Happy Monday, WG2E-Land!
Wow…what a difference my “Ridin’ The Free-Way Experiment” has made in my Indie Epubbed Ebook Sales!!!
Check this out…
I’m now selling over 5000 Ebooks a month, just on Kindle…the same amount it took me over a year to sell prior to September 8, 2011 (the day Bootscootin’ Blahniks went Free on Kindle US)!!!
That’s right…
I’m now selling more books in one month, just on Kindle, than I sold all of the last twelve months combined!!!
Remember, back on August 1st, when I told you I’d hit the 5000th Ebook Sold mark?
Well now…just two months later, and less than one month since I began my “Ridin’ The Free-Way Experiment”, I’ve now sold over 12,500 books…just on Kindle!!!
***Note: Based on my current rankings on both B&N and iPad, I’m guestimating the actual total to be around 15,000.***
Just look at the change in my monthly totals for each of my five fiction books between August 2011 and September 2011 (again…just on Kindle):
August 2011:
BOOTSCOOTIN’ BLAHNIKS = 196
STOMPIN’ ON STETSONS = 247
BUCKLES ME BABY = 164
THUG GUARD = 201
LIP GLOCK = 171
September 2011:
BOOTSCOOTIN’ BLAHNIKS = 39,794 (Free Downloads)
STOMPIN’ ON STETSONS = 1965
BUCKLES ME BABY = 1535
THUG GUARD = 562
LIP GLOCK = 934
A total Wow and Then Some, Right?!
Now then…I’m not saying this to boast about my success. And y’all know it’s not the money from the additional sales that matters to me.
It’s the fact I’m reaching thousands of new readers a month now, and am able to pay it forward with all of you by sharing what techniques and experiments are sooo working.
That’s what all this means to me…
Reaching Readers
and
Paying It Forward
And I’m not the only one having superfab success with my “Ridin’ The Free-Way Experiment”…check out the Kindle Board Thread I started on this topic, and you’ll meet tons more Indie Epub Authors experiencing the same levels of success I am:
http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,83356.0.html
Why Do I Think Ridin’ The Free-Way Worked For Me?
1. I used the first book in my first series…so that those readers who “found” me for Free then had several additional books to buy.
2. I have two series – The Bootscootin’ Books and The Cozy Cash Mysteries. But I’ve cross-pollinated those books by bringin’ my readers fave Bootscootin’ Books’ characters along for my Cozy Cash Mystery comedic capers.
3. All five of my books are now at that magical 99 Cent Price Point. With my Free book, readers can buy all five for just $3.96!!!
It’s Your Turn WG2E-Land: Tell us about your Ridin’ The Free-Way Experiments. What other experiments have you tried that have dramatically increased your reader reach?
The Best of The WG2E Ridin’ The Free-Way Wishes — D. D. Scott
DD, these sales figures are simply wonderful!
Numbers most trad pubbed authors can only dream about.
This proves beyond doubt that the pie is getting bigger and bigger, and that writers need just two things: a good product, and a means of getting noticed. Combine the two and you have a sure fire winner!
And this is BEFORE the Kindle Christmas bonanza kicks in!
Inspirational stuff!
What you said right here, Mark:
“…writers need just two things: a good product, and a means of getting noticed. Combine the two and you have a sure fire winner!”
I’m always saying to both my readers and fellow writers too…It’s all about treating your readers to great books for great prices.
I’ve learned that using great price points gives you the visibility to make your great little books finds thousands of readers!!! WooHooo!!!
And thanks sooo very much for the sweet shout-out! U rock!
P.S. And Ho-Ho-Ho…the Holiday Season is almost here too!!!
DeeDee,
What a lesson in marketing strategies! The numbers say it all. Great job!
Awe shucks, Barbara…thanks sooo very much, Girlfriend!
Like Mark was saying too, our “marketing strategies” must focus on VISIBILITY.
What can you do as an Indie Epub Author to make yourself stand-out from the 5 million plus books now on Amazon…of that 5 million, over 1 million on Kindle?
