Promotion

wilsonharp · 06-04-2012, 02:29 PM

Greetings everyone,

My name is Wilson Harp and I am very new to this whole business. I was wondering when I should start promo-ing heavily.

I don't want to pester people if I don't have a strong library of writing available, and yet I still want to strike while the fire is hot.

I have two short stories currently live on the Kindle store and I am about 10 days from having a novel put up.

I am planning on putting up the first four chapters of my novel as a teaser preview for $.99 and then setting it for free for five days (under the Kindle Select option) when my full novel goes up (still at the editors now). Is that a good idea?

I am also wanting to continue to put up short stories in my series and was thinking of putting up a different one free each week for two days. Good idea or a way to lose sales by people just waiting until they go free?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

mr ploppy · 06-04-2012, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilsonharp

Greetings everyone,

My name is Wilson Harp and I am very new to this whole business. I was wondering when I should start promo-ing heavily.

I don't want to pester people if I don't have a strong library of writing available, and yet I still want to strike while the fire is hot.

I have two short stories currently live on the Kindle store and I am about 10 days from having a novel put up.

My advice, don't bother. Put your energy into writing instead. If you're any good people will find you by themselves sooner or later. Put yourself around in forums like this or in Facebook groups, but make sure the signal to noise ratio is at least 95% signal. If you're just spamming people will tune you out.

Quote:

I am planning on putting up the first four chapters of my novel as a teaser preview for $.99 and then setting it for free for five days (under the Kindle Select option) when my full novel goes up (still at the editors now). Is that a good idea?

Very bad idea. Either people wouldn't notice it was a sample and review appropriately, or they would notice and click onto the next book. Even if you put it up free on Smashwords you would get people complaining.

Quote:

I am also wanting to continue to put up short stories in my series and was thinking of putting up a different one free each week for two days. Good idea or a way to lose sales by people just waiting until they go free?

People would need to know who you are before they started waiting for things to be free. As for KDP Select, it's probably not really worth doing now they have changed the algorithms.

wilsonharp · 06-04-2012, 05:15 PM

Thanks for the advice!

Steven Lyle Jordan · 06-05-2012, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

If you're any good people will find you by themselves sooner or later.

I'm sorry; I mistook you for someone who hangs around here a lot. Good writers are overlooked A LOT. They don't "just get found sooner or later."

mr ploppy · 06-05-2012, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I'm sorry; I mistook you for someone who hangs around here a lot. Good writers are overlooked A LOT. They don't "just get found sooner or later."

Depends how you define "later". Cream and scum always rise to the top eventually.

AbigailF · 06-06-2012, 11:12 AM

I think you don't need to put up the first four chapters of your book for .99c. The sample will give anyone as much sample as either of you need for them to decide whether or not they like it.

You should definitely focus on getting that strong library up. For myself, the strongest promotional tools I've seen are reviews and free stuff. Obviously, don't make everything free all the time, there's no point to that. But maybe having your first short story in the series up free, permanently, is something to look into. It's a free introduction for people and you'll probably end up with the reviews that encourage others to try and maybe buy.

That's my advice!

VydorScope · 06-06-2012, 02:02 PM

I followed the make your first novel completely free model, and it has worked well for me. I would blast it in as many stores as you can possible get it in.

I would not put up 4 chapters for 99 cents as mentioned. Most if not all stores let you sample ebooks for free.

wilsonharp · 06-08-2012, 03:55 PM

Yeah, the first four chapters idea was just me trying to find a way to give people a snack and tempt them to buy the whole meal, but it's not looking to be a real popular idea with anyone. So that is shut down. I'm trying to put up some more short stories just to create a small back list. That's where I will focus for the next week or so.

HarryT · 06-09-2012, 04:25 AM

One other tip: become an active member of the MR community. People tend to dislike those who just come here to promote their products, and don't actively participate.

wilsonharp · 06-12-2012, 08:55 PM

Sorry I haven't been around much, I am doing the final edit fixes in my novel and I have't had time for much of anything. I am by nature a bit reluctant to jump right in until I have tested the waters of a forum by reading as much as I can for a good time. Even then I tend not to comment unless I have something I feel can add to a discussion. I don't think you will ever see a "Me too" post from me.

charlesatan · 06-12-2012, 10:49 PM

Like others have stated, I suggest focusing on the writing first. (Hard to promote a product that's suffering in quality.)

Once that's settled (or you're on a break or something), then HarryT's quote is probably what best applies:

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

One other tip: become an active member of the MR community. People tend to dislike those who just come here to promote their products, and don't actively participate.

One way to discreetly advertise your work while being active in the community is to include a photo/link to your book in your avatar/signature.

P.S. And read forum rules :P There are appropriate venues in the forums when you do decide to promote yourself.

Scott Nicholson · 06-15-2012, 03:48 PM

I believe in doing it all at the same time--laying the foundation while you improve your product and craft. I also advertise, too!

J. A. Self · 06-30-2012, 05:00 AM

Scott's advice is good. People respond more strongly to a name or product that they've seen multiple times over a longer stretch of time rather than what they've been blitzed with over a short period of time. That's just a basic marketing principle. You don't have to be doing it 24/7, either, just at regular intervals. The big argument most people make against doing promo is that it takes away from writing time, but that's not necessary. Find good channels to promote in, give yourself a schedule, and then get back to writing.

Having a bigger library for sale is your best sales tool because it turns each sale into more sales and increases your natural exposure. This is the best place to sink your time.

