I have some pretty cool news for you. Make sure you read til the end.
Every indie author has experienced the indignity of some prospective reader asking to receive their book for free.
“I really want to read it, but I can’t justify the cost.”
… “It’s 99 cents.”
“Right, so you’re not losing much just by sending me the ePub. I’ll write you a good review.”
It is this type of experience that can lead authors to get cross with other authors who choose to make one or even several of their ebooks free.
“Why would you give away something you spent years writing? Your blood, sweat and tears went into that novel! And you’re just going to give it away?”
I have reasons for making some of my books free (read to the end for those), but believe it or not, there are other reasons why you should consider making one or some of your books free… at least temporarily.
The Loss Leader Method
Standing out as an independent author can feel like reciting poetry at a rock concert. How do you make a dent in this ocean of books?
One effective approach is using your eBooks as loss leaders. This strategy involves offering one of your eBooks for free to attract a larger audience, hoping that this initial freebie leads to increased sales of your other works.
That requires tactically choosing which book to make free. Let it be the first in a series, preferably one that ends on a cliffhanger. They will be unable to resist buying the next one, especially if it’s priced at 2.99 or less.
Or you can choose a standalone that attracts the same type of readers as your other books. For instance, if you write small-town cozy mysteries or second-chance romances, standalones work perfectly well.
They still lead the reader to want more from you.
You have the ability to make this book permafree. But you don’t have to.
If you’re enrolled in KDP Select, you can run promotions on Amazon where your book is free for up to 5 days every 90 days. Combined with a promotion on a site like Freebooksy (under the Written Word Media umbrella), you can introduce thousands of readers to your books.
If you have your ebooks published wide, Draft2Digital also allows you to set your book to free (permanently or as part of a short-term promotion) and distribute it across multiple platforms.
There’s also the possibility of giving ebooks away for free on your own website or through a promotion site like Bookfunnel. This can be a way to reward your readers. “Pay money for this book on Amazon, or get it from me for free.”
Why Do This?
Making one or several books free can improve sales and exposure for an author.
Increased Visibility: When a book is listed for free, it often receives more downloads than when priced. This surge in downloads can propel a book into top downloaded lists on Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play. (Top free books is a separate list from paid books). Being on these lists increases visibility, not just for the free book, but for your entire catalog.
Boost in Reviews and Ratings: Free books are more likely to be picked up and read, leading to an increase in the number of reviews and ratings. Ratings are more common than reviews for ebooks because there is less friction. The reader is prompted to leave a rating when they hit the last page, and most oblige. Fewer write reviews, but you can still get a boost from a free giveaway.
Cross-Sell Other Titles: Offering a free book, particularly the first in a series, can act as a gateway for readers to discover your other works, even if it’s in a different series, or maybe even a different genre.
Data Collection and Audience Insights: If you offer a free book through your own website or a newsletter, you can collect valuable data such as email addresses and reading preferences. This information can be used to build a direct relationship with your audience, tailor future content, and target your marketing more effectively in Facebook ads.
As with anything, it’s good to start small. Do a five-day giveaway and see how it goes. Did you get read-through in your series? More email signups? A bump in sales for your paid books? Looking at those short-term results can help you calibrate to what extent free offerings should factor into your future marketing.
So that’s the loss leader method. And then… there’s what I’m doing.
The F**k-it Method
My author brand is built around the Paranormal. I go after Buffy fans, Supernatural fans, and True Blood fans. These are my people.
For my paranormal series, that is.
But what about that pesky time travel/alternate history series? You know, the one I love? My first novel, my first love? That world I haven’t successfully found an audience for? Yeah, that one.
What do I do with that one?
My answer is that I have made it free. All of it. The three books already out are permafree and I’ve decided that the fourth and final book will be released right here on Substack.
Starting now, I will be releasing a chapter a week (every Wednesday) for my work in progress. Now, I know not everyone is interested in that, which is why I’ve created a separate publication.
I’ve realized that what I really want from the Mason Timeline series is not money. I am lucky enough that I don’t rely on my writing income to pay my bills. What I want is for people to read it and to talk about it. Ideally, most of the readers will like it.
The best way to facilitate that is to make it free and easily accessible.
The prologue to Treason of Fate is already live and I’ll be posting a new chapter every week until the book is done.
Honestly, it feels great. A lot better than making another Facebook ad, that’s for sure.
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