Well…when you look at the Amazon stats and see that of that 1 million on Kindle (and 5 million on Amazon overall), there are only about 1480 FREE titles, not counting the public domain titles…Bingo!!!
Goin’ Free with one of your titles – as a true lead-in – is super savvy smart!!! As long as you also have other books for those new readers to then buy while you have their attention at Free.
Plus, when you go Free, all the Ereader Centric Blogs we’ve all been paying for sponsorships on, are going to pick-up your Free book and feature it…for FREE! So, basically, I got great features on Kindle Nation Daily, Pixel of Ink, Daily Cheap Reads, The Frugal Ereader, and Kindle Review, I Love My Kindle, and many more…for FREE, no sponsorship required!!!
DeeDee,
Question… since I already have Bootscootin’ Blahniks on my Kindle I can’t check this out. (I bought it when you first published) When you went free with it did you list your other books at the end of Boot so readers could find them? How did you direct your new fans to your other books?
Thanks girl! Wow… and double wow!
In Bootscootin’, I did mention Stompin’ and Buckles in my “Note From D. D.”.
Now then as far as how peeps found the rest of my books, in the back of each book I do a note to readers with my upcoming release schedule.
Also, now that I went Free, look on my Amazon page, and Amazon gave me this superfab cool Shelfari section that tells all about all my other books. How cool is that?! At least I never noticed that section being there until after I went Free with Bootscootin’.
In addition, I think because all five of the books began appearing on the same Amazon Bestseller Lists, readers really began checking out “everything D. D. Scott”! Yayyy! For example, my personal website traffic doubled in September from it’s previous high. I got almost 90,000 hits for the month, over 100 unique visitors per day and about 220 pages viewed per day. And of course all my books are linked to there and listed.
You can fill out all of the shelfari information, it’s an extension of Amazon’s Author Central. I stopped when it came to characters etc., because it’s like filling out a very detailed book report.
Amazon actually owns Shelfari, Elizabeth.
But how exciting is it when they or one of your fans fill it out for you?! LOL!
I have no idea how it got there…I noticed it two days after I went Free with Bootscootin’.
Thank you DeeDee. Good answer.
Can we enter our book(s) into the system as free? Will KDP accept it as a free book?
KDP will not, at this time, allow you to go Free as an Indie Epub KDP Author.
Here’s how to do it:
List it as Free on Smashwords and then shout that out everywhere you can. Hopefully, after that, B&N Nook picks it up for Free too.
Then, have all your superfab readers and fans get on the Amazon Page for your book, and right underneath your sales’ ranking, there’s a button to click if you’ve found the title somewhere else for less. Have all your readers then report the book as Free on Smashwords and Nook, and hopefully, Amazon will then pick it up for Free too.
One week after Kindle US made Bootscootin’ Free then Kindle UK did the same!
Very cool!! I think every experiment you’ve tried has worked! And I love that you are willing to share that with all our peeps here at WG! It’s very inspirational, and helps everyone work on their marketing/promotion before they even make their books available in stores!
Thanks bunches, Super T!
Some strategies have definitely worked better than others, but I don’t really think any of ‘em have failed, because each time, I’ve gained a bunch of new readers!
That said, yeah, how cool is it that, thanks to The WG2E, our peeps can create an entire marketing/promo plan for their own journey based on our scoop here.
I luuuvvv sharin’ the luuuvvv!!!
Awesome numbers! Congrats! I’m almost there. Got the draft of Love By Design from 52Novels downloaded onto my Kindle to review! So by the end of the month I will be in Indie Business.
U Go, Girl!
That is total awesome sauce news, Liz!
And woohoo…isn’t 52 Novels superfab to work with?!
Welcome to your Indie Epub debut!!!
Oh, DD, what a supermarvelousfantastic way to start the week! Truly inspiring…I’m thinking, thinking…
Oh Ruth, you’d be perfect for the “Ridin’ The Freeway” Experiment…you’ve got that killer backlist to make all that superfab magic!!!
