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It’s coming!
Even if you have no idea what I’m talking about, those two words probably create an expectation, excitement, or interest. That’s the power of pre-selling your next book. Pre-selling can boost your sales, develop your audience, and increase the chance of reviews and buzz.
We all want what we can’t have, and pre-sales play right into this natural human tendency; attracting potential readers to the promise of a book they can’t quite have—yet. Apple does this with each new release, and its customers’ natural anticipation for new features make the latest Apple product the object of desire.
You can do this with your next book, too. Here are some tips for making it happen.
Tell Them It’s Coming
Decide on a release date and set up your title for pre-sale with your online retailers. Then, tell your audience your book is on the way. Highlight the release date in an ad campaign. Ad campaigns can create awareness while providing an abundance of information. So, use your website and social media channels to spread the word. Our at IngramSpark, they can help your title be automatically available for pre-order through our 39,000+ retailers when you clear your title for production.
If you can, make the release date meaningful or interesting and let the date drive your marketing. Plan a release party and share the details online to give your title an extra marketing push. If you plan your event at a bookstore, they may be able to include you in their newsletter. This will help get the word out to the local community.
Offer Teasers
After you’ve told your audience when your title will arrive, you should give them a taste of what is to coming . Post the first chapter online. Describe the main characters in a series of tweets. More specifically, utilize the “flock to unlock” challenge. Let your audience know that if your tweet reaches a certain amount of RT you will “unlock” your first chapter to the public. This will allow your message to reach multiple accounts.
Do you have an eye-catching cover? Grab your audiences’ attention by posting the cover art to Instagram and Facebook. Covers can give readers an idea of what’s to come, information on the genre, and set the tone for the book. Give your readers a reason to want more.
Give those “in the know” a reason to order ahead. Offer your book at a discounted pre-sale price, but let your readers know that the regular price returns on the release date. You'll not only make your early adopters feel they got a great deal; you'll convince them to pre-order your next project, too.
Buzz Early, Buzz Often
Give online influencers and reviewers an early review a copy of your book because influencer marketing delivers 11x higher returns , and 49% of people rely on these recommendations to make purchases. You can also work with your local indie bookstore to run promotions and readings for the book in the weeks leading up to the release. Pre-release reviews and events increase the buzz, prompt pre-sales, and give you that much more momentum heading into release day.
Use these tips, early and often, to give your book a head start in the market.
We are here to help!
Wondering how you can improve your sales? Send our lightning source team your information and our experts will be in touch to set up an appointment.
