Why Won’t My Book Sell? Bookselling Strategies

There could be several reasons why your book is not selling.

One, the book won’t work if the author is not working.
Two, if the author is working but still not selling, then rethink your strategies.
Three, if the strategies are strategic but still not selling, maybe the target generation is wrong for the book. So keep going with your writing and calling until the appointed time.

The book won’t work if the author is not working

Authors need to actively promote their work through social media, book signings, and other marketing strategies to ensure that the book is reaching the right audience. It’s important to identify and target the appropriate readership for your book through effective advertising and promotion. We call it – finding your watering hole, where you can find most of your target readers congregated together.

Another reason could be that the cover design or title does not appeal to your target audience.

Another possibility is that the book may not be well-written, engaging enough to capture readers’ attention, or well published (including editorial excellence, cover design, layout, and blurb), and thus the packaging becomes a hinderance to your readers. That is, leading to disappointment among readers who do purchase it.

How can an author work to sell more books?

We have looked at three strategies in the previous discussion as follows:

Use social media to create a personal brand
Maximise Pre-orders and Launch Date Sales
Have a website or webpage for your book

You can explore the above three strategies in details at https://kenyaclc.org/an-engaged-author-bookselling-strategies/

4. Start an email list

“Trending marketing tactics may come and go, but your mailing list will always remain one of your most powerful marketing tools,” publishdrive.com

Email is a more direct and personable way to get in contact with your readers compared to social media platforms.

First, take time to develop your email list by offering exclusive content or incentives for readers to sign up. Add a “sign up to my email list” link on the back of your book, website, or social media bio. A call to action (CTA) is a powerful tool to lead your readers to your desired destination. You can also use reviews on your ACABA webpage – as people leave reviews for you, you get to build your list.

Second, make sure to personalise your emails and provide valuable information or updates on your writing projects to keep your subscribers engaged. Remember, a well-crafted email can lead to increased book sales and a loyal fan base.

Third, develop a marketing plan. You can start by sending a monthly newsletter with topics ranging from personal reflections to announcements on special sales. The goal is to nurture your contacts into recurring customers through continuous communication.

Fourth, utilise emailing tools like Mailchimp and plugins on your website (Newsletter, etc) to help generate a sign up link, design a newsletter, and maintain your list of contacts.

Finally, create a reader magnet. Anything you offer in exchange for your reader’s contact details is a lead reader magnet. Lead reader magnets are crucial for drawing in potential customers, who should eventually become paying ones. You could, for instance, offer exclusive content or discounts to those who sign up for your email list. This can incentivize potential customers to join and keep them engaged with your brand. This can include free ebooks, sample audio books, excerpts of chapters in your book, an advance review copy (ARC) of your next book, free registration to a premium event you are hosting, side stories like a peek to behind the scenes of the actual story or content.

For advanced ideas, you could explore: auxiliary content – this could be a digital version of something that appears in the story. Concept art – if you are an artist then creating some for your readers – which you could send as a digital download for your readers. Photo gallery – you can use this tactic to great effect, providing photos you have taken of locations that inspired your book. Albums double as entertainment and travel guides that readers can use to visit the settings of some of their favourite scenes. Behind the scenes content – this can be a powerful reader magnet, especially if you write non-fiction or your novels are closely tied with your personal life. This idea covers a diverse range of areas so you can interpret it to create whatever type of content is relevant to your book.

Remember, consistent communication is key to building strong relationships with your audience.

To get more information on email marketing, check out https://publishdrive.com/how-to-set-up-a-mailing-list-for-authors-get-subscribers-and-sell-more-books.html

If the author is working but still not selling, then rethink your strategies

If the author is working but still not selling, then rethink your strategies. Restrategizing is crucial for authors who want to boost their book sales and reach a wider audience. By analyzing market trends and reader preferences, authors can make informed decisions about how to promote their work and make it more appealing to potential buyers. In today’s competitive market, it’s crucial to constantly evaluate and adjust your marketing approach to ensure your book reaches its intended audience. By being open to feedback and willing to make changes, you can increase your chances of success and achieve your goals as an author.

Seeking feedback cannot be overstated, as this step can make all the difference in achieving success as an author.

(i) Remember that writing a book is just the first step;

(ii) Promoting it effectively is the second step towards reaching your target audience and building a loyal following;

(iii) Improving the book’s content, packaging, and offering style is the next step.

Therefore, seeking feedback from beta readers and editors can help you refine your work and make it more appealing to readers.

It’s also important to stay up-to-date with industry trends to remain in sync with acceptable and appreciated methods of delivery for your content. This is why subsequent editions of a book are important. By revising and updating your work, you can ensure that it remains relevant and engaging for your audience. Additionally, subsequent editions can provide an opportunity to correct any errors or omissions that may have been present in the initial release.

Caution for authors while seeking and receiving feedback for their books: It is important to carefully consider the feedback received and determine which suggestions align with your goals and vision for the work. Remember that not all feedback may be helpful or relevant, because it is impossible to please everyone due to varied preferences of different readers.

Ultimately, you have the final say in how your work is presented. It is crucial to maintain a balance between incorporating feedback and staying true to your original vision for the work while maintaining your own voice and style in the writing process.

If the strategies are strategic but still not selling, maybe the target generation is wrong for the book

It’s important to remember that success in the publishing industry often requires persistence and patience. Don’t be discouraged if it takes time to find the right audience for your book. So keep going with your writing and calling until the appointed time. According to Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Trust in God’s timing and continue to work hard towards your goals. Remember that His plans for you are greater than you can imagine.

Example: William Blake (1757-1827)

His era labelled him as insane. But today, William Blake is recognised as a poetic and creative genius. He was born in London in 1757, where he spent the majority of his life. Blake claimed he had “visions” of God ever since he was a child. At the age of four, he experienced his first “vision,” in which he saw God “put his head through the window.” As he grew older, Blake’s supernatural visions became more frequent, and he made a valiant effort to express them in his writing.

Blake was never one to follow the crowd, whether it was with his art or his political stances. He was an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, a detractor of the Anglican Church, and a supporter of the French and American Revolutions.

Officially, Blake spent the majority of his life working as an illuminated manuscript printer. These manuscripts, many of which we still possess today, contain the majority of his personal poetic works. His best-known compositions include Jerusalem, which has been adopted as the unofficial national anthem of England, Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and Songs of Experience.

The classics: When people talk about “classics” in the book world they tend to be referring to books that have been around for many decades, that have had an impact on many generations of readers and can be read with the same excitement and interest today as they were when they were written. These are books that meet some common high standards for quality, appeal, longevity, and influence. Would you be in the category of classics, with great classics authors?

Allow God to define you… and your writing calling. Pause and reflect…

What can you do as you wait for God’s promises?

Use this time to reflect on your own growth and development as an author. Take advantage of opportunities to learn and improve yourself, so that when the time comes for God’s promises to be fulfilled, you will be ready to receive them with open arms.

Do you need to start a podcast, blog, run a book programme, accept speaking engagements, attend book fairs, rights fairs, author programmes, or network? Then do it.

Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a glorious and great reward. For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised. (Hebrews 10:35-36).