017 | Who Owns Your Reader?

Marketing your book isn’t only about ads, email lists, websites, and social media. In the latest episode of Christian Author 2.0, Jeremy makes the case for another essential: sales channels.

The conversation begins with a question from a GospelWise Author member about selling books to institutions such as nature centers, schools, and independent bookstores. That question prompted Jeremy to add sales channels as the tenth essential in the GospelWise Author Marketing Essentials Toolbox. Listen to the episode starting at 01:49.

5 keys you’ll learn

1. Marketing creates desire, while sales channels put the book where readers can buy it. Traditional publishers treat these as separate responsibilities, but independent authors often need to handle both sides themselves. Jeremy explains the distinction at 05:37.
2. Online bookstores are only the starting point. You’ll learn how Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle Unlimited, and wide distribution through platforms such as Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and libraries differ. Jeremy breaks down the choice at 08:04.
3. Going exclusive with Kindle Unlimited is a business decision, not an automatic default. Wide distribution can open access to readers and institutions that can’t order electronic books available only through Amazon. Jeremy shares his own experience with institutional borrows and sales at 11:09.
4. A direct store can give you both the sale and the reader relationship. Platforms such as Shopify, Wix, Gumroad, and WordPress can help you sell directly, while tools such as BookFunnel and IngramSpark support digital and physical fulfillment. Jeremy covers the setup at 12:09.
5. Kickstarter can function as both a pre-release buzz generator and a completed sales channel. Instead of treating a campaign like a way to fund every publishing expense, Jeremy recommends using it to sell directly to readers before releasing the book more widely. Hear the strategy at 20:58.

Fun fact from the episode

According to Jeremy, independent authors often run Kickstarter campaigns for about nine days, launching on a Tuesday and ending on a Thursday. Campaigns can also begin with an ask as low as $150, rather than the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars often associated with Kickstarter projects. Find that detail at 22:18.

Outtro

The best sales channel isn’t necessarily the biggest one. It’s the channel that fits your readers, your available time, and your current season of life.

As Jeremy puts it, “Amazon gives you a sale and no relationship,” while a direct store can provide both. That distinction may change how you think about connecting your books to readers. Listen to the full episode at 15:19.

Take the next step

Listen to the new episode, then review your own sales channels. Are you choosing them intentionally, or simply uploading wherever it’s easiest?

For the full GospelWise Author Marketing Essentials Toolbox Workshop, including all 10 marketing tools, visit gospelwiseauthor.com/marketing.