How to turn your small business ebook into a bestseller on Amazon

You don’t need to spend big bucks to find out how to become an Amazon bestseller. When you write and publish an ebook for your small business, you can use that ebook to run an ‘Amazon bestseller campaign’, in an effort to get that coveted ‘Amazon bestseller’ logo added to your book cover.

If you want to do an Amazon bestseller campaign, there’s a little bit of planning involved to give you the best chance of success. You must think about this early on before your ebook is uploaded; that way you can plan exactly when you want to do it, and if you are getting help from a third party (a self-publishing or marketing company) you can start planning it with them.

SO HERE IS THE STRATEGY YOU SHOULD USE:

1. Try to list your ebook in a category that doesn’t have a lot of ebooks to compete against. For example, the marketing category will have more ebooks than the train set category (your ebook will need to be about train sets though if you want that exclusive category).
2. You will need to encourage people to purchase your ebook at around the same time. So, choose a set timeframe: it is best to aim for getting as many people as possible to purchase your ebook on the same day, and within the same hour is even better.
3. Tell everyone you know; post it on social media, ring your mum, email your mailing list, call in those favours.
4. Reduce the ebook price for your chosen timeframe, to encourage people to buy. Drop your ebook price a few days before starting your special offer. Note that it can take up to 10 days for Amazon to change the price (although, in our experience, they usually do it in 24 to 48 hours). If someone else is managing your ebook, make sure you tell them when you want the price dropped (and which day it should be returned to the original price).
5. Remember to remind people to purchase your ebook in your chosen timeframe. Remind them again close to your date or time.
6. On your chosen day, watch the bestseller lists on Amazon for the category or categories your ebook is in. If you have told people a particular time to buy your ebook, then that should be the time you keep an eye on the site. Amazon updates the bestseller lists about every hour or two, so if your ebook gets enough sales in that timeframe then you’re an Amazon bestseller – congratulations!

If your ebook does make the Amazon bestseller list, make sure you take a screenshot while your ebook is listed. You can then use this as a promotional tool, plus you can show it to your English teacher at the next school reunion.

Many of our authors have achieved Amazon bestseller status with this approach. Just plan for it and then promote the hell out of it. Good luck!