# My Friday 13th experiment...follow along if you'd like!



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

It took a lot of careful planning on my part - but last week when I accidentally realized that tomorrow was Friday 13th I suddenly decided that I ought to do some sort of a big splashy promotion.

I thought about giving it a really snazzy title - like maybe - MY BIG KNEE-JERK OH-MY-GOD-IT'S-GONNA-BE-FRIDAY-13TH-PROMOTIONAL-SALE or else possibly BUY-MY-BOOKS-OR-ELSE-I'LL-CRY-ER-UM-SALE! but none of those seemed to have a ring to it.

So instead I just decided to slash my prices and then jump up and down and yell a lot. There's been a last-minute election called up here in Nova Scotia - so if I need any sort of inspiration regarding that whole jump-up-and-down-and-yell-a-lot I just need to turn on the evening news.

My publishers names are David and David - mostly, so they can tell each other apart, I think - well, I told them that I wanted to mark ALL of my big-tag e-books down to 99 cents.

(do you like that expression big-tag? I hope so on account of I just invented it)

So Tuesday they pulled the switch and jammed that 99 cent switch but I kept it soft - because I'm a great believer in sneaking up on opportunity. If opportunity is ever stupid enough to knock on my door I fully intend to sneak out the side door with a baseball and club opportunity into a state of unconsciousness - (which is next door to Kansas, or so I've been told) - and then go through opportunity's pockets for whatever loose change I can find.

Tomorrow is the big day, of course, and I have several paid-for advertising spots that will go live sometime between now and then. I'll tell you all about them as the night goes on - but I first have to go and plate up a heap of homemade spaghetti which I made last night. I'm also going to open up a beer - so this thread might get a little rowdy - and heaven help me if they call in the bouncer, Betsy the Quilter.

I'm going to share a few of the results with you so far.

Tatterdemon is the book I have given the most promotion to - but none of that promotion has gone live yet - save for a couple of Tweets from a few folks who know me and have had my e-books on their wish lists for awhile.

Wish I knew me some rich folks but most of the folks I know are stone cold broke.

Anyway - here are the rankings so far for Tatterdemon. On September 8th it was sitting at 518,224.

It has been a REALLY sucky summer, saleswise.

On September 9 it slid to 552,515. On September 10 it jumped to 43,742. 

Now you can do that with ONE sale - but I'm hoping that if it bounces high enough that the advertisements and announcements I have in place for tomorrow will take it even further.

Right now it is sitting at 46,513.

I intend to turn this thread into a blog entry after spaghetti and beer - but I wanted to share my numbers with you folks as I go. When I come back I will also let you know what advertisement I secured.

And no - I did not bag a spot in BOOKBUB. Heck, I dream about BOOKBUB - even though I know that their staff most likely pulls out my book covers on slow days just to giggle at.  

Time for spaghetti.


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## Nihilist (Aug 9, 2013)

Good luck! I'm wishing you many sales. Mmm.... spaghetti. I'm doing sausage stuffed butternut squash. Tastes like home. If I add enough whiskey.


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## ER Pierce (Jun 4, 2013)

Good Luck!


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## TRGoodman (Jul 9, 2012)

Good luck!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks, all.

The spaghetti WAS good. The beer is even better. Propeller Special Bitter - if any of you are into Nova Scotia beer.

As promised - here's a list of some of the advertising sites I have contacted. Again - this is a really hap-hazard promotion on my part - begun at the last minute in the middle of a two week stretch of long shifts at work. But I felt I had to begin to do something about the paltry sales and ratings that my books have been suffering from. This is just a beginning for me - but I want to share my experience for all of those folks out there who were commenting on the "how does a bottom-feeder keep his spirits up" thread a few days ago.

I've contacted and/or paid for advertising through - e-book lister, e-book deal of the day, bargain e-book hunter, E-book Korner Kafe and the newly announced SweetFreeBooks.

If I had more time I would have applied to a couple of heavy-duty spots - such as ENT - but that is the price I pay for being so last minute. It is a lesson I will take to heart - and I would share that with all of you indie authors who - like me - are just pooping along saleswise.

Lastly, let me tell you about DEVIL TREE and how it has been doing, saleswise.

It started out on September 8th at a ranking of 571,645. A day later it was sitting at 89,842. On September 10th it had slid back to 247,835. That's how fast rankings can change these days. Today - the last time I checked - it was sitting at 35,441.

I know full well that I need to sell a LOT more if I want to crack the top 1000 ranking - but I am hoping that it at least bumps the ranking up on the HORROR list for some of these books.

That's what I want to leave you folks with at the end of this entry. Remember that promotions - to work - must be constant and steady and well-planned. Amazon is a chess game for us under-achievers and we always have to be thinking at least three moves - or three promotions ahead.

I've got a couple of blog tours and a shared promotion and another sales promotion planned for October - and I am looking at December as well. At the same time I am trying to write new material just as fast as I can - as WELL as I can.

