21 Ways to Sell More Books Online With Joanna Penn

Building a writing career gets some guidance from the experience and knowledge of others. Webinars have offered me some amazing opportunities to visit with people in my niche, experienced marketers and other authors. I recently had an opportunity to join a webinar about selling eBooks and it was very enlightening!

Joanna Penn from The Creative Penn has walked in the trenches, and she provided her 21 tips for selling eBooks. I jotted down her words and then added some thoughts and ideas of my own. Many of the tips she provided have already helped me expand my own writing options.

Writing Success Tips from 21 Ways to Sell More Books Online

Make the book available. The more ways people can get my books, and the easier the process to get those books, the more likely I will be to sell my books. I have to find ways to expand my reach and utilize the different avenues for delivery. It will also help to have my books in physical stores as well as online.

Develop a GREAT book cover that can be optimized for thumbnail size. It needs to catch the eye of the browser. Some writers enjoy the break from writing to design and create covers. Others would just like to focus on the writing. Remember to know what you are good at doing and what you need help with doing and stay focused on your talents instead of trying to do it all.

Create a KILLER back blurb and sales page. Give the main points of the book, or use words that provide a desire to read or an image of the book. Use questions to draw in the reader. Use quotes in the description box. This can be another place where the first line should make it impossible for the reader to put the book down and the last line should close the sale.

Hook the reader in the sample. The first three pages should make the person want to click buy. Think about creating a first sentence that blows the audience away and then a final sentence that hooks them in for the next book. Be sure that the words in between those sentences hold up to them as well.

Choose the right category. What is the right place to be placed for the material? KNOW the core. Where would the book sit in the store? Review the existing numbers in the categories and choose that you can compete in the easiest. Look for areas with lighter competition to help drive the book to the top of the charts.

Get reviews from other sites. Find out who are reviewing books in your niche. Submit to some of the sites. Share the reviews and reward the bloggers with some attention and thanks. Be bold enough to ask from help – especially if you have friends with connections – to help expand the exposure to your book and for your book.

Build future connections. Create a link that will make it easy for readers to be notified of future releases or special deals. Include the link on the website, in the book, and anywhere that readers might visit. You can use the list to source your reviews.

Author blogs should reflect their brand and interests. Include information about what you are doing and where you are in your writing. Kindle boards are a good place to hang out and find authors in their niche.

Organize your launch – the launch is JUST what it says. It is the time that you launch your book to the world and begin building its presences. Start months out so that it is not rushed. Be everywhere at once (it takes scheduling and preparations). Relaunch books that have been out for a while but put the same amount of preparations into the relaunch.

Write more books. The more you have to offer the more people will see your name. You need 3 to 5 books until you get to a place of significant income – meaning around $100,000 per year.

Joanna offered great tips and ideas to help incorporate those tips into practical steps for building a successful writing and publishing career. Get the full details on the mini-course, How to Promote Your Novel, and begin the journey to the writing career you have always wanted.