How To Determine The Value Of Your Book
Price vs Impact
I have found a group of self-publishing authors, who believe their book’s value is determined by the cost to purchase it. I find this group reaching out every time I share about how I do free book promotions for my books.
And there #1 argument against a free book promotion is because it devalues your book. Every time I share this promotional strategy, this is the response against it.
However, this is a weak justification for the price of a book. Just because you charge more for a book, doesn’t make it more valuable.
I have seen plenty of people charge $27 for a PDF e-book. They’re selling on Gumroad and Amazon calling it a complete guide and then I buy it and it’s an AI written basic guide to doing something, but not actually solving a problem.
Is that book worth $27?
And yet I give away some of my books which I normally charge $2.99 to $4.99 as a Kindle book and I know it can have lasting value in someone’s life when they read it.
Is the price of a book or the amount it costs to purchase it the main driver of value for the book?
No.
I believe the value of a book is found in its content and just because I give it away for free doesn’t mean that I’ve valued the content.
I value the content so much that I am willing to give a book away for free in hopes that somebody who needs it can use the content to better their lives. And, if it helps them connect to the rest of my books, all the better!
Because they will now know the value of my content and be will to pay for it with my other books. But, they may not have found my book had I not done this promotion.
Taking People’s Money over Helping People
Now, I’m not saying this group of self-publishing authors are greedy, but I think that they have placed the value of a dollar over the value of helping people.
I know that sounds harsh and maybe it is, but I really think it’s important to consider this when it comes to putting your book in someone’s hand.
I have given away thousands of copies of my books. I have received some of the kindest reviews and emails from people who read them whose lives were impacted by what I wrote.
And nearly every occasion when I receive an email from a reader after a free book promotion, they tell me how they bought the rest of my books so excited to learn more because that one free book was really helpful.
One of the reasons I do free book promotions is to put my books in people’s hands, especially people who may never have come across my work previously.
A Free Book Can Gain A Lifetime Customer
Which brings me to my final point a free book might just connect you with a lifetime customer. I have seen this in several situations when I offer a free resource or a free book on Amazon.
Shortly there after I get an email about how helpful it was and then I see that email pop up in my digital product store and pick up three or four digital products.
And then I see that email pop up on my newsletter and they start liking and commenting on my posts.
And then I find that person is now invested in my content in my books in my products, and it all started with a free book from an author. They’ve never heard it before.
The economic value to offering a free book and then getting a lifetime customer who might be willing to pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the future as far greater than that $4.99 that you refused to price drop on your Amazon Kindle books.
Final Thoughts On The Value of a Book
Ultimately, it is up to the author where the self published book. That’s the beauty of self publishing. You get to choose how you’re gonna price your book how you’re gonna promote your book.
It’s your choice and it’s my choice.
And to be 100% honest, I don’t really think there’s a right or wrong answer. I think the value of a book is determined by the goals of its author.
What is the purpose of your book? What’s the purpose to you? What’s the purpose for your reader? Does your book meet those purposes?
If so, that’s the value of your book. If you connect with your hopes and dreams for that book and it connects with its intended audience, it’s a valuable book.
It’s OK to have differing opinions on the value of a book.
But I want to encourage you to ask questions as to why someone might offer their book for free versus keep the price higher. Don’t simply assume you know that it’s a low value book because it’s being offered for free.
Perhaps the value of that book and the way that it’s being promoted, meet the goals of the author in order to help the reader.
My name is J.R. Heimbigner and I am a #1 Bestselling Author on Amazon with 18 self-published books. I have something I want to share with you:
Learn more about The Minimalist Author HQ First.
Also, this post may contain sales or affiliate links, so I might get a little kickback if you purchase anything. Thank you in advance!
We can't overlook that even a marginal book by a well known author will sell for a higher price than a fantastic book by an unknown. Visibility, marketing and reputation are important pricing variables.