Author: SMBS Team

Episode 393- BookTok, Vella Warriors, and Fake Reviews

Posted on by SMBS Team

Are you on TikTok, and if not, have you simply not gotten around to it or is there a reason you’ve decided to pass?

This week we have a great show in store for you! Today kicks off The 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge, its not too late to register! Claire also has a refresh of her free 5-Day Indie Author Alignment Course which will now be called Indie Author Supercharge. You can find the link to both of these in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Jon Auerbach. This weeks Honorable Mention is Serial Successes. Top Tips of the week include how to be where your readers are, what are the best tools for writing on the go, and how to hook a reader onto your series to sell more books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to utilize Tik-Tok to sell your books, why you should be using deeper keywords, what is being done about the fake Amazon Review scam, why audiobook authors need your help, and what you can do to support your fellow author. Question of the Week: Are you on TikTok, and if not, have you simply not gotten around to it or is there a reason you’ve decided to pass? read more

Episode 392 – Self-promotion, Email Woes, and Offloading Ads

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What tip or takeaway from this week’s show are you going to add to your to-do list for the week and why?

This week we have a great show in store for you! Wednesday, October 13th kicks off The 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge, register now! Claire also has a refresh of her free 5-Day Indie Author Alignment Course which will now be called Indie Author Supercharge. You can find the link to both of these in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Rebecca Carter. This weeks Honorable Mention is Print and Ebook, all in one place. Top Tips of the week include how to dress up your book page, where to find helpful email prompts, and how to promo without self-promo. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why email serial is most likely still dead, how Bookbub Ads are changing due to Apple, why to consider hiring someone to run Facebook ads for you, what new book formatting tool is making big promises, and why writing connected series sells more books. Question of the Week: What tip or takeaway from this week’s show are you going to add to your to-do list for the week and why? read more

Episode 391 – Going Wide, Hardcovers For All, and Kickstarter for Authors (with Erin Wright)

Posted on by SMBS Team

If you’ve considered going wide, what’s currently holding you back? If you ARE wide, what’s one of the reasons you decided to go wide?

This week we dive deep into going wide with western contemporary romance author Erin Wright. Erin is also one of the co-founders of the Facebook group Wide for the Win. Be sure to check out her link in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Stephen Wholesome. This weeks Honorable Mention is Three Formats, One Dashboard. Top Tips of the week include how to manage your beta readers, what are the best tools to format your books, and how to train your brain to write more. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how PublishDrive is making things easier on authors, what wide authors can use to help finance book projects, what’s new with the audiobook market, how Trad Pub is defeating ebook pirates, the latest on KDP’s worst-kept hardcover secret, and why most author advice isn’t right for authors selling wide. Question of the Week: If you’ve considered going wide, what’s currently holding you back? If you ARE wide, what’s one of the reasons you decided to go wide?. read more

Episode 390- QR Codes, B&N FTW, and All-You-Can-Read

Posted on by SMBS Team

If you’re an Audible Plus subscriber, what do you think of the service, and what opportunities do you see for authors who put their books into it?

This week Claire is joined by author Lindsey Pogue. We will link her website in the show notes as well as Claire’s mega sale. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Elle Clouse. Top Tips of the week include how to get others to blurb your book, what a QR code can do for your books, and why its important to embrace marketing as an author. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include where to get great writing craft training for free, why Disney needs a wake up call from the author community, how B&N is making a comeback, how Audible is expanding and why Trad Pub will be suffering from a print book slow down this holiday season. Question of the Week: If you’re an Audible Plus subscriber, what do you think of the service, and what opportunities do you see for authors who put their books into it? read more

Episode 389 – Nabbing Reviews, Accessibility, and Indies Supporting Indies

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What is a way you can support your fellow indie author between now and the end of the year?

