One of the biggest mistakes I see authors make has nothing to do with their writing.
Instead, it has to do with how they think books are sold.
Whenever an author comes to me preparing for a launch, there is one strategy that almost always comes up.
“We just need more exposure,” they often tell me.
If we can get on more podcasts…
If someone with a large audience can share the book…
If we can grow our social media following…
Then surely the people will buy!
It sounds reasonable, but the problem is, history tells me that it just isn’t true.
In fact, after helping 130+ authors become National Bestsellers since 2023, our team has discovered almost the exact opposite:
Exposure itself does not sell books; incentives do.
The Harsh Reality
Just think about your own life for a moment. People are busy. Everyone. Is. Busy.
Most Americans have careers to build, childrens to raise, bills to pay, appointments to keep, and problems to solve. As much as you’d like to believe that your book is at the top of their priority list, it simply is not. Here is the harsh reality:
Nobody cares about your book as much as you do!
The truth is, most people aren’t actively looking for another book to read. In fact, many people stop reading books altogether after graduating from high school or college. That’s why exposure alone rarely creates the results authors hope for.
But if exposure isn’t enough to sell books, then what actually does sell them?
In a word: extras.
Free bonuses and incentives are what predictably move books.
Therefore, instead of asking, “How can more people see my book?” a better question to ask yours is:
“How can I get one person to buy one hundred copies?”
It is that kind of thinking that changes the game.
Perhaps those one hundred copies come with a private coaching session. Perhaps they include an online course. Perhaps an organization receives your keynote presentation along with those one hundred books.
Can you see how that conversation is immediately different?
When you are selling your books in bulk–with incentives tied in–you are no longer selling a twenty-dollar book … one … book … at … a time.
Instead, you are providing a creative solution, delivering immense value through bulk order incentives. That’s why bulk orders have become one of the driving forces behind so many successful National Bestseller campaigns. Rather than convincing one hundred different people to buy one copy each, you create enough value that one person purchases one hundred books.
And then you do it again and again.
The Danger of Bulk Orders
But here’s where things become interesting.
While bulk orders are one of the most effective strategies for reaching a bestseller list, they can also keep you off of the list. At first glance, those statements might seem to contradict each other. How can the very thing that helps authors become a bestseller prevent them from becoming a bestseller?
The answer is surprisingly simple.
Selling books and fulfilling orders are two completely different things.
Many authors focus almost exclusively on generating book sales, while paying no attention to where the book orders come from. But bestseller lists don’t simply measure what was sold, they also measure what city, what retailer, what volume of books per order, and many other granular details.
That is why, if you miss this second step, even incredible book sales might not be enough. Your orders also must be fulfilled properly.
Selling books is only the first half of the equation; they also must be ordered from the right stores, in the right cities, and with the right timing.
Authors who consistently land on the National Bestseller lists aren’t simply just writing great books, they understand how the game is played.
Exposure does not sell books; incentives do.
