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How would I get a targeted audience for my book with no budget to crowdfund?

by Nathan Quick
14 replies
Hello friends

This thread is a mash up of a few specific problems I have been having.

For the better part of six months I have been writing a sci fi fantasy book. I am now to the point of promoting it to get some funding as well as build a fanbase around it. I have a website, social media accounts, and recently I launched a kickstarter for the project. The kickstarter is not doing very well, and I was wondering If you all had some tips. (I'll comment the link to my website and kickstarter below) I definitely do not wish to spam anywhere. Maybe some of you pro's would be able to give some direction. I want to put all of the necessary effort in, so if you see ways I can improve my content please don't hesitate to chime in.

I have virtually no budget, but I have set very targeted ads on facebook that have been getting me a follower a day for about a dollar. That amount seems a little high for a cost of a sub, but then again I am new at building a targeted audience.

Thanks in advance for chiming in, I really appreciate it! Maybe you would suggest a different approach, I hope to hear from you.
#audience #book #budget #crowdfund #targeted
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  • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
    There are a few things you can try. You can start building a following on Twitter and tweet several times a day with different pictures from the book using hashtags for your type of book.

    You can also find a forum that fits with your genre and start participating. If they allow a signature, you can drive traffic to your social media or directly to the book through the signature.

    I would also suggest blogging. While it's not a short-term strategy, when you blog, you have something to share with your audience on social media and you have something that can drive traffic back to your website. If you don't have a website for this book and future books, that would be the first thing you should do, too.

    Also, sharing pictures from the book on Instagram with a link in your profile is a good way to get your book out there and build a following. Since your goal is to build a community around the book, I would hit social super hard and every channel you can.

    Benjamin Ehinger
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    I have not seen crowdfunding - kickstarters for book sales. Is that a viable approach?


    I ask because I can't understand why someone would put money into such a venture with no ROI in sight? Yes, folks contribute to "causes" and things they are passionate about. But what is the compelling reason I would want to give you money for your own commercial endeavor?


    Obviously, I don't have the insight to see or know just what your campaign is all about. You might have a look at bookshout.com, bookpumper.com and justpublishingadvice.com


    Here is an interesting insight into book promotion strategies: ideas that don't work very well.



    Just Publishing Advice


    The best to you,


    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
    Originally Posted by Nathan Quick View Post

    Hello friends

    This thread is a mash up of a few specific problems I have been having.

    For the better part of six months I have been writing a sci fi fantasy book. I am now to the point of promoting it to get some funding as well as build a fanbase around it. I have a website, social media accounts, and recently I launched a kickstarter for the project. The kickstarter is not doing very well, and I was wondering If you all had some tips. (I'll comment the link to my website and kickstarter below) I definitely do not wish to spam anywhere. Maybe some of you pro's would be able to give some direction. I want to put all of the necessary effort in, so if you see ways I can improve my content please don't hesitate to chime in.

    I have virtually no budget, but I have set very targeted ads on facebook that have been getting me a follower a day for about a dollar. That amount seems a little high for a cost of a sub, but then again I am new at building a targeted audience.

    Thanks in advance for chiming in, I really appreciate it! Maybe you would suggest a different approach, I hope to hear from you.
    I'll chime in.

    Nathan, stop spending your money. I'm a big fan of FB Ads but you're throwing money down the drain at the rate you mention above. The maximum you want to be spending per Like is $0.05. If you're on a budget, I'd recommend free traffic.

    I write, too. It's one of my niches. I'm in a different genre to yourself (within spitting distance, though) and I know that sci-fi has some massive audience pools and insane engagement levels.

    What I'd do, in your shoes, is learn how to grow your social accounts and employ viral marketing. If you're capable of making original content, too, that will help, but it isn't entirely necessary.

    You're taking action. And it's pretty much the right action. It just needs a little tweaking.

    Best of luck, mate. You're on the right track.

    - Tom
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    • Profile picture of the author Nathan Quick
      Originally Posted by Tom Addams View Post

      I'll chime in.

