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Eat, sleep and breathe the forums and boards a few months before you market or promote. Actually design your marketing strategy and keep notes. Refer to them often. Don't spray and pray or throw things to the wall and see what sticks. The extra time you spend on this can save you confusion, frustration and money in the end.
I'm not exactly a shining light in the sales dept. But the best piece of advice I got was to keep on writing. And it seems to be true that more books breed more interest.So. Keep plugging
To add my two cents, don't stress about marketing and reviews. Especially reviews. That stuff can be a real time dump and add unnecessary stress. As Jane says, just keep writing, it's all you can do and what's meant for you will happen. Wishing you all the very best :)
I'm not going to offer tips because who am I to offer tips? I'll arm-wrestle all comers for the title of World's Worst Marketer! So these are not tips, just a few random thoughts:To the best of my knowledge, there isn't a wonder killer tip that will guarantee success. Think about it. If there was, everyone would be doing it. And if everyone is doing it then everyone is back to square one, trying to stand out from the crowd.
Certainly good advice to think about how you're going to market, i.e. have a plan, but be realistic about what you can hope to accomplish. We are not even playing the same game as the big publishers so what works for them is likely to be meaningless for us. Look at what is in your span of control and look at what you might hope to get from any particular strategy.
I don't even think of it as marketing. To me, unlike the big boys with valuable shelf space in a book store where you have maybe 2 weeks to make an impact or you're sunk, we have to be in it for the long haul. We're small, with a small reach, so we have to make it count. That means developing relationships with potential readers and potential advocates for our work. And relationships have to be a lot more than "buy my book."
I agree with Jane, the best piece of advice consistently seems to be - keep writing. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and persistence and stamina are the keys to success.
But then, I can't point to any great success as yet so listen to me at your peril :)
Ian, that was awesome :) Since I published back in March i have met such amazing people because of my book that I have to remind myself that I'm not 'successful' lol. In my own way, however, I know that I am.
Tara wrote: "Since I published back in March i have met such amazing people because of my book that I have to remind myself that I'm not 'successful' lol. In my own way, however, I know that I am."Good point, Tara. I meant I don't have top-100 sales figures, but that is only one possible measure of success. We all have to decide what 'success' actually means. For me, simply having a novel out there that a handful of strangers enjoyed is success.
Best advice I've ever been given:Trust your instincts.
I do a lot of stuff "wrong" because my gut tells me to. No, this isn't the same as, "Hey, my gut tells me to jump outta this plane without a parachute. I guess I'll do it." That's not wrong. That's just stupid. *smirks*
Anyhoo, one example is replying to every single review. I know this is ill-advised and I totally get the logic. I'd never suggest anyone else do this and truth be told, I'm fully expecting it to bite me in the butt one day. But if that's the price I pay to engage with readers and express my appreciation, then I'll happily deal with the consequences ^_^
Hugs,
Ann
P.S. - @Mr Ian: re ...relationships have to be a lot more than "buy my book." ☚ YESSS!
Wow - lots of really great posts here so far - thanks indeed.I've certainly been following Tara's advice by reading a lot on the forums here and it was that which really prompted this thread. I am looking for a 'Step One' which will also be a meaningful ongoing one.
And I am really pleased to have Jane and Ian say 'keep writing' - it is a good way to stop myself fretting that I'm not doing enough to try to get my books known and to actually get them written!
As for, success, I do agree it is something that is not constrained to being defined by monetary gain. As I've said elsewhere, if you were after making money you could do so far faster/easier/better in a lot of other ways than being an indie author, IMO.
Would it help if we were more specific? Maybe there is a particular bit of advice you would like based on where you are in the writing/publishing journey. Don't be shy :0 You sound so mature i wonder if any of us can really tell you anything new lol.
Tara wrote: "Would it help if we were more specific?."I think it is a tough question I asked - maybe in retrospect an impossible one even!
And I do feel I have got some very good answers despite that, which I much appreciate.
Where I am, is simply putting my books up on Amazon so far - and I have joined a review group so I can get some feedback and hopefully show potential readers the books are worth a try.
