As a self-published
author on Amazon, you want to give your book the best chance to succeed. … RIGHT?
Over the years I have suggested to well over a thousand authors that they
change "something" before spending money on a promotion. Some DO, others DON'T.
My suggestions range from changing Book Covers, Descriptions, Pricing as well as a dozen other
things large and small.
Most of the time I suggest one change,
some time I suggest … a lot more.
Most authors rarely make their changes methodically, and hardly any of them track their
results. I totally understand, because I
sometimes do the same thing … and often live to regret it.
If your book sales are
slow, you WILL be tempted to make big changes all at once—revamping your cover,
rewriting your description, tweaking your price, and even updating your book’s
introduction.
But IF you change everything at once, how will you know what actually worked?
Testing one change at a time is critical to your overall and long term success. YES your wholesale changes might result in
more sales for the book you are working on. BUT when faced with the NEXT book,
how will you know WHAT changes made the biggest difference, what changes
negatively impacted sales AND what changes resulted in nothing.
What Should You Test?
If your book isn’t
selling well, start by evaluating these top
four elements:
- Your Book Cover – Does your cover grab attention? Does it fit the
genre? A professional-looking cover can make a huge difference in sales.
- Your Book
Description –
Does your description sell the book? Is it engaging, clear, and
compelling?
- Your Price – Is your price competitive
for your genre? Would lowering or increasing it impact sales?
- Your
Introduction (Look Inside Feature) – Does your opening hook readers? If the beginning
doesn’t captivate them, they may not buy.
The Importance of Isolated Testing
When authors change
multiple things at once, they lose the ability to track what’s making a
difference. For example, if you change your cover and lower your price at the
same time, and sales go up, was it the cover or the price that made the impact?
You won’t know.
To get clear results, test one
element at a time for at least one to two weeks before
making another adjustment. Keep track of your sales data and document any
patterns you notice.
How to Test Effectively
- Choose one element to
change.
- Implement the
change and leave everything else the same.
- Track your daily and weekly
sales.
- Compare your new sales data
with your previous results.
- After 1–2 weeks, decide
whether to keep the change or revert it.
- Move on to testing the next
element.
Small Changes, Big Impact
By testing
methodically, you’ll gain valuable insights into what truly drives your book
sales. Making informed decisions instead of guessing can mean the difference
between stagnant sales and a book that thrives on Amazon.
Patience and
tracking are key! Take your time, test wisely, and watch your sales grow.
Here are a few changes to consider:
Book Covers:
Pricing:
LOL It won't surprise many of you when I say ... IF you don't have any reviews, the changes you make might not make ANY difference, because potential buyers want someone else to take the first chance on buying. You NEED reviews. Get them!
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Book Marketing Services
My mission is to help
independent publishers and writers market their books and services. To that end I offer inexpensive services on Fiverr.
