Question on promoting Volume 2 of essays (alternative healing--shamans, etc.)

[lorio]

A week or so ago, I published a follow-up to a book I published a few years ago. These are essays of my experience with alternative healing after the meds stopped working.) The new one is Volume 2. (I tried to create a signature for Volume 1, but it didn't work out. I'll fix another time.)

I'm setting up promos for Volume 1 in a couple weeks (making it free) and hoping people will hit the link to Volume 2. Do you think I should be promoting Volume 2 as well to take advantage of it being an Amazon New Release?

I see in promos I get that sometimes people promote Book 4 or whatever of their series. Are they appealing to their existing fans of the series and also hoping potential readers will check out Book 1, which might be permafree?

I published a psychological thriller trilogy under another pen name last summer and promoted only Book 1, so my experience is limited.

I've got a Robin Reads set up. Waiting to hear from ENT. Then I'll get a Freebooksy (and possibly a Bargain Booksy if I go with promoting Volume 2 at a price.)

I sure would appreciate any advice.

[Bill Hiatt]

It's hard to promote volumes following 1. Some promoters won't even take later books.

That said, I had some luck promoting books 1 and 2 of a series together when 2 was first released just a couple of months ago. Most promoters were willing to pick up 2 because I was also advertising 1, though normally the ads ran on different days. 1 sold more than 2, but 2 got a significant number of sales. However, that was urban fantasy. Nonfiction may be a different ball game. On the hand, would it be relatively easy to read book 2 as a standalone in such a case? If so, that's another argument for promoting 2 as well.

[lorio]

Thank you so much for your thoughts.

From past experience, I won't make much money on these books so I think I'll cut my losses and just go with promoting Volume 1 at this time.

Then it's back writing the psychological thriller books. They're the only ones I ever made a little money from (when heavily promoted).

Thanks again.