Cream may always rise to the top, but good promo will always lessen the time it takes. Make sure you focus on the promotions that don't eat away all of your writing time. I'm reading "The 80/20 Principle" right now, which basically states that we normally find 20% of our work getting 80% of the result. Figure out your best channels, focus on them, and ignore the rest.

Harper Kingsley · 06-30-2012, 10:13 PM

Look around, join some Blog Hops in your genre. Join some groups on FB. Do you have a blog where you can put links to your writing and whatever? Once you get on Amazon, set yourself up an Author Central Page. And you might try joining Goodreads, aiming for short story groups and whatever matches your genre.

Being on Twitter might be a good idea too. You don't really have to spend that long on there just talking to everyone, you can use something like Bufferapp to prepare some tweets in advance.

Hope that helps some

If you add me on Twitter, let me know when you've got your book ready. I have no problem linking stuff, though I might add the caveat that I haven't read anything by your if it's not in my genre.

06-04-2012, 02:29 PM	#1
wilsonharp Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 184298 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: Kindle	Promotion Greetings everyone, My name is Wilson Harp and I am very new to this whole business. I was wondering when I should start promo-ing heavily. I don't want to pester people if I don't have a strong library of writing available, and yet I still want to strike while the fire is hot. I have two short stories currently live on the Kindle store and I am about 10 days from having a novel put up. I am planning on putting up the first four chapters of my novel as a teaser preview for $.99 and then setting it for free for five days (under the Kindle Select option) when my full novel goes up (still at the editors now). Is that a good idea? I am also wanting to continue to put up short stories in my series and was thinking of putting up a different one free each week for two days. Good idea or a way to lose sales by people just waiting until they go free? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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06-04-2012, 05:15 PM	#3
wilsonharp Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 184298 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: Kindle	Thanks for the advice!

06-06-2012, 11:12 AM	#6
AbigailF Member Posts: 11 Karma: 41832 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Scotland Device: Kindle	I think you don't need to put up the first four chapters of your book for .99c. The sample will give anyone as much sample as either of you need for them to decide whether or not they like it. You should definitely focus on getting that strong library up. For myself, the strongest promotional tools I've seen are reviews and free stuff. Obviously, don't make everything free all the time, there's no point to that. But maybe having your first short story in the series up free, permanently, is something to look into. It's a free introduction for people and you'll probably end up with the reviews that encourage others to try and maybe buy. That's my advice!

06-06-2012, 02:02 PM	#7
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	I followed the make your first novel completely free model, and it has worked well for me. I would blast it in as many stores as you can possible get it in. I would not put up 4 chapters for 99 cents as mentioned. Most if not all stores let you sample ebooks for free.

06-08-2012, 03:55 PM	#8
wilsonharp Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 184298 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: Kindle	Yeah, the first four chapters idea was just me trying to find a way to give people a snack and tempt them to buy the whole meal, but it's not looking to be a real popular idea with anyone. So that is shut down. I'm trying to put up some more short stories just to create a small back list. That's where I will focus for the next week or so.

06-09-2012, 04:25 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	One other tip: become an active member of the MR community. People tend to dislike those who just come here to promote their products, and don't actively participate.

06-12-2012, 08:55 PM	#10
wilsonharp Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 184298 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: Kindle	Sorry I haven't been around much, I am doing the final edit fixes in my novel and I have't had time for much of anything. I am by nature a bit reluctant to jump right in until I have tested the waters of a forum by reading as much as I can for a good time. Even then I tend not to comment unless I have something I feel can add to a discussion. I don't think you will ever see a "Me too" post from me.

06-15-2012, 03:48 PM	#12
Scott Nicholson Scott Nicholson, author Posts: 363 Karma: 2029337 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Boone NC Device: Kindle	I believe in doing it all at the same time--laying the foundation while you improve your product and craft. I also advertise, too!

06-30-2012, 05:00 AM	#13
J. A. Self Scribbler Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Columbia, TN Device: Kindle	Scott's advice is good. People respond more strongly to a name or product that they've seen multiple times over a longer stretch of time rather than what they've been blitzed with over a short period of time. That's just a basic marketing principle. You don't have to be doing it 24/7, either, just at regular intervals. The big argument most people make against doing promo is that it takes away from writing time, but that's not necessary. Find good channels to promote in, give yourself a schedule, and then get back to writing. Having a bigger library for sale is your best sales tool because it turns each sale into more sales and increases your natural exposure. This is the best place to sink your time. Cream may always rise to the top, but good promo will always lessen the time it takes. Make sure you focus on the promotions that don't eat away all of your writing time. I'm reading "The 80/20 Principle" right now, which basically states that we normally find 20% of our work getting 80% of the result. Figure out your best channels, focus on them, and ignore the rest.

06-30-2012, 10:13 PM	#14
Harper Kingsley Clone Trooper Posts: 212 Karma: 4566103 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Washington Device: kindle	Look around, join some Blog Hops in your genre. Join some groups on FB. Do you have a blog where you can put links to your writing and whatever? Once you get on Amazon, set yourself up an Author Central Page. And you might try joining Goodreads, aiming for short story groups and whatever matches your genre. Being on Twitter might be a good idea too. You don't really have to spend that long on there just talking to everyone, you can use something like Bufferapp to prepare some tweets in advance. Hope that helps some If you add me on Twitter, let me know when you've got your book ready. I have no problem linking stuff, though I might add the caveat that I haven't read anything by your if it's not in my genre.

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