Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Ten Ways to Sell Books on Amazon


From SharingwithWriters, Patricia Dischler and Mindy Lawrence Sharing, 10 Ways to Sell Books on Amazon, http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/SharingwithWriters_Dec_28_2009.pdf




You can use Amazon to improve your ratings and your ratings don't get
better until you sell books.

So, telling you how to get better ratings on Amazon is tantamount to
telling you how to sell books. Many of you know that I rarely talk sales
when I can talk more important things like cross promotion and branding.
You may know that I believe if you network well, you won't have to sell
anything, ever. Not in the traditional sense.

That is my disclaimer. I'm going to tell you how to let Amazon help you
sell more books anyway!

A promotional drop in the bucket can move Amazon ratings drastically!
Especially if you keep dripping promotion into the pail. Use the perks
that Amazon provides for you (see the list below), and you'll find your
book selling. Especially if you don't give up. Just keep dribbling little
bits of information into these Amazon tools. It's about frequency and
longevity. Here they are. Pick one (or more) and keep at it:

1. Use Listmanias on Amazon and, along with your own book, sprinkle in the
titles of your author - friends. Let these authors know you did it. That's
a way to make a new promotion friend. There is a chapter in The Frugal
Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't that tells you how to
use this free promotional perk along with tips for making Listmanias more
effective. It also includes information on other free tools on Amazon.

2. When you read a book by an author you know (or even one you don't) do
yourself and them a favor by adding a review to Amazon. It takes but a
minute and YOU and your book get exposed too, if you use a promotion -
savvy signature. Simply type in a couple of dashes and then add "Reviewed
by xxxxx and your book title." Don't link to your own sales page on
Amazon, though. Amazon cops don't like that!

3. Tell other people about what you're doing, how your book relates to
current events and more by posting on your Amazon plog. Another name for
it is AuthorConnect ™, and it's really a blog provided by Amazon. You do
have one don't you? Spread the word about your fellow authors' books, too,
and then ask them to pass on the word about your plog, complete with URL.
This is viral marketing and it works.

4. Flesh out your book's page on Amazon by using Wiki (or Amapedia) to add
information on your awards or other publishing you've done.

5. Add to the tags, too. Use keywords from you book. As an example, for
This Is the Place, I use Big Love, Mormons, polygamy, Utah, western
history, women's fiction, coming - of - age story, New York, Latter Day
Saint, and a whole lots more.

6. Ask your friends and professional associates to review your book on
Amazon. See that word "ask?" They will be happy to do it. They just need a
nudge!

7. If you have a book suited to it, you add pictures to your book's page.
Check out my "Promote or Perish" picture on The Frugal Book Promoter page.
Here's the URL: http://www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo .

8. Don't avoid Amazon because you're mad at them. Getting caught up in the
idea of trying to sell your book only on your own Web site is
counterproductive. You may make more per book, but you'll make less over
all and your overall promotion will suffer. Read that word "promotion" as
"readership." Read it as "exposure." Read it as "credibility." You and
your book need to be seen more than you need a couple of extra dollars
profit on any given book.

9. Look into the So You'd Like To's . . . on Amazon. They will allow you to
rant or write essays to your hearts content and gather readers as you do
it. They work similarly to Listmanias but they're lots more work.

10. Make friends. When someone adds a review to your page, invite them to
be an Amazon Friend. Include a thank you in the message. Nose around a
bit. You'll find all kinds of ways to let Amazon Friends know about your
next book . . . and your next. And keep in mind that when someone is your
friend, your book or picture may show up on their profile page. Their
friends buy books, too!
CHJ

No comments:

Post a Comment