Congratulations. You added ‘author’ to your list of bonafides. Despite marketing and promoting your paperback or e-book, it’s being ignored. What to do?

Just add audio.

Audiobooks are one of the strongest ways to hook readers. In the last decade, audiobook have enjoyed double-digit increases each year.

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Audio books are infinitely portable. You can load a library full onto your tablet or phone and listen in your car, plane, train, or bus. Yes, Audio books are great if you’re on the go. Or like podcasts, you can listen to books while you perform tasks around the house. Occasionally, I like to plug in the earbuds and listen at the beach. So, as an author, you have a captive audience.

And as they say, there’s gold in them thar hills. As of last year, the audiobook industry was worth over 5.3billion dollars. The compound annual growth rate is expected to expand over 26.3 percent between now and 2030.

But wait. There’s more. 

Authors can earn more profit by adding an audio component to their book, which in turn, creates new sales channels.  Often, the cost to publish an audio is lower than publishing the physical copy, so you profit even more from audiobook sales.

And really, are you going to say ‘no’ to more money?

There’s a bigger audience.

Because of the way we consume audiobooks, you reach a unique audience. As previously mentioned, there’s the convenience factor.  People listen while they drive or work around the house.

Authors who create e-books with no print release can alienate their audience. Adding audiobooks can double your readership, since there are people who only read physical books and those who listen to audio.  Happily, many readers do both.

Audiobooks are always in stock and don’t cost to inventory.

Unlike physical books, you’ll always find a copy of a digital book. It’s available with the touch of a button or download from your local library website. (This is another story, for another time). 

Another win for the newly minted author. Self-published authors often buy copies of their own books and resell them to make a profit. An audiobook is a front-loaded expense you can sell hundreds or thousands of times without taken on more expenses. 

Give your story new life.

Having your book narrated can breathe a new vibrance to your story. If it’s a work of fiction, your characters may feel more alive to your readers, your plot more impactful. If you write nonfiction or self-help, voice over narration imbues more passion and meaning to your words than readers may experience from the page.

If you find the right narrator to capture the emotions behind your story, your book will become a completely different experience for your readers.

Brandish your reputation.

Since you reach more people when you find new ways to publish, readers will appreciate how flexible you are to meet your audience where they are and make your work more accessible.

The more ways you provide readers to consume your work, the more likely you are to grow a bigger following. Releasing an audiobook, not only enhances your reputation with your readers, but your credibility within the industry will as well.

So, what are you waiting for?

Audiobooks open a world of potential. Whatever publisher you choose to work with, whether you write nonfiction, business-oriented advice, or fictional stories, having an audiobook to accompany your print and digital copies opens doors to new audiences. You’ll capture more readers in more ways with an audiobook and recoup what you pay up front to produce it.  Another bonus: Audiobooks provide an inventory-free way to deliver your story and often generates passive income for writers and business professionals. 

There’s only one thing more rewarding that publishing your book. And that’s producing an audiobook. Ready to take the leap?

Let’s talk.