Karen Bouchard here.

Are you ready to grow your email list, engage new readers, sell more books, and make your website work harder than ever for you? 

The Illumify team is ALWAYS  on the lookout for tools to help our authors write, publish, and promote their work. And we've found something pretty cool that we are recommending to all our authors.

It's a platform called Bookfunnel. Bookfunnel delivers the first chapter of your book for free to potential readers in exchange for their email addresses. The addresses are integrated automatically into your email platform (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Aweber, etc), and if you want it to, the free chapter can end with a link to buy your book on Amazon.com.

STOP RIGHT THERE. 

Did you blow through that amazing paragraph, or did you let it sink in?

Because if you want to grow your readership and sell books, you need every single thing I just described in that paragraph. 

 

FOUR THINGS YOU ABSOLUTELY GOTTA HAVE:

Here are the four things you ABSOLUTELY NEED that Bookfunnels can help you get:

1. A bigger email list. When someone gives you an email address, it implies a level of interest or committment that is a step beyond "liking" your Facebook page. Social media and email lists are two very powerful ways to nurture relationships with readers, and each offers unique benefits. You need both. And Bookfunnel makes it easy to give folks a darn good reason to give you that coveted email address.

2. New readers. Can you think of a better way to get new readers hooked on your book than getting them to read your first chapter for free? Neither can we. It's brilliant. 

3. More sales. Now take that free first chapter and add a link to buy the rest of the book on Amazon.com. (That's not a built-in Bookfunnel feature, by the way, that's a strategy we're implementing for our authors. You're welcome.)

4. A harder-working website. If you've taken my platform building workshop or had me as your book coach, you know that I drill home the idea that your website MUST contain ONE strong call to action ABOVE THE FOLD. In other words, near the top of your homepage so people don't have to scroll down to see it, you need to emphasize one single action you want your visitor to take right now. Three great actions to choose from are:

Click here to:

1. Download a free chapter
2. Buy my book
3. Join my email list

Bookfunnel is a fabulous way to add that first call to action--"Click here to download a free chapter of my book"--to your website. 

 

THREE BOOKFUNNEL EXAMPLES:

Are you ready to see Bookfunnel in action? Click on any (or all!) of the following links:

Click here to read the first chapter of Wall Street to the Well for FREE!

Click here to read the first chapter of Healing the Invisible Wounds of Trauma: A Columbine Survivor's Story for FREE!

Click here to read the first chapter of The Girl Who Walked in the Shadow of the King for FREE!

 

USE YOUR BOOKFUNNEL LINK EVERYWHERE:

Once you add your book to Bookfunnel and create a giveaway page, you can put that link lots of places. Your website, of course, but also in your email signature, direct mail, bookmarks, posters, and more. And think of the social media potential!

Here's something I posted on Facebook. And guess where that link goes? You got it. The Bookfunnel landing page. 

 

 

LET US SET UP AND MANAGE YOUR BOOKFUNNEL PAGE

We're so sold on the benefits of Bookfunnel, we're offering to set up and manage Bookfunnel pages for Illumify authors for only $199 a year. That means we will: 

• Integrate Bookfunnel with your existing email platform such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact
• Create a PDF of your first chapter and add a link so readers can purchase your book on Amazon.com
• Upload files for your book to Bookfunnel
• Design your giveaway page
• Provide you with unlimited downloads
• Provide you with pre-written social media posts that link to your Bookfunnel page
• Update your Bookfunnel giveway page as needed

If you've contracted with Illumify to publish a book and you'd like a Bookfunnel page to promote that book, email me at kbouchard@illumifymedia.com and I'll get you set up.

I'll also be taking a more indepth look at how to use Bookfunnel in an upcoming online training for Illumify authors. Strategies I'll be covering will include how to use bit.ly links and QR codes to further promote your Bookfunnel page and get more people reading the first chapter of your book for free. 

 

SET UP A FREE CONSULTATION

If you're not an Illumify author, consider becoming one! We are constantly looking for ways to add value to the experience of our authors, and to help them achieve even greater success in the marketplace.

You can schedule a no-obligation consultation with me by clicking here.

If you prefer talking to Michael Klassen, you can schedule a no-obligation consultation with him by clicking here.

 

Here's to your writing success!

Karen

Karen Bouchard

Acquisitions Editor, Illumify Media Global

Click here to schedule a free consultation 

kbouchard@illumifymedia.com