what do I do to drive people to my site, the Amazon store and then buy my book?

All answers are greatly appreciated but please don't offer me your SEO services and such like, this is a 'money-in' situation, not a 'money-out'.

Thanks all

David
#book #written
  • Profile picture of the author butters
    Surely you came up with a plan before you went out and wrote 44k pages what does your market research tell you where your audience is at (please say you did thorough research before writing 44k pages!!)

    To get traffic to your site please click the link

    http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...ws.GUAx_PIkjh4

    These are all posts on the warrior forum which talk about traffic and will give you the same answers which will be given.
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    • Profile picture of the author scrofford
      Originally Posted by butters View Post

      Surely you came up with a plan before you went out and wrote 44k pages what does your market research tell you where your audience is at (please say you did thorough research before writing 44k pages!!)

      To get traffic to your site please click the link

      site: site:warriorforum.com warriorforum.com how to get traffic - Google Search

      These are all posts on the warrior forum which talk about traffic and will give you the same answers which will be given.
      I think the OP said 44k WORDS LOL!
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      • Profile picture of the author butters
        Originally Posted by scrofford View Post

        I think the OP said 44k WORDS LOL!
        Yeah I realised :p just on my iPhone when writing it
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    • Profile picture of the author Malcolm Thomas
      Originally Posted by butters View Post

      Surely you came up with a plan before you went out and wrote 44k pages what does your market research tell you where your audience is at (please say you did thorough research before writing 44k pages!!)

      To get traffic to your site please click the link

      site: site:warriorforum.com warriorforum.com how to get traffic - Google Search

      These are all posts on the warrior forum which talk about traffic and will give you the same answers which will be given.
      This. It's always best to figure out your target market/niche and who you plan to sell your book to before you write 44 thousand words of content.
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      • Profile picture of the author DavidinDorset
        Originally Posted by Malcolm Thomas View Post

        This. It's always best to figure out your target market/niche and who you plan to sell your book to before you write 44 thousand words of content.
        Why do you all bang on about something that i've already done? The question is about 'how' do I take it to market, not which market. Can we leave that alone and try to stay on topic please?
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Send 5 copies to friends that you know will write you a great review.

          Then go on this sub forum and join. You'll get everything you need to sell your book on Amazon.

          http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ior-style.html

          I'm not selling this, but it really is the answer to your question.

          Amazon.com will really do all the marketing for you, as long as you know how to use all the tools they give you.

          the information is geared for Kindle books, but 99% of it applies to print books as well.

          I have three books (real print books that are selling). This link I gave you covers everything you need to know to take advantage of Amazon's tools.
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          One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

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        • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
          Originally Posted by DavidinDorset View Post

          Why do you all bang on about something that i've already done? The question is about 'how' do I take it to market, not which market. Can we leave that alone and try to stay on topic please?
          David,

          There's little point asking for marketing advice and then getting pissy when you don't like it. Those who've tried to explain about target markets are correct. You should listen. If you'd actually carried out extensive research, you'd already know how to promote it.

          There are lots of reasons to write a book. Some write just because they feel compelled to. Others write to serve a market.

          Your book is, by your own account, a commercial enterprise. As such, considerations such as demand and how to reach your audience should have been paramount when planning the project. These are basic questions any publisher would have asked before agreeing even to read your book.

          By your own description, you appear to have written a book about how to sell to the British, from a British perspective, when your main market is probably going to be from abroad.

          The best way forward, even though you won't want to hear it, would be for you to revise the book, making it more accessible to foreign markets.

          And lose the attitude. It's not helping you.


          Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author DavidinDorset
    Market research done. The difficulty is getting the 'author' hat off and the 'promotion' hat on. Just because I can write 44k words doesn't mean I'm an internet marketing whizz kid!

    I can shoot deer but that doesn't mean I'm a great chef as well. So the book is done, it's the taking it to market phase that i'm looking at doing now.

    I'll go and have a look at the google link. - thanks for that.

    David
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    • Profile picture of the author Paul Hooper-Kelly
      Hi David,

      And greetings from across the county line in Hampshire.

