I think the main thing to remember about building marketing materials is the following:
- Your main job is to write books.
- It’s easy to get obsessed with how to game the system to make your books more visible and more likely to be purchased.
- BUT YOUR MAIN JOB IS TO WRITE MORE BOOKS.
I got caught up in this trap for quite some time, learning how to do Amazon ads. I think one of the more important things to consider when coming up with a marketing strategy is what you choose not to do.
For me, although admittedly I have tried several (failed) strategies, the main thing to ask myself is, “Will this tactic still work if [the system I’m using] changes their algorithms?”
It may not be useful for someone just starting out to ask themselves that question; they haven’t been burned ten thousand times by Amazon yet. Likewise, there are going to be gurus who simply adore gaming the system to drive sales, more because they love gaming systems than because it’s the only thing that might work (more power to ’em).
But I’ve been through so many ups and downs with publishing on Amazon, that the second I ask myself that question, I stop letting myself get emotionally invested in whatever the latest scheme is to Sell More Books, and I can stay focused on the basics:
- Write the books.
- Market the books with a good cover and description based on solid category choices, and set up ways for your readers to find more of your work and interact with you after they read one of your books.
- Publish good books that reference those ways.
- Repeat.
I don’t think writers need to think about ads and promos and whatnot until they have those steps under control. Getting those steps under control is a lot of work, though.
With the divorce settled, I’m finally getting back into step 1 again on a regular basis. But I will need to review all the marketing pieces all over again. UGH. So much work, or, rather, a reasonable amount of work with a couple of tasks that I really don’t want to do (website crap), so I’m making a big deal about it!