Let's say you secured the appropriate financing and your book has been printed. First of all.....I want to congratulate you on this major accomplishment. I know it has been no easy task to get this far. So, take a minute and remember that you did it! Now it is time to sell your book and start making money.
A few entries back I wrote about creating your layers of supporters, backers, family and friends. It is time to convert those people into your first customers. I was thrilled to be able to deliver signed books to my backers who in many cases ended up ordering additional copies to give as gifts. I started getting emails from people all over the country who had received the book as a gift and wanted to let me know they loved it! I received this picture and a thank you from a family that got the book as a gift from a dear friend and backer of mine. He even took it to show and tell!I asked several shops I frequent and store owners I know if they would kindly display my book with cards in front. I started making sales in places you might never think you would sell your book. I quickly learned that in those places it is more of an impulse buy than a planned one. Nonetheless, they are still sales and you are getting your book out there.
Set up a few readings to kick off your sales and overall awareness of you and your book. This will help generate excitement about buying your book. If it is interesting and people like it they will definitely tell their friends about you!
While these early and direct sales will hopefully cause a spike in your sales, you should also expect that to plateau. When this happens you need to have a very definitive plan in place to diversify your sales and distribution channels. But I will get into that in more detail in my next entries.
Don't forget to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!
JACI
