Your Book Doesn’t Need to Sell Lots of Copies

Most published authors today won’t turn much profit—if any—from book sales alone.

That doesn’t mean their books suck.

It also doesn’t mean they’re not earning plenty from their books.

The fact is that your book CAN make bank—even without re-couping on book sales.

First, the not-so-good news:

NPD BookScan’s analysis of (85 percent of) 2022 print book sales found that the average book sells fewer than 300 print copies in the US—ever.

Factor in international sales, audiobooks, and e-books and that average still comes in at under 1,000 copies.

That’s partly because the rate of self-publishing has exploded, along with the growth of hybrid publishers (which charge upfront for editorial, design, and marketing support, while allowing authors to maintain full ownership, creative control, and a [variable] majority of royalties).

Back to the good news:

You don’t need to rely on book sales to profit from your book.

You do need a comprehensive strategy for how your book supports your business and career.

Here are some examples of how that works:

📚 Your book turbo-charges your credibility as a speaker, coach, consultant, or influencer.

Adapt your book into a seminar, recycle passages in social media, and offer your audience a polished, memorable keepsake. One that synthesizes and curates your whole deal like no other medium can.

📚 Your book provides a lead magnet.

Books distinguish your brand, reinforce your credibility, and and define your approach, generating buzz, expanding clientele, and cementing your reputation as a thought leader.

📚 Your book builds your legacy among your colleagues, family, and friends.

It may sound like “vanity” reasoning, but I’ve witnessed the immense value, financial and otherwise, of publishing for smaller markets—and closer knit communities within those.

The truth is that the vast majority of all books sales occur mainly (or only) within the authors’ direct communities, or pretty close to them, often within pretty niche markets.

Far from a drawback or obstacle, this provides a powerful strategy for ROI and all-around success.

With interesting, useful books flooding every corner of every industry these days, there’s no point—or profit—in chasing some (imaginary) general audience.

Instead, write effectively to YOUR audience. If you help solve their problems—your book will prove invaluable to you, financially and otherwise.

Regardless of how many copies you sell.

It will bring your voice and your business to life, sparking your readers to:

💰 Become a loyal customer or client

💰 Subscribe to your podcast and social media channels

💰 Register for your online or in-person course

💰 Become a member of your community platform

💰 Recommend or refer you to others

So, you should write to sell books, of course.

But mainly: write to provide your specific solutions to your specific people. That’s where the real value lies.

Of course, all of this assumes an exceptionally written manuscript that deeply connects with and provides value to your readers.

For that part, you might also need a good book coach or ghostwriter.

Especially one who has forged connections across the publishing ecosystem: designers, proofreaders, publishers, agents, marketing pros, and more.

I can help with that, too.

You’ve got a book in you. Let’s get it out.