Promotion Strategies

Promotional Pricing


Running sales can boost visibility and bring in new readers

 

99-Cent and $1.99 Sales
Temporarily dropping your price to 99 cents or $1.99 can drive sales without the "freebie hunter" problem of free promotions.

 


How it works:

  • Lower your price for a set period (typically 3-7 days)
  • Promote through paid and free promo sites
  • Readers who pay even 99 cents are more likely to actually read the book than free downloaders
  • You still earn royalties (35% at 99 cents, 70% at $1.99+ on Amazon)

 

99 cents vs. $1.99:

  • 99 cents maximizes downloads but earns minimal royalties
  • $1.99 balances affordability with earning potential
  • Both signal "limited-time deal" to readers

 

How long to run sales: 3-7 days is typical. Longer than a week and urgency fades. Shorter than 3 days and you don't give promotions time to gain traction.

 

 

If You're Enrolled in Amazon KDP Select (Amazon Exclusive):

 

KDP Select gives you promotional tools, but with limitations. Once per quarter (every 90 days), you can choose ONE of these options:


Option 1: Free Promotion

  • Make your book free for up to 5 days
  • Generates massive downloads but no royalties during the promo period
  • Good for building visibility and reviews

 

Option 2: Countdown Deal

  • Discount your book for up to 5 days with a visible countdown timer
  • Still earn 70% royalty even at discounted prices
  • Creates urgency with the ticking clock display
  • Good for driving sales while maintaining income

 

You must choose between these two options - you can't do both in the same quarter.

 

Promotion Opportunities: Free

Ways to Promote for Free - which do you prefer?)


Not all book promotion costs money. There are legitimate opportunities to get your book in front of readers without spending a dime - though "free" often means trading time and effort instead of cash.

 

BookFunnel and StoryOrigin Group Promotions

Both BookFunnel and StoryOrigin run two types of group promotions, and both are free to join:

 

Newsletter Builder Promos: Multiple authors offer free books (reader magnets, first-in-series, etc.) together. Readers browse the promo, select books they want, and provide their email address to receive each book.

 

How it works:

  • Join a Newsletter Builder promo in your genre
  • Offer a free book (reader magnet or permafree)
  • Readers who select your book give you their email address
  • You gain newsletter subscribers interested in your genre
  • The benefit: Free list-building with engaged readers who actively chose your book.

 

Sale Promos: Multiple authors offer discounted books together (99 cents, $1.99, etc.). Readers browse and purchase books directly.

 

How it works:

  • Join a Sale promo in your genre
  • List your discounted book
  • Readers discover and purchase from the group selection
  • You gain visibility and sales

 

The benefit: Exposure to readers actively looking for deals in your genre.

 

Both platforms work the same way and both promo types are completely free to participate in. No participation fees - just coordinate with the promo organizer and provide your book details.

 


Reader Group Features and Takeovers
Many Facebook reader groups allow authors to participate in promotional features:

  • New release spotlights
  • Author takeovers (Q&A sessions, giveaways)
  • Weekly promo threads


The benefit: Direct access to engaged readers actively looking for new books.


The catch: Each group has its own rules about self-promotion. Follow them exactly or you'll get banned. Some groups are overwhelmed with authors and your post gets lost in the noise.


Social Media Cross-Promotion


Collaborating with other authors for social media shoutouts, shares, and features.


How it works:

  • Find authors at your level in your genre
  • Agree to share each other's content
  • Coordinate release day blitzes, cover reveals, etc.

 

The benefit: Exposure to each other's audiences for free.


The catch: If neither of you has a significant following yet, you're sharing with small audiences. Still worth doing, but keep expectations realistic.

 

Podcast Interviews


Getting interviewed on book-related podcasts can introduce you to engaged audiences of readers - and most podcasts don't charge guests to appear.


How it works:

  • Find podcasts in your genre or about writing/publishing
  • Pitch yourself as a guest (explain what you'd discuss, why you'd be interesting to their audience)
  • Do the interview (usually 30-60 minutes, recorded via Zoom or similar)
  • The podcast promotes the episode to their audience
  • You promote the episode to yours

 

The benefit: Exposure to audiences who already listen to book content. Podcast listeners are often dedicated readers looking for recommendations.