      It would be helpful to know the subject of your book, if nothing else. That's because you need to target different traffic sources depending on the subject.

      Warmest regards,

      Paul
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      If you want to stack the copywriting deck in your favor with tricks and hacks producing winners like: "$20K in three days" "650 sold" "30% conversion", then you might like to know I'm retiring and will spill the beans to two people. More info here.
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      • Profile picture of the author DavidinDorset
        Hey Paul

        The book is called "Selling to the British".

        It is a look at how and why our 'British' culture has changed over the last 30 years and how our world of commerce has changed because of it. It examines the consequences of this shift and shows you, as a person in sales, what you can do to make your business more profitable.

        So it's a bit more than sales technique book and it's written in English too! By that I mean not the American or universal version of English. It's a unique and original piece of work. Most books of this genre are 'american' in their own culture so this is most definitely from the British perspective. There is some sales technology in the book but most of the teaching is anecdotal because we have a capacity to learn by stories.

        Today's challenge is taking the book to market. I don't like stalkbook or twatter so how do I do this?

        David
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        • Profile picture of the author Paul Hooper-Kelly
          Hi David,

          Ah ... selling - that's something I know a bit about: I made my very first face to face sale 50 years ago this April, at the Daily Express building in Fleet Street.

          So I think your first port of call should be LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com

          You can join for free, so it fits your 'No money-out' criteria!

          And, whilst it is used by business folk all over the world, there are sizeable numbers of British sales and marketing people active on it.

          And one of the key advantages, from your point of view is you can focus on specific target groups.

          The ideal would be for you to start your own LinkedIn group, dedicated to selling in Britain today - in fact, that could be a good title for your group: "Selling In Britain Today".

          I'll keep an eye out for it and will become your first member.

          Warmest regards,

          Paul
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          If you want to stack the copywriting deck in your favor with tricks and hacks producing winners like: "$20K in three days" "650 sold" "30% conversion", then you might like to know I'm retiring and will spill the beans to two people. More info here.
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        • Profile picture of the author agmccall
          Originally Posted by DavidinDorset View Post

          Hey Paul

          The book is called "Selling to the British".

          It is a look at how and why our 'British' culture has changed over the last 30 years and how our world of commerce has changed because of it. It examines the consequences of this shift and shows you, as a person in sales, what you can do to make your business more profitable.

          So it's a bit more than sales technique book and it's written in English too! By that I mean not the American or universal version of English. It's a unique and original piece of work. Most books of this genre are 'american' in their own culture so this is most definitely from the British perspective. There is some sales technology in the book but most of the teaching is anecdotal because we have a capacity to learn by stories.

          Today's challenge is taking the book to market. I don't like stalkbook or twatter so how do I do this?

          David
          Kind of contradicts post #3, use the techniques in your book and sell it to the British

          al
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          "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

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        • Profile picture of the author isaacsmithjones
          Try blogging about your book.. You can also literally take snippets out of your book, and post them to places like slideshare, and youtube, and podcast websites (obv, you're going to need to read them out).

          But each of these can give you a little dribble of traffic to your website, and since you have 44k words, it's not like you're going to be giving away a significant chunk of your content.
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          • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
            Do you have already authority in the subject? Where that information came from? Did you work in corporate training?

            If you do, that would be an easy door in. Start giving seminars and sell the book there.

            Thing is, you need to build authority. That authority will sell the books for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author MyNewMama
      One of the most underutilized, but extremely powerful methods to drive people to your book/offer is issuing a press release. Distribute it via PRweb, businesswire or PRnewswire.

      Free press release distribution, such as PR.com and PRlog.com are good too.
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  • Profile picture of the author alishapinto
    Like mentioned, I'm sure you must have done your market research.? However you will have to spend a little on some marketing atleast. marketing plays a key role in the success of anything. And when you do market it, give a snippet of the book that will have them wanting to read more.
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  • Profile picture of the author PerformanceMan
    I'd send a copy to Oprah myself.
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    • Profile picture of the author joefizz
      Hey David in Dorset!

