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How to Market a Book on Amazon

How To Market A Book On Amazon

Have you ever noticed that some books seem to come from nowhere to dominate the sales charts on Amazon? The fact of the matter is that these books didn’t come from nowhere. The authors of these books knew how to market a book on Amazon and implemented their plans with precision.

What does this mean for you? If those authors can market their book effectively, then so can you. It doesn’t matter if you write part-time around your full-time job or are a well-established author with several previous books on your resume. These marketing tips apply to you.

#1. Build relationships starting right now.

You don’t have to be published to begin building relationships on writing forums, Kindle boards, and other places online. As long as you have a working title for your book and a plan to publish, you’ll be able to grow awareness of your brand. When people know you, they’re more likely to purchase a book that you’ve written.

#2. Go where your readers are.

Many authors who publish on Amazon focus on the “Meet the Authors” areas of the site. This can actually work against your marketing needs. A better solution is to be on the forums, discussions, and trends where your readers are. Those authors can be a professional network for you, but it is your readers that are going to push up your sales.

#3. Connect to Amazon users who buy lots of books.

When people who purchase your book are also purchasing lots of other books, then you can begin to build up listing referrals on similar products. You’ll see similar products at the bottom of the Amazon listing, just above the reviews for the book. When your book listing can be advertised in other listings, the added exposure can help to drive up your sales just because high volume customers are purchasing your book.

#4. Create a social media strategy.

You will need to know a little about your targeted readers in order to interact with them in a beneficial way. Some Amazon shoppers might be on Facebook. Others could be on Twitter. Young buyers might be on Instagram or Snapchat. You’ve got to be in these locations as well in order to have conversations with your readers. This builds relationships and gives you a chance to share direct links to your Amazon listing.

#5. Ask for formal reviews.

Many authors don’t receive review blurbs for their books simply because they aren’t asking for them. All it takes sometimes is a polite email to authors in your genre who have already established a name for themselves. A sentence or two praising your work from them can really make a difference in your sales.

You’ll also want to target reviewers who are most likely to leave a review for your product. Make it as easy as possible to submit a review and you’ll generate more verified purchase reviews for your listing that can promote further sales.

#6. Send advanced copies of your book to reviewers.

You might not want to solicit Amazon reviews for a free copy of the book because that can rub people the wrong way. You can send out advanced copies of your book to people who blog about Amazon authors or new books in your genre, however, to get a review that can promote awareness of books. Don’t forget to send advanced copies to local newspapers and media about what you’re doing as well. Even if it is just a digital book, you might just find an interview request or two in your inbox.

#7. Be prepared for this to take some time.

Marketing a book on Amazon isn’t something that will create an overnight success for most authors. Even with paid advertising, it can take 3-6 months before a new book begins to get some traction – if it gets any at all. Yet if you don’t follow these steps to market your book, the chances of experiencing sales success are going to go way, way down. You must market to get noticed. Then your book must live up to the value proposition that you offered to your potential readers.

Knowing how to market a book on Amazon will always be about relationships. Readers like to know a little about the authors they enjoy, yet they also want to have a book that is entertaining and engaging. If you can provide that experience consistently, then even first-time authors can find a lot of success by selling their books on Amazon.

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