SPQ 007: What are the Best Email Marketing Practices as an Author?

SPQ 007: What are the Best Email Marketing Practices as an Author?

The Question…

Alexis of AlexisGrant.com asked about best practices for email marketing. In this episode, Steve gives a behind-the-scenes look at how he markets his habit books via email.

Biggest Takeaway…

[Tweet “Get more subscribers! Switch your offer. Test your templates and new headlines. “]

Steve’s Answer…

Email marketing is the lifeblood of Steve’s marketing, but there’s a lot that goes into it. The first thing you need is a lead magnet, or something you give to people who sign up for your email list. Steve uses AWeber, LeadPages and an opt-in box to collect email addresses and market to his list of subscribers. He currently has several traffic sources: Kindle books, SlideShare, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. In the future, he wants to test YouTube, podcasting, and paid traffic.

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SPQ 006: Perma-Free vs. KDP Select – What’s the Best Way to Market a Book Series?

Perma-Free vs. KDP Select – What’s the Best Way to Market a Book Series?

Is it better to sign up with KDP Select or make a Kindle book permanently free? Find out in this episode of Self-Publishing Questions.

The Question…

Antara wants to know Steve’s opinion on whether it is better to make a Kindle book permanently free or sign up for KDP Select and run free promos every 90 days. Steve has only used the “perma-free” strategy once, but a lot of fiction authors do it successfully. There is a way to get Amazon to list a book for free, but it does take a little bit of work. When publishing the book on Amazon, do not sign up for KDP Select. Set the price to 99 cents on Amazon; then publish it on Smashwords and other platforms.

Biggest Takeaway…

[Tweet “Fiction authors should use the perma-free strategy to promote a series of books. “]

Steve’s Answer…

Here’s the process for creating a perma-free book…Set the book’s price to free on other platforms. Once your book is live, tell Amazon the book is free on another website. When Amazon sees that your book is free elsewhere, it will match the price for Kindle readers. It will take a few weeks before the price match goes into effect. KDP Select allows authors to give their books away for free for five days during every 90-day period.

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SPQ 005: What’s Better – KDP Select or Going Direct to Your Audience?

What’s Better – KDP Select or Going Direct to Your Audience?

There are many advantages to publishing on the Kindle platform, but is it better for some authors to sell directly on their own websites? In this episode, Steve discusses the advantages and disadvantages of selling on Amazon versus selling directly.

The Question…

T Alan is a traditionally published author who is interested in turning his paperback books into ebooks. He has no Web presence or online following and wants to know if he should sell books on Amazon or sell them directly, as recommended by Pat Flynn.

Biggest Takeaway…

[Tweet “Authors need to leverage existing platforms (Amazon) while building their own. “]

Steve’s Answer…

Kindle does have some major advantages. It is a mass-market platform, so authors have access to a bigger audience there than they would if they sold via their own blogs or other platforms. People trust Amazon, so they are more likely to buy books and other items there than on unknown websites. The Kindle platform also gives authors the opportunity to run free promotions and Countdown Deals. All of these things make it easier to build an email list for marketing.

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SPQ 004: Should I Focus on One Book Niche at a Time?

Should I Focus on One Book Niche at a Time?

Some independent authors publish in multiple niches, while others focus on just one topic. In this episode, find out which strategy Steve recommends.

The Question…

Mia from SkinBrushingDetox.com asks,

“Do you think people should just focus on one niche? How many niches should you focus on? How about people with a lot of different interests?”

Biggest Takeaway…

[Tweet “It’s seven times harder to get a new customer than market to an existing one. “]

Steve’s Answer…

Steve says he made the mistake of focusing on multiple niches early in his publishing career. Had he focused on one niche and built one audience, he could have been more successful.

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SPQ 003: How Do You Determine the Profit Potential of a Niche or Book Idea?

How Do You Determine the Profit Potential of a Niche or Book Idea?

Picking the right niche is essential for self-publishing success. In this episode, Steve outlines his process for choosing a profitable book niche.

The Question…

Thom asks, “Do you have a specific step-by-step system in place for determining the profitability of any given niche or title?” People ask Steve this question all the time. Early in his publishing career, he made the mistake of creating books based on what people were already writing about. This was a mistake because it doesn’t add much to the marketplace. Instead of doing the same thing everyone else is doing, target a specific niche and focus on providing solutions for that audience.

Biggest Takeaway…

[Tweet “Do the 50 Questions Test and come up with topics that help your market. “]

Steve’s Answer…

Once you have a niche in mind, think about the problems people in that audience face. In the self-publishing niche, people want to know about writing books, formatting books, selling books, building author platforms, and using social media as a marketing tool. There are five book ideas right there. Really drill down into one niche to come up with a lot of ideas that provide value for readers.

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SPQ 002: Organic Book Reviews: How Do I Get Natural Reviews (without Asking Family and Friends)?

Organize Book Reviews: How Do I Get Natural Reviews

Many readers don’t realize how important interviews are for independent authors. In this episode, Steve outlines his process for encouraging readers to review his books on Amazon.

The Question…

Rama from PublicSpeakKing.com wants to know how many sales an author needs to make before readers start leaving organic reviews. Organic reviews are very important, especially for independent authors. These are reviews written by people who don’t know you. Steve says he has seen it take up to 1,000 downloads to get one review while doing free promo does, but he uses a process to increase his chances of getting organic reviews from readers. He feels this process is 100 percent white hat (ethical) because he’s not asking readers for positive reviews.

Biggest Takeaway…

[Tweet “Explain to your readers why reviews matter and how much they help your business. “]

Steve’s Answer…

There’s a lot you can do to get organic reviews on your self-published books.

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