If you’ve published any books, you have probably experienced the summer slump. Indie authors everywhere seem to notice a steep decline in sales around the second week of June and an increase in their blood pressure as they try to pull out all the stops and sell more books.
What can the average indie author do about the summer sales slump?
More marketing? Run more ads? More giveaways?
I’ve got some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that you aren’t alone. One glimpse at kboards and you’ll see a universal theme from indie authors: summer slump in sales.
The bad news is that there is no guaranteed formula to make your sales climb. You can experiment with promotions, marketing efforts, even extra releases but what works for your colleagues may not work for you.
Back to the good news. It’s the end of July and in some places (Arizona, for example) kids started back to school this week. That means moms finally have a chance to collapse on the sofa and get caught up on the books they’ve been meaning to get to all summer.
Some genres lend themselves to summer reading. Like beach reads, for example. Quick mysteries or fluffy romances. But you’ll find authors across the genres who have varying experiences in the summer.
Is there anything you can do to help your sales, besides wait patiently (or not!) for fall to get here?
Yes.
Three Ways to Chill Out About Your Summer Sales Slump
- Keep writing. The fall and winter selling seasons will be here before you know it and you want to be ready.
- Think outside the box. Find a reason to have a Facebook summer party to promote your books. Consider joining with multiple authors to create some amazing giveaways. Moms everywhere are completely stressed out with housefuls of kids. They’d love to lose themselves in a book. Give them a reason to party and a medium to discover more about your book. Start a back-to-school for moms with reading suggestions. Some people are still reading. Help them find your books by utilizing creative approaches.
- Read. Make time to read yourself. Reading will recharge your imagination and it will also take your mind off slower sales.
Remember, your readers might be taking a break from reading because it’s summer, but it’s your summer too. Don’t forget to enjoy it. Read, write, relax. You got this!
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