Go for it, Girlfriend!!!
Okay… after the nights I’ve had the last few days, courtesy of molar teething, coffee makers need to STOP making need coffee bags to damn difficult to open. Ugh trying to pull the vacuum seal apart with next to nothing sleep? I definitely just used a knife and dumped it in a Tupperware container. I was not playing this morning!
Congrats, D.D.!! I just lowered my price to $.99 and have 2 sales for October
. I have a bunch of reviews and interviews this month and next, and I’m hoping that price point will be more convincing for readers to try me out. And I’m just praying for 1,000 sales so I can afford my production costs for Book 2 by February. 
Oh, and I sent off my print formatting yesterday to my cover artist! I am counting up the successes and celebrating over here to make my muses happy as I made great progress on my next book! I also blogged about signing up for a Goodreads type site in German, and this week starts Round 4 of A Round of Words in 80 Days. I just love October!
U Go, Girl!
Sounds like you got yourself a plan and are workin’ it like a pro! Well done!!!
Give the 99 Cent Price Point some time to really catch on. You can search through my posts here on The WG2E, but it took me roughly a month and a half to really get into full swing fabulousness with all the 99 Cent Reader Peeps!
Make sure, if you haven’t already, that you start a thread on Kindle and Nook Boards about your book and put that it is now 99 Cents in the title of your threads.
Thanks! I forgot about that! I’ve been writing up guest blog posts and interviews all weekend (NOT COMPLAINING THERE AT ALL). I know all about the $.99 cent theories, and one I didn’t consider back when I was against it, but Melissa Foster pointed out to me: Pricing at $.99 and doing the initial blog tour/push is important, but then there are so many lists and sites that love to feature $.99 books and that will happen organically as your name is thrown out there more and more. I agree with this. For example, I saw MJ Rose’s Halo Effect series first as an ad on Kindle Boards, then the next week, she was Konrath’s blog, and now, three months later, I’m in a promotion with her and traded conversations with her! It’s very surreal and like joining a club… the cool writers club!
Oh, and I plan to run it at least through December/January.
There is an organic effect for sure, Elizabeth!
Great books for great prices lead to great collaborations and opportunities.
If you want to “find” readers…it’s all about treatin’ ‘em to great books for great prices.
The synergy you can create at these price points is waaay beyond the pull of the moon!
Talk about organic! I just found out I’m on Nathan Lowell Presents today and people are emailing me asking me to be on their blog! http://www.nathanlowell.com/presents/guest-post/mother-of-invention
SQUEE! I love my job!
It’s called Synergy, Elizabeth…and you’re doin’ a great job gettin’ it goin’!
Congrats!!!
Congratulations on your success D.D.! Here’s to keeping it going well into the future.
Awe shucks, Edit Dude…thanks bunches!
And thanks too for makin’ me sound superfab sweet and sassy on each and every page of my books!
U rock!!!
Congratulations. Impressive figures. I’ve done good in the UK, over 2,000 sales of my trilogy, but find sales slowing in the US. Had 200 downloads last month on Smashwords when I offered my first novel for free. Maybe I should try it free for a while longer. I’ve seen your Bootskootin’ titles around and they stick in my mind because my partner sings Bootskootin’ Boogie when we do a country gig! All the very best to you.
And right backatchya, Pam…the best to you and your Bootscootin’ country gig too!!! LOL! Luuuvvv that!!!
I’m planning on leaving Bootscootin’ for Free for as long as Amazon lets me. I think it’s just a great way to get peeps to try your books.
“The first one is on me…” – I luuuvvv being able to say that to readers!!!
Now then, to bump your sales in the US, are you partnering with any US Indie Epub Authors?
That’s a technique I’ve used with terrific success in the UK! I’m partnering with superfab Kindle UK Authors like Talli Roland, Sibel Hodge, Mark Williams and Saffina Desforges.
Congrats, D.D.! This is really exciting.
Thanks bunches, Alicia!
What’s even more exciting is sharin’ it all with all of you!
