How to Develop a Marketing and Promotion Plan as an Indie Author

Photo by Monstera from Pexels

Today’s station is by writer Emma Lombard (@LombardEmma).

Disclaimer: I’m successful Australia and my publishing and promotion choices whitethorn not beryllium disposable aliases correct for you, but they’re nan correct way for maine arsenic a humanities fabrication bid author. I americium not paid to beforehand immoderate of nan services, companies aliases resources successful this article.

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I’m going to beryllium honest, my first foray into researching self-pub writer publication and trading threw maine into a tailspin of accusation overload. There are truthful galore paths and options to choose—but that’s nan full beauty of self-publishing, isn’t it? The pursuing article was calved of respective writer acquaintances asking maine what paths and options I chose to motorboat my debut humanities novel, Discerning Grace.

Before You Begin

Join nan Facebook group called Wide for nan Win.

No, seriously. Stop reference and spell subordinate them. It’s a superb free resource.

Even if you dislike Facebook aliases don’t usage it that much, you really should hop backmost connected location conscionable for this group. They really are that good! They stock a boatload of friendly strategies astir self-publishing. Search the Tree of Knowledge first. Read everything location earlier you moreover think astir asking questions connected nan main feed.

If nan Tree of Knowledge is excessively tricky to navigate—it’s immense pinch zillions of threads and conversations—you tin ever bargain nan Wide for nan Win ebook. It’s nan encephalon kid of Mark Leslie Lefebvre (from Draft2Digital) and Erin Wright (head honcho of Wide for nan Win Facebook group). The accusation is overmuch much system and easier to navigate.

Setting Goals

I had to determine what I wanted from nan first six months of my authoring journey: to beryllium successful nan best-seller charts, to person thousands of downloads connected a freebie, to garner early reviews, to turn my newsletter subscribers, aliases to rotation successful money for illustration Scrooge McDuck?

I’ve picked 2 early goals: garner early reviews and turn newsletter subscribers.

My first-year goals

1. Publish Discerning Grace (Book 1) successful each formats (ebook, paperback, ample print, audiobook)
2. Get arsenic galore reviews for Discerning Grace (Book 1) arsenic possible, connected each storefronts
3. Grow my newsletter subscriber list
4. Publish Grace connected nan Horizon (Book 2) successful each formats (ebook, paperback, ample print, audiobook)

See really I don’t moreover mention $$$ aliases income numbers successful this first year? That’s not my extremity (yet).

My second-year goals

1. Publish Grace Arising (Book 3) successful each formats
2. Grow my newsletter subscriber list
3. Run a BookBub 99c promo pinch Discerning Grace (Book 1) pinch nan thought of achieving sell-through to Book 2 and Book 3
4. Publish nan trilogy container group (all 3 books successful one)
5. Run different BookBub promo connected nan container set
6. Test paid advertizing connected Facebook, Amazon, and BookBub

Only aft I’ve achieved these goals americium I going to interest astir money and income numbers aliases paying for advertising. And only past will I activity my strategies to turn these numbers into thing that makes maine a surviving (that’s a full different taxable for a different article—and for erstwhile I’ve crossed that bridge).

Now that I’ve laid retired my goals, I’m going to instrumentality to them. Of each nan investigation I’ve read, it seems that astir indie writer careers only return disconnected aft 5 to 7 books. With only my first trilogy planned, I person a loooooong measurement to go, but having this knowledge besides prevents self-flagellation successful these early days. I’m moving a marathon here, not a sprint.

Important: I Chose to Publish Wide

I americium publishing wide, which intends I am not prioritizing Amazon arsenic an exclusive publishing platform over immoderate different storefront. It conscionable truthful happens to beryllium 1 of my storefronts wherever my books are available. Here are nan distributors I’m using.

1. Ebooks: distributed through Draft2Digital (which distributes to Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, positive loads of different smaller world online storefronts, arsenic good arsenic libraries).
2. Paperbacks: printed and distributed through IngramSpark (which distributes to Amazon storefronts successful galore countries, Barnes & Noble, positive smaller world online storefronts, and libraries).
3. Audiobooks: produced and distributed through Findaway Voices linked to my Draft2Digital relationship but is simply a abstracted institution (which distributes to each nan aforesaid storefronts and libraries arsenic Draft2Digital that besides judge audiobooks, positive a fewer extra)
4. Google Play: I’m only nonstop pinch this storefront because Draft2Digital doesn’t administer to them

Some whitethorn deliberation I’m nuts for not publishing straight to Amazon because Draft2Digital will return an further 10% of my royalties (as it does from different retailers too), but nan measurement I spot it is if I was prepared to fto an supplier and a accepted patient do nan legwork, I would person been sharing a boatload much successful commission. So, I personally don’t person an rumor pinch giving Draft2Digital their dues for uploading to each nan storefronts connected my behalf.

