Promotion question . . .

[JK Lincoln]

After having a successful promotion, how soon do you use that service again?

[TimothyEllis]

After having a successful promotion, how soon do you use that service again?

Not for at least 6 months, and even then, there will be a diminishing return.

I left freebooksy alone for 2 years, and the next one was still so disappointing, they refunded me. But it was the 4th time I'd used it for that book over 4 years.

However having said that, if you can promo different books, you can do them the first time anytime.

[Bill Hiatt]

After having a successful promotion, how soon do you use that service again?

Not for at least 6 months, and even then, there will be a diminishing return.

I left freebooksy alone for 2 years, and the next one was still so disappointing, they refunded me. But it was the 4th time I'd used it for that book over 4 years.

However having said that, if you can promo different books, you can do them the first time anytime.

+1

I'm working toward having enough series and/or standalones to be able to do rotating promotions every month, though not necessarily always with the same promoter or promoters consecutively. Even with long gaps, though, your results will tend to diminish over time. Part of that is that newsletter promotions in general aren't as effective anymore, but part of it is also that you're basically playing to the same audience. Most of the newsletter subscribers who regularly check and liked your book the first time probably bought it then. So you're mostly playing to the people who have signed up for that particularly newsletter since you last used the service.

New releases can sometimes give other books, even ones in a different series, a little shot in the arm. But it's hard to promote new releases that aren't the first book in a series or a standalone, so there's that to consider also.

[Marti Talbott]

I agree with all the above. It's a waste of money if you don't have a fresh audience. I do have enough free books that meet qualifications and can rotate them. I mostly use Freebooksy. My last one through them netted nearly 3K, but that book is wide. Still, their available promotion dates are within a week to ten days. Of course, BookBub nets much higher numbers, but the sell through isn't what it used to be. It's harder to make that money back.

[alhawke]

Another thing to consider is if you're book blends genres. If you have a romance and fantasy for instance, you could consider running with a different genre (just makes sure it still fits the different genre). I do this, mixing genres, even during promos. I figure it will display to a different audience. But I still try to not promote under 3mos. 6mos or more is ideal.

BookBub is an exception. I did an unsuccessful new release promo for one book followed by BB a month later. The BB was still successful.

[Marti Talbott]

Another thing to consider is if you're book blends genres. If you have a romance and fantasy for instance, you could consider running with a different genre (just makes sure it still fits the different genre). I do this, mixing genres, even during promos. I figure it will display to a different audience. But I still try to not promote under 3mos. 6mos or more is ideal.

BookBub is an exception. I did an unsuccessful new release promo for one book followed by BB a month later. The BB was still successful.

Good tip!

[Bill Hiatt]

Another thing to consider is if you're book blends genres. If you have a romance and fantasy for instance, you could consider running with a different genre (just makes sure it still fits the different genre). I do this, mixing genres, even during promos. I figure it will display to a different audience. But I still try to not promote under 3mos. 6mos or more is ideal.

BookBub is an exception. I did an unsuccessful new release promo for one book followed by BB a month later. The BB was still successful.

It appears BookBub has a much larger audience than most similar services, so probably it would be an exception to most rules.