How do you make money with your book without relying on royalties?
You make money with your book by using it as a client and opportunity engine, not as the product. The fastest path is to connect your book to a higher-ticket offer, then deploy it through direct outreach, speaking, webinars, funnels, and content channels that attract qualified buyers. Royalties are a bonus, but the real leverage is what your book unlocks.
It is also worth being honest about the landscape. Self-publishing volume continues to rise, and Bowker data reported by Publishers Weekly shows self-published titles with ISBNs topped 2.6 million in 2023. That means attention is the scarce resource, not the ability to publish.
Source: Publishers Weekly on Bowker self-publishing output
This is why we teach authors to build monetization around outcomes, not book sales alone. Here are 12 practical ways to do it, modeled on strategies that business authors use to turn a book into revenue, visibility, and qualified conversations.
Start with the two foundations that make every tactic work
Foundation 1: Your book needs a next step
The most profitable books do not end with “the end.” They lead to an offer: coaching, consulting, services, speaking, workshops, implementation, or a done-for-you solution. This is the simplest business math in publishing: your book is the trust builder, your offer is the profit center.
Foundation 2: Pick one channel and run it for 90 days
Most authors fail by doing everything once. Momentum is earned through repetition. Choose one of the 12 methods below and commit to it for 90 days. You will get better at the message, the follow-up, and the conversion points, and the compounding effect is where the revenue shows up.
1) Send your book to past clients, current clients, and warm prospects
This is the highest-ROI “boring” tactic. Build a list of past clients, current clients, and recent prospects. Mail the book with a short, human note. If the relationship is strong, add a sticky note pointing to a relevant chapter.
Physical mail still performs because it is rare. Industry reporting citing the Data & Marketing Association response-rate research often places direct mail response rates in the low single digits, which is high compared to many digital channels. Example summary and benchmarks.
2) Use your book to get speaking engagements
Event organizers receive hundreds of pitches. Very few receive a book. Send your book to 50 to 100 highly aligned events, associations, or companies with a one-page speaking sheet inside. Follow up with a relationship-building call.
Your goal is not to “close” on the first call. Your goal is to become the obvious expert for a future slot.
3) Turn your book into a webinar that sells
If your title and subtitle already promise an outcome, you have a webinar topic. Teach for 45 to 60 minutes, then present your offer in the final segment. Webinars remain a mainstream lead and sales channel for professional services and B2B education. If you want benchmarks, start with platform and industry benchmark reports from webinar providers and research firms.
Webinar benchmarks report (ON24)
4) Create a workbook from your book
A workbook is the simplest “value ladder” product because you have already done the thinking. Convert chapters into exercises, checklists, and fill-in prompts. Sell it as an upsell, bundle it, or use it as a paid companion for workshops.
5) Build a course from your book, then add coaching
Courses let you expand beyond the page. The book becomes the framework, the course becomes the implementation. You can price a course in the hundreds to low thousands, then add group coaching for a higher ticket tier.
6) Turn a chapter into a lead magnet
You do not need to give away the whole book. One chapter can become a checklist, template, or “quick-start” PDF. The goal is simple: earn an opt-in so you can follow up with value, stories, and invitations to your next step.
7) Sell direct with a book funnel and capture customer data
If Amazon is the only place you sell, you do not own the customer relationship. When you sell direct, you capture buyer information and can nurture a real audience. You can still sell on Amazon for discoverability, but direct sales are where the business gets built.
If you are publishing through Amazon KDP, understand how royalties and printing costs work so you can price intelligently. Start with Amazon’s own KDP royalty documentation. KDP paperback royalty guidance.
8) Create a community around your book
A book club group, a private community, or a guided “read and implement” cohort can convert readers into engaged prospects. You can run it free for reach or paid for commitment. The profit comes from engagement and continuation into your core offer.
9) Launch a podcast from your book’s themes
A podcast turns your book into an ongoing conversation. Use each chapter as an episode prompt. Interview practitioners, clients, or peers. The podcast builds trust at scale, and your book gives the show instant positioning.
10) Build a YouTube channel and repurpose into shorts and reels
Video is a compounding asset because it can be repurposed everywhere. If you can record one clear 8 to 10 minute video per week, you can generate shorts, reels, and audio extracts for podcasts. Video marketing remains widely adopted and consistently reported as delivering strong ROI by marketers. See Wyzowl’s annual video marketing stats.
11) Run a multi-day challenge or workshop
Challenges create fast trust because people see you teach and facilitate results in real time. Teach from the book for 5 to 10 days. Make the offer after you have delivered real value and momentum. Add a VIP tier for higher engagement and a stronger buyer signal.
12) Use your book in networking and local opportunities
If you attend local events, do not bring business cards only. Bring books. A signed book is a credibility object. If you run out, collect names and ship books later. The key is not the giveaway, it is the qualified follow-up.
Can authors make 100K a year?
Yes, authors can make $100K a year, but the most reliable route is usually not royalties alone. According to Best Seller Publishing, the authors who reach that level treat the book as a business development asset: it drives leads into a premium offer, speaking, workshops, consulting retainers, or a productized service. Royalties can help, but most authors hit $100K faster by monetizing outcomes and relationships the book creates.
A simple way to choose your best monetization path
- If you already have clients: start with mailing books to past and current clients.
- If you are a strong presenter: start with speaking or a webinar.
- If you want scalable audience: start with YouTube or a podcast.
- If you want predictable leads: start with a book funnel and direct sales.
If you do one method consistently for 90 days, you will have real data, real feedback, and real pipeline. That is when the book stops being a project and becomes an engine.
Learn more about our publishing process here: Publishing Services, and how our approach is designed to build authority and revenue: About Best Seller Publishing.
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