      OK, you gotta change you mind on FB and twitter. Once set up, can then run on autopilot. It's where your audience is...

      Also, you can get those guys in Createspace to do some marketing for you too (at a cost of course).

      Finally, though, your biggest tip is Kindle. Once the paperback is signed off, get it in there without delay...

      Good luck!

      Llwyddiant!

      Joe
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Smale
    So you've written a book on sales but don't know how to sell it? Does anyone else see the irony here
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    I specialize in selling websites over $10,000 in value. No obligation, confidential valuation here.
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    • Profile picture of the author Publisher1953
      One key thing is to obtain positive reviews (5*) on Amazon. You can ask people you know to read the book and write some reviews.

      Then your challenge is to get he book in the hands of influencers -- leaders of relevant sales and marketing associations, bloggers, media book reviewers and the like.

      Another poster suggested starting a linkedin group (great idea). You may also want to get yourself on the speaking list for relevant conferences and events.

      When I self-published within my niche a couple of years ago, I connected with someone with relevant group (about 10,000 members then, now 30,000), who set up a webinar where I presented my findings -- we sold a few dozen books. My own linkedin group now has about 6,000 members and is growing by about 10 to 15 members a day.


      And, of course I blogged and marketed the book to my own list and continue to promote it on my blog and in my newsletters, etc.

      (Early positive reviews I think are really important. In addition to the couple I encouraged, three other people I didn't know chimed in with their own 5* reviews -- rather helping the cause. However, I didn't do quite as well as a friend, who managed to obtain about 15 positive reviews for his book, and has sold upwards of $1,000 a month in copies. Mine generates about $250 a month -- not enough to get rich, obviously, but this has been going on for more than two years now.)
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Head over to Amazon and pick up these two books and follow them to the letter:

    Make A Killing On Kindle (Without Blogging, Facebook Or Twitter) Michael Alvear
    How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months! John Locke

    You might also want to do a search on Free Kindle Book Promotions. There are tons of blogs out there with info on this. Good luck.

    Edit: Upon first reading your post I didn't realize you were publishing a physical book. I'd take the physical book and create a ebook for Kindle and market it that way as well. For promoting physical books do a search on John Kremer. Here's a link to his site: http://www.bookmarket.com/
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
    Giveaway a short report that points to the full ebook. Distribute to magazines and books clubs with an offer to do an interview. Publish the interviews on your website with affiliate links or paid ads to the magazines and discount codes to the book clubs.

    The concept is writers must engage the reader and the marketer must engage the advertisers.

    Jeffery 100% :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Slim Deer
    Gosh.. I guess you should start a mind plan before start writing..
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    Is there a target audience for this book? Have you identified them? Where do they hang out?
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  • Profile picture of the author DavidinDorset
    As Jeffery has pointed out, writing is one skill, marketing is another.

    Writing a book for me is easy. But then you have to be an absolute master at so many other trades - planning; inspiration; formatting; spelling, grammar and context; editing; drafting; revising; webdesign; marketing strategies and even creating or finding someone to design a book cover. I'm not artistic like my daughter is - she has skills where I do not - so it's a rhetorical question, where do you go for a good, effective book cover that reflects the contents of your book and makes it shine? Why not ask here?

    Keeping up to date with advertising tactics, product placement, personal skills, your own charisma - it is an endless list of skills and you can't be a master of them all. To some it is a bone question but to others, there is no such thing. All questions lead to knowledge in some way or another.

    So, Thomas Smale, the book is written for the person who is in direct contact with the customer and that is very different from creating a marketing strategy. Typically, a Marketing Director couldn't function on a sales floor and a 17 year old with a Saturday job wouldn't be much use at a board meeting.

    But thanks for all your input so far, i'm making a list and getting to work.
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  • Profile picture of the author DavidinDorset
    Travelinguy

    The books you recommend get slated on kindle. Apparently the tactics are dishonest so I suppose it boils down to where your motivation is. Do you want to sell books and to hell with it or do you want to produce good quality literature?