Indie publishing is not a game for laggards!


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## lewaters (Jun 25, 2011)

Such a great time to promote your thrillers! I'll be following along and best of luck!


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## 69959 (May 14, 2013)

Good luck! I'm curious to see how that goes for you. I've got a Reaper story which would be great for a Fri 13th or Halloween promo.


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## RJ Kennett (Jul 31, 2013)

Being a horror writer myself, I'd love to put my novel on sale on Friday the 13th... but it's one of my best days for selling, and without added promotional work, I'd likely just sell the same number for a lower price.


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## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

Good luck, Steve! Your report back should be interesting and informative. You've thrown a lot of spaghetti against the promo wall... 

"Indie publishing is not a game for laggards!  )"

Why did you have to ruin a perfectly good post with truth! I write for Laggard Press, Inc.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

EC Sheedy said:


> Good luck, Steve! Your report back should be interesting and informative. You've thrown a lot of spaghetti against the promo wall...


Nice one, EC! Sorry about dissing the laggards of the world.

How about slug-a-beds?

"Indie publishing is not a game for slug-a-beds!"


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## LovelynBettison (Aug 12, 2012)

Good luck. I can't wait to hear how it goes.


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## Eric Rasbold (Aug 27, 2013)

I was expecting a Friday the 13th curse like: "If you *don't buy this book*, bad things will happen....." 

Seriously, though. Good luck with the plan!


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## JeanneM (Mar 21, 2011)

Good luck, Steve.  You are such a good writer that you deserve attention.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

rjkennett said:


> Being a horror writer myself, I'd love to put my novel on sale on Friday the 13th... but it's one of my best days for selling, and without added promotional work, I'd likely just sell the same number for a lower price.


Well - maybe some of us Kboard horror authors ought to line up a BIG promotion for next Friday 13th - this coming December!

And RJ, listen brother - if I had a cover like that I expect I'd sell a truckload of books as well. That cover is different and unique and it DEFINITELY catches the eye. You done good with that, old son.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

This is it. Friday the 13th. I'm going to list all eleven books for information's sake - but I don't want to turn this thread into a BUY-MY-BOOK piece.

Tatterdemon - usual price $3.99 - now 99 cents
Devil Tree - usual price $3.99 - now 99 cents
Gypsy Blood - usual price $3.99 - now 99 cents
Rueful Regret - usual price $1.99 - now 99 cents
Long Horn, Big Shaggy - usual price $2.99 - now 99 cents
Bad Valentines - usual price $1.99 - now 99 cents
Roadside Ghosts - usual price $2.99 - now 99 cents
Two Fisted Nasty - usual price $2.99 - now 99 cents
Nothing To Lose - usual price $2.99 - now 99 cents
Nothing Down - usual price $2.99 - now 99 cents
Sudden Death Overtime - usual price $2.99 - now 99 cents

I will be promoting each of these books as loudly is allowed in their respective Book Bazaar threads.

The two that I am actively following haven't changed all that much.

TATTERDEMON has peaked at a ranking of 26,663 and slid to a ranking of 41,346.

DEVIL TREE is hanging in at around 44,537.

These still aren't the sort of numbers that would give me cause to run out and dance in the rain on my front lawn - but word is beginning to spread and some of my colleagues and friends have begun to share the news of the sale on their blogs and Facebook pages and their Twitter feeds.

I'll keep you all posted on how the promotion/experiment continues to go.


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## Nancy Beck (Jul 1, 2011)

Steve Vernon said:


> This is it. Friday the 13th. I'm going to list all eleven books for information's sake - but I don't want to turn this thread into a BUY-MY-BOOK piece.
> 
> I will be promoting each of these books as loudly is allowed in their respective Book Bazaar threads.
> 
> ...


Sounds like a bit of a groundswell for you (crossing fingers). Thanks for listing those free and cheap promo sites - I really appreciate it, because I'm new to the promo thing and would like to get word out on the re-launch of my first series (just got 3 new pre mades that I absolutely love).

And keep us up to date on how all of this goes - because inquiring minds want to know!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Okay - so I KNOW that she did not have to do it - but Claire Riley - the guiding hand behind the HORROR AND THRILLER MONTH Facebook group put this image up over at her Facebook page.










I'm going to use this a lot over the next few hours.

Indie-pub gurus will tell you over and over again - social networking sells e-books.

Me, I say it a little differently.

FRIENDS help you sell e-books.

(real friends help you bury bodies...)

If you want more info on the Horror and Thriller Month slide on over and say howdy. 
https://www.facebook.com/events/151001158431798/


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## CEMartin2 (May 26, 2012)

Don't forget facebook now does hashtags. I've got a freebie today that even starts with a Jason-esque sequence. i posted it on FB and Twitter as #fridaythe13


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## GWakeling (Mar 23, 2012)

Steve Vernon said:


> Okay - so I KNOW that she did not have to do it - but Claire Riley - the guiding hand behind the HORROR AND THRILLER MONTH Facebook group put this image up over at her Facebook page.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Popped on over and shared it on my page too...you never know where sales might come from.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

CEMartin2 said:


> Don't forget facebook now does hashtags. I've got a freebie today that even starts with a Jason-esque sequence. i posted it on FB and Twitter as #fridaythe13


Yup - I do KNOW that - but I keep FORGETTING to throw those hashtags into my Facebook updates.

