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It all started with an idea. And, then your idea turned into a simple question, “What if I write a book?”


I’ve asked myself this question more times than I can honestly remember. What happened next, my fingers started punching keys on my computer. My stories developed, my advice became clearer, and my content became pin-point focused on giving my readers a phenomenal reading experience. 


When I first started writing, do you know what never crossed my mind during this process? I never asked myself the question, “How am I going to sell my book?”


So, what happens next? We then convince ourselves that we can’t sell an idea. We convince ourselves that we need to publish our books before we sell them, right? That seems logical. So, we find an editor, a proofreader, a publisher, a cover-designer, and an internal layout artist. Then, after we jump through all of these hoops, we finally hit print.


Your excitement, at this stage, feels insanely intense. And, it should! Your palms should be sweaty with optimism. Your shoulders, neck, and forearms should be sore from all the late night hours you spent hovered over a keyboard–dumping your blood, sweat, and tears into your manuscript.  


…and then comes the day you receive that first box of your book. You can’t wait to dive in. You can’t wait to feel the texture of your cover. You can’t wait to flip through the pages. And, when you finally crack open that box full of your book, a waft of fresh printing aroma fills your soul with optimism.


Here’s the rub…


This is typically the point where you realize YOU need to figure out how to sell your book. How are you going to get your book in front of the people who actually want to buy it?


…yea, this is the juicy part. 


After 25 years, writing more books than I can recall, and writing 12 NYTimes, WSJ, and USA Today Bestsellers, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks about how to sell a lot of books. 



1. Master the Basics Before You Hit Print 


Yea, this matters a lot more than most people care to admit. Hey, I had to learn this lesson the hard way too. Just because your book isn’t selling, doesn’t mean it’s not brilliant. There’s a reason they call it “The Bestseller’s List” rather than “The Highest Number of Readers Who Actually Read All the Pages List.” 


So, start simple…


Before pouring all your effort and money into advertising and marketing, it’s critical to ensure that your product can convert into sales. What does that mean? Get the proper advice up-front. Hire the right coach, developmental editor, editor, and designer. It’s far more effective to consider how you’ll generate book sales, long before you print it. So, start with the most simple basics. Ask yourself, “Why do you buy a book?”


Readers buy books they want to read. This means: 


  • The Book has a Genre-Appropriate Cover: We decide, in seconds, if a book is what we seek. Your cover should scream “this is for you” to your target audience.
  • The Book Compelling Blurb: No, readers aren’t looking for a summary, they’re looking for an irresistible hook. Focus on emotion, and piquing their curiosity, rather than just telling them what the book is about.
  • The Book Has Strong Opening Pages: Your ads and promos will fail if the first 5–10 pages don’t suck readers into your concept or story. So, open strong..
  • You (the Author) Have Already Built Credibility: No, this doesn’t mean you need be famous, it simply means you need to build relationships with your readers (...which we’ll discuss in a second). 

These tips might seem too simple. However, if these aren’t solid, spending good money and time on marketing is just like pouring water into a leaky bucket.



2. Build An Email List 


What year is it? 1999?  


Sure, it seems old-school. But, email is still very much alive, and it’s your most powerful book marketing asset. Why?


Social platforms like YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram and TikTok change and evolve. Algorithms vanish, or push your content to the back, in favor or other content. But, Email, it sticks. There are no algorithms. Once you have someone’s email address, they are the only person that can hide or ignore your message. So, how do you keep their attention? Or, how do you build an email list?


Here are some tips. 


  • Offer Free ‘Glimpses’ (free novella, bonus chapter, prequel, an infographic, a checklist, or a survey) to engage your list, and collect their data.
  • Treat your emails as if they were a newsletter, rather than a sales-pitch. Give to your readers, rather than ask from your readers. They’ll appreciate it, and they’ll start to look forward to hearing from you. 
  • Place your email list signup link:
    • in the front and back of every book. But, don’t sound salesy. This simply gives your readers a place to get in touch with you. 
    • on your website. Your book doesn’t need to be complicated. However, you should always give your readers a place to connect with you.
    • in your social media bios. Social media is exactly what it’s called–’Social’. By sharing your email list on social media it often feels to readers that they have a direct connection to you, the author.
  • Email sparingly but consistently: provide updates, new launches, personal notes and stories, and maybe even conversations you’ve had with other readers. But, only share the kind conversations. You don’t want readers feeling anxious to contact you.
  • Do not use your personal email address. Create a ‘Book Email Account.’ 


Sure, it seems like email is old-school technology. However, unless you’re a celebrity influencer, authors with email lists outsell equally talented authors who don’t build lists, every time.



3. Pin-point your audience


Okay, this might be difficult for many of you to digest, and it may be the least ‘sexy’ thing I could ever tell a new author. However, it needs to be said. If I were to ask you who your readership audience is, and you respond by saying, “Everyone,” you’ll lose in the sales game. Why?


Hey, maybe your book should be read by everyone. But, unless you figure out how to explicitly communicate with the audience who is most likely to LOVE your work, all of your sales and marketing efforts will fail.  


Many successful authors focus 70–80% of their effort on writing, not marketing. How do they do it? They spend time truly understanding their exact audience. How do you understand your exact audience? Here’s a few tips.


