Comments on: Why ‘Free’ is a Cornerstone Marketing Strategy https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/ A Blog On Writing Sun, 12 Jan 2025 04:25:18 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: dholcomb1 https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141864 Thu, 01 Aug 2019 04:23:23 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141864 good information to bank away for later

denise

]]> By: Kate Lavender https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141863 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 21:12:54 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141863 I met Penny at a writers convention a few years ago and the class was SRO. She knows her stuff. I know she keeps up on everything related to social media and you can follow along with each platform with her step-by-step tutorials. I really love her new book "5-Minute Book Marketing for Authors - 2019 Edition." Best advice in town!

]]> By: Terry Odell https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141862 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 18:08:34 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141862 In reply to Carole T. Beers.

I do NOT go exclusive. I go wide. All the other channels allow a price of free, and once they've gone into effect, I request that Amazon match the price.

]]> By: N. Christine Samuelson https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141861 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 17:03:47 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141861 Wonderful advice, Penny. I think it works for stand-clones as well. Free is free, and readers go for it. I've just run a free promo with a review promo and got more 'takers' than any other single promotion. Thanks so much for the sage advice. I'll look at your website for marketing help!

]]> By: Rick George https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141860 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 16:37:11 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141860 Thank you, Penny, for these ideas and for the well-presented rationale. I took notes, and I've bookmarked this post.

]]> By: Maggie Smith https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141859 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 15:09:17 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141859 I think this strategy works best when authors have (or plan to write) a series in fast succession. For me, a writer who writes stand-alone novels, I don't think it would be quite as useful to offer my debut for free.

]]> By: Julie Glover https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141858 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 14:13:13 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141858 Great advice for series! Thanks for all the practical tips, Penny. I love reading your posts.

]]> By: Carole T. Beers https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141857 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 13:40:26 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141857 I so appreciate this helpful blog! The four books in my Pepper Kane Mystery Series have sold fairly consistently but not spectacular.y since a small press published them starting in 2016, Assertive and fun social media 2-way engagement focusing on lifestyle and writing is key. However I want to step things up beyond this, and offering Book 1 at $.99. Will try to now persuade my publisher to try this for a short time, say 1 week. He is reluctant to try the exclusivity to Amazon, but perhaps your great post can persuade him! (And thanks, Terry Odell, for your input!)

]]> By: Terry Odell https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/why-free-is-a-cornerstone-marketing-strategy/#comment-141856 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 11:41:37 +0000 https://writersinthestormblog.com/?p=37831#comment-141856 I've found first in series free an excellent way to attract readers. In anticipation of a new book in a series, I made the first book free, starting well in advance to make sure the free pricing was in place everywhere. I've done NO announcements of the dropped price, but within 24 hours of Amazon's price matching, the book jumped to #250 in the Kindle free store and top 10 in two sub categories. For my other series where the first book is free, sales do move through the rest of the books. I do think it's best if you have a series of at least 4 books.

]]>