How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book

By Rachel Thompson | Blog

May 24

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book

 vectorstock_735281

Last week I wrote about the three-step process to marketing your book. This week we focus on sales.

 

First, let’s explain the difference between marketing and sales:

 

Marketing is everything that you do to reach and persuade prospects. The sales process is everything that you do to close the sale and get a signed agreement or contract. Both are necessities to the success of a business. Sales is but one part of the marketing process. (Small Business Notes)

 

Reach and persuade (or influence) are why we do things like interact on social media, blog, optimize our websites, advertise (though that does go to sales also), guest posts, interviews, and more.

 

Selling our books is connected synergistically to our marketing efforts. If you do no marketing, will you have any sales? Highly doubtful.

 

Let’s break down sales as it relates to authors and our books.

 

PROCESS

 

Selling is a process. You’ve undoubtedly heard people say that selling books, and your career as a writer for that matter, is a marathon, not a sprint. Yet most authors upload their book, sit back, and wait.

 

And wait.

 

And wait some more.

 

If people don’t know about your book, how are they supposed to purchase it? And what are some ways for them to find out? Marketing!

 

Bingo.

 

Sadly, marketing means spamming repeated and duplicate links to many authors who haven’t taken the time to learn that they are, in actuality, alienating their potential audience. Remember this: there are as many sales processes as there are books. Many authors aren’t salespeople so don’t kill yourself trying to figure it out. I’m not going to break down pie in the sky sales formulas here because that’s not what I do to sell books.

 

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

 

Part of the reason I found success early on as a pharma rep (in my former life from which I’ve now recovered thank you), was because I avoided the ‘hard sell’ of ‘feature, advantage, benefit, close,’ at all costs. Instead, I focused on building relationships (to the chagrin of most of my district managers). The more physicians and health care facilities got to know me as a person, the more they were inclined to listen to my message when the time was right. And it worked — I won awards, trips, blah blah.

 

I did not hit them up all the time, ‘Write my products and here’s why blah blah blah’ because I saw them turn off completely when I or other reps did it. Selling is kind of a weird dynamic: you’re having a stilted conversation about topics that relate to each of you in only the most abstract of ways. Physicians are like anyone else: they have to decide for themselves to write a certain drug. Throwing constant information at them did little to motivate them. That’s why relationship building was critical to my success.

 

That same concept carries forward today as an author. The authors who provide interactive, interesting content that isn’t the hard sell of ‘Buy my stuff! Here’s my link link link, see see see?’ are the ones we all want to follow, right? Those who do spam their own stuff constantly are the ones we unfollow and run hurriedly from in a different direction.

 

SELLING TIPS!

 

Let’s get specific. Here are ways I ‘sell’ without doing the hard sell.

 

  • Links on bios. Add buy links to your bios on all your social media, your website, blog, guest posts, even tag the pictures on your site. This is more of a passive way to sell your stuff but it makes it easy for people to click if they want to. If you use bit.ly, you can customize and track them. Very useful since Amazon gives out no analytics.
  • Teases. Samples are wonderful. Be sure you activate the ‘Look Inside the Book’ feature on Amazon or other sales channels. Not only does it allow someone to read a bit of your work free before buying, you’re also increasing your visibility in Amazon’s algorithms. If your book isn’t out yet, share on your blog.
  • Fan base. It takes awhile (usually more than one book), but you will develop a fan base or ‘tribe,’ who will be more than happy to spread the word of a new book or promotion on your behalf. There are numerous ways to work with them: show interest in them on social, follow their blogs, have them guest for you, ask them to be beta readers for your upcoming release, invite them to host you for exclusive (typically online) events, create a special newsletter just for fans, etc.
  • Advertising. Google AdWords is hard. I’m not going to lie. It’s complicated and time-consuming. So much so that I make my husband do it! In fact, he’s become SO adept at it; he started a business The AdWords Guy (Disclosure: this isn’t to sell his services – to be honest we make very little on it – but he provides tons of free info if you want to access it).

 

Google is the largest search engine in the world, like it or not. I want someone who types in ‘books about (insert keyword)’ to see my (or my clients’) books. And you set your own budget. You can spend as little as $1 to $2 per day.

 

I like it because it provides a presence and information about my books in more of a passive way. If people want to find out more, they can. Or they can read the free sample.

 

My final word is this: writing is always the most important thing. BUT you can’t ignore marketing and sales. Even traditional authors have to market and sell their books. Make no mistake: while we say ‘brand the author, not the book,’ you still have to create the book to have something to sell.

 

That should be enough to fill up your head and create another to do list for now.

