LIS ANGUS – Shares Her Marketing Journey

Lis Angus is Canadian; she grew up in Alberta but moved to Ontario for university and has lived there ever since. Early in her career, she worked with children and families in crisis, switching later to work as a policy advisor, business writer, and editor while raising two daughters. Though she loved writing stories as a child and teenager, she didn’t come back to writing fiction until she retired. Her first novel, NOT YOUR CHILD, was published in April 2022. Lis is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers of Canada, Capital Crime Writers, and the North Grenville Writers Circle. She lives with her husband south of Ottawa, where she is working on her second suspense novel.

NOT YOUR CHILDA strange man insists Susan’s twelve-year-old daughter Maddy is his granddaughter, abducted as a baby — then Maddy disappears, but he has an alibi.

How my book reached Amazon #1 Best Seller status: George, I’m glad to be back as a guest on your blog. You last hosted me last year when my debut novel, NOT YOUR CHILD, was first released by The Wild Rose Press. I was thrilled to be a published writer, and the book got off to a great start after its launch in April 2022. But this year, as another April approached, I realized that sales had slowed to a trickle.

That was disappointing, especially since I knew readers were giving the book great reviews. But was it too late to try to reach a wider audience?

I decided to announce a celebration of the book’s one-year anniversary with a promotional push in April 2023 to attract new readers. I had no idea how well the effort would work, but I was optimistic.

As things turned out, the “push” was way more successful than I anticipated, resulting in (spoiler alert!) over 2,100 sales and reaching Amazon’s #1 Best Seller status in three countries. Here’s how I went about it.

Reducing the Price: My first task was to persuade my publisher to reduce the ebook price (normally US$4.99) to 99¢. They were dubious, saying that a price cut wouldn’t necessarily increase sales, and even if it did, a reduced price would reduce the per-book royalty, thus likely wiping out any net benefit.

I argued that expanding the book’s readership was a benefit in itself, particularly if it built an audience for future books. Furthermore, without a promotional push, sales would likely stay at the then-current low level, so the downside risk of reducing the price was not large.

I laid out my “anniversary” marketing plan, which included applying to several sites that promote books at discounted prices. My publisher reluctantly agreed to set the book’s price at 99¢ for two weeks, from April 12-26. This price is applied to ebooks on Amazon (Kindle), Apple, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble (Nook).

Like most small presses, my publisher expects its authors to shoulder most of the work and expense of promoting their books. So the cost of this promotion would fall to me. I decided that expanding my reader base was a worthwhile investment, regardless of whether my royalties ended up covering the cost.

Applying for a BookBub Featured Deal: BookBub, founded in 2012, has over four million subscribers in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. Readers sign up to receive daily email offers of free or discounted ebooks in genres of their choice. Authors and publishers pay to have their books promoted to BookBub’s subscribers.

I learned that BookBub Featured Deals are widely considered the gold standard of online book marketing opportunities, often resulting in significant increases in book sales. BookBub reportedly accepts only 10-20% of applications for Featured Deals; some authors say they’ve applied numerous times without being accepted.

Somehow, I managed to be accepted on my first try, though only for the three “international” markets: Canada, UK, and Australia. I also applied for the US, the largest market by far, but I didn’t get that one. My Deal was scheduled for Friday, April 21.

Lining up US Promos: Even though I didn’t have a BookBub Deal for the US market, my 99¢ price was available there as well. I thought reaching out to readers in that market was worth a try. So, after some research, I applied to three US promo sites that offered discounted books to readers, and promos were scheduled for the following dates:

  • Book Adrenaline (April 14)
  • Robin Reads (April 15)
  • Fussy Librarian (April 17)

Launching the Anniversary Month: I began the month by sending a note to my newsletter subscribers, announcing the one-year milestone and asking them to help me by recommending the book to friends who they thought would enjoy the book.

I had already lined up several guest blogs on author sites during the month and sent links from these to my subscribers as well.

On April 12, when the 99¢ price kicked in, I posted it to my Facebook Page, Twitter, and Instagram and “boosted” the post for two weeks to expand its reach.

Hitting Amazon #1 Bestseller status: To get a baseline, I checked each country’s Amazon listing to find my ebook’s “bestseller rank” before the promo started and tracked changes throughout.

Amazon US: on April 11, my book had a Kindle ranking of 184,509. Four days later, on April 15 — presumably, as a result of the Book Adrenaline and Robin Reads promos — it had risen to a Kindle rank of 2,553. Not only that but to my surprise, it was ranked #1Best Seller in the “Parenting Teenagers” category. (I don’t consider my book a source of parenting advice, but the #2 book was also a thriller!) It was also #25 in Kidnapping Thrillers.

