Unknown authors don't sell; name brand authors do

When J.K Rowling, the bestselling author of the Harry Potter series, released her new book in 2013, The Cuckoo’s Calling, the book only sold 1,500 copies in its first four months.

Surprising?

Not when you realize that she released it under the unknown pseudonym
of Robert Galbraith. But once Rowling was identified as the true author,
sales of the book skyrocketed, pushing 225,000 copies sold in a single month.

Author branding is critically important in today’s increasingly digital
publishing world. Although new authors face bigger challenges, even
established authors are realizing they must build and mobilize a fan
base with more direct approaches, including giving away books for free.

So what are authors doing to reach new fans and build their brand? It
turns out the list is quite large and really benefits book lovers. But
the two biggest benefits are direct access and cost savings.

Direct Access to Authors

Many authors maintain blogs, email lists, Facebook pages, and Twitter
accounts for loyal followers to keep up with their latest news and
releases. Using these channels, authors communicate with fans, listen to
feedback, and even offer special contests.

In addition to authors’ own social pages, readers are connecting through third party
social sites. Goodreads, the largest reading community, recently
launched an “Ask the Author” feature where readers can ask questions
online.

Joe Finder, one of the participating authors, said,
“The Internet has made writers incredibly accessible to readers
directly, and Goodreads members are a particularly passionate and
engaged group of readers. ‘Ask the Author’ seems to be a good way to
bring authors in contact with readers.”

Flash Sales Save Readers Money

Limited-time book deals have become a go-to tactic, even for bestselling authors. Our daily email alert has featured free and discounted ebooks from authors such as Dan Brown, Stephen King, and Nora Roberts.




In a recent Forbes.com article, branding expert David Vinjamuri called flash sales a “powerful tool” for authors looking to build a following. Many
authors, for example, will discount the first book in a series to get
readers hooked. Additionally, authors may discount older bestselling
titles to prime the pump for a new release.

“I think limited-time price promotions — mine are often 24 hours —  are a
fabulous way to help gain visibility for my books,” Bella Andre, an
independent, bestselling romance author who has used BookBub’s service a
half dozen times over the past year, said in a recent interview.

BookBub subscriber Mona Estrada from Stockton, CA, regularly takes advantage of
flash sales from her favorite authors. “I actually download several
books a week,” said Estrada. “I’ve saved approximately $40 or more each
month using BookBub.”

Readers Take Advantage
Years ago, shopping for books meant going into your local bookstore, speaking
with an employee, and getting recommendations for books on the shelves.
But it’s a different world now. The rise of ebooks and digital
marketing has given people more power than ever, and smart readers know
how to take advantage.


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