Hence why I am looking for a starting point towards marketing - and not so much a 'magic bullet' more a strong first step. Hope that makes sense :)
E.M. - Of course I'm no expert, but it sounds like you are taking right steps so far. I agree with everyone who says to keep writing and publishing. I also think it can depend on your genre. So join every group you can here that pertains to your genre and gain even more tips and exposure. Wishing you the best of success! : )Sue
since we're talking marketing and a single tip, this is it:in the beginning, what you're shooting for is to be the queen of a niche market--by niche market, i do not mean a genre, but a sub-genre or even a sub-sub-genre--like Space Raptor Butt Invasion or former soviet republic thrillers: Rise of an Oligarch.
Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "So join every group you can here that pertains to your genre and gain even more tips and exposure.."I have found one so far and I think this is very good advice so will look for more. Thanks for that - and for your good wishes.
Alex G wrote: "since we're talking marketing and a single tip, this is it:"
I have no words. Literally. But I laughed really loudly ;)
E.M. wrote: "Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "So join every group you can here that pertains to your genre and gain even more tips and exposure.."I have found one so far and I think this is very good advice so will look..."
lol.
butt seriously, within amazon categories, you can go down a few levels:
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers > Technothrillers
Honest answer: All advice will be contradictory. Experiment. What works for some will not work for all. What works for book one may not wirk for book two.
Two things:In addition to the awesome threads here I strongly recommend the KDP Community boards. Those guys do not suffer fools gladly, they are a get to the point crowd and the emphasis there is not so much on building relationships. But that can be a good thing when you are specifically looking for answers. I find that many posters there are willing to share their experiences in a way that is informative and goes beyond the theoretical. Just like on gr but without the warm fuzzies.
I also think it is really important to attempt to figure out your market. Think about your book and why you wrote it. Ask yourself who your readers are? What do they look like? What do they do for a living? Where do they shop? What websites do they visit when they're relaxing and surfing the web? Are they married with kids or young professionals? Where do they buy books and in what format? This answer will be a moving target but the point is it will teach you to target your marketing efforts instead of just exhausting yourself by trying to reach everyone. As you nail down one demographic look for peripheral ones. You hope everyone will love your book but there is no better benefit than knowing where to market. Keep notes and see what is working and what is not.
Tara wrote: "I also think it is really important to attempt to figure out your market... target your marketing efforts instead of just exhausting yourself by trying to reach everyone..."i could not agree more!
Awesome ideas for me here and I am sure others in the same/similar place as me - thanks all!This makes me think of another, related, question on the 'top tip' theme, if anyone is willing to comment on it:
If I had a small budget to spend on marketing - assuming such basic things about the book itself are sorted, like the cover and editing - what would be the single best way for such a budget to be spent?
Tara wrote: "Ian, that was awesome :) Since I published back in March i have met such amazing people because of my book that I have to remind myself that I'm not 'successful' lol. In my own way, however, I know..."I'd say you are successful if you've managed to get a book published. :-)
AndreaThank you - here here!
My top tip - Network. Network. Network. Build or get in with a local group of authors, and work together to help one another out with events in the public.The best opportunities I've had to get my books out into the world have been through group events. I've done things at Christmas in Seattle, Geek Girl Con, Jet City Comic Show, Emerald City Comicon and worked very closely with University Bookstore on a number of occasions amongst the most notable public appearance things. And it all started with a very small indie author book fair at an art gallery where I made some amazing friends.
You will not regret the opportunities you will have by teaming up with other people who are working for the same thing you are. Sometimes the events are a wash on sales, but what you're doing is building a presence, and that's much easier to do as a group than it is individually. Being an author is not a competition. It's a cooperation with others who share your passion. The more you build a network, the more you can support others and the more they'll support you.
Thomas wrote: "Being an author is not a competition. It's a cooperation with others who share your passion."I more than agree with this. In fact, IMO, we all make a market for each other. As a reader I know I will always look for other authors who write in the style/genre I like - but will still be sure to grab the new releases from my existing favourite authors.