      Nathan, stop spending your money. I'm a big fan of FB Ads but you're throwing money down the drain at the rate you mention above. The maximum you want to be spending per Like is $0.05. If you're on a budget, I'd recommend free traffic.

      I write, too. It's one of my niches. I'm in a different genre to yourself (within spitting distance, though) and I know that sci-fi has some massive audience pools and insane engagement levels.

      What I'd do, in your shoes, is learn how to grow your social accounts and employ viral marketing. If you're capable of making original content, too, that will help, but it isn't entirely necessary.

      You're taking action. And it's pretty much the right action. It just needs a little tweaking.

      Best of luck, mate. You're on the right track.

      - Tom
      I appreciate the input! Thank you for chiming in, your response is extremely encouraging and helpful.
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  • Profile picture of the author Deevoo
    I suggest to try again with gofundme.com because they have a bigger user base. This time, try to indirectly relate to famous and popular sci-fi books and movies. Don't show that you are in need of funding, instead make sci-fi interested readers feel that they want to read your finished product. Share the gofundme link with your family and friends first but prepare them before broadcasting it like spam so they will support you willingly. Good luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nathan Quick
    The kickstarter rewards were set to entice donations, but I understand your point.

    A couple of days ago I changed the reward to $1 gets a free digital copy of the book, instead of $5 gets a digital copy like I had it set previously.

    Your train of thought rings true though, I can see why a person would decline to donate.

    I have been focusing on social media, and I AM having success growing the platforms, slowly but surely. I have about 300ish follows across the big 4 platforms + a few on gab. It's possible that I will have to be patient and refocus a second launch, but I made this post hoping that I could get feedback like this. The current project has three weeks left to hit funding.
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  • Profile picture of the author DURABLEOILCOM
    Sell it on Amazon Kindle books for a $1 then afterwards you can raise the price after you get sales Traction.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris-
    Give away a chapter or two for free, and drive traffic (visitors) to a web-site with that free chapter, and the book to buy.

    To drive traffic, you can learn SEO, which takes time and a lot of work, and/or learn to use paid traffic methods such as FaceBook Ads, AdWords, etc.

    You should also submit the book to suitable reviewers, and promote the free chapters yourself on suitable social-media, forums etc.

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris-
    Basically, you want to build a mailing-list of people who want to buy your book.

    Ideally, you'd build the mailing-list, THEN launch the book on Amazon (because the number of reviews you get in the first week of your book being in Amazon is a major factor in determining how it will sell there in the future).

    So learn about list-building . . . your give-away would be the free chapter(s). Lots of info on that, on this forum . . . unless you convert extremely well, getting opt-ins for a dollar sounds too expensive, for selling a book. Are you re-targetting? Have you tested different Audiences and other parts of the system?

    And your cover design is a MAJOR factor in how well your book will sell, so that is vitally important.

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Nathan Quick
    I do have an email sign up with few subscribers.

    Also coincidentally I did just start a blog on the site to drive more traffic.

    here is my book's website, if anyone would like to look https://throwersbook.com/

    thank you everyone for your input, it has been extremely helpful!
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    If you have no money to budget, you can get free social media traffic through content curation
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    Regarding your email signup form, it's not tempting at all. There's no candy you are offering so it's boring. Give a secret, a chapter, the introduction, a blueprint, a dictionary (what does interface mean) or something to raise folk's curiosity.

    Good luck.

    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    I side with Benjamin up top; blogging is a powerful way to drive targeted traffic to your eBook, boosting sales. Publish helpful content aligned with your eBook topic. Bond with top bloggers and authors in your niche by helping them. Increase sales by building your tribe through your blog.
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    Ryan Biddulph helps you to be a successful blogger with his courses, manuals and blog at Blogging From Paradise
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  • Profile picture of the author thejames
    Great job on completing the book!

    If I were in your situation,

    I'd study HARD on how to rank on Kindle for specific sub-categories related to your book and gain traction from there. It's a no-cost startup solution that's worked for my clients and I.
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