Posted on 2012-Nov-02
Prime Time
To be in the limelight of one’s fullest potential, one needs to be recognized and embraced by the majority as fast as possible. TV stations buy the prime time for this particular reason to appeal to the masses during the golden after-work hours (7:00 – 11:00 pm) when most people gather and sit cozily in front of the tube and decide which channels they want to dedicate their limited happy hour to. Once bedtime approaches, they will probably lose concentration on the program and distance themselves from whatever is being presented on the screen.
Losing Sight of Sales
David Gaughran details the relationship between the author’s effort to maintain the sales and the online retailer’s limited promotion period. Authors are losing the exposure (‘visibility’) to potential readers when the prime time is over. The author’s sentiment to lose the benefit after the ending of promotional honeymoon is quite comprehensible. Retailers carry the burden to showcase their refreshed catalogue or collection of new items to entice potential buyers-be it longtime fans or first timers.
After Promotion Comes Motivation
The prime time or special promotion period is a special time when the retailer conditionally pins your product information on their welcome page like an exotic welcome drink to treat new guests. Being on the lists of Amazon’s Hot New Releases (HNR), Best Seller, and/or Popularity can translate as a stepping stone for sales. Imagine countless virtual window shoppers from around the world flocking to admire the front display and wield their purchasing power on your novels as the favorite artifact to inspire their life.
Amazon’s Lists
Life is great if not merely self-sufficient. But happiness does not last forever, especially when your exclusivity is taken away once new attraction arrives to seize your opportunity. Unfortunately, not only are new books’ replacements able to push your position down, free downloads can erase your existence out of the covetable recommendation list. By breaking down each list, you can fully grasp how they benefit authors.
Description of the Lists on Amazon:
- Hot New Releases merely lasts 30 days. After that, your product logically loses the hotness and newness crown title.
- Best Seller ties to Sales Rank that directly shows how much your book is in demand. Inaccuracy might be caused by the Amazon algorithm from time to time, yet more recent sales will continually do its job to push your position upward.
- Popularity is different in its own right. The system will look at your consistency in sales of how your book has performed in 30 days. This one sounds like a valued added from the retailer to publicize recognition in your specific category. Suppose, you are in the horror genre: you are entitled to be featured here alongside with Mr. King who currently has the top spot. You can also rub shoulders with other notable authors equally in which ranking and numbers are not present here.
If you have been on the list(s) before, you know what it must have felt like to enjoy witnessing the sales surge.
Online Advertisement / Reviewer
To branch out the author’s sales outside getting on the list to maintain the book sales, eBook authors are known not to be one-trick ponies. They spend a decent amount of hardworking hours stretching the reader’s imagination, recreating many other worlds, and toying with psychological dimensions and logical characterizations. Traditional promotion efforts like advertisement might stimulate the sales to increase your rank eventually. Book promotions on your personal website andor other professional promoter’s outlet is still a great option. David Gaughran discussed some names The Virtual Shelf, Ereader News Today (updated: they currently do not accept Free Kindle book submission), and Pixel of Ink. Additionally, I give a shout-out to eBook promotion websites such as Squidoo, Booksrooster, The Kindle Book Review, Goodreads, Book Reviewer List, and BookDaily.
KDP Select
Without any mention of KDP Select, this blog title will be rendered irrelevant. Although Amazon has many tools to entice readers to check out their recent titles, the special enrollment to this program is part of their outreach to win the favor of independent authors. Being a pragmatist, David was not protected against the feeble sales outside Amazon as low single digits represent his feverish disappointment. Turning the tide, he joined KDP and launched several short stories to earn a satisfactory outcome. Free downloads boost his rank to be inducted in the Top 100 and possibly lead the readers to follow him where his other works are published.
Long-living Productivity
Perhaps, being on the Amazon lists is short-lived and fleeting. The good thing is that your book(s) will be seen by many and you learn how to fight for survival rather than cherishing the fond memories when you were once famous. Be aware that the lists require your dexterity to maintain the sales and there are external factors to push your rank down at any minute. Amazon might be the best answer to sales at the moment but do not let it bog down your mind or stop you from engaging in alternative promotional endeavors. If “productivity is being able to do things that you were never able to do before,” please rest assured that you can always do better by striving harder for extending the deserving prime time. This brilliant quote is provided by the one and only Franz Kafka.
Label: Marketing
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