10 Tips For Freelance Content Designers
Authors encounter a number of problems when trying to promote their products or services. As a freelance copywriter and content strategist, I know all too well the difficulties faced. It is a world moving very fast, with no sign of getting any more affordable than they were before. In this section, we will be discussing a few crucial ways to succeed as an author in a saturated market.
The Symptoms Of Art
Often, authors think to themselves: “I can put this book up on Amazon Kindle and expect an immediate result.” This is rather common, and it is okay to think this way. Yes, you can do just that, and make a good income off of it. But what you need to accept right now before we get more into the good stuff, that book need a marketing plan.
The Truth Behind Writing
Authorship, whether narrative or expository, is a crucial facet in today’s society. We constantly need to think on a daily basis: “How am I going to make steady passive income today?” A lot of authors think that just because their work is great, it will sell itself, and sometimes it does. “Sitting Pretty” by author Rebekah Taussig never spent a single dime on marketing, and yet it is facetiously famous on Amazon. How do we achieve this effect? Well, for starters, quality is important.
You Need To Think!
Let us face facts: art does not sell. What sells is a product. Your book is not an art form the moment is gets published and priced for sale. Rather, it is a product. If you can think of it this way, you may bypass failure down the road. If you are a new author and have yet to publish, this is one facet you need to make sure you think about. Now, what is the difference between art and a product?
Art Versus Product
Once everything is written, we can format it so it works as a paperback (your choice of size will always be recommended) that will be available on Amazon.com and for you to order through CreateSpace. The “Publishing” phase really encompasses the entire post-production of the book. We have to get it formatted so it is a paperback as well as a Kindle eBook. We can also publish live to a customized website! This part involves cover art design and liner notes!
It’s A Product, Darn It!
That is the most essential part of this entire guide. You need to realize that writing a book (do keep in mind that we do plenty of other things related to writing and the fine literary art of planning) is not going to sell unless you think of it like a business. It is a product, not art. Thus, when you are writing a book, you need to be able to start separating your artistic side to logic. See below a few examples.
The Logical & Social Brain
The brain can only do two things at once. There is a region in the brain that controls the social aspect of the human mindset, and another that controls logic. When logic is activated, the social aspect shuts down, and vice versa. In other words, you need to begin to separate the social brain (having a book as an art form, not selling a single darned copy) from the logical (making money). I bet this was not the type of guide you expected! We are here to support you, but we want to make sure you understand the psychology behind writing a book and selling it, too.
The First Step
When you write a book, you need to be immediately thinking about how you will sell it. Do not write for you; that is for journals. If you want to sell your work, you must assimilate business into the equation. I urge all authors I consult to write a business and marketing plan (which is actually a service we offer) before they begin the book. This allows for them to cater to the buyer, rather than the average (200 copies is the average total sales for indie authors…do you not want to times that by ten?
Marketing & Business Planning
When you write a book, you are engaging in art. When you price it and publish it, as we said before, it becomes a product. What does a product need? Yes, it needs a marketing plan! I highly suggest websites like LivePlan.com for this use. They allow forecasting of sales, the development of a foundation for what you will do (step-by-step) to get to the end goal of sales, and they also give you a way to keep track of your selling efforts. Marketing plans are generally simple to write.
We Offer This Service!
Side note before we continue: we offer this service! With our Marketing package, you will be fully capable as an author. When you go through us, we will help you market the book, including the marketing and business plan writing. Contact us for more information.
How Do You Sell?
A lot of authors will publish on Kindle KDP where each page read allows income, or b) choose to sell through Amazon or on your website. These books allow you the ability to look like a true professional. When you have a self-published book, you are essentially allowing expertise to reign. These books add credibility to your already-grown base of clients and customers. They allow you to look like an expert! The average self-published author produces roughly 200 book sales.
Again, We Offer A Service!
The average ghostwritten book costs between $5,000 and $10,000. Formatting and publishing costs an extra $5,000. We also provide marketing plans for those who wish to truly engage their book’s potential. Please contact us for ore infromation by clicking the button below!
Focus On The Audience
To bypass complications in selling your book, you need to focus on the audience. Who are you writing for? The best place to start is through consumer research. The Lean Method by Eric Ries says to focus on finding what people want to read. When you buy through us, you get this included in the formatting and publishing package. Make sure you research and survey those who would most likely read your book. What do they want to read about? We discuss more in our ‘Lean Method” guide.
Want To Get Started?
We offer plenty of expert and credible writing sources. Remember, the book can be written by someone else. You receive credit for it, and we do focus on formatting, publishing and marketing your book to the widest audience possible. Trust us with you book!