Introduction
The business concept of holding onto, or retaining, past and current customers, is typically not given much thought by many self-publishers. But building a following of readers that will continue to read and buy what you have published in the past, and will publish in the future, is imperative for your long-term financial success as a self-publisher. Therefore, implementing a book-buyer retention plan, more commonly a called customer retention plan, must be an essential part of every self-publisher’s marketing plans. Here are a few common myths surrounding book-buyer retention that might have been preventing you from implementing a plan to help you retain past and current readers and buyers.
Myth #1. Book-Buyer Retention Is Not Realistic Or Practical For Self-Publishers
One big mistake many self-publishes make is attaching no or little importance to book-buyer retention. Many self-publishers see book-buyer retention as too difficult to accomplish, and as a waste of precious time, to be of any significant value. However, my research has shown that by simply retaining a small number of committed readers and book-buyers, you can significantly increase your profits now and into the future. It can take quite a bit of time to build this core audience. But as long as you keep producing quality content that they need and can benefit from, your audience will grow. Therefore, you must take the time to develop that core group of people within your niche that you strive to be the go-to-person for if you ever expect to become a financially successful author.
Myth #2. Book-Buyers Will Continue To Buy From You If They Like You
Being liked or trusted is not enough in today’s world where it is very easy to find an expert in a particular niche. And book buyers can easily get overwhelmed because of the increasing number of new books being published every day by likable and trusted authors. Therefore, you must never take your followers for granted. The minute that you stop updating your blog with new and relevant content, for example, you are taking the risk that your readers and book-buyers will start to forget about you. Even the most loyal supporters of your brand can very easily be lured away by other authors that are also writing within you niche and pursuing the same audience that you are pursuing. Therefore, in order to be financially successful as a self-publisher, you must keep reminding your audience with new content and new books, that you are the go-to person within you niche.
Myth #3. It Is Possible To Hold Onto All Of Your Readers And Buyers
Every self-publisher must accept the fact that not all readers and book-buyers will stay with them for the long-haul. Despite your continued efforts of producing more blog content, videos, and new books, many consumers will always be searching for the next hot author and quickly stop following you. You cannot allow this fickle group to bother you, or slow you down from your mission of producing quality content for your audience. Nothing you do or say will hold onto this group. Keep focusing your attention and efforts on your core audience. You owe it to this core group to continue to provide them with honest and informative content that helps them solve their problems and improves their lives. Therefore, a successful self-publisher understands who this audience is, knows where to find them, and constantly provides them with the information that they need.
Conclusion
Self-publishers, just like any other business owners, must constantly strive to build a core audience that will keep coming back for more. And again, just like any business, it is much easier, and takes much less effort, to keep selling to your followers and those that have bought from you before. This core group is priceless. Understanding who they are, and where to find them, and knowing what they need, and then providing it to them, over and over again, will guarantee that you will build some level of financial success as a self-publisher.
Source by Joseph C Kunz, Jr
3 Common Myths About Book-Buyer Retention