I found it funny that it was easier to write a 90,000 word novel than to come up with a 30 word ad.I'm really interested in this topic because my Facebook ad always leaves me wondering how I can improve my sales numbers by just changing a few words around. FB is the only marketing I'm doing at the moment, frankly because I'm lazy to do anything else. Blame it on the lack of sun from the blah Chicago winter. I read lots of blogs from other writers who are hitting the pavement going to libraries, book clubs, neighborhood book stores, etc to sell their books and I always feel like I should be doing more. But if I can sell my books from the comfort of my sofa with nothing more than a laptop and some creative wording; I'm going for it. I'll do footwork in the spring. Anyway, I was digging through an old box of junk in my basement and I found an old book I bought back in the 90's on advertising. Although it's a 20 year old book it offered some timeless advice on selling. Here are some simple "call to action" words that I will be using in my ads.
1. Buy Now
2. Free
3 Register
4. Subscribe
5. ONLY
6. Offer expires
7. Click here
8. Hurry
9. Free gift
10. Limited time
Here are some "call to action" word that's relevant for today.
11. Immediate download!
If you guys want to add some of your own "call to action" words that have worked for you; leave it in the comment box.
Interesting - I was just thinking about you earliers today and then you pop in with a new posTiNG. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how your facebook advertising is going and then this came in. Is anything working for you? Have you thought of possibly putting one of the books in the KDP select program and post a couple of "free days" back to back and then post the book for free the other three days like almost near the end of the 90days? From what I've seen of folks reporting who have been using the program, their numbers are jumping up not only on the book in the program but on other titles they have available, which is visibility and getting your name out there.
Also, I would consider your pricing - you kept going up $1 each year you added to the series and I think you need to have consistent pricing; I can understand the first one being offered at 99 cents but not increasing from the 2nd to the 4th like that. I'd pick one price for those three books and just leave it there - but that is just my feeling about it.
I'm hoping now that I can take credit cards physically (for my in-person events since everything online is done through paypal) that will help with sales. If you don't do in-person events and are considering participating in the future, I would suggest you get a square for credit cards; it is free - just go here http://www.squareup.com and sign up for an account and request your card reader. If you have an iphone, ipad, or ipod touch or a smartphone or any phone that is compatible with the app (can be downloaded from either the android market or itunes app market), then you can use the square. Daughter just a got a new phone yesterday - its a Pantech crossover from AT&T and we downloaded the app and tested my card reader (I've had it since last summer and haven't been able to use it) and it works. So any device that can download the app or that the app is compatible will work.
As far as anything that has worked for me, I can't even give freebies away in exchange for a review (was going to give 100 per title out to anyone who requested them but I've had only 2 takers - one taking 3 titles and one taking 1 title and posting the review already). I've tried a special at Christmas time on my YA but only sold like 3 copies during that week. I'm going to try the KDP select program as soon as I publish my next title and hope it will attract some readers I'm not reaching with my minimal power.
I've reblogged this post and hope people will come over and leave comments for you about what is working for them. See you in the postings - E :)
Elysabeth Eldering
Author of Finally Home, a YA paranormal mystery
"The Proposal" (an April Fools Day story), a humorous romance ebook
"The Tulip Kiss", a paranormal romance ebook
"Bride-and-Seek", a paranormal romance ebook
http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
http://eeldering.weebly.com
I'm not trying to sell any books, right now, but I found your post very interesting. I've made notes for future reference.
ReplyDeleteThe info was so valuable. i have plenty to sell of my grandfather and my fathers. thanks so much for the helpful stuff@bose
ReplyDeleteMarketing Proposal Template