using the crap out of your Amazon real estate, 3 secrets, 2 links, 1 quote

Reader,

little photo dump from the last month.

our U.S. team, Laura, Steve, and I – attending Author Nation in Vegas at the start of November.

meeting one of my favorite book marketing humans, Ricardo Fayet of Reedsy

learning new windsurfing tricks from a former Olympian in the sport, Patti Kiley, here in San Diego

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3 Secrets:

1. Using the crap out of your Amazon real estate

Did you know you own real estate?

well…on Amazon anyway.

and most don’t use it the way they should

YOU can engineer WHO shows up organically on your page at launch

and YOU can use this to your advantage

If you’re planning a strong launch, consider your Amazon book listing an arrow in your quiver

Understand this: you can approach influencers and fellow authors in your space to partner with you to promote your book to their list, knowing that it’ll significantly positively influence their organic placement and sales on your listing.

something like…
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​Dear big-time author,

I’m launching my next book on x-date and the listing goes live on y-date.
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I’m a genuine fan of your work and want to make sure you and your books show up organically on my listing in the “frequently bought together” and “customers who bought this, also bought” sections. Essentially, I want you to get sales from readers looking at and buying my book.
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I’d like to engineer it so you show up on my listing at launch.
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What I’m doing to ensure you show up on my listing organically:
1. I’ll be using the author central recommended reading feature to
2. I’ll be “priming” my subscribers by promoting your book to them so when my book launches, Amazon registers strong crossover between the readers of the book
3. I’ll be doing the same with all social media followings
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Let me know if you’re up for it, and if you’d be willing to do any of the following on your end to cement the data on Amazon’s end so your book shows up all over my listing for free.

Happy to send over a little blurb for you to send out to take as much work off you as possible.

Your fan,

soon to be big time author

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2. Make fun of your marketing people

We’re currently working with Author Mike Cohen on his next book launch. His first book, Neurofeedback 101, has sold an impressive (for a first time author) 20,000 copies!

each engagement is an opportunity for our team to not just teach, but also learn from the author.

Last week, Mike taught me something I thought was genius: Make fun of your marketing team to get over the discomfort of asking for things!
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“My book experts said to have an impact, I need a “launch team”
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It’s a tougue-in-cheek way to blame someone for why you’re asking for something:
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“the marketing crazies in my life said I need to do this”
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For those of you who have trouble self-promoting and asking people for something – just blame it on your marketers!

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3. Get your launch team to write their Amazon reviews before the launch​
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​Launch week is stressful.

Make it less stressful by doing the Amazon rating work BEFORE launch week.

Assuming you’ve put together a launch team, create a Google Doc a month out from launch and share your most recent manuscript with your team.

Ask that everyone write their review by launch date

This does a few things:
1. People can see what others are writing and use that as an example for what to write
2. It creates a visible place for people to feel bad for not leaving a review yet if others have left theirs
3. It gives people a real deadline to write their review by
4. It ensures you’ll have the reviews you think you will at launch

Then, at launch, send out your clean review link (like this one :)) and all you’re doing is asking to copy + paste their review over.

It’s a way to ensure the people you’re counting on to leave a review at launch, actually follow through.

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2 Links

1. 40,000 Copies in One Year: Lead It Like Lasso Authors Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio on Intellectual Property Rules for Authors, Ted Lasso Marketing, Co-Authoring and Growth Strategies. Listen here.
2. For those who missed the IP chat with Kary last week. He talks about his new platform that gives you irrefutable proof of being the first person with an idea or first to create specific content in case you apply for a trademark or have to defend it down the road. Watch the replay here.

1 Quote

“Social media is about the people. Not about your business. Provide for the people and the people will provide for you.”
– Matt Goulart

with love and sincere appreciation,

Alex
​BeforeTheBestseller | ShelfLife​
alex@getshelflife.com
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