How are you selling your books? Just waiting the Amazon order? If you are, you are shooting your book in its pages. There are distribution options beyond online retailers and brick-and-mortar shops.
Have you:
- Created your own website and sell your book there.
- Summer is coming. How about approaching book fairs? May communities have book fairs and welcome authors to purchase tables and sell books (and be available for a book signing).
- Offer to speak where there are potential buyers: caution make sure that the group that is sponsoring the event is a “right” fit for you and your book.
- Be an exhibitor at a conference that is focusing on the subject area of your book.
- Get a table at other events that bring in potential buyers—check out Craigs List for activities in your area. Also, don’t forget at the freebie newspapers—they are always looking for submissions of events—you read for them and see if it might be a magnet for readers/buyers.
- Offer books as door prizes and arrange to have a book signing.
- Offer conference attendees a special “conference price” for your book.
- At conferences, ALWAYS offer a few books for door prizes.
- Get a friend to host an event and invite ALL their friends as a celebration. If you have a craft or a mini-workshop—do it as a freebie to get them there.
- Contact all the groups locally that are a fit for your topic—offer to “waive” your speaking fee and do a workshop if all pre-purchase the book.
- Think of other venues that may welcome you at one of their fairs, or in their lobby during lunchtime, especially if you offer to donate a percentage of your sales (e.g., your faith community, community center, hospitals, corporations, retirement home, hospital, community health fair).
Start noodling … book sales await you. And don’t forget, make a notice to slip into each book with a shortened link to your Amazon page for a book review—it’s a must do.
Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing 
about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 34 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord IndieFab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. Book #34 was published this summer: The CrowdFunding Guide for Authors & Writers. Get your copy.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged, a three day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th. Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at bit.ly/PublishingShow .
Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.
Author U is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Monthly education programs delivered face-to-face and online, The Author Resource ezine, BookCamps and the annual Author U Extravaganza are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Join AuthorU.org today.
If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching … call in to Judith’s Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 … have your questions ready–there’s a full hour to ask and listen