 

Questions? Ask away!

 

Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my blog and you’ll never miss my weekly posts! Just enter your email address over on the right hand side of this page >>>>. It’s easy, and I won’t share your email address with anyone. Redhead’s honor. 

Need personalized help? Check out my BadRedheadMedia.com services page.

*New feature: ads! No more than 8-10 per month on each of my blogs. See Advertising  for details!*

 

Related articles
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Follow

About the Author

Rachel Thompson is the author of newly released BadRedhead Media 30-Day Book Marketing Challenge: How to energize your book sales in a month - created to help authors market their book. She is also the author of Broken Places (one of IndieReader's "Best of 2015" top books and 2015 Honorable Mention Winner in the San Francisco Book Festival), and the multi award-winning Broken Pieces, as well as two additional humor books, A Walk In The Snark and Mancode: Exposed. She owns BadRedhead Media, creating effective social media and book marketing campaigns for authors. Her articles appear regularly in The Huffington Post,  IndieReader.com, The San Francisco Book Review (BadRedhead Says…), 12Most.com, BookPromotion.com, and Self-Publishers Monthly. Not just an advocate for sexual abuse survivors, Rachel is the creator and founder of the hashtag phenomenon #MondayBlogs and two live Twitter chats: #BookMarketingChat (co-hosted with TheRuralVA, Emilie Rabitoy) and #SexAbuseChat, co-hosted with C. Streetlights and Judith Staff. She hates walks in the rain, running out of coffee, and coconut. She lives in California with her family.

Related Posts

This Is How To Write A Blog Post People Read

The 30 Scariest Author Website Mistakes And How To Fix Them By Guest @PaulineWiles

How to Create a Book Marketing Roadmap by Guest @Beth_Barany

How to Pick a Bestselling Title by Guest @BarbaraDelinsky

Leave a Comment:

(60) comments

@wglabinski May 24, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book – http://t.co/OZG2wGzoum by @RachelintheOC #MustReads #bookmarketing

Reply
MAJK (@Safireblade) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/cpCwYmSzoy via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Lorca Damon (@LorcaDamon) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/xN61FkcKxg via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
deena remiel (@deenaremiel) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/8pyDXgKPVq via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Toby Neal (@tobywneal) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/UyhJtjJ5kj via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Pandora Poikilos (@PandoraPoikilos) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/4UMGdSpuTI via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Avi Jit (@skyhitblog) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/vbUsuxeMEm via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Lori L. Otto (@lori_otto) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/xvsg726E5M via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Rebecca T Dickson (@rebeccatdickson) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/rmTUXpkP3h via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Saint Jude Retreats (@StJudeRetreat) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/f38Mrb7AgT via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@BadRedheadMedia) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/0vnWkAgUzz Part 2 of my series on marketing & selling your book! #sales

Reply
Toni Rakestraw (@ToniRakestraw) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/Gfxlb37v76 via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Devesh Sharma (@devesh) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/JYRheVc4pS via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Daniel Sharkov (@DanielSharkov) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/RO4c8c78mD via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
ThoughtsFromParis (@tfpHumorBlog) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/Ub1vHansxH via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
@werlacher May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/fFAUqH1ZjS via #vendamelhor

Reply
Eden Baylee (@edenbaylee) May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/q61oxaJLfl via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
@wglabinski May 25, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your #Book – http://t.co/bP6kj80oCj by @RachelintheOC #MustReads #bookmarketing

Reply
Cassandra Page (@CassandraPage01) May 26, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/NEzVPOpYzj via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
@jimmoorman May 26, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/FilIJVYPyw

Reply
Rebekah Radice (@RebekahRadice) May 26, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/Taz2T8o7Es via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@BadRedheadMedia) May 26, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/vzAaJ1MZNY

Reply
How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book | This College Dropout May 26, 2013

[…] See on badredheadmedia.com […]

Reply
Dionne Lister (@DionneLister) May 27, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/Uwf9xkwyCd via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
IndieBookPromos (@indiebookpromos) May 27, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/pDq2eUYH1G #sales #authors #litchat

Reply
@InfoliteTech May 27, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book – http://t.co/qSbZiNi84j – #ebooks #selfpub #publishers #epublishing #author

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@BadRedheadMedia) May 27, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/RGnyyuOeCa #sales #authors #litchat

Reply
@JenniferWenn May 27, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/Y6Fok8QDE6 via @badredheadmedia

Reply
IndieBookPromos (@indiebookpromos) May 27, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/Rnld8NUaqn #sales #authors #litchat

