Is your book cover helping or hurting your success? In this podcast Amy and Penny dig deep on what it means to have a successful book cover vs. one that's hurting your author brand and book sales. We also unpack how to find a good cover designer and the questions to ask when you're interviewing someone to design (or redesign) your cover! April Promotion: Book covers matter, more than a lot of authors realize. So if you’re releasing a book this year, or you’re open to breathing new life...
Apr 07, 2022•32 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast "I know enough people who will buy my book I don't have to worry about marketing it!" If you've said this you're not alone, but you're also not setting yourself up for real success. Two of the biggest pitfalls we see in author marketing are "good enough" and "everyone loves it" and it's a real problem. Having Facebook followers isn't marketing, and they're not sales. Your alumni newsletter isn't marketing, and it's not sa...
Apr 01, 2022•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast We love creativity, but sometimes there's such a thing as "too creative." When authors are looking for readers, they sometimes want to dip into other, nearby markets - and we're here to tell you there's a right way and a wrong way to do that. In this episode Penny and Amy unpack the pitfalls of not understanding who your real markets are, and why and how to stay laser focused on who your audience is! March Promotion: Rate and leave a review for the show, forward a confir...
Mar 24, 2022•16 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast You've probably heard by now, the Amazon ads team just opened up Amazon ads to *every* author. Previously you had to be a KDP author to get this. In this special episode, Penny and Amy discuss the benefits, and pitfalls of Amazon ads with enough juicy tips to hopefully get you started on Amazon ads today! March Promotion: Rate and leave a review for the show, forward a confirmation or screenshot of your live review to info@amarketingexpert.com and get a free email coaching session where you...
Mar 18, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast There's so much to learn and do as an author to continue building your platform, and it's easy to get overwhelmed - whether you're releasing your first title or your 20th. So in this episode we talk about the secret to spending more time writing without your marketing and brand suffering - and it's hiring a virtual assistant (VA)! There are tons of people out there who call themselves virtual assistants, but they are not all created equal and they do not all have the same ski...
Mar 10, 2022•25 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast This is another gem from the wayback machine that we felt deserved a second shot to get in front of more listeners. Send us an email and let us know if this episode resonates with you, we love getting feedback and personal stories from our listeners! March Promotion: Rate and leave a review for the show, forward a confirmation or screenshot of your live review to info@amarketingexpert.com and get a free email coaching session where you'll get to ask 5 of your most pressing book marketing an...
Mar 04, 2022•5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today we talk about Superfans and Street Teams and what they can do for your longevity as an author! There are some major differences between them, but both are important to your book marketing plan and long-term success. Get ready to take notes! February Promotion: Rate and leave a review for the show, forward a confirmation or screenshot of your live review to info@amarketingexpert.com and get a free email coaching session where you'll get to ask 5 of your most pressing book marketing and...
Feb 24, 2022•29 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast This is an episode from the time machine! But in all seriousness, we feel this is a really important topic to cover and felt it was worth revisiting. We'd love for you to send us an email and let us know if you plan on making any changes to your marketing approach based on the tips we provide in this episode! February Promotion: Rate and leave a review for the show, forward a confirmation or screenshot of your live review to info@amarketingexpert.com and get a free email coaching session wh...
Feb 18, 2022•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast There’s so much free information out there, and a lot of non-fiction authors forget that Google is often their toughest competition. We've covered some important pitfalls to avoid, and provided tips for really helping your book stand out as something unique to the market. February Promotion: Rate and leave a review for the show, forward a confirmation or screenshot of your live review to info@amarketingexpert.com and get a free email coaching session where you'll get to ask 5 of your m...
Feb 10, 2022•24 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast A book, like a business, doesn't become successful due to luck! There's detailed research, smart budgeting, clever promotion, and a lot of strategic planning involved in hitting the marketing strong and keeping the momentum going. Fortunately for you we're here to help with the book part of this analogy! So get ready to take some notes and prepare for the lightbulbs to start going off over your head. February Promotion: Rate and leave a review for the show, forward a confirmation ...