    Actually, they are two separate things, but there is kind of question there. It's a moral one, isn't it?

    At one writing class I attend we discussed "Why does literature need to be trivialised and turned into titillation before it will be bought?" I want to write articles and books that have a certain quality and this is one of the problems of taking this book to market.

    Yes, the demographics have been identified and the market has been segmented. The task now is to get the book into the readers hands. What do I need to do. at places like Amazon, to help my book sell?
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    Yes, the demographics have been identified and the market has been segmented. The task now is to get the book into the readers hands. What do I need to do. at places like Amazon, to help my book sell?
    I'm no Amazon / kindle publisher but I would have thought that unless your book is on a topic that is highly searched at Amazon anyway you'd need to have your own internal audience (blog / list / site) to make an impact. If you don't you need to find out there these people are and get your book in front of them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Ten
    Why not start by including a signature link to your book's website as soon as possible?
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Gram
    To make a difference and sell lots of books, you need to build up your "author brand". Ideally, this is done before you write your book but it can definitely be done after as well.

    Amanda Hocking was amazing at this. She posted to her blog and communicated with her potential readers 3 times per week for 2 years and that was before she sold millions of books and got famous.

    You don't need years to do this, there are ways to speed the process up but one of the keys is starting a marketing and PR machine that will generate lots of interest.
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  • Profile picture of the author DavidinDorset
    Frank

    Sorry if I sound off but comments are being made which aren't really relevant to my OP. There's something here I don't know, so i'm asking a "how do I do this?" question but people are telling me answers to questions that aren't being asked. And we're assuming that I haven't done something when maybe, just maybe, I have.

    As i said, it's probably a bone question but "where now"? The advice about kindle as soon as you can and is worthy and so is some other stuff. I'm just sorting the wheat from the chaff.

    And i'm just trying to keep it on topic...
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by DavidinDorset View Post

      As i said, it's probably a bone question but "where now"? The advice about kindle as soon as you can and is worthy and so is some other stuff. I'm just sorting the wheat from the chaff.
      David, I understand it must be frustrating. I hope you can see that everyone responding here is just trying to help.

      One point about Kindle...if you've used CreateSpace to compile your book, Amazon will give you the option to have them convert it to a Kindle version for you. So that, at least, seems like a no-brainer.

      Regarding your ongoing promotion, we first of all need to understand your target audience. I'm having a little trouble believing there's a huge demand within the home market for a book on how the British mind works. That's the reason I was questioning why it was written from a British POV. But perhaps your research shows otherwise.

      If you can give us some idea of who you think your market is, maybe we'll come up with some better suggestions.


      Frank
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by DavidinDorset View Post

      Frank

      Sorry if I sound off but comments are being made which aren't really relevant to my OP. There's something here I don't know, so i'm asking a "how do I do this?" question but people are telling me answers to questions that aren't being asked. And we're assuming that I haven't done something when maybe, just maybe, I have.

      As i said, it's probably a bone question but "where now"? The advice about kindle as soon as you can and is worthy and so is some other stuff. I'm just sorting the wheat from the chaff.

      And i'm just trying to keep it on topic...
      David; You need to convert your book to a kindle, and offer it for free for a short period of time. You'll get a mass of free downloads of your book. This will convert to reviews, and increase your ranking in Amazon.

      Really. This is the best advice on this page. Enroll in the Warrior Bookclub section.

      http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ior-style.html

      Really. Everything you want to know is there. I'm not an affiliate. I have no stake in this at all, except I know where you can find everything you need.

      You keep asking us to help you, and I'm giving you the Map to the pot of gold. I have a friend that's using what's in this Forum, and she is pulling in $5,000 a month in Kindle books alone. Not including the print books...or retail sales...or bookstore books sales...or mail order sales...or wholesale book sales.

      I have two books I just put out a couple of weeks ago in a small niche. I've sold a few hundred copies starting with zero.

      I just joined this forum and discovered that this guy teaches what I was doing...and more.

