That rock-n-roll music you hear is blasting from our (figurative) tour bus as Toni and I are currently flying down the Information Super Highway (a.k.a. the World Wide Web) on a mini-tour to visit some of our favorite blogs.

But we don’t want you (our home crowd) to miss out on all the fun!

So here’s a sampler (think of it like an opening act — you can click the link at the end to see the full show) from our stop over at Molly Greene’s fantastic blog.

5 Book Promotions That Work (And 3 That Don’t)

Every author I meet has one question. It’s often disguised by different language and inflection, but it all comes down to the same thing: You want to know how to sell books.

It’s a fair question. You’ve worked hard to write a book, invested some money into production, and now you want to know how you can find fans and make sales. But just as important as knowing what *does* work, you need to know what *doesn’t* work.

So I’m here to share a little bit of both and in turn, answer that one, burning question.

 – WHAT WORKS –

1. KDP Select
Joining KDP Select is the biggest no-brainer promotion for any indie. It’s an absolute must for any book series, but it works for stand-alone titles, too.

But just joining the program doesn’t guarantee you off-the-charts results (the kind you’ve undoubtedly heard of from other author friends). You have to plan out your promotional days just like you’d plan a proper book launch.

Patience, time, and a few strategic investments in paid ads during your promo days (start with Facebook and BookBub) will set your sales on fire.

2. Mailing Lists
Mailing lists are the new social media. Where it used to be easy to communicate with your fanbase via Facebook and Twitter, now the social media sites are so congested your messages get lost in the mix.

To keep your fans hooked and informed of all your latest book news, you’ve got to have a mailing list. It’s easy (and free) to set-up through MailChimp, but the key is coming up with a great incentive for people to join the list. An exclusive excerpt, short story, or alternate POV chapter are all great ways to entice fans to let you in their inbox.

Your list will become your exclusive inner circle of crazy dedicated fans. Keep them happy (and interested) with occasional giveaways and exclusive first-looks, and they will be your go-to resource for advanced readers, street team members, and pre-sell/limited edition opportunities.

[ Read the full post… ]

When Survivor premiered, it changed television forever.

After the crazypants finale of the first season, in which a perma-naked Richard Hatch prevailed over…whoever that other girl was (honestly, I remember Sue’s vitriolic speech about rats and snakes but not the runner-up it was directed at), America wanted more.

More backstabbing, more angry speeches, more shady gameplay tactics — with the sole survivor left standing at the end of it all.

Sadly, I see many indie authors adopting this same approach — outwit, outplay, outlast — to their detriment, and to the detriment of their book sales.

Continue Reading