Sometimes the Amazon Select promotions work, and sometimes they don't. A lot depends upon how much promotion is done in advance and how appealing the book seems. After copies are downloaded, how many are actually read? Of those read, how many reviews are posted?
The numbers are all over the place, and a 10% to 15% return is actually good. Some free promotions trigger paid sales afterwards and some don't. In a nutshell it is a "crap shoot" but still worth trying to get your book more exposure.
My own test is today with the funny crime caper RIPOFF co-authored with Caroline Rowe. There are not a lot of books like this around, if any, because one would need to know about the Federal prison manufacturing ins and outs in order to create the plot. They would also need to know that it is close to A BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR business and is also a rehabilitation program. Add a diabolical scheme to grab millions out of the Federal coffers and three women who act like wannabe Charlie's Angels and you have RIPOFF.
The promotion is off to a good start, with 860 copies having been downloaded by 9:25 PST. In order to keep the buzz going, posts have to be made to several social media sites a few times a day over the three day promotional period.
Not only that, but the author must ask for reviews. The old adage "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" applies and though that request probably won't inspire anyone who never posts reviews to post one,it can act as a reminder and perhaps garner some reviews that would not have been posted otherwise. With millions of books competing for the buyer's dollar, reviews remain an important part of promotion.
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The numbers are all over the place, and a 10% to 15% return is actually good. Some free promotions trigger paid sales afterwards and some don't. In a nutshell it is a "crap shoot" but still worth trying to get your book more exposure.
My own test is today with the funny crime caper RIPOFF co-authored with Caroline Rowe. There are not a lot of books like this around, if any, because one would need to know about the Federal prison manufacturing ins and outs in order to create the plot. They would also need to know that it is close to A BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR business and is also a rehabilitation program. Add a diabolical scheme to grab millions out of the Federal coffers and three women who act like wannabe Charlie's Angels and you have RIPOFF.
The promotion is off to a good start, with 860 copies having been downloaded by 9:25 PST. In order to keep the buzz going, posts have to be made to several social media sites a few times a day over the three day promotional period.
Not only that, but the author must ask for reviews. The old adage "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" applies and though that request probably won't inspire anyone who never posts reviews to post one,it can act as a reminder and perhaps garner some reviews that would not have been posted otherwise. With millions of books competing for the buyer's dollar, reviews remain an important part of promotion.
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