      Anyway, you now know the next thing to do. You'll thank me after you are on that forum for 30 minutes, or you will just keep asking for "the secret method to market your book".

      Do it now. Or I give up.
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      One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

      What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
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  • Profile picture of the author onpointinfo
    I am some what confused, although I will give you my 2 cents could you just tell me who you think this book is for, what problems are you solving for those that wish to sell to the british and too whom within Britain what industries, etccc in Britain ...

    I would maybe take a step back, and think about to yourself what is your top 1 main point you are addressing in your book, then 2nd, 3rd, 4th etcccc

    If you can address the problems I would encounter if I was trying to sell to the British then all of these can become individual articles / small 1 to 5 page reports you can give away for free via a free offer get them to join your subscriber list then drip to them the various different reports you created focusing one of the problems give useful information in those reports but keep them incomplete meaning they would have to read your book to fully benefit from the information you are conveying to them...

    Hope this helps, can you tell me if I am on target with my advice, which is based on not really understanding who is your target market, whether it is for only those in Britain or outside of there

    If not then I need your help in knowing a little better what problems and solutions the book conveys in summary and who are your top 5 markets that should read your book...
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  • Profile picture of the author ecoverartist
    Hi David,

    If you need some help getting your book converted to Kindle, do let me know as I do a lot of book-to-Kindle conversion work. That being said, I know exactly how you're feeling right now with your book just waiting to hit the digital shelves

    My advice would be to seek out potential joint venture partners who aren't direct competitors. Offer their readers a discount on your book in exchange for a mention to their email list or on their blog. Another word of advice would be to find relevant blogs in your niche and inquire about guest posting opportunities.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    I would start a blog, and post 3-5 times a week. Then throw in some Google+, Twitter and Stumbleupon action.

    Originally Posted by DavidinDorset View Post

    44 thousand words of literary genius but how do I get people to buy it?

    I'm waiting for the proof copy from Amazon's CreateSpace and now I need to get people to buy my book.

    I have a website that mirrors the title of the book so somethings are in place. My question to you is "what do I do to drive people to my site, the Amazon store and then buy my book?

    All answers are greatly appreciated but please don't offer me your SEO services and such like, this is a 'money-in' situation, not a 'money-out'.

    Thanks all

    David
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  • Profile picture of the author madasamonkey
    Build a website, twitter and facebook profile for your pen name. You might not like twitter and facebook but there are a few million folk out there who disagree with you. What you're looking to do is create a buzz and a fanbase, and I can't think of a better way. I don't think linked in, article sites, pr log etc. would have anywhere near the same effect. Buyers like interactivity with the author - what better way? 'You' may not like them, but this isn't about 'you' as the person, it's about 'you' as the brand.

    I know you don't want to be sold a service/wso but I've found Geoff Shaw's Kindling indispensible. It talks you through the whole writing, publishing and marketing process step by step. That's the only wso I have bought and I imagine the only one I will need as it is so comprehensive.

    I found that my cover designer, who was a friend of a friend in the real world, opened up a pretty valuable door to me. Hint, I'm his friend on FB I can see all of his friends, most of whom are other writers. There are literally thousands of them. So I google search their pen name and see what they do to promote themselves. Simples. When I have finished my novel (3 scenes to go - I'm at 86,000 words), edited and published it (on Kindle for download, as it seems pretty clear that's where the money is at the moment for what I'm doing) I will be more vociferous, join more forums on my genre, ask for reviews in return for free copies etc. But initially, I will be relying on my own friends to buy and review it, via FB, even if that just buys me a couple while I get the blog etc. up and running.

    Then promote the hell out of it. Friend fellow authors via FB and twitter and get into the writing community. Post frequently. Then you're opening yourself up to their fanbase.

    Then write more books.

    That's my plan anyway. As others have said though, maybe there are other methods specific to the genre you're writing for - presentations etc, which could work better for you, but I don't see how any of the above could harm anyone. Just see what other writers in your genre are doing to promote themselves.

    That's my two pennies' worth, anyway.
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