Amazon International: On April 20 (the day before the BookBub Featured Deal), my book’s Kindle rankings were as follows:

  • Amazon Canada: 34,381
  • Amazon UK: 100,472
  • Amazon Australia: 69,470

A day later, by the end of April 21:

  • Amazon Canada: kindle book #3, Suspense #1, Kidnapping Thriller #1
  • Amazon UK: kindle book #26, Mysteries #10
  • Amazon Australia: kindle book #8, Suspense Thriller #1

Amazon recalculates its sales ranks every hour, and my “Best Seller” status didn’t last long. But these results far outstripped my expectations. A lot of readers had clearly decided to buy my book, but to know what exactly that meant, I had to wait for actual sales figures.

Results: Here are the April sales figures I’ve received from my publisher, though the final numbers still need to be confirmed. Most of the sales were through Amazon, but some were also through Google and Nook.

· BookBub deal countries (Canada, UK, and Australia): 1,470 books

· US (no Bookbub deal, smaller promos): 360 books

· Another 350 books sold through Apple Books, for which I don’t yet have a country breakdown.

In total, I now have something over 2,100 new readers—way more than I expected.

In conclusion: I definitely met and exceeded my goals for this promotional push. I probably haven’t recouped the full cost of the promotion, but I am well satisfied with the results nevertheless.

Contact information:
Website: https://lisangus.com/
Email: lisangusauthor@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisangusauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisangus1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisangus459/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59436824-not-your-child
Purchase links: https://books2read.com/notyourchild

36 Comments

  1. Pamela Meyer

    Lis, your go-getter attitude, meticulous planning, exemplary argument skills, and creative thinking on this very successful ‘One-Year Anniversary’ marketing push are outright inspirational. I’m not yet published but feel closer than I have ever been before to reaching that milestone. This idea is in my back pocket now as a plan for the year after that. Thank you so much (and George Cramer, too) for sharing it with us.
    Website: https://pamelaruthmeyer.com
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pamelaruthmeyer
    Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/pamelaruthmeyer

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Pamela, congratulations on getting closer to being published, and I wish you an excellent book launch when it happens!

      Reply
  2. Donnell Ann Bell

    Lis, not only am I shouting “Well done” on your BookBub Ad, your novel sounds fantastic. Off to download 🙂

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Oh, you’re fantastic. Thanks so much, Donnell.

      Reply
  3. Vinnie Hansen

    Definitely food for thought as my suspense novel One Gun creeps up on the one-year anniversary of its launch. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Vinnie, all I can say is, I am glad I saw it as an opportunity to widen my reach. Good luck with your anniversary.

      Reply
  4. CINDY SAMPLE

    Well done, Lis. I think your numbers are excellent considering how competitive the market is. Thanks so much for sharing with all of us.

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Thanks, Cindy. Those numbers are small compared to some “big deal” authors, but they’re huge for me.

      Reply
  5. Dawna

    Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your experience!

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Dawna, I appreciate your comment.

      Reply
  6. Avis

    Lis, This is a very exciting success story, and your organization and determination surely paid off! Thanks for sharing this part of your journey!

    Reply
  7. Mickey Flagg

    Wow, excellent marketing strategies here. Congratulations and wishing you many more sales.

    Reply
  8. Michael A, Black

    Congratulations,, Lis on your success. Your blog entry reads like a template for an author’s successful marketing strategy. Keep up the good work and best of luck to you.

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Thanks, Michael! I wasn’t as proactive at the original launch but will be more aggressive next time!

      Reply
  9. Ilona Fridl

    Great tips, Lis! Best on your book.

    Reply
  10. Kim Janine Ligon

    That’s a remarkable success story. Kudos. Sometimes you have to take a shot even if it looks like a losing proposition. It will be interesting to see if those 2100 new readers buy your next one at full price.

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Yes, you’re right. Time will tell.

      Reply
  11. Karen A Phillips

    Lis, thank you so much for sharing this strategy. It is fascinating you did so well with having only one book out. Congratulations!

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Obviously it would have been better to have another book or two out to continue the momentum— but so be it.

      Reply
  12. D. V. Stone

    Very interesting. Congratulations!
    D

    Reply
  13. Jan Sikes

    Thanks for sharing your success story, Lis. There is no doubt marketing is the hardest part of an author’s job. The results of your push are fantastic! Congratulations!

    Reply
    • Lis Angus

      Than you, Jan. Yes, it’s been said that marketing a book is as much work as writing it!

      Reply
    • Michelle Godard-Richer

      Wow! Congrats Lis! That’s amazing! Good for you.

      Reply
  14. Jennifer Wilck

    Excellent marketing push. Congratulations on your success!

    Reply
  15. M. E. Bakos

    Congratulations on your book’s success!

    Mary

    Reply

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J. WOOLLCOTT – Writing Mysteries Set in Northern Ireland

I’m a debut author, Canadian, and have just signed a two-book publication deal with Level Best Books. My first title, A Nice Place to Die, is due for release in early August 2022. Blood Relations, number two in the series, is due August 2023.