For example, I was telling the superfab terrific Kathy Carmichael – KISSING KELLI – about this on the Kindle Board Thread I started. She went for the gusto with my “Ridin’ The Free-Way” Experiment and is now kickin’ my butt!!! I luuuvvv that I’ve helped her find a huge new audience too!!!
Now that’s Payin’ It Forward!!!
Absolutely amazing figures, DD! You should be very proud! My next post on here is going to be sharing my freebie experiences with you all. Go girl!
Woohooo, Sibel…I can’t wait to hear more about your Free-Way Experiment too!
Thanks bunches for the sweet, sweet shout-out too!
I’m just over the moon to have “found” tens of thousands of new readers!!! And in a month?! Who woulda ever thunk it possible?!
I think that’s the secret too…sometimes, you can’t overthink things, just go for the gusto of what’s sooo right in your gut!!!
That’s so fantastic, DeeDee – what an inspiration! I think you hit the nail on the head: cross-pollination, great prices, and fantastic reads. Thank you for paying it forward!
U betchya, Talli!!! And thanks bunches for the superfab shout-out!!!
I do think it’s a mighty powerful combination when you cross-pollinate great books for great prices.
And when you’re also sayin’ to prospective readers – “C’mon and try me…in fact, the first one is on me” – that’s the little bit of pixie dust tossed in to really make those books “fly” off your cyber shelves!
Wow. I don’t know who you work out the figures, beyond me, but it certainly works though. Goes to show what indies can do for themselves.
Thanks sooo much, Julie!
It is all about Indie Epub Authors having the power to get out there and sweeten the honey pots even more for our potential readers.
When you have great books for great prices, offer to your potential readers that “the first one is on me”, then take the time to get to know your new readers and fans and spend genuine time with them…there are no limits to what you can achieve!!!
Not sure why my last post didn’t go through but I’ll try again.
I continue to be amazed at your drive and success. Truly inspiring. I can’t seem to get Amazon to drop the price of my book so it will go free. I’ve requested and had others requested. All I Want for Christmas is You is already free on iTunes and Smashwords though. I look forward to seeing how your sales continue to progress. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa Mondello
http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com
Thanks sooo very much, Lisa!
How long has your book been free on iTunes and Smashwords? How ’bout on B&N…is it free there?
I’ve read on some of the Kindle Board loops that Amazon seems to most closely match the B&N price…not sure if that’s true or not, but it wasn’t until after B&N made my Bootscootin’ Free that Amazon followed.
I think this is my problem. I was the one to upload my book to BN, not Smashwords. And I can set the price on BN to FREE. I have 3 more books being released (part of my Texas Hearts series) and I may have the first one go directly through Smashwords so I can use that one as the free download. Not sure. I want to promote the entire series.
Lisa
Big, big congratulations on your fantastic sales numbers! I have loved watching you do this over the past year and am learning so much from you. Thanks for sharing everything with us and helping us along the way.
U betchya, Debra!
Nothin’ makes me feel better than helping other writers.
I sooo remember the first ten years of my writing-for-publication journey and can count on two hands, at the most, the fellow Author Peeps who actually inspired me then went a step beyond and actually helped me.
I think because the TradiPub world is sooo competitive, that pay it forward spirit is gone, for the most part.
That said, there are always wonderful people like Debbie Macomber who never stop truly paying it forward. I think she alone, taught me the most. And I give shout-outs to the other wonderful peeps I met – in my first ten years – in my Muse Therapy Book.
But wow…since I’ve gone totally Indie Epub, the synergy, good will and pay it forward spirits we all share are just over the moon fantabulous!
It’s amazing what can be done when there’s truly room for everyone on today’s cyber shelves.
I’m really torn about going free, D.D. My books are not connected and sell for $2.99. I give half my proceeds to charity so free won’t help me give back to the causes I support, but…I need readers!
I dropped one book to $.99 for September and my sales increased tenfold for that title so I’m tempted to drop another to $.99 and continue the trend.
