Did you know that some of the most successful authors are giving away their work?
In fact there are several ways that authors can profit from giving away free ebooks, reports and other valuable content:
KDP Select
The main reason authors sign up for Amazon’s KDP Select program is to be able to give away free copies of their book on Amazon for five days out of every 90 days. These “free days” tend to generate lots of downloads, push books up the bestseller ranking for their niche, and generate reviews.
Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to KDP Select, so you’ll need to decide if this program makes sense for you. Recently I wrote a detailed article in my book marketing newsletter about the pros and cons of KDP Select. (If you aren't already getting my newsletter, sign up here.)
PermaFree Ebooks on Online Bookstores
Some authors give away free ebooks on Kindle and other bookstores all the time! Recently I had the chance to interview Shelley Hitz about this highly effective strategy for growing your mailing list. Get the details in this podcast.
Mailing List Bonuses
Once you get people to your website, it’s important to persuade them to sign up for your email list so you can continue to communicate with them. The most effective way to increase a mailing list is to offer an “opt-in bonus” to everyone who signs up.
Nonfiction authors typically give away a free ebook or report, or some kind of a useful template or tool. On my website, I offer a free report, How to Create a Book Marketing Plan That Sells Books.
Learn more about how to set up and profit from email lists in this article: Promote Your Book With an Opt-In Subscriber List
Other Ways to Profit from Free Content
There are many other ways to profit by giving things away. For creative ideas, check out this article from Vikram Narayan:
7 Ways to Market Your Book by Giving Away Free Stuff
Don't be afraid to give away content in order to grow your list and increase your sales in the long run!
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And it works! I follow your blog in Feedly, but since I found out I can get a free report, I signed up for your email too. :)
Posted by: Stephanie_cain | March 05, 2015 at 10:42 AM
Thanks Stephanie! Glad to see that freebies work :)
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | March 05, 2015 at 12:39 PM
Giving away free items is simply a way of bringing loyal customers back for more. No one wants to pay for something that they can't taste beforehand. Writing is just the same. Don't think of it as giving stuff away, but more of building a database for future increase in revenue. Mobile Marketing is a great tactic for creating such offers. Check out this blog on how mobile marketing can benefit businesses and writers alike: http://www.avidmobile.com/blog/sms-marketing-a-writers-new-best-friend.php
Posted by: Steph | March 10, 2015 at 01:58 PM
I've given away about 30 books so far and am donating 50 to the new library. Does it help. I don't know, time will tell.
Posted by: Sonja Brumfield | March 15, 2015 at 07:10 PM
Thanks for sharing Sonja. Giving away physical books is another way to get people reading your work and telling others about it.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | March 17, 2015 at 11:08 AM