If marketing, selling, and turning a profit from your book are your primary publishing goals, then you need to know how and where to sell your book. Fortunately, there’s never been more bookstore platforms available for self-published creators. 

However, with the increase in platforms and self-publishing creators, the market is also becoming increasingly saturated. According to WordsRated.com, the volume of self-published books has increased by 264% in the last five years. And 90% of self-published books sell less than 100 copies. 

As a result, many creators need help to ensure their book is found and bought by interested readers. We’re here to bridge the gap between self-publishing your book and later selling your book to your target audience. From marketing your book to knowing where to sell your book online, we’ll explore how to earn a good income from self-publishing.

How to sell a self-published book

Before we delve too deep into where to sell your book, it’s important to gut-check your ambitions and expectations of the entire process when learning how to self-publish a book and sell it. 

A common mistake many creators make is doing a ton of work on the inside of a book while neglecting the external factors that dictate a book’s success in the marketplace. Most creators can bring their book to life—crafting an engaging narrative, laying out their book to perfection, and editing away typos. But when it comes to researching the market and making a promotion plan, many struggle.

To help put the entire marketing process into perspective, here’s a brief outline of how to sell a self-published book.

1. Define your target audience

You probably already have an idea of your target audience of readers. Still, it’s a good marketing exercise to craft personas and determine the niche and interests of those most likely to buy your book. Pinpointing your target audience will help you position and prioritize your marketing efforts and reach the right people.

2. Write a compelling book blurb

A powerful marketing tool for your book is the blurb. Think of this as your book’s sales pitch that dangles the carrot for prospective readers. It can make or break your book’s selling power, so take the time to learn how to write a blurb for your book that wins the hearts of target readers.

3. Establish your marketing platforms

Build out your web presence, whether that involves social media, creating an author website, or establishing a profile on particular bookselling websites or forums. If you have the resources, start building an email list to give you a direct line of communication with prospective customers and loyal followers.

4. Leverage book marketing services

Unlike when celebrities work with a traditional publisher, self-published creators take ownership of book marketing and promotion. However, you can assemble your own team, as there are plenty of resources and book promotion services to help you reach a wider audience and increase your book’s visibility.

5. Network with other self-publishers and industry professionals

Attend events, join creator groups, and participate in online communities to cultivate relationships and explore new opportunities to promote your book. Collaborating and networking with other self-published creators in your niche or industry can provide valuable exposure, support, and opportunities to reach new potential readers.

6. Offer special incentives and promotions

Get creative with your book launch marketing and offer giveaways, discounts, or other promotions to attract the attention of prospective readers, build hype, and drive more future book sales. Whether through your social media or leveraging the reach of other resources, special promotions can incentivize people to take action and purchase your book in pre-sales.

7. Ask colleagues to write your book forward

Reach out to notable creators, authority figures, or other individuals in your network and ask if they’d be willing to write a forward for your book. Not only can this provide valuable credibility and endorsement for your book, but if a popular figure writes your forward, it can help amplify your marketing efforts.

8. Request book reviews from your readers

Once you launch your book, encourage satisfied readers to leave reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, or other platforms. Book reviews are proven to help increase a book’s visibility and credibility. In addition, positive reviews can help build trust and improve your book’s conversion rate. Just remember to follow the platform’s rules—as platforms like Amazon will take down solicited reviews.

9. Utilize SEO and paid advertising

Undoubtedly, book search engine optimization (SEO) is vital to getting your book found in the search results of Amazon, Google, and other search engines. But in addition to organic marketing like SEO, consider running targeted advertisements to drive traffic to your book’s sales page. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google, and Amazon are worthwhile ad platforms to explore.

10. Keep on promoting

Selling your book is a continuous effort that takes months (sometimes years) of ongoing effort. Stay diligent in promoting your book through multiple channels, like social media, email marketing, in-person signings, and leveraging new bookselling platforms to maintain top-of-mind visibility and continue to drive sales.

Where to sell books online

There are so many options for self-published creators looking to sell online. What’s more, print-on-demand services have made it so easy (and cheap) for indie bookmakers to sell and distribute their books to a global market.

Depending on your book’s format, genre, and audience, certain bookselling platforms make more sense than others. To help guide your efforts, here are some of the most popular places to sell books online.

Amazon

Amazon is the behemoth among bookselling platforms in terms of the sheer volume of inventory and traffic. This platform is ideal for self-published creators seeking the broadest possible reach, plus plenty of bells and whistles to help promote directly on the site.

