How to sell on Amazon

This week someone asked me how I make such good sales on Amazon.
"What is your secret?" they asked.


So I've tried to write it in a nutshell what I do - it covers all genres and is free!


Just use what Amazon has given you...

There are three main platforms that Amazon gives you and these have to be treated as tools to selling your book.

1. Your front cover. This has to stand out among thousands of other books. It's the first thing you've got to 'hook' your customers. It needs to be clear, with big bold type, colourful, but not over complicated and lastly not have too much information on. ie; just the title and authors name.

2. Your description. This should be treated like a sales flyer and needs just as much thought as your cover. You have a brief opportunity to catch the interest of the customer. Use teasers and questions - but not too many!

3. The look inside feature. In a children's book only the cover, inside page and one or two pages of the story will be seen, so make these stand out. Make sure they're not cluttered with irrelevent information, but something that wants the reader to carry on, and buy your book!

These are the three main ingredients that I try to put into action, even though I have a blog and chat on a couple of forums, I'm usually swapping notes with other authors, so not many sales come through that.

Also it's a good idea to write in a definable genre. Having other information about your other businesses inside your book can detract and make you sound a bit of a 'jack-of-all-trades'. People will take you more seriously as an author if you are genre specific.

Good luck in the future with your writing and selling,

Paula 
www.tothewillowgarden.co.uk

Can you judge a book by its cover?

I'm in the process of designing the cover to my new children's picture book but how important is it to get the cover just right?

They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but as an ebook, the cover and the description are the only two things you can judge it by.

Also, when designing a cover for a children's book, who are you aiming to please, the child or the parent/carer? Is it the picture, or the wording that is most important? What colours please most?

So, please help me with my designing - can you judge a book by its cover?

www.tothewillowgarden.co.uk