 

 

The books are set in Northern Ireland, where I was born and lived for over twenty years. They are police procedurals featuring DS Ryan McBride and his partner DS Billy Lamont, and while they deal with murder, I do add humour and focus on the setting and characters.

Like many of us, I’m sure, my journey to publication was long. I worked (in broadcasting) until I decided to take early retirement, write, and travel. Well, we all know what happened to travel!

As an unpublished writer, I entered a few competitions and won the Mainstream Mystery and Suspense Daphne du Maurier Award in 2019. I’ve been long-listed four times for the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Awards, and I was finally shortlisted in the CWC Canadian Awards of Excellence in 2021.

I applied for a few grants to conferences. While I never received a grant, I did come to the attention of one of the committee members who had read and enjoyed my first few chapters. She asked me to send her the book to read. I did not, however, feel it was ready to send out for such professional scrutiny (she was a publisher!) and asked that she allow me some time. Two years later, with Covid in between and many more rewrites on my part, I resent the manuscript. This time she read the whole book and offered me a three-book contract. I ended up deciding to go with two books to start, publishing schedules are short, and I take a long time with my books!

I started out as a pantser. I wrote my first book, Abducted, in one linear process. Honestly, I can’t believe I did it that way. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. That manuscript, however, did get long-listed in the CWC annual awards competition. That gave me such a boost. I started my second book, the first in the Northern Ireland series. I began to write it the same way and quickly got lost in the plot. Frustrated, I took Simon Wood’s class, Plot Thickeners, via Sisters in Crime. He showed us how outlining and plotting out make life easier. I wouldn’t say I am a total outliner; I wish I was, but more like a hybrid.

I can’t say exactly the best book I ever read, but I love Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series. I also love November Road by Lou Berney. I enjoy police procedurals so I must mention the wonderful British writer Susan Hill. And I just finished an older book, The Enchanted April, by Elizabeth von Arnim. It was fantastic.

The take-away for me on this journey is, don’t rush your work. Write the best book you can. Take classes, ask for help, write and rewrite. Join critique groups. Read in your genre and outside it. It’s taken me about four years to write A Nice Place to Die. The first edition of that manuscript was not very good. It’s a process. Certainly, for me, as a new writer, joining Sisters In Crime was the single most important thing I did—classes, critique partners, advice online, and making writer friends. Going to conferences is costly but worth it, and if you can afford a professional editor, so much the better. Enter competitions and apply for grants. Why not?

A Nice Place to Die is due for release in August 2022. –  It’s 2016, and Northern Ireland remains a deeply divided province by years of distrust and hatred. But not all crimes are related to the troubles, and Northern Ireland’s past history is the least of Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride’s problems. He has enough to worry about with his latest murder inquiry. Unwilling to risk losing the case, he breaks the rules and fails to disclose a one-night stand he had with the victim. As to the investigation, it’s going nowhere fast as one-by-one, his prime suspects are murdered.

Blood Relations is due for release in August 2023 – Retired Chief Inspector Patrick Mullan is found brutally murdered in his bed. Ryan and Billy are called to his desolate country home to investigate. In their inquiry, they discover a man whose career was overshadowed by violence and corruption. Is the killer someone from Mullan’s past or his present? And who hated the man enough to kill him twice?

I’m a graduate of the Humber School for Writers in Toronto and BCAD, University of Ulster. I’m also a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and the Suncoast Writer’s Guild.

Where can our readers contact you and order A Nice Place to Die?

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/3CGIzi0
My email is woollcottauthor@gmail.com
My website is jwoollcott.com
Twitter: @JoyceWoollcott

 

9 Comments

  1. Katherine Rams;and

    Good luck with your debut, Joyce. I hope it’s going well. This is a great novel for your launch. I enjoyed reading it.

    Reply
  2. Valerie J. Brooks

    Joyce, I’m a sucker for Irish writers. Full disclosure: my husband is of Irish descent and has the gift of the Irish when it comes to writing to me and professing his love.

    I’ll be sure to check out your novels. Thanks for all the juicy info about you and your journey.

    Reply
    • Joyce

      Ah Valerie, I think by now everyone has a bit of Irish in them, we get around you know! Thanks for the nice comment,
      Best,
      Joyce

      Reply
  3. DonnaRae Menard

    See I told you Joyce, it would be great. You’ve got positive vibe reviews everywhere. Good luck my friend. (Can I call you that?)

    Reply
    • Joyce

      Thank you DonnaRae! You’re the best,
      🙂
      Joyce

      Reply
  4. Michael A. Black

    Ireland has a long history of turning out fabulous writers so I’m wishing you the best of luck in continuing that tradition. It sounds like you’ll fit right in.

    Reply
    • J. Woollcott

      Thank you Michael! I appreciate your kind words,
      Joyce.

      Reply
  5. J. Woollcott

    Thanks Vicki,
    Might have something to do with the host’s excellent direction!
    J.

    Reply
  6. Vicki Batman

    Good morning, Joyce and George. Very good interview!

    Reply

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