With Amazon, you can sell your photo book or trade book by establishing a dedicated product page with your book’s title, description, tags, and ISBN. To build rapport, you can also use an Amazon Author page with your book listings, blog posts, and profile information.

It’s important to consider the cost of making your book and Amazon’s fees when determining your list price. Amazon charges distribution fees per book sold and a percentage markup based on your book’s list price. Add them to the cost of actually printing your book, and the costs can really add up. So while you can broaden your reach by selling your self-published book on Amazon, ensure these expenses don’t hinder your book’s overall profitability.

Ingram

Ingram allows self-published creators access to a worldwide distribution network of tens of thousands of retailers and libraries to sell their trade books. That means you can effortlessly distribute your trade book to over 39,000 retailers, libraries, distributors, and educational institutions in over 195 countries from a single spot. You’ll definitely want to consider Ingram if you’re aiming to access a large global market.

You’ll decide your book’s wholesale discount and list price through Ingram’s Book Distribution network. This ultimately determines your book’s profit margin. The only distribution cost is the wholesale discount you share with retailers. Just remember, the higher the discount, the greater potential your book has for visibility and increased sales.

Barnes & Noble

As the largest brick-and-mortar bookstore chain in the United States, Barnes & Noble allows self-published creators to distribute to their stores through the Ingram platform. That means you can upload and sell your ebooks and physical books on demand seamlessly. Barnes & Noble is an excellent option if you’re looking to reach physical bookstores alongside ecommerce retailers. 

Through Barnes & Noble and Ingram, you can customize your book’s price and choose from various royalty rates. You can also take advantage of helpful book marketing and promotion tools, including a self-publisher dashboard and a personalized list of book recommendations.

Apple Books Store and Google Play Books

Apple offers a platform that allows creators to sell their self-published books through the Apple Books Store. The platform accepts ebooks in various formats and provides a simple process for uploading and selling books online. You can set your own prices and choose from different royalty rates. Apple also equips you with tools to promote your books and reach a wider audience. 

Apple Books Store is perfect if you want a more straightforward selling process to target readers using Apple devices. 

Google Play Book is very similar to Apple’s bookstore. It’s super easy to self-publish your book, choose your royalties, add metadata, and quickly get your book listed on Google. You can even set different prices in different regions of the world.

Blurb Bookstore

If you use Blurb to self-publish your book, then the Blurb Bookstore is a natural first place to start selling your book. While some platforms limit what types of books you can sell, Blurb’s Bookstore allows authors to sell photo books, trade books, magazines, and PDFs. 

Plus, Blurb doesn’t charge distribution fees or commissions—something Amazon, Ingram, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and Google can’t match. The Blurb Bookstore is ideal for true indie creators who want to self-publish and print on demand without profit-destroying fees.

You take complete control over your book’s price by adjusting your profit margins, but Blurb also provides distribution services to help list your books on other platforms beyond the Blurb Bookstore. This includes distributing your book on Amazon and in over 39,000 stores with Ingram’s global network. 

Where to sell books in person

Although selling your book online casts the widest net to attract potential customers, you can balance your marketing mix with brick-and-mortar retailers. For self-published bookmakers in large metropolitan areas, selling in person provides significant opportunities.

Need some thought-starters for locales you should approach to sell your book? There are our top picks:

Independent bookstores

Typically t locally owned and operated small businesses, independent bookstores often have stronger ties to their local community and are far more willing to sell books published by local authors. When you approach indie bookstores, offer to do readings or signings to up your exposure!

Local libraries

Some libraries feature dedicated sections for local authors. While not all libraries are big revenue drivers for book sales, they can offer great exposure and visibility to make your book known.

Major bookstore chain

Large retail bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million can be powerful places to get shelf space for your book. But convincing these chains to carry your book may take the right strategy and approach. Do your research on how the chain you’re targeting makes decisions. And be sure you have your distribution channels set up to deliver to your chain.

Used bookstores

Small boutique stores specializing in buying and selling used books are sometimes open to selling new books, including those by local authors. If you’ve already created a pitch or sell sheet when approaching independent bookstores, libraries, or chains—there’s no reason not to approach used retailers too.

Specialty shops

Depending on your book’s topic, certain specialty shops may be willing to carry it on their shelves. Examples include gift shops, tourist shops, toy stores, craft stores, food co-ops, and yoga studios. Again, it’s all about making the right pitch for the shop’s audience.

