Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In this episode, I’m sharing seven of my favourite marketing books for fiction authors which will help you with building an author brand, your sales strategy and your author mindset.
You’ll learn:
>> My all time favourite branding book.
>> Two amazing books to teach you ads for Amazon & Bookbub.
>> Three incredible books that will teach you general marketing.
>> The best money mindset book for fellow creatives and authors.
—
Shownotes:
Welcome back everyone, how is it going?
This week, I have a really cool episode for you if you’re a fan of business books—and if my past self could hear me saying that, I’m sure she would cringe because that version of myself regarded business books as boring and stuck to fiction, thank you very much.
In any case, I read a lot of business books these days, and I want to recommend some of my favorites from the past year that I believe can really help fiction authors in different areas of their career.
Whether you’re seeking to make more money, improve your marketing or build an email list, there is a book in this episode to help you. Also, quick disclaimer, there won’t be a tool tip of the day today because this episode is literally dedicated to giving out recommendations, and I’m in no way sponsored or affiliated with any of these books. They are genuinely books I can recommend.
So, let’s take a look at the first one…
1) Building A Story Brand, by Donald Miller
Okay, so the first thing I want to say about this book is how much I love the narration style (I listened to this one as an audiobook). It was very clear and easy to follow, so I imagine the written word is as well.
This book is all about building a brand—but it goes way beyond the surface of brand building and teaches you a tried-and-true strategy to scale your business and attract more intrigued customers—or in your case, readers. I highly recommend this one if you are just starting to build your author brand, or feel like it needs clarifying.
Next up we have…
2) Bookbub Ads Expert, by David Gaughran
You might have heard before that you need to spend money to make money—and ads are one example of this concept in action. However, if you’re going to spend money on ads, you want to make sure you’re using strategies that work—and Bookbub ads have a reputation for paying off big.
This book is every author’s handy, go-to guide to advertising your book with ease and joining all those well-known authors on the big playing field.
Okay, this third one is a good one:
3) The Ultimate Marketing & PR Book, by Eric Davis, Nick Smith and Brian Salter
I love this book—it sits on my desk and I have a bunch of tabbed pages that I regularly go back and reference. It’s a bundle of knowledge about social media marketing, SEO, email marketing and press and media marketing in one place. Perfect for authors who have zero knowledge on any of these subjects and want to quickly familiarize themselves with each one.
My fourth recommendation for today is:
4) Online Marketing For Busy Authors, by Fauzia Burke
I have to admit, by the time I picked up this book I already knew all of the information that gets shared in this book—but, that makes it perfect for beginner authors on the block because it’s all the information I wish I’d been handed on a platter. Instead, I learned much of it the hard way.
It basically teaches you how to go about marketing online, and more importantly—how to make it simplified, quick and easy… because let’s face it, us authors have a whopping to-do list as it is without throwing new marketing strategies into the mix.
Coming in at number five is:
5) Mastering Amazon Ads, by Brian D. Meeks
Another book on ads, but this time specifically targeted at Amazon Ads—which is also a very effective platform that many authors have huge success with.
Again, it can be tricky to get the hang of ads when you start out, but trial and failure is the best way to test your ads until you find something that works. This book can help streamline that testing process by giving you a crash course in advertising, and also guiding you on some Amazon Ad do’s and don’ts.
Our second last recommendation for today is:
6) Newsletter Ninja, by Tammi Labrecque
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank screen, stumped at what to send your small list of email subscribers, this book is a must read. Inside are practical tips for fiction authors on how to build your mailing list more strategically and smoothly, and ideas for what to actually send out.
I definitely recommend this one for anyone who struggles with email marketing because it is one of the most effective marketing strategies out there, and mastering it will make a huge difference in your sales and readership.
And finally…
7) You Are A Badass At Making Money, by Jen Sincero
This was one of my favourite books from last year because of how impactful it is. Every other book I’ve mentioned in today’s episode is more of a practical, business book—while this one is a transformative, self-help book with a focus on making more money as an artist.
I love Jen because she is super relatable to me, being a writer as well, and her success story proves that anything is possible with commitment and faith. If you have ever doubted your ability to make a living as a writer, or you want to reach that next income level, this book is an absolute must read—it will completely change your mindset and your life.
Click here to join The Paperback Podcast Community — my free Facebook Group where I keep a goldmine of book launch strategies and book writing tips.
(P.S: You’ll get early access to podcast episodes and exclusive livestreams).