ASP 79: 5 Lessons Learned from #1 Overall Paid Book on Amazon

Authority Self-Publishing Show

“The harder I work, the more luck I have.”

– Thomas Jefferson

Barrie’s book sold 2,900 copies in a 12-hour span.

How did it happen? Amazon randomly sends out push notifications on IOS and Android phones to promote books. You CAN’T plan for these things OR even apply. It just happens if they think your book will sell.

Here are FIVE lessons to be learned from this event:

1. Take Many Shots

Barrie has been publishing for almost five years now.

“The more I do this, the more I realize that you can’t plan for when a book will take off. You can do your best, but sometimes a book will start to sell well.”

• Don’t write one book and expect it to take off.
• Get as many assets into the marketplace as possible.
• Sometimes a book will become a bestseller. Other times a book will be niche-specific, appealing ONLY to your audience. But they ALL help generate visibility on your catalog.

2. Have Your Properties in Place

Barrie was able to maximize this unforeseen event by having LOTS of properties in place:

• Email List
• Audiobook
• Print book

Being prepared led to a few thousand sales of audio and print combined. It’s important to have these because when you don’t want to scramble if something takes off.

STEVE: I now make it a point of ONLY publishing when I have a completed print book, audiobook, and FULL email funnel. In fact, I’m basically sitting on a completed book for the next month (“Novice To Expert”) until all the extra components are completed.

3. Launch with a Bang!

Popularity attracts more popularity. Agents scour the bestseller lists, looking to strike deals or for possible translations. The key to generating any interest on a book is a great launch.

Check out the following episodes to learn about how to plan for a great book launch:

• How to Launch a #1 Best-Selling Book — The 5-Day Plan That Works
• ASP 28: Derek Doepker on Launching Books, Leveraging Influencers and Overcoming Your Doubts
• ASP 49: 9 Strategies Used to Launch The Miracle Morning for Writers
• ASP 61: Anatomy of a Book Series Launch – Emotional Abuse Breakthrough
• ASP 66: Lessons Learned from Launch of Declutter Your Mind

4. Keep Marketing Your Book

Don’t assume the book launch is enough. If you see a book is gaining traction, then continue to promote it.

AFTER the launch, Barrie:

Solicited reviews from Amazon reviewers, using Debbie Drum’s review software.

Run Amazon Marketing Ads

• The Automated Author, a presentation by Derek Doepker
• Run BookBub Ads
• Solicit BookBub Featured Deal

You want to keep promoting your book because you NEVER know when the right person comes across your content. Put yourself in a position to make it happen by continuously pushing your content.

5. Network and Make Connections

Relationships TRULY do matter. Help others without asking anything in return. Make it a habit of connecting with one person each day.

Final Thoughts on Lessons:

You’ll never know when something will “strike gold.” But if you practice these fundamentals, you’ll increase the likelihood of it happening.

Important Links and Mentions:

• The Art of Being Unmistakable by Srinivas Rao
• Influence by Robert Chialdini

Turn your idea into a bestselling book!

Download your free copy of The Bestseller Checklist at APChecklist.com. Learn the 46 steps we personally follow when self-publishing our bestsellers.

Looking for a supportive community of writers and authors?

Be an Authority and join the Authority Self-Publishing Facebook group.

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