Book clubs

Certain book clubs and author events are great opportunities to sell books in person and connect with potential readers and creators in your local community. 

Flea markets, farmers markets, street fairs, and other events

Plenty of events and markets offer ways to sell your book in person. Events specific to your target audience, like farmer’s markets for a farm-to-table recipe book, provide the most fruitful opportunities. (Pun intended.)

Selling your book in person can be a great strategy to reach local customers and promote your work. Still, it’s essential to choose your channels wisely and check with each location for specific policies and procedures for selling books.

What to consider when marketing and pricing your book

When marketing and pricing your self-published book, both online and in person, it’s essential to consider a variety of factors, from your audience (notice a trend?) to your marketing budget. Let’s dive into the details.

Target audience

Who are you writing the book for, how much value does your book offer, and what price are they willing to pay? Consider factors like demographics, interests, income, and education level of your audience. This will help you not only set your book’s list price but also help you figure out where to market your book. Millennial moms looking for parenting books might be hanging out in Facebook groups, while Gen Z photographers looking for coffee table books might be more likely to be on TikTok.

Similar or competing books

Look at related books already on the market, how they’re priced, and what strategies the creator used to position and market them. Deciding your book’s differentiators from other similar books is extremely valuable as you decide how to price and sell your own.

Format, length, and content

The format of your book (zine, hardcover, softcover), the length of your book, and the depth of its content will directly influence the price and go-to-market strategy. In short, longer and more in-depth books may justify a higher price than shorter or digital books. Be sure to be realistic about how much your audience is willing to pay rather than how much time and energy you’ve put in.

Your brand and reputation

There’s a reason why some creators can charge 40 to 50 dollars for a copy of their book. If their reputation is strong and the perceived value of their work is high, then the price can be reflected as such. Consider limited editions, signed copies, and quality materials if you want to sell at a top-tier list price. However, if you’re just starting as a creator and self-publisher, it could be worth listing your book at a lower price to build trust and credibility.

Production costs

The costs associated with self-publishing your book, including the editing, formatting, designing, printing, and distribution, should be considered when determining your book’s price. We’ll always recommend a second set of eyes and printing a proof copy. However, if it’s your first time self-publishing you might consider professional help with one or all of the above.

Distribution strategy

Where will your book be sold? Different means of distribution, such as Amazon, in-person channels, or your personal website, can include different pricing structures and fees. You should consider if you’ll print on demand or offset, as your costs and shipping capabilities will differ wildly.

Marketing budget

How much money are you willing to spend promoting your book? And what marketing and advertising platforms are you planning to use? Answers to these questions can determine the sales number you need to hit to break even.

Ultimately, picking the right price for your self-published book requires careful consideration of these factors and a good grasp of your goals and the market. Test and adjust your pricing strategy as needed to ensure the best possible return on your investment.

Blurb to sell your self-published book

If you’re in the early stages of planning your book project, Blurb is a great place to get the ball rolling. Blurb offers the creative tools to design, format, and assemble your book exactly how you envision it. Once built, you can self-publish and print your book with on-demand printing and sell your book at scale through the Blurb Bookstore, on Amazon, and through Ingram’s worldwide distribution network of over 39,000 stores.

Learn more about how to sell your self-published book with Blurb.

The post Where to sell your self-published book appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Low-content books can easily fit into your spare time and can be as simple or complex as you want them to be. Plus, with more than 246 million notebook units shipped worldwide in 2021, it’s clear that there’s a massive demand for these products!

In this guide, you’ll learn how to make custom notebooks to sell that are both stylish and functional. So get ready to roll up your sleeves and start crafting!

Finding your target audience

Before you start whipping up prototypes, it’s essential to identify your audience and the type of book they want to purchase. While customers buy millions of notebooks yearly, that also means there are already plenty of suppliers. You want to create custom notebooks and journals that people will purchase from you—not competitors who already have a head start.

Discovering your target audience begins with understanding who currently buys these products. To do your research, take a look at popular notebook and journal brands as well as any small businesses or boutiques in your area that sell similar products. What type of customer are they marketing to? How are those customers reacting online? And of those audiences, which do you think you could speak most authentically to? 

Once you have answers, consider what type of notebook would be most useful or appealing to your ideal customers. For example, if you’re targeting busy executives, a high-quality daily planner with space for notes and to-dos would likely be popular. But if you’re going after the college market, a more affordable and low-fi notebook might be better.

