Author Spotlight
BookSurge Author Drives Online Sales with Creative Marketing
Using a combination of perseverance and a unique marketing strategy, one BookSurge author scaled Amazon.com sales rankings and showed how self-published authors can reach new heights.
Following a marketing strategy session with Author Marketing Specialist Richard Ridley, George Vickery decided to launch his book, Beyond September, by encouraging a large number of people to buy it on one specific day. By concentrating his sales on one mark, he hoped to snag a top spot on the online retailer's best-seller list.
He chose April 1 as his target date. “It is one of the few celebrated days that has the month in the title, so I decided to call [my plan] “The April Fool Caper,” so as to have it be more memorable in my advertising,” he explained. “I was trying to get my audience to have a reason to buy the book other than the usual.” In this case, he wanted buyers to feel like they were a part of his success by participating in his plan to climb the charts.
Drawing on the experience and contacts he gained owning a public relations firm, he created and distributed a dynamic press release to attract attention to his plan. Additionally, he teased "The Caper" through business cards circulated by family and friends. As the date for the Caper drew near, George focused his efforts on collecting email addresses and encouraging friends to pass on the news of the plan. Soon, hundreds of potential readers were in on the plot. To support his efforts, he created a website that kept participants updated on their plan of action and provided the uninitiated with information about the book and author.
On April 1, sales began to roll in, and Beyond September began inching up the charts. At one point, it was listed as the #24 top-selling Contemporary Literature & Fiction book and ended the day in the #86 position. By setting and following clear objectives, George Vickery was able to achieve his goal of making his book a top selling title on Amazon.com on April 1. In forging connections and prioritizing his book promotion, he was able to reach beyond his community and create a presence in the world of books.