Thanks for the good advice :)
I can see the importance of networking but how do we reach readers? Artistic and professional support is gratifying but we want readers curled up with our books at the end of a long day.
@Tara: It really all depends on the event, because there are different tactics we use depending on what's going on.If you're on a panel at a book store, you and the other authors have to promote heavily to get people to come. That means by any means necessary both online and off. I've gone to the point of printing fliers and posting them on free flier boards in stores to garner interest. Then it's a matter of engaging people before and after the panel.
If it's a big show or convention, my fellow authors and I stand outside the booth with bookmarks and business cards, ready to engage anyone who is interested in stopping for even half a second.
The biggest thing to your network is everyone on the team should know a little bit about the team's books. You don't have to have read them, but if someone stops to talk it's important to know where to direct them. Ask them about the genre's they read. Sometimes you'll end up directing them to your own book, but if your genre doesn't fit and your teammate's does, talk their book up for them. Cooperation sells books. If you get a good team together, they will do the same for you.
Thanks Thomas - sounds like you're involved with a great team!
Christina wrote: "Honest answer: All advice will be contradictory. Experiment. What works for some will not work for all. What works for book one may not wirk for book two."Echoing this advice...a lot of new authors don't realize this.
The best piece of advice I received (from someone on the KDP forums, which I also recommend) is to write what people want to read.
It's a shorthand way of saying research the market, learn about your audience and the genre tropes, and write to market. I started doing that (under a different name) and that boosted my overall sales considerably.
As a reader, I notice that sometimes a group of authors in the same genre will include one chapter of another author's book at the end of their book. Example, I publish a book and at the end is Chapter One of Author A's book and Chapter One of Author B's book and they both do the same for me. It can work with 2 authors. I see it mostly in paranormal romance. I think it's a nice idea.
Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "As a reader, I notice that sometimes a group of authors in the same genre will include one chapter of another author's book at the end of their book."I like this idea - maybe I need to either found or find a writers co-op.
I say build the interaction. Every time someone retweets something, take the time to thank them. Then go retweet something of theirs. Before you know it, some of them will wind up friends you've never met and you'll be mutually cheering one another on. I've ended up with some good connections through this whose success I'm happy to support and vice versa. Conversely, I've spent time and energy putting together Q&As and one author (who shall remain nameless) didn't even bother with a follow back on Twitter, let alone any retweeting or support in return. Now obviously people aren't beholden to do such things but that doesn't encourage you to continue to support.
E.M. wrote: "Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "As a reader, I notice that sometimes a group of authors in the same genre will include one chapter of another author's book at the end of their book."
I like this idea - mayb..."
Here's a co-op you might be interested in: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I don't know if it's still active, but you can check it out. I once belonged to it, but I decided that being a member of an indie co-op was not for me, especially if it stressed "indie" over "co-op."
I like this idea - mayb..."
Here's a co-op you might be interested in: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I don't know if it's still active, but you can check it out. I once belonged to it, but I decided that being a member of an indie co-op was not for me, especially if it stressed "indie" over "co-op."
Ken wrote: "E.M. wrote: "Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "I once belonged to it, but I decided that being a member of an indie co-op was not for me, especially if it stressed "indie" over "co-op." ."Thanks for this, I will take a look - but I feel the same as you on the idea of what co-op means. Team play all the way.
Leo wrote: "I say build the interaction. Every time someone retweets something, take the time to thank them. Then go retweet something of theirs. Before you know it, some of them will wind up friends you've ne..."
Sounds very good advice, Leo - I'm still a complete twitter novice but trying to help out there by tweeting out reviews I have done for others and things like that. I need to get my head round the whole retweeting thing and I have yet to feel brave enough to actually send a private message to anyone.....
Mod
There is no secret ingredient.
There is nothing specific you can do to become special. Nothing works better than anything else. It just happens, sometimes for some people, for some reason. There is no top tip. There are no magic words. There is no way to do it.
The longer you try, the better the odds. The more you try the better the odds. Odd, I know.
