Writers Tricks of the Trade VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1 | Page 14

So, even if you do hate the idea, I’m asking you to keep reading. It’s important because many authors never make the money they spend of self-publishing back in royalties or even with back-of-the- room sales. So, I ask you read it with an open mind. You might change your mind, or you might think of way to adapt the idea to your needs and thus help assure a more profitable career as an author. And—trust me—you will discover at least one way you’ve seen backmatter ads in books for a long time—all the way back to high school. *** Ads in the backmatter of books are becoming more accepted (and more ethical), if they are focused on the book’s target audience. Not too long ago, the LA Times reported Amazon puts ads in some Kindle readers, and that they then sell them at 18% less than the ad-free device ($114.00). I figure they got that wrong. They might sell them for more because ads can enhance the perceived value of any product if the ads include a discounted offer or essential free resource for its readers. Ads in disguise have been used in literary journals and other books for years. They usually come as an order page for an item mentioned in the book or a list (subtle or not-so-subtle) of related books that might interest a reader. Your high school yearbook featured pay-for ads, but they called them “sponsors.” So, if you decide to put ads into your books, how would you do it? ~Offer ads or sponsorship in the backmatter of your book. Be sure your W INTER 2020 offer includes the ways the ad will benefit the advertiser or sponsor including how you will feature your benefactor in the social networking you’ll be doing during the launch. ~Accept only professionally produced ads. ~Accept only ads that would interest your target audience. Be prepared to refuse some with the “not quite right” phrase that literary journals use to reject submissions. ~Limit the number of ads to just a few, maybe four or five tops. ~Encourage ads that give discounts or freebies to benefit your readers. In fact, you could offer a discount on the price of the ad to those who do. ~Don’t undersell your ad, especially if you already have an extensive platform. Did I mention that when you use ads this way, your reader benefits. They learn about new resources and special discounts and those discounts may easily pay for the book your reader just bought. That would be yours! Ahem. If you are uncomfortable with this idea, start small. Start using ads only in your promotional e-books. Then move on. Eventually your readers may benefit from ads in your full-fledged, honest-to- goodness paperback or hardcover book! PS: Anyone with a product (yes, books are products!) or a service that would appeal to readers of The Frugal Book Promoter may e-mail me at: [email protected] 9 W RITERS ’ T RICKS OF THE T RADE