Feb 03, 2022•25 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast We're covering a lot of "success topics" in 2022 in order to help our authors elevate their perspective on what it takes to make it in this industry - and media is a huge part of that. Most of us dream of getting coverage that really tips the scale, but many authors still turn down opportunities that don't fit their idea of that "life changing interview" or "perfect review" and that's one of the biggest mistakes you can make. And the reasons why this ...
Jan 28, 2022•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast We told you to buckle in for 2022 and we meant it! Reverse engineering means to start with the end in mind, but what does that mean for you as an author? We'll cover some very key aspects of what it takes to be successful in this industry, and how you can use those skills to start reverse engineering your success in order to see better results. And here's a spoiler alert: it's not at all what you think! Intriguing? Tap play and learn more, we promise you'll love it! January P...
Jan 20, 2022•30 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast We love listener questions, and this is one we absolutely wanted to address: How do I engage with readers who don't use social media? This listener even says she has people in her network that don't want to use Amazon either. So we cover a number of creative (yet cost effective) ways to promote your brand, connect with current fans, and even draw in new readers on channels outside of social media and even Amazon. But please know we're still HUGE proponents of using the right socia...
Jan 14, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast We're back with our first show of 2022 and we're kicking this year off with a bang - so buckle in! In this episode we're talking about how to be a profitable author. Because yes, it's absolutely possible. But it's more than just calculating your return on investment or obsessing about your bottom line - in fact, we're not even talking about money in this show. How is that possible? Tune in! We're unpacking the tips and tricks to being profitable in 2022 (and be...
Jan 06, 2022•46 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast When it comes to book marketing, we've seen a lot - including the folks and issues we refer to as "red flags." Part therapy and part cautionary tale, this end-of-the-year podcast is a wrap-up of the best and worst we've seen, but it's also a cautionary tale for authors. We hope you'll enjoy this fun, often funny (and ok sometimes sarcastic) year-end episode! December Promotion: Are you wondering if it’s time to revise and re-release your book? We’re going to help so...
Dec 31, 2021•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we're digging into some creative ways to strategize your book marketing for 2022. We're also looking at common pitfalls that'll cost you a ton of time and effort, as well as some ways to get more bang from your book marketing dollar! Penny and Amy will unpack strategies, success tips, and some easy-to-implement ideas to get you on the road to success in the new year! December Promotion: Are you wondering if it’s time to revise and re-release your book? We’re going...
Dec 23, 2021•18 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Yes, the global Covid-19 upheaval changed a lot of things, but if you're considering writing a Covid-focused book or memoir, you may want to reconsider. In this episode, we're talking specifically about Covid-centric books. Are they worth publishing and if so, what types of pandemic inspired books should you focus on? December Promotion: Are you wondering if it’s time to revise and re-release your book? We’re going to help some dedicated fans determine what they can do to revise and re...
Dec 17, 2021•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Publishers are great, but sometimes they can negatively impact an author's success. In this episode, Amy and Penny are unpacking what to look for and what to avoid if you're thinking of working with an indie press or a hybrid publisher. We'll dig into the questions to ask- as well as the red flags to avoid! December Promotion: Are you wondering if it’s time to revise and re-release your book? We’re going to help some dedicated fans determine what they can do to revise and re-relea...
Dec 09, 2021•17 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast We all need editors! Sometimes we love them, and sometimes, well, we don't love them as much. In this podcast, Amy and Penny discuss what to look for in a good editor, and what to avoid. We also talk about the different between a content editor and copy editor. December Promotion: Are you wondering if it’s time to revise and re-release your book? We’re going to help some dedicated fans determine what they can do to revise and re-release a book for a second shot at success! To be considered ...
Dec 03, 2021•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast This time of year, especially, we hear a lot about gratitude and being grateful. But incorporating gratitude is also a highly underutilized strategy for long-term success. In this episode we uncover some creative ways to say "thank you" not just this time of year, but all year long, and how it strengthens the overall effectiveness of your marketing plan and the return you get for your efforts! November promotion: Want Penny to promote your book to her thousands of engaged followers on ...