  1. Be truly grateful for feedback. If you’re a first time author, listen closely to any and all feedback–even if it hurts your feelings. Yes, it’s great to hear compliments. But, negative feedback is just as valuable. How? Both positive and negative feedback provides you with a profile of people you should market to, and those you shouldn’t waste your time.
  2. Build reader caricatures. It may seem silly. However, if you truly think about the people who would benefit from reading your book the most, you’ll have a better idea of how to focus your marketing efforts. Create names, ages, professions, hobbies, and relationships–professional and personal–for all of them.
  3. Study your competitor’s audience. If your book is similar to another book that is creating sales, learn who’s buying their books. Here’s the great news. Readers of any genre will most likely continue buying books in their preferred genre. Study. Learn. If you understand your audience, selling becomes easy.



4. Use social media strategically, and consistently


Okay, this is where a lot of authors become anxious. However, don’t worry. I would never suggest that every author needs to be on every platform to sell their book or promote their book. Nevertheless, you do need to focus on the social media platform(s) that feel most comfortable for you, AND most comfortable for your desired readers—to be present where your readers are present.


  • TikTok / BookTok: These platforms are great for romance, fantasy, young adult, and mystery.
  • Instagram: This is a perfect platform for aesthetics, if you’re great at making reels, and increasing reader engagement in your personality
  • Facebook groups: Surprisingly strong for fiction
  • Threads / Twitter: Good for networking and audience building, but not so good for trying to sell directly. 
  • YouTube: If you’ve got the personality, video is perfect to build a following. However, again, to build an audience, you must offer the viewer something valuable. Don’t pitch your book. Let the audience make the decision to buy.
  • LinkedIn: Often overlooked as a marketing tool, LinkedIn is probably the most powerful tool for both business books, and motivational books. Join LinkedIn Groups and engage in conversations with groups who would like your book.


Remember, consistency on social media is more powerful than virality. If you stick with a schedule, a message (not “Buy my book.”) and build relationships with your network(s) you will continue to sell books. 

 


5. Leverage reviews, endorsements, and social proof of success


It doesn’t matter how charismatic you are, people trust readers more than authors. And, if you think about this, it truly should provide you with relief–because it means you don’t have to keep telling the world how great you are. Instead, let others do it for you.


…but here’s the tough part…


Yea, you’ll need to ask for reviews and endorsements. But, you’ll be shocked at how many people feel honored!


  • How to ask for reviews. Be polite and tell every person you ask how much you respect their opinion and why you respect it. This shows them that you’re paying attention to them (their creativity, style, intellect, faith, etc.). 
  • Highlight their reviews in your ads, on your website, and in your social posts. Don’t think of this as your book promotion, but instead your promotion of why you’re so appreciative of their SPECIFIC endorsement. 
  • Don’t chase only perfect reviews—volume of endorsements matters more. Some people may only spotlight one portion of your book that resonated. That’s okay, because honesty resonates more than flattery.



6. Collaborate with similar authors


This is one of the most underrated strategies. And, it’s the biggest reason I was able to help nearly 80 authors hit the Bestseller Status. How?


While you may view similar authors as competitors, they ARE your most valuable asset. Why? You’re both selling books to the same audience. This is what I call “Audience Sharing.” If you collaborate well, the audience will buy both of your books. Be friends not competitors. You can ask for:


  • Newsletter swaps
  • Podcast interviews
  • Multi-author giveaways
  • Shared reader communities
  • Shared book-signings and/or speeches

Borrow trust, and befriend authors who already have your ideal audience.

 


7. Run ads only after your foundation is solid


Unless you’re a marketing genius, advertising only amplifies what’s already working with your book–the endorsements, the social media, the blogs, podcasts, and the platform you’ve built. But, advertising doesn’t fix broken books or non-existent personas. 


In today’s world, you must create an online presence–a place where people can learn about you, and your book, without feeling a high-pressure sales pitch. Your readers want to see that you, and your content, is the information or entertainment they need in their life today. So, when you do advertise:


  • Start small as a test. Both Amazon and Facebook are common starting places. 
  • Test different covers, blurbs, and hooks. You may discover that the exact same audience reacts differently to the same information, just said in a different way. For example, ‘Avoid Destroying Your Career’ might perform far better than ‘Discover the Career of Your Dreams.’ The point is: Test, and keep Testing. 

Advertising always sounds extremely attractive. However, until you have all the other online elements in place (the right website, the right social media, the right book description, and the appropriate audience to target) it’s wasted money–like pouring water into a leaky barrel.

 


Think long-term: The term ‘Shelf-Life’ exists for a reason.


Most books don’t explode. They accumulate sales over time. And, sometimes they only find true success many years after they’re published. In fact, I once had a 7 year-old book, that had done okay upon launch, hit #1 on Amazon in all categories, because a national talk radio host discovered it, and spent 22 minutes discussing it on air. Yep, for two days, my book outperformed The Hunger Games. 


My point? Building a slow, and steady catalog can outperform a one-hit viral wonder. Books have ‘Shelf-Life.” Just because your book doesn’t become an overnight sensation, doesn’t mean you should stop communicating with your audience. 


Your time will come. Persistence and relationships are the key.



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My point? Building a slow, and steady catalog can outperform a one-hit viral wonder. Books have ‘Shelf-Life.” Just because your book doesn’t become an overnight sensation, doesn’t mean you should stop communicating with your audience.