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Direct Selling Strategies for Authors

Oct 22, 2024

Intro to Direct Selling for Authors

Lecturer: Russell Nolte

  • USA Today best-selling author
  • Runs publishing company Wannabe Press
  • Known for nonfiction teaching

Key Topics Covered

  1. Direct Sales for Authors

    • Definition: Selling directly to readers without intermediaries.
    • Importance: Greater profit margins and control of customer relationships.
  2. Crowdfunding and Subscriptions

    • Crowdfunding: Time-based direct sales for raising funds.
      • Examples: Kickstarter, Indiegogo.
      • Advantages: More money from fewer backers, building a mailing list of buyers.
    • Subscriptions: Monthly or periodic payments for exclusive content or access.
      • Challenges: Difficult to start, requires consistent content delivery.

Direct Sales Overview

  • Intermediaries vs. Direct

    • Platforms like Amazon act as intermediaries.
    • Direct sales can range from personal exchanges to platforms like Patreon.
  • Patreon and Substack

    • Patreon: Intermediary that handles payments and sales tax.
    • Substack: You handle all customer data and payments via Stripe.
    • Importance of Data: Maintaining control over customer data and payments is crucial.

Platforms Discussed

  1. Patreon
    • Pros: Handles payments and sales tax.
    • Cons: You do not control customer payment data.
  2. Substack
    • Pros: Full control of customer data and payments.
    • Cons: More responsibility for handling sales tax and support.
  3. Kindle
    • Acts as an intermediary, you don't control customer data.

Crowdfunding Details

  • Advantages
    • Build relationship with buyers.
    • Test out products with a time-limited sales model.
  • Platforms
    • Recommended: Kickstarter for its ecosystem and support.
    • Avoid: GoFundMe for creative projects.

Subscriptions Insights

  • Advantages
    • Predictable income.
    • Deeper relationships with readers.
    • Monetize early drafts and additional content.
  • Challenges
    • Requires long-term commitment and consistent content.
    • Examples: Patreon, Ream, Substack.

Case Studies and Examples

  • Successful Campaigns
    • Brandon Sanderson's success on Kickstarter.
    • Strategies for anniversary books and brand expansion.

Marketing and Advertising

  • Kickstarter Advertising
    • Generally not recommended due to low ROI.
    • Focus on organic reach and community building.
  • List Building
    • Importance of growing an email list through cross-promotions and campaigns.

Overall Advice

  • Start with manageable projects; test ideas with smaller campaigns.
  • Contemplate crowdfunding and subscriptions as integrated systems.
  • Understand platform-specific strategies and adapt accordingly.