Help! How to market a Book Online: Thriller/ Suspense Book (Self Published)

15 replies
Hello Warriors,

My Aunt gave me a ring yesterday asking for ideas on how her husband can start selling his thriller/ suspense book(physical copy). I recommended online but I really dont have a solid plan on how I can help my aunt and uncle. they've already payed an editor and now they want to start selling it.

A few recommendations I suggested was to give a digital copy of the first chapter for free and use FB as an arena to promote it, and then upsell the physical book but im not really sure about the detailed step by step blueprint.

Since the WF is a place were great marketers hang out... I thought it would be a good source of help.

Thanks in advance to all who shares!
#book #bound #hard #market #published #suspense #thriller or
  • Profile picture of the author ksmusselman
    I've never marketed or sold anything other than an ebook but a really good friend of mine has (Amazon.com: My Hero, My Son (9781439267288):...Amazon.com: My Hero, My Son (9781439267288):... ).

    I know Joe did some press releases and local book signings and he gave away some free autographed copies, etc. But I have no idea what the process was from start to finish. We're friends on Facebook so you can look him up through my friends list and drop him a message. I'm sure he'd probably be more than happy to give you some suggestions.

    Beyond local marketing, it would be a good idea to set up a website or a blog and then promote the heck out of it just as you would any other product.

    Best of luck!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author Brian John
      Originally Posted by ksmusselman View Post

      Beyond local marketing, it would be a good idea to set up a website or a blog and then promote the heck out of it just as you would any other product.
      ^this is def a good idea
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      • Profile picture of the author phmoisan
        Recently, I read an article talking about a woman who used to self-publish, she was successful, making 1 million dollars from one of her books, but when she was approached by publishing houses, she went for that road. She said it would be less time spent on emails and more time writing.
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  • Profile picture of the author txconx
    Try Smashwords and their blog, as well as Self Publishing Review.
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  • Profile picture of the author LB
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  • Profile picture of the author farhan0101
    I have to say, Blurb was even easier to use. You can create entire photo books if you wanted in the Blurb program. which was easy way to publish book online
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  • Profile picture of the author Sonomacats
    Smashwords also has a great marketing guide I recommend.

    Also - spend time learning how successful novelists have marketed their books.

    Kindle Boards, the Amazon DTP boards, etc.

    Social marketing

    PLUS - get creative. What can you do to interest people in reading the book?

    What are those people going to want that will then get them to buy the book?

    If you publish on Smashwords, you decide on what percentage they get to read for free. On Kindle, that's predetermined. The trick is getting people to know about the book and entice them to read it.

    I came up with a great answer which I'm not going to give away, but knowing your audience and connecting with them is the big key.

    As internet marketers, we know how to market. It just takes getting creative to use that knowledge for a fiction marketplace.
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  • Profile picture of the author dc_publius
    Give a few samples to known people on book forums in exchange for a review. That would be a decent start to get some traction.
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  • Profile picture of the author edlewis
    Publish it on Kindle (https://kdp.amazon.com) and Pubit (PubIt! Registration: Home).

    You will need to know how to submit the ebook in the proper format, so it displays correctly on those ereader devices.

    They will also need a cover for the ebook....preferably a good one.

    Lots of people look at graphic design as something they THINK they can do....which is why there a thousands of books out there that don't sell because their covers look like my 8-year old nephew designed them.

    Pay for a decent cover...that doesn't mean pay through the nose though....some very good graphic designers work on the cheap. Don't use an ecover.

    Give away some free copies on the Kindle boards (forums)...and see if you can give away free copies to some ebook bloggers who review books in the suspense/thriller genre. They do exist.

    Price the ebook at a low price.

    Get some momentum going...if people like it, then you will make your money in volume. Then publish more work. The more books you have, the more you will sell.

    Tell them to read Joe Konrath's blog - A Newbie's Guide to Publishing

    If you have some money to invest, press releases aren't a bad idea. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can help spread the word too.


    Hope this helps,

    Ed
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  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    You're uncle's not gonna sell many books without buzz.

    You get the buzz by

    1) having a book worth buzz

    2) getting that book to people who both

    a. will read it and
    b. will blog or review it.

    How to find them?

    Approach reviewers who've read and reviewed similar
    niche fiction. Mail them copies. Hope for the best.

    I get sent review books all the time because I'm in the top
    5000 Amazon reviewers or something. Dunno what the publisher
    criteria is actually - but I know sending review copies of
    a worthwhile book to active reviewers with a demonstrated
    habit of reviewing books in the niche does seem to work, and
    it's cheap.
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  • Profile picture of the author drmani
    Originally Posted by bestrendz View Post

    Hello Warriors,

    My Aunt gave me a ring yesterday asking for ideas on how her husband can start selling his thriller/ suspense book(physical copy). I recommended online...

    Thanks in advance to all who shares!
    I got some great ideas with my novel from John Kremer's site

    The Book Marketing Network - The network for book & ebook authors & publishers

    If you're going the Kindle route, get everything that fellow
    Warrior Paul Coleman puts out on the subject and devour it!

    All success
    Dr.Mani
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    • Profile picture of the author bestrendz
      guys. I truly thank each and everyone for sharing. i'll research on these and discuss this with my uncle.

      my sincerest thanks to all warriors.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    From the research I have been seeing lately and the tiny profit margin on physical books, I wouldn't bother even going down that path. I would go straight to offering a digital copy of the ebook for devices such as the Kindle, iPad, etc. These days I think you have a much better chance of making a go at it doing things this way.

    Books have now suffered the same fate that CD's and DVD's already have. Two of the biggest book stores in my city, Sydney, closed down just a few months ago. There just isn't enough of a market there anymore.

    As someone else suggested, give away the first couple of chapters to help get people interested.
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