Selling Books Without Amazon More Tips from Wendy Jones
Gone are the days when in-store appearances are viable ways to cultivate sales. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many authors to focus on online bookselling. Most of my book sales took place at bookstores or at library events. What could I do to reach readers online? I along with many other authors have had to learn to cultivate an online platform to sell books and connect with readers. Please check out my article, The Importance of an Author Platform.
Not sure what to do next, I turned to my colleague Wendy Jones, who successfully sold her first book, An Extraordinary Life: Josephine E. Jones, on her website, without using Amazon at all. I first met Wendy two years ago at a book publishing event at the Springfield Public Library. My interview with her intrigued readers making, “How to Sell Without Amazon, Tips from Wendy Jones” one of the most visited posts on this blog.
Due to the popularity of that article, I wanted to check in with her again, and am happy to report that Wendy had other ideas to share. She is also publishing another book, The Culinary Art Portfolio of Josephine E. Jones, which focuses on the culinary art and summarizes the life that was featured in An Extraordinary Life: Josephine E. Jones.
Please continue reading to learn more of her tips.
Tip #1: Sell The Book on Your Website
Wendy sold her book from her own website https://idabellpublishing.com/ and started her own publishing company Idabell Publishing, LLC. The advantages of doing this includes controlling the price, running sales at your discretion, and receiving greater profits. Wendy’s goal is to get readers to come to her website to get her book. Amazon restricts on price, when you can run a sale, and those in KDP [Kindle Direct Publishing] have to give Amazon an exclusive, usually 90 days, to sell the ebook online. The authors must share profits with Amazon and wait for them to send them a check. Wendy has only the print version available but you could also work with a company to get an ebook that can be sold on your site. You can find printers by asking other writers or using Google to search for them
Tip #2: Know Your Audience
Wendy says all authors should do a deep dive into their book and know who their readers are. Knowing exactly who the reader is will help with the marketing of the book. She suggests finding a tagline that answers the question of who will read the book. Developing a characteristic of a reader, sometimes called personas, will help with the targeting. Many novice authors claim that the book is for everyone, making it hard for the book to be marketed.
Tip #3: Believe in Yourself
The author has to believe in their own work first. There are so many obstacles and naysayers on the road to successful publication. The author has to be able to convince readers and others about the quality of their work. Ask yourself the following questions: Why is the work is important? What makes the book different from others on the market?
Tip #4 Join Professional Publishing Organizations and Author Groups
IBPA or Membership in the Independent Book Publisher’s Association is about $130 a year and offers a lot of benefits, such as access to webinars. Writers who join National Writer’s Union get help with contracts and understanding legal rights, and learn publishing and book promotions tips. There is a lot of networking going on with these groups, which can help authors reach target audiences.
Tip #5: Pay for Advertising and Key Reviews
There are a lot of books being published and authors have to find a way to stand out. Wendy utilized the African American Literary Book Club (AALBC) because it is a community. AALBC offers many options for authors who want to target African-American readers. She paid for a review and that helped her reach key readers. (Click AALBC Book Review to read the review.) She also hired a publicist to promote her first book. She did an IBPA promotion and that helped her get a review in Black Enterprise, digital edition. (Click This Woman May Have Been the First Black Women Manager at a Fortune 500 Compay to read.) This exposure got her sales. Wendy says authors need some advertising but reviews are a better way to reach readers because they learn something about the book. She advises authors to be cautious about publicity money because it doesn’t guarantee sales.
Tip #6 Use Free Promotion That Comes Your Way
Wendy is a big fan of radio and was on On Point program on NPR with Meghna Chakrabarti, All of It program on WNYC FM with Allison Steward, and Any Saturday on WBAI FM with David Rothenberg. She used all these opportunities to talk about her book. These interviews helped her sell books and get featured in other publications. Podcasts, radio, newspaper articles, and local television are good ways to get your book to an audience. Creating the right message and sending personalized pitch is a way to be featured.
I learned so much from Wendy and wish her well with her next project. Please let me know in the comments if you have any tips on how to market your book without Amazon.
About Candace WallerCandace Waller is a Christian fiction author. Her novel, What Goes Around Comes Around can be purchased on Amazon.