How to Sell More Books

How do you sell more ebooks? I must confess I do not have an easy answer. I can tell you -- as someone who has been involved in both marketing and sales for more than 20 years -- that nothing sells itself. Whether it's the latest computer, car or ebook -- everything requires promotion -- and lots of it. Now since most ebook authors do not have the money to spend on full-page ads in major publications or commercials on TV, how are they supposed to promote their ebook?

You need a plan, and then you work the plan. And it needs to be a written plan -- not one made up in your head. You need to put thought into it, and tweak as it you work it to improve upon it. A marketing and promotional plan starts with the window dressing. Do you have an ebook cover to make your ebook appear more tangible? People hate purchasing intangible goods and services, and no matter how great your ebook may be, you won't sell very many if you do not have a graphical representation of it. I've written about ebook cover designers and software in the past (info can be found at Ebook Cover Creator).

The next thing you need is a good blurb or summary that describes both the author and the nature of the ebook. Think of how you purchase print books in the store. You browse. You look at the book jacket. You read the book jacket. You skim the book. You look at the price. You compare it to other books you have read or are considering purchasing and then you make your buying decision. 

It's the same with an ebook, but the purchasing decision is frequently more difficult because the ebook cannot be held and weighed in the hand. It cannot be easily browsed prior to purchase. It does not have texture. So it is your job to make the ebook seem tangible by supplying enough information to the prospective buyer so they can make an informed decision without hesitation. 

You need to tell them about yourself. Your need to tell them about your ebook, and your descriptions must be rich and compelling. If you look through the Ebook Store on EbookoMatic you will find many authors who have left their bio blank and have two sentence descriptions about their ebooks. Guess what? They do not sell any ebooks and are the first to complain. 

Then there are authors who write full bios, and even include a picture of themselves (our system allows you to do both). Then there are authors who write detailed, intriguing blurbs and they include free excerpts (our system allows that, too). Some authors even offer free abridged versions for download (yes, we allow that, too, if you like). These authors sell more ebooks. Those that are unique and priced accordingly can sell a dozen copies per month -- not tons -- not enough to leave your job and retire -- but they do sell.

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Steven Schneiderman received his B.A./M.A. In Creative Writing, and taught English at Queens College, The City University of New York in the early 1980's. His previous poetry and non-fiction have appeared in numerous small presses across the country and in American Voices published by Harper & Row, and has won multiple university awards including Versatility in Creative Writing and the Most Promising Poet of the Year (1980 and 1981 respectively) from the City University of New York. Steven currently resides in Tulsa, OK with his wife and two children. He is the creator and founder of EbookoMatic: The Instant Online Ebook Publisher.