Reply
RachelintheOC (@EroticRomPromo) May 27, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/oyHvlh8EKt #sales #authors #litchat

Reply
Monday Blogs (@MondayBlogs) May 27, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/LMYgYlV97o #sales #authors #litchat

Reply
Bri Clark (@Bri_Clark) May 28, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/4YIJEGk6Za via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Andy Rane (@andyraneauthor) May 28, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/gxcrKVHK3U via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
IndieBookPromos (@indiebookpromos) May 28, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/qQoBtoxGL8 Part 2 of my series on marketing & selling your book! #sales

Reply
RachelintheOC (@EroticRomPromo) May 29, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/zJtvO1dBrw #authors #amreading #amwriting

Reply
eBook Partnership (@ebookpartners) May 29, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/EOfkJqYfzP via @RachelintheOC

Reply
Bev (@PublishEdit) May 29, 2013

.@BadRedheadMedia: How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/uWQ5VJ5BNK #authors #amreading #amwriting

Reply
Bev (@EditPub) May 29, 2013

.@BadRedheadMedia: How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/V59G72YNO4 #authors #amreading #amwriting

Reply
Becky Gaylord (@BeckyGaylord) May 30, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/6aW9dBZJCV via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Big Girl Branding (@BigGirlBranding) May 30, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/eZDm6XFDEu via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@RachelintheOC) May 31, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/k0GHjsMFjx Part 2 of my series on marketing & selling your book! #sales

Reply
@CaballoFrances May 31, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/ManhSwHuId Part 2 of on marketing & selling your book! via @RachelintheOC

Reply
Dianne Solberg (@Wxmouse) May 31, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/24WwoigEHr via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@BadRedheadMedia) June 1, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/cKT3oPvWNQ Part 2 of my series on marketing & selling your book! #sales

Reply
Cat McMahon June 2, 2013

Your one tip regarding soft selling by putting a link in my social media bio is worth $$$$$$$. Thank you so much Rachel. I wish you great success.

Reply
    Rachel Thompson June 3, 2013

    thank you, Cat! It’s a wonderful option and because you can customize and track clicks, quite informative also.

    xx

    Reply
Rachel Thompson (@RachelintheOC) June 3, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/jyFHAmo424 #authors #amreading #amwriting

Reply
@donna213 June 3, 2013

some good reminders: RT @RachelintheOC: #MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/H1rSJB45Cq #amwriting

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@BadRedheadMedia) June 9, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/wW1vzT8LON #authors #indiechat #writechat

Reply
SR Roddy (@SRRoddynovels) June 9, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/sS44s614bA via @RachelintheOC

Reply
IndieBookPromos (@indiebookpromos) June 9, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/0iWNxnCyAr #authors #indiechat #writechat

Reply
RachelintheOC (@EroticRomPromo) June 9, 2013

How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/ezx6C14AvR #authors #indiechat #writechat

Reply
@BCBrownBooks June 9, 2013

Via”@EroticRomPromo: How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/GA7JReNf8W #authors #writechat” Seems like common sense but IS IT?

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@BadRedheadMedia) June 10, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/X47JWwGA5C #authors #amreading #amwriting

Reply
Monday Blogs (@MondayBlogs) June 10, 2013

#MondayBlogs How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book http://t.co/5rLRWc4AIg #authors #amreading #amwriting

Reply
The Art Of Lying & Stealing by guest @JordanRosenfeld June 15, 2013

[…] How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book […]

Reply
Taking Aim With Targeted Mailing Campaigns by guest @jimmoorman - BadRedhead Media June 22, 2013

[…] How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book […]

Reply
Readers Are Smart. We Can Look Out For Ourselves, Thanks. June 25, 2013

[…] How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book […]

Reply
How A Great Twitter Bio Can Net You More Followers...And Sales! August 2, 2013

[…] header, bio, avatar and background before we follow you. Some of us even check out your tweets. I feel like a broken record, but if all you do is spam links to your own work, you will not sell books or gain […]

Reply
Free Days, the Dangers of Over-Selling Books & Social Media Demographics - Social Media Just for Writers October 10, 2013

[…] How To Effectively NOT Sell Your Book by Rachel Thompson: Marketing is everything that you do to reach and persuade prospects. The sales process is everything that you do to close the sale and get a signed agreement or contract. Both are necessities to the success of a business. Sales is but one part of the marketing process. (Small Business Notes) […]

Reply
Add Your Reply

Leave a Comment:

Previous Post What’s the 3-Step Process to Marketing Your Book? Next Post The Psychology of Bad Reviews
>