As an author, you want to sell your books to readers. The more, the better! But, how do you get people to actually purchase your book? Below are 5 ways to lead readers to your book.
Build Your Brand
What do great authors all have in common? They have built their own brand. You know that when you buy a novel by Terry Goodkind or Stephen King what type of story you’re likely going to get. They also know how to create value for readers.
A website or blog, an attractive book cover, and what you share on social media all add to the value of your brand. An author’s job doesn’t end with writing a book. It extends to all aspects of the author’s professional life. If you don’t lead readers to your book, they won’t buy it.
Target the Right Market
As is true in every business, targeting the right market is crucial to success. Are you trying to reach the young adult market, or the LGBQ market, or the fantasy/science fiction market? You need to make sure that your message is being properly delivered to the people you want to read your book. Providing the right content to the right market will generate a much better response for your book. Having a target market will often generate greater interest than simply throwing your book at the general market and hoping it sticks.
Share Content Online
Sharing some of your content online is a great way to generate interest. You can offer snippits from your story or poem. Always offer such clips in the context of generating future sales. You want to give readers a taste of your writing style, your personality, and your story-telling ability. Readers should say to themselves, “Wow! If they write THIS good, I can’t wait to buy the book and see what happens in the rest of the story!”
Be Smart Online
Where you post content is just as important as what you post. Make sure that you present yourself and your work professionally. What you post on social media, on your Amazon author’s page, on your book cover, or on your blog will have positive or negative consequences on your sales. If you turn people on to your work, they will follow you and buy your book. And, hopefully, through word of mouth, encourage others to do likewise. But, if you come across negatively, you very well may drive away the readers you want to share your story with. Always be aware of your message.
Time is Valuable
Your time as an author is very valuable. Readers know it. And, their time is equally valuable. You should acknowledge this and try to create a valuable, enjoyable experience for them in everything you do.
This is why it is so important to use your time wisely. You don’t have to go on every talk show or webcast. You should choose the ones that most closely target your desired market.
The same applies when you are invited to book signing events or trade shows. Believe me, these are very important and valuable to meeting readers face to face. They love it! You are a rock star to them. But also keep in mind that without them, you are just another face in the crowd. You need their love and readership. Don’t waste their time. If they want an autograph or a photo with you, by all means, give them what they want! They will treasure the memory, and frankly, you will too.
Remember, stores are full of books by countless authors. If you want to be successful author, you need to not only provide value to readers, you need to stand out from the crowd in order to gain their attention in the first place.
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What are some ways that you have used to lead readers to your book? Have you used our methods and found them to work for you? We want to know. Leave a comment below!
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