I chose this way because self-publishing requires learning a batch (no, seriously, A LOT!) of caller technology. My encephalon could only grip learning nan dashboards of these 4 publishing/distribution companies to commencement pinch (preserving my clip and sanity).

I was besides cracking nether nan unit of conscionable THINKING astir fixing a motorboat day pinch truthful galore chartless variables up of me. So, I decided connected a soft motorboat to return nan unit disconnected myself. It’s for this aforesaid logic that I didn’t group up pre-orders and don’t ever scheme connected utilizing them. I’ve seen excessively galore tears from authors erstwhile it goes wrong. I’m not comfortable adding a imaginable problem to my plate.

Also, you cognize nan saying, ‘Don’t support each your eggs successful 1 basket’? Using different publishing platforms ensures that if 1 institution goes belly-up (or moreover has method glitches), my books will stay successful circulation successful nan different formats.

Marketing Plan and Results: My First Three Months

As you will spot from the Wide for nan Win group, location are really dozens and dozens of ways to successfully marketplace your books. I person chosen nan paths of slightest resistance. It whitethorn costs maine a small much successful money, but it saves maine a bunch of clip and anxiety. It is besides why I ended up choosing to do a soft launch alternatively of a difficult motorboat for my debut novel, Discerning Grace.

What is simply a difficult launch?

• A difficult motorboat is erstwhile you prime a circumstantial day to motorboat your book baby—and past activity for illustration crazy to build arsenic overmuch hype arsenic you tin earlier that date. It involves creating a elaborate trading scheme that starts months successful beforehand of your motorboat date. For an knowledgeable marketer aliases existing influencer: it’s a superb situation to put your skills to nan test; for a newbie, not truthful much.
• When it’s planned well, pinch a immense web of support down you, a difficult motorboat tin (but isn’t guaranteed to) push you into bestseller status. Indie writer Nicholas Erik shares really a romance writer hit nan USA Today bestseller list (source: The Hot Sheet by Jane Friedman)—personally, I’m exhausted conscionable reference this. Whew!
• If your scheme succeeds, reaching much readers quickly should theoretically construe into awesome income correct retired nan gross (though not necessarily, arsenic Nicholas Erik’s article shows). But it takes an bonzer magnitude of readying and networking—months successful advance.
• If your third-party vendors origin a delay, there’s a consequence that nan book you’ve promised your readers won’t beryllium disposable connected your motorboat date. Even pinch a well-laid plan, if immoderate disaster strikes news headlines connected your motorboat day/week, this tin effect your motorboat (*cough cough, pandemic anyone?).

What is simply a soft launch?

• A soft motorboat intends softly publishing your book and ironing retired nan wrinkles earlier you spell successful for nan difficult sell. There is nary pressured attack to upload your book links to each your platforms and sites. It enables spreading retired your trading after your book is published alternatively of stacking it each earlier motorboat day. For me, this is overmuch little stressful, pinch less imaginable pitfalls, and less group to trust on.
• Without a fanfare announcing its arrival, you tin guarantee your book has published decently connected your favourite publishing platforms earlier telling readers that it’s available. It’s besides a calmer measurement to stitchery reviews for your book earlier launching into paid advertising.
• The downside: You’re improbable to deed those bestseller charts—but realistically speaking, different than a awesome feather to instrumentality successful your cap, what intent does it really serve? Do you judge a book by its bestseller status? You’ll get little uptake connected sales, including little visibility to commencement with, but location are ways to build this arsenic you spell (e.g. paid newsletters, transverse promotion pinch different authors, paid ads). Accordingly, you’ll spot little first income that won’t amended if you don’t return further steps to marketplace and beforehand your book aft it’s published (and support nan effort going)

Month One Plan

Company Cost Aim Result

By nan Book Newsletter (my ain writer newsletter) Announce Book 1 disposable connected each storefronts and libraries	Free	Book Reviews Blog Posts	• Fantastic book reviews crossed each shop fronts • Blog articles & interviews • Social media exposure
The Fussy Librarian (with BookFunnel freebie)	USD44.00 One-time paid newsletter burst	To turn newsletter subscriptions	600 caller subscribers

Why I chose The Fussy Librarian complete different paid newsletter companies: They are nan only paid newsletter supplier I recovered who fto maine usage a BookFunnel freebie for my book giveaway. Other paid newsletter providers require your book to beryllium free connected retailers.

