How to Sell More Books: Proven Strategies for Authors

Writing a great book is just the beginning—selling it takes a solid marketing plan. In this article, we’ll walk through the best ways to sell more books as an independent or traditionally published author, from email funnels to Amazon optimization and beyond.

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Start With the Right Foundation

Before you worry about ads or social media, ensure you have these foundational elements in place:

• Author Website: A modern website with e-commerce capability to sell directly and collect email addresses.
• Lead Magnet: Offer something valuable (free chapter, checklist, bonus content) to get readers on your email list.
• Email Marketing: Use tools like MailerLite, ConvertKit, or Go High Level to build trust, nurture readers, and launch promotions.
• Social Proof: Display reviews and testimonials from readers, bloggers, or influencers.

There are many platforms out there that can aid you in having the right foundation, however, they must be tailored to your needs. If you're a fiction book author, you most likely have no need for a course functionality on your website unless you're selling courses on how to write fiction books. Now if you write non-fiction books, a course product could be worthwhile should your reader want practical steps to accomplish a certain task that your book covers.

If you're not quite sure of what you need and are lacking in the foundation above, we offer a product called The Arising Blueprint where we create a marketing plan with actionable steps over the course of 2 years specific to your needs for your business as an Author. Alternatively, if you have certain elements of your foundation but not all of them, you can always reach out to us via the form on the bottom of the page and we'll be glad to help you out.

Once your foundation is in place, below are marketing strategies that can help you sell more books.

Email Funnels That Sell

Before an email funnel can begin, it starts with a lead magnet—something your ideal reader finds irresistible enough to trade their email address for. This is your first chance to provide value and establish a connection.

Creating an Effective Lead Magnet

A lead magnet should be directly relevant to your book and helpful to your target audience. Here are genre-based examples to get you started:

• Fiction: A prequel short story, alternative ending, character art, printable bookmarks, or an exclusive look into your character’s journal.
• Nonfiction: A checklist, cheat sheet, sample worksheet from your book, summary guide, or a video tutorial.
• Children’s Books: Coloring pages, a printable reading chart, read-along audio, or an activity sheet.
• Devotional/Inspirational: A 7-day journal prompt series, Scripture wallpapers, or a mini-study guide.

You can use tools like Canva to design professional-looking lead magnets. Then host the file using your email platform.

Setting Up the Opt-In

Once your lead magnet is ready, make sure your website includes clear opt-in opportunities:

• Place forms on your homepage, blog posts, book pages, and even your navigation bar.
• Use strong CTAs like "Download the free chapter" or "Get your bonus short story."
• Integrate with your email marketing tool (such as MailerLite, ConvertKit, or Go High Level) to begin the automation process.

Building the Funnel

Once a visitor submits their email, they enter your funnel. Here's how that journey can unfold:

1. Welcome Email – Thank them for signing up and deliver the lead magnet. Introduce yourself and set expectations for what’s to come.
2. Story Sequence – Share the inspiration behind your book. Let them in on your journey as a writer or storyteller. Use this to humanize your brand.
3. Bonus Content – Provide extra value, like a bonus chapter, reading guide, or digital wallpaper. These unexpected gifts increase goodwill.
4. The Offer – Present a limited-time deal: a discount on your book, a signed copy bundle, or access to a private event or community.
5. Reminder Email – Add urgency. Remind them the offer ends soon. Share testimonials or reviews to reinforce the value.

Each email has a purpose: to move your subscriber one step closer to becoming a buyer, and eventually, a loyal fan.

The beauty of a well-built funnel is that it works for you behind the scenes. New readers discover your book, receive a professional experience, and feel personally connected to your author brand.

With the right funnel, you’re not just selling a book—you’re building relationships that last well beyond the last page. And speaking of last page, make sure you have a QR code that links to your book page wherever it is sold and invite the reader to write a review and share with friends so that your reach can grow.

Optimize Your Amazon Page

Whether you’re self-published or traditionally published, your Amazon book page needs to convert browsers into buyers:

• Title & Subtitle: Clear, keyword-rich, and compelling.
• Book Description: Use formatting (bold, bullets, line breaks) for easy skimming.
• Author Bio: Add a personal touch that builds trust.
• Categories & Keywords: Choose strategic categories and backend keywords to improve discoverability.
• A+ Content (via KDP): Use visuals and branded sections to make your book stand out, though read below for a better solution.

In terms of SEO for Amazon, you can also use tools like Publisher Rocket to research keywords and categories that can give your book more visibility. It's a paid tool, but it's worth it.

Leverage Social Media With Purpose

You don’t need to be on every platform—just the ones your readers are:

• Instagram: Behind-the-scenes content, reels, and stories.
• Facebook: Reader groups, launch events, and author page updates.
• TikTok (BookTok): Quick storytelling, trends, and raw author moments.
• LinkedIn: Great for nonfiction and professional books.

I'm a big proponent of consistency, so if you're more consistent on one platform over the other, then focus solely on that platform. In the beginning stages, however, be consistent across them all and use tools like Google Analytics (free) to know which channels are driving the most traffic so that you can then focus solely on those later.

Run Book Launch Campaigns

Use your email list and social media to run coordinated launches:

• Create a launch team to leave reviews and share your book.
• Offer early access bonuses or a limited-time discount.
• Do a countdown series leading up to launch day.
• Host a virtual event: live reading, Q&A, or launch party.

The benefit of having a launch team is far reaching. If you provide a Google Doc link of your book to your launch team and give them the ability to comment on the book, you'll essentially be enlisting a team that will help you expand upon topics in your book and thus make the final product that much more appealing to readers. This is one of the benefits I enjoy the most from having a launch team.

Sell Direct and Grow Your List

Selling through Amazon is great—but selling direct helps you:

• Get the reader’s email
• Control the customer experience
• Keep more of the profit

Check out our article on email marketing for authors to learn how to build and nurture your email list as a Christian author.

Combine your sales process with tagging, segmentation, and automated follow-up to create personalized experiences that build loyalty and repeat sales. The process is quite involved, but it's worth it.

Final Thoughts

Selling more books is all about being intentional with your strategy. Build your list, nurture your audience, and use tools that work for you. Every person is different, and every book is different, but the goal is to build a relationship with your readers that will last. The above strategies are a starting point for you to build on, selecting the ones that work best for you.

If you need help building a system that does all of this—from your website to your email marketing—our team at Arising Co can help. Contact us by filling our form below and we'll be happy to help you out.