Good to remember. ANYTHING that gets your e-book under people's noses.

And - speaking of that sort of promotion - let me tell you about one of the sites that is promoting my big sale today.

Most of the sites were set up JUST to promote ONE book at a time - so I've been concentrating on promoting TATTERDEMON which is probably the one book out of the eleven that really has the potential to go big if it ever gets noticed. That's something else you folks following along might want to remember - it's hard to find promo-sites that will readily promote a BUNCH of your e-books.

Anyway - this is a link to the listing for TATTERDEMON on E-Book Deal of the Day. It just went live and I was contacted via e-mail to let me see just how it looked. I have found that E-Book Deal of the Day handled themselves in a very professional manner - and at five dollars for the day I figure they are definitely worth looking at if you are financially inconvenienced as I am.

Here's the link!

http://ebookdealofday.com/2013/09/0-99-tatterdemon-by-steve-vernon/


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

GWakeling said:


> Popped on over and shared it on my page too...you never know where sales might come from.


And thank you kindly for the share!


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## 69959 (May 14, 2013)

Steve Vernon said:


> Well - maybe some of us Kboard horror authors ought to line up a BIG promotion for next Friday 13th - this coming December!


I'd be in for that!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Stacy Claflin said:


> I'd be in for that!


Sounds good, Stacy.

I will start a separate thread after this promotion has died down a little. Right now a second thread would just confuse things.

I'd LOVE to do this all over again with a little more promotion time and a little bit more of a budget and more company ALWAYS makes for more fun!


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## O_o (Aug 6, 2013)

I'd be interested in a Friday 13th promo too  

Got a release happening in the next week, and then I'll be writing furiously to get something else done for around December time, would be perfect to release that on a Friday 13th


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

KRGriffiths said:


> I'd be interested in a Friday 13th promo too
> 
> Got a release happening in the next week, and then I'll be writing furiously to get something else done for around December time, would be perfect to release that on a Friday 13th


You got it!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Okay - so in the middle of all of this ruthless cutthroat promotion I just tripped over this video and it choked me all up.

All of you love-grinches out there who don't believe in true love - well I have found it with my darling wife Belinda and there is somebody out there for everybody.

Love is the kindest deed that we can do for one another.


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## KerryT2012 (Dec 18, 2012)

Good luck


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Okay - so the results of the promotion continue to show up.

TATTERDEMON has managed to hit a couple of TOP 100 Lists on Amazon.

Here's the ranking.

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,393 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
    #88 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Occult
    #98 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Occult


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## dotx (Nov 4, 2010)

Steve Vernon said:


> Okay - so in the middle of all of this ruthless cutthroat promotion I just tripped over this video and it choked me all up.
> 
> All of you love-grinches out there who don't believe in true love - well I have found it with my darling wife Belinda and there is somebody out there for everybody.
> 
> Love is the kindest deed that we can do for one another.


LOVE the video.


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## Willo (May 10, 2013)

Steve Vernon said:


> Okay - so in the middle of all of this ruthless cutthroat promotion I just tripped over this video and it choked me all up.
> 
> All of you love-grinches out there who don't believe in true love - well I have found it with my darling wife Belinda and there is somebody out there for everybody.
> 
> Love is the kindest deed that we can do for one another.


*swoon*
This is just beautiful. 
Couldn't help but tear up at the end.
Yay for progress and True Love in all of its manifestations.

ETA: Congrats on hitting some of the Top 100 lists *-^


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Okay - so TATTERDEMON has climbed a little higher overnight.

#10,913 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

#73 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Occult
#84 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Occult

I'm going to leave it at the 99 cent mark for the rest of the weekend and try and try and get it mentioned on a few more locations.

Here's my latest blog entry "Explaining Amazon Rankings" with a bit more info on my take on the results.
http://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/explaining-amazon-rankings/

This whole promotion has been a real success so far. Now it will take some follow-up effort to keep my rankings climbing even higher. It's a LONG way from 10,913 to top 100 ranking.

Amazon is a little like a golf game that way. The lower the score the better!

Right now I am going to focus strictly upon TATTERDEMON. The more copies I sell of it over the next week or so - the higher the chance I have of hitting that top 100 list.

That's something else that's like golf - FOLLOW THROUGH is sooooo important!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Just to tie this up I just word back from my publisher. 

I sold over 80 books this weekend - which isn't bad at all for me. There were a few sales from my independently-published books as well.

Now - on to the next promotion!


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## Nancy Beck (Jul 1, 2011)

Fantastic, Steve. Glad it worked out so well for you!


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