Hi Ken,Thank you for the link. Yeah, not much activity on that site, but worth watching.
Hugs, Sue
Sounds very good advice, Leo - I'm still a complete twitter novice but trying to help out there by tweeting out reviews I have done for others and things like that. I need to get my head round the whole retweeting thing and I have yet to feel brave enough to actually send a private message to anyone..... "Retweeting is essentially just sharing to those who follow you. Every time you do it, you open up your audience to those whose tweet you are sharing, and vice versa, it's just a way of broadening who gets to see stuff. Seldom unappreciated! I understand though, takes some adjusting too, and if shy then it's worse. I'm very much an introvert but have had much of that knocked out of me over the years in my job so I just get on with it while my inner voice screams quietly inside :)
C.B. wrote: "The longer you try, the better the odds. The more you try the better the odds. Odd, I know."Sounds very much like most things in life. But it does help to buy a lottery ticket if you want to win the lottery - so, IMO, all advice can be helpful, just not seen as a magic bullet.
Leo wrote: "I'm very much an introvert but have had much of that knocked out of me over the years in my job so I just get on with it while my inner voice screams quietly inside :) "
I kind of assume that as long as I am polite and not mean, even if I make a mistake or two on the tweeting thing, I will probably be forgiven. At least I hope so as the learning curve is sharp! I will practice sending a private message soon though - hmm, now who to? Ah ..Leo ;)
E.M. wrote: "I kind of assume that as long as I am polite and not mean, even if I make a mistake or two on the tweeting thing, I will probably be forgiven. At least I hope so as the learning curve is sharp! I will practice sending a private message soon though - hmm, now who to? Ah ..Leo ;) "Ha! Fire away. Will happily serve as guinea pig :)
E.M. wrote: "Hence why I am looking for a starting point towards marketing - and not so much a 'magic bullet' more a strong first step. Hope that makes sense ." I received 2 pieces of advice about promotion that go hand in hand - start early and be personable. If you have a blog or a FB page or twitter account, aim for conversation. Ask questions. Take polls. Share your excitement and frustrations. Get readers involved in a way that's honest for you, in a way that shows a bit of who you are so they can get to know you.
Readers who 'like' an author are more likely to follow and support that author. If you create a social media presence early - a couple of months before your release date - then by the time your book is ready to go live, you'll have a loyal bunch of fans ready to buy it, hopefully review it and likely help spread the word about it too.
That's what happened to me with the release of my first book. I failed to create the buzz or connection with readers with my second book because I was more concerned about getting it done than about promoting it. My lack of involvement translated to lack of enthusiasm and release day sales for that book were disappointing.
So...start early to create buzz, then engage, interact and have fun. It's not a magic bullet, but I think it's a solid starting (continuing) point.
I love Kung Fu Panda.There will be contradictory answers because what works for some will not necessarily work for others. Not everyone will agree with me on this, but I think that goodreads giveaways are a great way to create interest. The best advice I found (for authors on a budget) is to offer 2 copies within your country for a giveaway lasting 3 weeks. This way it doesn't drag out too long, and you do not need to worry about paying $30-50 postage to a foreign country.
I hope you find what works for you. Good luck :).
Arla wrote: "I failed to create the buzz or connection with readers with my second book because I was more concerned about getting it done than about promoting it."Which show underlines your excellent point. Thanks for this :)
Marie wrote: "I hope you find what works for you. Good luck :)"
Thank you Marie - sadly I can't do the giveaway idea as I only have ebooks available and can't afford to get print versions done yet. Might be a good plan for the future though.
Support for Indie Authors
Books mentioned in this topic
Rise of an Oligarch (other topics)Space Raptor Butt Invasion (other topics)
There is a great deal of advice and guidance on offer - and huge thanks to all who do so - but sometimes it is contradictory advice and often it is hard to know what should be the very top priority for someone who is starting out and a novice to it all.
So what is the one piece of marketing advice you would give as a 'top tip' to a new indie ebook author to prioritize - or, if you are one, what is the single best piece advice you got when starting up?