Indie and traditionally-pubbed authors who make their own audiobooks are often focusing so much on the production that when they finally have their audiobook in their (figurative) hands, they’re lost.
So what’s an authorpreneur to do when they have an exciting new product and no idea how to sell it? Read this blog post and take the audio world by storm!
1) Make your audiobook available.
Seems simple, right? Well, most authors forget to throw up links to their audiobook on their website and mention that it exists. Don’t be afraid to push it right alongside your print and ebook.
2) Sample it!
iTunes lets you sample a hit before you buy it. Most ebooks let you read a chapter as well—why shouldn’t readers be able to do the same with audiobooks.
ACX allows you to share the first 15 minutes of your audiobook. Most authors put up samples for free on SoundCloud and then use the same tags as the physical book so the book is searchable online! The best part? When you have multiple books, you can keep them all on the same SoundCloud page, which enables listeners to find your other works!
3) Join forces with your narrator.
This is especially true if you have a royalty share agreement in place with your narrator—they’re as invested in your project succeeding as you are! Include your narrator’s bio on your website, Amazon, and wherever else your audiobook is sold. Have them feature your book prominently as well. You should strategize together to push the book on social media.
If you and your narrator are located in the same part of the world, consider getting together and doing an event together—a reading could be lots of fun, and attract a big audience!
4) Review, review, review.
With audiobooks, the narrator will make or break your book. Having reviews about the CONTENT is not enough to sell your audiobook. ACX will give you coupon codes to send to key reviewers so they can review your audiobook. All you have to do is email them. Additionally, make sure you ask all your listeners to review your book, and consider getting in touch with audiobook reviewers on blogs to see if they’ll review your audiobook.
5) Head to where the audio lives.
More people are listening to audio than ever before, but that doesn’t necessarily they’re only listening to audiobooks. Contact podcasts, radio shows, and any other aural medium to get interviews, do readings, or even advertise!
6) Show your readers your process.
Neil Gaiman (who narrates his own audiobooks) often includes a Q&A or a short piece of narrative non-fiction at the end of his audiobook about the writing of his novel. If this isn’t your style, focus on the process of making the audiobook—take pictures and talk about the production, and that will alert readers to your audiobook without you seeming sales-y.
7) Make a book trailer.
During the production of your audiobook, you are also creating half of the marketing material needed for a book trailer! Cut together some audio and lay it over images and BAM! You’ve got yourself a book trailer! It should be noted, however, that no book trailer is better than a bad one—don’t go down this path unless you’re confident in your vision and movie-making abilities.
8) Join up with the APA in June!
The APA (the American Publishers Association) is a not-for-profit trade association that advocates for audiobooks. This includes raising awareness among consumers. Every June, which is National Audiobook Month, they coordinate a social media campaign that gets the word out about audiobooks. It’s easy to join in, so get going!
Readers, what other ideas do you have for marketing audiobooks?
http://www.legacy-audiobooks.com/ is a great site to buy audio books at a lower price.