Pick your niche

Narrowing down your target demographic into a particular niche will help you design a book that’s appealing to them and different from all the other options on the market. Melissa Schulz has worked in the licensing world for 25 years and has extensive experience in designing for journals and other paper products. So when it comes to creating a custom notebook with profit potential, she knows what it takes.

“It’s crucial to envision how your notebook or journal could be used and keep this at the forefront of your mind as you’re designing the layout and choosing images or text,” Schulz explains. “Will it be used to take notes? Is it a sketching journal? An idea journal? A gratitude journal? A travel journal? A pregnancy journal?” 

This narrow lens will help you determine your product’s size, shape, style, and overall aesthetic. So if your target is urban millennials with kids, and your niche is those who love hiking and camping, you might choose to use earthy tones and natural materials like wood or stone in your design. Alternatively, if you’re targeting teens and focusing on fashion-savvy girls, you might opt for a sleek and chic notebook with gold accents.

Pro tip: It’s also helpful to choose a theme or subject you’re passionate about, as this will make the design process much more enjoyable.

Look at your competition

“As with any product development process, it’s essential to explore what’s already out there and selling well,” Schulz shares. She notes that when it comes to making journals to sell, it’s critical to take a look at what your competition is doing. While you don’t want to copy any ideas flat-out, looking at top-selling companies will help you better understand the market and what people want.

“But don’t restrict your research to other notebooks and journals alone,” Shulz continues. “I would also recommend looking at successful stationery and greeting card industry trends. Look out for popular colors, styles, and icons you could apply to your product.”

To start your analysis:

• Look at some top-selling books for your target audience and niche on Amazon or other similar sites.
• Note common themes, repeated keywords, or design elements in these products.
• Brainstorm how you could incorporate these elements into your design.

If you notice that animal print journals with motivational quotes rank higher than those without, you might consider adding them to capitalize on the trend. By doing your research and looking at what’s already out there, you’ll be able to create a journal that is both unique and appealing to customers in the current market.

Design the perfect front cover

Your cover design is one of the most critical aspects of your project. Not only does it need to be visually appealing, but it also needs to accurately reflect the theme and tone of your product.

When designing your journal covers, consider what colors and images will best represent your product. To create and sell a travel journal, you might want to use bold, adventurous fonts and include a postcard picture of a classic travel destination. Alternatively, if you’re selling a notebook for people with anxiety, you might opt for a calming color scheme and include a graphic of someone relaxing near water.

In addition to choosing the right font for print, colors, and visuals, you’ll also want to ensure that your cover design accurately reflects the tone of your journal. For example, if you’re selling a lighthearted notebook for comics, you’ll want to ensure that your cover design reflects that humorous tone. On the other hand, if you’re selling a more serious journal intended for reflection and introspection, you’ll want to choose a more subdued, thoughtful cover tone.

No matter what type of journal you’re selling, it’s necessary to put thought into your cover design. By taking the time to create a standout book cover, that’s visually appealing, you’ll be able to attract more customers and sell more journals.

Personalize the interior pages

Although there is a market for blank journals, differentiating yours from others often depends on what’s inside. There are endless possibilities for personalizing the interior pages of your journal.

Increase sales by adding your illustrations, maps, charts, graphs, quotes, prompts, or anything else that will make your journal unique. So for that journal for people with anxiety, you might consider adding relaxation breath exercises or positive affirmations. And that travel journal? You could include map pages, packing lists, and even suggested itineraries.

Regardless of how you personalize your notebook or journal, you’ll want to use a tool to help you add the finishing touches. Some of the most straightforward include:

• BookWright: This free software is designed specifically for bringing your design to life quickly and effortlessly. There are even complete layouts and page templates for notebooks, so you can make a customized book with BookWright without any design experience.
• InDesign: If you’re looking for more control over the look of your book or have some previous experience with Adobe products, then InDesign is a great option. While it does include a hefty price tag, the program offers an endless range of features and capabilities. And be sure to check out Blurb’s Adobe InDesign Book Plugin offers complete creative control.
• Photoshop: Photoshop is another excellent option for those with creative experience and money for a subscription. While it can be used to create a bespoke book, it’s also possible to find pre-made templates to fit your needs.

No matter what tools you use, the important thing is that you personalize the interior pages of your journal to make it unique. By adding your illustrations, quotes, and other design elements, you’ll be able to create a journal that stands out from the rest.

