When most folks think about sales, they imagine piles of cash rolling in every day. While sales can certainly be like that, the truth is that money doesn’t always roll in. This is especially true when you aren’t familiar with the sales cycle of books.
In this article, we are going to explore the sales cycles of books. In particular, you’ll find that book sales tend to fluctuate over time. Therefore, you won’t always have the same amount of money coming in every month. That is why understanding the sales cycle of a book will help you mitigate such fluctuations.
A Book’s Lifespan
Most books have lifespans, that is, they are born, grow, sell, and then fizzle out. A lifespan can be longer or shorter depending on the book’s topic, quality, and relevance. So-called “evergreen” topics have longer lifespans due to their relevance. However, certain types of books may fizzle out within a few weeks. Consequently, you need to know how to anticipate your book’s lifespan. Experience is the best way you can learn to anticipate a book’s lifespan. As you gain more and more experience, you will find that figuring out how long a book will generate income becomes easier.
It’s a Numbers Game
Highly successful authors and publishers realize that it’s a numbers game. In other words, the more books you publish, the more income you generate. It boils down to that. You cannot reasonably expect to make a consistent income if you don’t keep up a specific tempo. For example, if you publish one book per month, you can expect a certain amount of income. However, you’ll most likely generate sales early in the month and then see your income decrease by the end of the month. This is why publishing consistently will enable you to max out your earning potential.
Beware of Expectations
Expectations can be a real killer if you’re not careful. Mainly, if you are unable to manage your expectations, you will soon find yourself struggling to keep up with your goals. Sure, we would all like to make a comfortable living from publishing. However, that might not be the case in the early going. Therefore, you need to have reasonable expectations. As you gain more and more experience, you can ramp up your expectations. Ultimately, you will be able to reach the lofty ambitions you wish to achieve.
Don’t Be Afraid of Failure
Failure is a natural part of the process. If you are afraid of failing, you will never achieve much.
Why?
Well, fear will always hold you back. Fear will keep you from truly spreading your wings. Of course, no one wants to fail. But even the most successful individuals have a few flops on their resume. So, don’t be afraid to flop. If anything, a flop here or there will serve as a learning experience. In the end, you will be certain of what works and what doesn’t. The best piece of advice you can take to heart is to give it a go. You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try!
