What separates the men from the boys in book publishing is not just the quality of your book, which is certainly a factor, but marketing, marketing, marketing. If the world does not know that your book is one of the needles in the giant haystack of Amazon.com, they do not know to go looking for it! Successfully marketing your book is a key factor in becoming not just an author, but an author who sells books. Promote your book wherever you can. Join forums and other online communities through sites specific to your genre and scope of interest. Submit your book to some of the many listings that spotlight free books (during your five promotional days of KDP) and books of particular genres. You can find these by performing an online search. I also fully recommend joining the KDP forums. You will learn a tremendous amount about all aspects of publishing and marketing from those who are not only already doing it, but are doing it successfully.

Below are some ebooks I recommend on the subject of promoting your book:

Amazon Kindle Sales Secrets Exposed! by Michael Thomas

Author! Author! Use Book Promos & Discounts to Create BUZZ for Your Book by Katherine Mariaca-Sullivan

Secrets of the Six Figure Author by Tom Corson-Knowles

The Kindle Publishing Bible: How To Sell More Kindle Ebooks on Amazon by Tom Corson-Knowles

Author Tools

One of the best selling tools for your book, in addition to moving heaven and earth to let the public know that it is there and where to find it, is the use of several functions right on your Amazon profile. Go to “Author Central” and set up a stellar, award winning author page that promotes you as an author and makes a prospective buyer want to read your book. You can do many things through Author Central to market your book effectively. Here are some ideas, both in and out of Author Central:

– Create a book description (editable by selecting the book on your bookshelf page of the KDP interface) that is compelling and makes a good pitch for your book. You have to illustrate in the description why the reader wants to purchase YOUR book instead of all of the other ones out there. Get quotes from people who have read the book (your editors and beta readers) and post them within the description and in the “editor’s comments” portion.

Verify that the print version of your book (if you have one) links to your Kindle version as well. This usually happens automatically within a week of the print book being submitted, but if it does not, contact Amazon.com and let them know and they will correct it right away.

Check that your author page links to all of your books. Through Author Central, you can add to the list of your books on your author page.

Make sure that your author page lists your distinguishing qualifications as an author.

Through Author Central, enroll your book in the “Search Inside the Book” program that allows readers to look inside the book at the first few pages. Of course, you then should make sure that the first pages of your book really grab the reader and pull them in!