Visit our blog for ideas on how to make a custom notebook or journal

Print your journal or notebook

One of the most critical steps when creating a journal to sell is to figure out how you will print it. Print-on-demand (POD) has revolutionized the world of print publishing. Unlike traditional offset printing, which requires large print runs to be cost-effective, POD printing with companies like Blurb allows bookmakers to print books as needed.

And if you do print your project with Blurb, you’ll also get an automatically generated ISBN, which allows you several options for where to sell your book and a personal storefront on the Blurb Bookstore. The Blurb ecosystem even handles shipping and fulfillment without distribution fees or commissions. A partnership with Ingram, the world’s largest book distributor, also gives your title global reach via online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and indie bookstores.

There are many reasons to print on demand. It removes the need to stockpile inventory or worry about overprinting. POD also offers shorter lead times and the ability to customize books with multiple cover designs or interior layouts. As a result, it’s become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly for publishers of niche or specialty books. While offset printing remains the best option for large print runs, POD is often cost-effective for smaller quantities.

Since you’re figuring out how to create a journal to sell, you’ll want to choose the most cost-effective yet high-quality production option. This will leave you plenty of margin for profit. Ready to learn more? Here’s a guide on how to price your book.

Do your (keyword) research

Keyword research is finding exact words or phrases people are searching for when shopping for notebooks and journals. This is an essential step when making money selling journals, as this investigation will help you determine what terms to include in your product listing.

The difference between being found online and getting lost in the sea of other notebook sellers is determining the right keywords. Since 92.42% of keywords get 10 monthly searches or fewer, you’ll want to ensure that you’re using keywords that are relevant to your product but also ones that aren’t too competitive.

To start, try thinking about what keywords you would search for if you were looking for a journal or notebook like yours. Then, use a keyword analysis tool like Google Keyword Planner or KWFinder to determine the monthly search volume for each keyword.

You can start narrowing down your list of keywords to include in your product listing. You’ll want to choose a mix of highly searched for broad terms, like notebook, and lesser volume long-tail keywords, like baby whale to-do list book. Including general and specific phrases will help you reach a wider audience while also appearing higher in niche searches.

Learn how to master SEO as an author.

Market your product

Finding the ideal audience, designing the perfect product, and then actually producing it are only the beginning when selling journals. You also need to let people know that your product exists! Marketing is key to the success of any business venture, and promoting your journal is no different.

There are a variety of marketing channels you can explore when it comes to getting the word out about your product. At the least, you’ll want a sales page for your creation—with gorgeous photography or mockups of your books and all of the keywords you’ve found in your research. Of course, that free personal storefront from Blurb will do the job well—or an Amazon or Barnes & Noble book page.

Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great ways to share your sales page, as they allow you to connect with potential customers where they already spend plenty of time. But marketing methods don’t stop with social media alone.

Some of the most effective marketing and self-promotion strategies for creative entrepreneurs include:

• Building a website or blog to showcase all your products together
• Participating in real-life fairs, holiday markets, or other events
• Assembling an email list and sending regular updates to your fans
• Creating paid online advertisements to reach a wider audience
• Pitching your books to magazine and blog gift lists around the holiday season

Since notebooks and journals are ideal for gifting, you’ll also want to consider more marketing during the holidays. “For a lot of products, big holidays and seasons dictate when you promote and sell,” states Schulz. “Most notebooks and journals will be relevant and sought after all year round, however, the holidays offer a great opportunity to meet customer demand for unique gift ideas.” 

Make a series

If you want to sell more journals and notebooks, you’ll likely need to make them regularly. Those who can publish new journals or notebooks on a recurring basis are generally more successful.

One of the most significant benefits of publishing regularly is that it helps you develop a following. When people know that you publish new content consistently, they’re more likely to check back frequently, buy your past work, and even share your books with others. This not only helps you reach new audiences but also helps you build relationships with existing fans.

In addition to helping you sell more journals or notebooks, publishing regularly also has other benefits. By practicing your bookmaking art often, you’ll likely improve your marketing and design skills, increase your audience engagement, and build a better reputation as an author or artist.

Wrapping it up

Selling journals and notebooks can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it’s also a lot of work. It’s important to remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. You’ll need to put in the time to research your audience, design a beautiful product, and market it effectively and consistently.

If you can do all that—and if you’re willing to publish new journals or notebooks regularly—you’ll be well on your way to becoming a booming journal seller.

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So what are you waiting for? Get started on your journal or notebook today!

The post How to make a notebook or journal to sell: A guide for creative entrepreneurs appeared first on Blurb Blog.