Your numbers for the free titles are so incredible I’m tempted to try it, but then I feel like I’m bailing out on my charities. But more readers equals more sales. I’m so confused!!
You’re not bailing out on your charities at all, Christy.
In fact, by making one of your books free, look what you’re doing to the amount of money you’re more than likely going to make on your other titles.
Let’s use my real numbers and dollars as an example:
In August, I made a total (on Kindle alone…I don’t have the numbers yet for all the Smashword Channels like B&N, Sony, Kobo, and iPad) of $364.45…with 6 books on my cyber shelf (5 fiction bestsellers at 99 Cents each and 1 at $2.99 – my non-fiction bestseller).
In September (just on Kindle, with the same 6 books – 1 Free, 4 at 99 Cents each, 1 at $2.99), I made $2,092.00!!!
See the difference?
The volume sold more than made up for both the Free title plus all the 99 Centers too!!!
P.S. I’m also expecting a $1000 – $2000 pay-out from Smashwords for September, based on my rankings on B&N (non-Pubit titles) and on iPad during this same time period.
I thank you so much for sharing your numbers. Being so new to Indie it’s hard for me to know what’s working and what’s not. I’m trying to get Amazon to make All I Want for Christmas is You FREE because it’s FREE on iTunes and Smashwords. But so far no luck.
Having said that I’m happy with my first month out. 181 books sold with 4 titles. We’ll see how October goes.
Lisa Mondello
http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com
Awesome numbers, D.D.
You’re well on your way to 100K
Thanks bunches, Jeff!
I’m luuuvvvin’ the sound of 100K too, btw! LOL!!!
DD, wonderful numbers. I love your “This one is on me” line. My first book will be 99 cents because it is short.
That “this one is on me” is sooo workin’, Jill!
I’ve had a ton of readers write to me and thank me for that!!!
And super savvy smart of u to make your debut Indie Epub release 99 Cents! U Go, Girl!!!
This is so inspiring. For writers AND readers. Chick Lit lives!
Chick Lit does indeed live, Anne! And it has a damn mighty fine and huge audience!
Cheers, Girlfriend!!!
Congrats, D.D. Geat example of marketing and getting the name out there.
Thanks sooo much, Lee!
It is all about Visbility…the more easily and the more places readers can find you, the more you will sell!!!
WOW, D.D.!!! Great numbers for you! Congrats to you! Keep up the awesome climb in those stats, as it’s well worth the effort, isn’t it? You’re getting the word out for all of your fabulous e-books! Great reads! Great prices (plus the first one is on you…..from you) equals great numbers!!!
Thanks beyond bunches, Jeanne!
I’m a tellin’ ya there’s tons of magic in that “the first one is on me”…
I know I’ve mentioned that quite a bit today, but I do think it’s truly a revolutionary approach to building your reader base!!!
Congratulations, Dee Dee. It’s been so much fun watching your sales grow and I thank you for taking the time to share it here!
U betchya, Sheila!
And that’s one of the huge benefits to our Indie Epub World…our writing-for-publication journeys are actually superfab fun now!
Cheers, Girlfriend, and thanks sooo much for the super sweet shout-out! U rock!!!
Woo Hoo D.D.!!!! Well done Girlie, those are fantastic figures. And now with all those new kindles coming out, those figures will continue to rise
Woohooo’s all-around to all those new and superfab cool, Kindles for Christmas, Alison!
And thanks sooo very much for the sweet shout-out!
Cheers, Girlfriend! Rock on!!!
Great post! So happy that I’ve found this new hang-out! I know I’ve “chatted” with some of you on other venues, but the information here is FABulous! Thanks for sharing.
Tammie
Would love to see a follow-up to this post in regards to what type of synergy you are seeing after converting the book from free to paid. I have been running my own tests (categories, tags, freebies, etc.) so it was good to find your site and see you have been doing the same sorts of things! I am waiting for Amazon to convert my book “Deadly Stillwater” to free… still waiting…still waiting… if anyone wants to ping Amazon that would be great!
Roger