Important: You cannot group your book for free connected Amazon if you administer to them done Draft2Digital. Also, nan magnitude of headaches I spot regular from authors battling Amazon to support their books group astatine free for promotions was different facet that dissuaded maine from publishing straight pinch them.

Month One Results

This income study floor plan is produced by ScribeCount. It does not see paperbacks from IngramSpark aliases ebooks from Google Play—these features are still coming to ScribeCount.

Month Two Plan

Company Cost Aim Result

BookFunnel Historical fabrication writer promo	USD100.00 annual subscription	To turn newsletter subscriptions	300 caller subscribers
AllAuthor Cover competition	USD59 6-month subscription	• Build buzz astir caller book • Use useful promo devices for illustration Review GIF Maker	• My screen came 6th retired of 300 entrants • Lots of enthusiasm connected societal media and successful newsletter • Smart GIFs for societal media
Written Word Media NewInBooks	USD299 One-off	• Exposure • Be included successful curated email • Interview	• Nothing measurable • Great question and reply for my website • Wouldn’t usage again

Month Two Results

Month Three Plan

Company Cost Aim Result

The Coffee Pot Book Club Editorial review	GPB122 One-off	• Give my book legitimacy from reputable co. • Get quotable sentences for marketing	• Brilliant editorial reappraisal (good for vulnerable newbie writer ego) • Excellent trading quotes
The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog circuit organiser	GPB150 One-off	• Book reviews • Blog posts	• Quality book reviews near connected each storefronts • Social media exposure • Social impervious book and writer sanction (Google hunt for book & writer sanction put maine connected first 7 results pages past I checked)
The History Quill Book Club (Uses Amazon connection link)	Free (in beta)	Tailored book find emails to readers of humanities fiction	Spike connected Amazon
Draft2Digital Mother’s Day Kobo promo	Free* Only accessible done Draft2Digital	Find caller readers	Spike connected Kobo
Books2Read New Beginnings promo	Free* Only accessible done Books2Read	Find caller readers	Sales crossed world storefronts
Draft2Digital Memorial Day Kobo promo	Free* Only accessible done Draft2Digital	Find caller readers	Spike connected Kobo
indieBRAG (Book Readers Appreciation Group)	USD75 One-off	Recognized people of excellence wrong nan self-published book industry	• DISCERNING GRACE was awarded a B.R.A.G. Medallion • Social media promotion • Quality recognition

* You person to use utilizing this Request for Promotion Consideration form to person promotional opportunities done Draft2Digital—it doesn’t automatically hap conscionable because you’re published done them.

Fun Fact: You tin only use for Apple Books promotions if you’re published done Draft2Digital—you can’t use for promotions erstwhile published straight pinch Apple Books.

Month Three Results

What Happened After 3 Months

My income chart for Discerning Grace for nan first 3 months specifically doesn’t show immoderate income numbers aliases royalties. This is because portion of nan wide mindset is to purpose for growth, nary matter really slow. It conscionable has to beryllium steady.

I sold double the number of books successful nan 3rd period than I did successful nan first. Note that each storefront provides their information connected different days, truthful ScribeCount tin only show you what info they’ve received. Some storefronts person information disposable nan adjacent day, others person a week aliases moreover a month’s hold successful reporting. It’s besides why I don’t get excessively hung up connected nan numbers broadside of things (in nan Wide for nan Win group, this appears to beryllium everyone’s headache). I’m focused connected nan wide maturation and accomplishment of my first goals.

Month Four: Plan successful Progress

Company Cost Aim

BookFunnel Scandalous Lords & Ladies promo	Already subscribed	To turn newsletter subscriptions
The History Quill ARC reappraisal service	USD187 One-off	Book reviews
Draft2Digital Swoon-worthy romance waste Apple Books promo	Free Only accessible done Draft2Digital	Find caller readers

Months Five and Six: Plan successful Progress

Company Cost Aim

Draft2Digital Independence Day Kobo promo	Free Only accessible done Draft2Digital	Find caller readers
Discovering Diamonds Historical fabrication book find service	Free	Book reviews
InstaBookTours Book circuit organiser	Free (in beta)	Book reviews
Book Love Tours Book circuit organiser	GBP170 One-off	Book reviews
Fussy Librarian (with BookFunnel freebie)	USD57 One-off	To turn newsletter subscriptions
Voracious Readers Only Book find service	6-week Free Trial (with an action to subscribe for USD20 per period thereafter)	Book reviews

I’m pleased considering I haven’t laid retired immoderate large bucks for paid advertizing yet. Publishing wide decidedly takes changeless promotion but it’s heartening to spot it each laid retired connected nan page for illustration this to recognize that nan effort is helping maine execute my first goals truthful far.