Nov 25, 2021•24 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Unknown fiction authors need to stop planning their marketing efforts around national media, television shows and big name podcast and radio interviews. Fiction isn’t “news” unless the author is a household name. But don't get discouraged, there are great opportunities for new or unknown fiction authors and we will explain how to make the magic happen! November promotion: Want Penny to promote your book to her thousands of engaged followers on social media?? Pitch us your book and tell us W...
Nov 19, 2021•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's great to have goals, but is there a trick to creating book marketing and sales goals that produce results? Indeed there is! We discuss how to create great goals that will help drive real success AND why brainstorming can be problematic when it's not done strategically. November promotion: Want Penny to promote your book to her thousands of engaged followers on social media?? Pitch us your book and tell us WHO it will make a great Christmas present for, and WHY. Yes, it’s a great o...
Nov 11, 2021•24 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Goodreads is not just a virtual library, it’s a social networking site, and it’s important they encourage engagement and interaction! Check out what this feature change up means and how you can help petition for more networking options with readers. November promotion: Want Penny to promote your book to her thousands of engaged followers on social media?? Pitch us your book and tell us WHO it will make a great Christmas present for, and WHY. Yes, it’s a great opportunity to get a lot of new expo...
Nov 05, 2021•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast As soon as you put your title up on Amazon the platform starts to "learn" about your book and how shoppers are responding to it. Check out the top five pitfalls to putting your book on Amazon before you're ready to promote, and why they potentially cause so many problems. October Promotion: Book to Bestseller Pre-Order Giveaway and Prizes! It’s finally here – Book to Bestseller: The Savvy Author’s Guide to Book Promotion, Smart Branding, and Longterm Success is up on Amazon for pr...
Oct 28, 2021•10 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Amazon Author Central has added a feature that allows you to create additional author bios in other supported languages. But before you log on and just start adding new elements to your profile, we want you to understand when it makes sense and how you can use it to support your platform. October Promotion: Book to Bestseller Pre-Order Giveaway and Prizes! It’s finally here – Book to Bestseller: The Savvy Author’s Guide to Book Promotion, Smart Branding, and Longterm Success is up on Amazon for ...
Oct 22, 2021•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is a very special episode! We hear this a lot, "I can't deal with Amazon!" or "Amazon won't help me!" And guess what? We face this, too! Penny's new release, From Book to Bestseller, was denied for publishing by KDP and this episode breaks down what happens when you have to battle the 10,000 pound gorilla, plus constructive and helpful ways to work within the (often confusing) Amazon system and how to WIN. October Promotion: Book to Bestseller Pre-Order Gi...
Oct 14, 2021•18 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Can you compete if you don’t want to list your books with major online retailers? We get this question more often than many of you might think, authors that have very strong feelings about not bowing to “the man” but how realistic is it that you’ll be able to build a strong network of readers and return buyers using just your website or through sites like Smashwords? October Promotion: Book to Bestseller Pre-Order Giveaway and Prizes! It’s finally here – Book to Bestseller: The Savvy Author’s Gu...
Oct 08, 2021•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Amazon is a great place to sell books, but you know what's even better? Selling more direct to your readers! Is it possible to do this? Absolutely it is and we'll teach you how. In this episode Amy and Penny discuss some key strategies and simple tips to build more sales on your website and sell more directly to your readers! September Promotion: It's time to start working on holiday book sales! If you're wondering how to work a clever holiday sales angle into your book marke...
Sep 30, 2021•29 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Are you getting ready to launch a book? Why not consider doing some special pre-order pricing? If you haven't considered it, or even if you have, you'll want to tune into this episode where we break down why it might help you, considerations you have to make, and what pricing pitfalls you'll want to avoid! September Promotion: It's time to start working on holiday book sales! If you're wondering how to work a clever holiday sales angle into your book marketing we're...
Sep 24, 2021•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast You've got a book that's still current and interesting, but it's a bit older. Can something be done to spike book sales on this older title? The answer is a resounding YES! Whether it's a single book, or a backlist, we'll unpack some strategies to help you revive and reignite book sales for your older book! Send us your feedback! Check out our new mentorship program that will definitely change your life: https://amarketingexpert.com/author-mentorship/ Help promote the po...
Sep 16, 2021•23 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast 
