Why Your Book Isn’t Selling (And What You Can Do About It)
Let’s be real for a second: giving your book away for free or slapping a 99-cent price tag on it isn’t a magic trick. If people don’t want your book, they just don’t want it. Free doesn’t guarantee downloads. Cheap doesn’t guarantee sales. And the hard truth is—if no one is checking for your book, you’ve got a visibility problem, not a pricing problem.
So what can you do to make sure people actually look at your book—and better yet, make a purchase?
1. Get Their Attention Before You Get Their Money
Readers need a reason to stop scrolling. That reason could be a bold title, a cover that pops, or a hook that speaks directly to their pain, pleasure, or curiosity. Your book has to interrupt their day and whisper, “You need me.”
2. Sell Yourself, Not Just the Book
People don’t just buy books—they buy into authors. If you’re not building a presence on social media, blogging, or doing interviews, you’re leaving money on the table. Readers want to feel like they know you. They want the behind-the-scenes, the why behind the book, and the personality that makes you worth following.
3. Use Reviews as Social Proof
It’s not fair, but readers often trust strangers on Amazon more than they trust you. Push for reviews. Ask early readers, friends, or even your mailing list to drop feedback. Five honest reviews can make more noise than a free giveaway.
4. Think Beyond One Platform
If the only place you’re pushing your book is Amazon, you’re missing the bigger picture. Share it on Pinterest, post clips on TikTok, talk about it on YouTube, drop links on Twitter, and get creative. Your audience is scattered—go find them where they already hang out.
5. Build Hype Like It’s a Reality Show
You can’t just drop a book and hope it sells. Treat your launch like a season premiere. Teasers, snippets, quotes, memes, drama—make people curious before the book even lands. If people are talking about it, they’re way more likely to buy it.
The Bottom Line
Pricing doesn’t make your book a hit—positioning does. If no one is looking, you need to fix your visibility, not your price tag. Don’t beg readers with free downloads. Instead, give them a reason to feel like they’ll miss out if they don’t grab your book now.
So here’s the question: What’s the next move you’re making to get eyes on your book?
