content to come…
Selling your book before it is officially published can be tricky; you might want to get expert advice before implementing this strategy. A few things to be aware of:
- If you’re shooting for best-seller status, be very careful. In some cases (such as Amazon’s Author Central), pre-publication orders do not count towards sales numbers. (Double-check; do they count when the book is produced?)
- If you’ll be selling from your own website (either pre- or post-launch) you’ll need to set up a “shopping cart” with special software.
- Like any other kind of sales, a pre-launch campaign will benefit from a benefit statement (what’s in it for the reader), a special offer, and a call to action (buy before xx date).
- Pre-launch sales can be especially helpful if you’re planning to print a big batch of books, because they can help you estimate how many books you should print.
Next: Apply for contests and awards.
Back to Pre-launch communications. Back to short-lead press opportunities.