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.