This week we have a great show in store for you. Be sure to check out Bryan’s Book Multiplier Webinar and Claire’s 5-day course, the links will be provided in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Patrick O’Donnell. Top Tips of the week include how to help readers review quickly, why a more accessible site will sell more books, and when to consider using a pen name. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how Susan Darlene Faw is using her indie bookstore to help other authors, what is going on with Amazon and the Big 5, how to make six figures with kids books, how to spot a suspicious hybrid publisher and how to save money while publishing. Question of the Week: What is a way you can support your fellow indie author between now and the end of the year? read more

Episode 388- Series Perks, Masterminds, and Holiday Planning

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What is one thing you would like to set up in advance to promote your books this coming holiday season?

This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Amy Martinsen. Top Tips of the week include how to maximize your book revenue, how to start your own author mastermind, and when is a good time to get new covers for your books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include who is bringing back in-app ebook purchases, how KU is allowing readers more books at once, how to plan ahead for your holiday promos, what is the new reporting metrics in your KDP Reports Beta and how to hit best seller status. Question of the Week: What is one thing you would like to set up in advance to promote your books this coming holiday season? read more

Episode 387- Stacked Launches, the Blehs, and Taking Back Your Rights

Posted on by SMBS Team

If you knew it was guaranteed to succeed the way you’d planned, what one thing would you add to your next book launch, and why?

This week we have a great show in store for you Check out Bryan’s Q&A Session at the link in the show notes! Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Andrew Chamberlain. Top Tips of the week include what makes up an author platform, how to get your rights back and use them, and what is the value of a good blurb. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what lawsuits have begun, how stacking promos can help your book launch, what are the new ad bid strategies on Amazon, what is happening between KDP and Ingram and how to write when you are not feeling it. Question of the Week: If you knew it was guaranteed to succeed the way you’d planned, what one thing would you add to your next book launch, and why? read more

Episode 386 – Author Swaps, Training Readers, and Post-Death Ghost Writers

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What do you think about the concept of ghost writers working with your characters after you own death? Good? Bad? Indifferent?

This week Bryan is joined by Dale L. Roberts who is an accomplished indie author and host of Self-Publishing with Dale on YouTube. The link to his channel is in the show notes so be sure to check it out! Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Jay S. Willis. Our Honorable Mention is Will The Real Ghost Writer Please Stand Up! Top Tips of the week include how to get more reviews, how to make the most of your personal writing retreat, and how to get your readers to open your emails. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why you might need to rethink your Amazon Ad strategy, why Patreon is under threat, how to get readers to open your emails, how Facebook ads are shifting and why you should try swapping with like-minded authors to find new readers. Question of the Week: What do you think about the concept of ghost writers working with your characters after you own death? Good? Bad? Indifferent? read more

Episode 385- Staying Focused, Author Learning, and Goodreads Ransoms

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In the next 3 months of your business, what is the project that you’re most excited about?

We have a great show in store for you this week! Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Sara Prow Blackard. Top Tips of the week include what books you need to jumpstart your indie author career, why these marketing strategies just won’t work, and how to stop temptation and start writing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how you can maximize your hourly rate, why readers are willing to buy wider, what’s selling on Kobo Plus in Canada, why Goodreads is in the news for regular people not just authors and why Apple’s new email privacy isn’t such a big deal. Question of the Week: In the next 3 months of your business, what is the project that you’re most excited about? read more

Episode 384- ARC Teams, Original Content, and Business Brains

Posted on by SMBS Team

Where have you found your ARC team members, what have you offered people to get them on your main list (no review incentives!), and what are some of your wins and challenges been throughout the ARC team-building process?

We have a great show in store for you this week! Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Check out Claire’s YouTube channel for a new video every Friday! You can find the link in the show notes. The winner this week is Hildie McQueen. Top Tips of the week include how an ARC Review Team can help you sell books sooner, why you may need to prove yourself to Amazon, and what an email welcome sequence can do for you. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why newer is better when it comes to publishing, how the MFA can improve the author business, what Youtube thinks of audiobooks, how scammers are using authors names to sell books and what BookFunnel is doing for your author support team. Question of the Week: Where have you found your ARC team members, what have you offered people to get them on your main list (no review incentives!), and what are some of your wins and challenges been throughout the ARC team-building process? read more