The catch:

  • Finding the right podcasts takes research
  • Not every podcast you pitch will say yes
  • Recording takes time (plus prep time)
  • Impact varies wildly based on the podcast's audience size and engagement

 

What to look for:

  • Podcasts that actually feature authors in your genre
  • Active podcasts (not abandoned after 3 episodes)
  • Reasonable audience size (don't dismiss small podcasts - engaged listeners matter more than download numbers)
  • Professional hosts who prepare for interviews

 

What to avoid:

  • Podcasts that charge authors to appear (red flag)
  • Podcasts with no clear audience or topic focus
  • Hosts who don't prepare or just want free content
  • Podcast interviews are time-intensive but can be valuable for building your author platform and connecting with readers in a more personal way than written content allows.


"Free" Still Costs Time


Every free promotion requires time investment: coordinating with other authors, creating promotional materials, following up, engaging with readers who discover you. Make sure the time investment is worth the potential return.


Free opportunities are valuable when you're starting out and your budget is limited. As you grow, you'll likely shift toward paid promotions that deliver more predictable results with less time investment.

Promotion Opportunities: Paid

Paid promotional services charge a fee to feature your book in their newsletters, on their websites, or through their promotional channels. These can drive significant visibility and sales - if you choose the right services and have realistic expectations.


How Paid Promos Work
Most promotional services operate on a submission model:

  • You submit your book for a specific date
  • You pay an upfront fee (ranges from $5 to $500+ depending on the service)
  • They feature your book in their newsletter/website/social media
  • Their subscribers see your book and (hopefully) buy it

 

Some services are selective (they only accept books meeting certain criteria), others accept any book that pays the fee.


Types of Promotional Services

  • Discount/Deal Sites: These promote books that are temporarily free or discounted. Subscribers are bargain hunters actively looking for deals. Examples include services that specifically feature 99-cent books or free promotions.
  • Genre-Specific Services: These focus on specific genres (romance, thriller, fantasy, etc.) and reach readers who specifically love that genre. Often more effective than general promotion sites because you're reaching your target audience.
  • General Book Promotion: These promote any genre to a broad subscriber base. Hit-or-miss depending on whether your genre is popular with their audience.


What to Expect from Paid Promos
Let's be realistic: paid promos are not magic bullets.
A successful paid promo might:

  • Sell 20-100 copies during the promo period (depending on the service and your genre)
  • Generate a few reviews
  • Boost your ranking temporarily
  • Get your book in front of potential readers

 

An unsuccessful paid promo might:

  • Sell 0-5 copies
  • Cost more than you earn
  • Do absolutely nothing

 

Results vary wildly based on the service's reputation, your genre, your cover quality, your book's existing reviews, and dozens of other factors you can't control.


Pricing Reality Check
Promotional services range from $5 to $500+. Higher prices don't automatically mean better results.


Red flags:

  • Services charging $200+ for unknown reach/track record
  • Promises of "guaranteed bestseller status"
  • No subscriber count or reach information provided
  • No genre targeting (just blasting to everyone)

 

What to look for:

  • Transparent pricing
  • Clear subscriber numbers and engagement rates
  • Genre-specific options
  • Positive track record from other authors in your genre
  • Reasonable expectations (no guarantees of bestseller lists)

 

Tracking Your ROI
Before paying for any promo:

  • Know your baseline sales (what you typically sell without promotion)
  • Track sales during and after the promo period
  • Calculate: (sales from promo × royalty per book) - promo cost = profit or loss
  • Don't just track immediate sales - some promos have delayed impact

 

If a promo consistently loses you money, stop using it. If it consistently profits or breaks even while building your readership, it's worth continuing.


Building Your Promo Strategy

  • Start small. Test one or two affordable services ($10-30 range) before investing in expensive promos. See what works for your specific genre and audience.
  • Don't run promotions back-to-back constantly - you'll exhaust potential readers and waste money. Strategic timing matters.

 

Where to Find Vetted Services
See the Resources page for specific promotional services I've used and can personally vouch for. I only recommend services I've actually tested with my own books.