One of the advantages of Self-Publishing your physical book using Print-On-Demand technology, is that you spend very little to get it in print, and then get to buy it as the author, at the cost price.
This gives you good margin to play with in selling the books.
For example I recently sent a client I helped ghost-write and publish his book the following message, based on the above:
You can buy your books at your author cost price of $3 US dollars, instead of the $10 US dollars selling price!
That means you only need $60 US dollars, instead of $200 US dollars, to get the 20 copies you now want.
But you must add the shipping cost to it – and that has to be checked online at the payment processor. It probably won’t be much different from the $56 or so that they charged for the last order.
So you should be looking at spending $60 + $56 = $120 USD minimum to say $130 or worst case $140 USD, depending on what they charge to ship the 20 copies.
Note however that you also have to factor in the charge for the payment processing platform you use. If I recall correctly, Paypal charges 5% of total payment you make, which is not much of course.
Whatever happens, you will still make major savings, and that low price of $3 USD per book will enable you sell at more attractive prices.
The above is already attractive, but you can get even more…
For instance, by the time you take advantage of bulk discount options often on offer, from publishers like Lulu.com, the margins you enjoy can ramp up in an even nicer way!
Having said the above, rather than sell your books directly, you can make even more money and marketing impact simultaneously, by organizing a learning event to educate people who fit the target audience profile of your book.
It could be a FREE or paid lecture, workshop, or seminar.
Personally I prefer using a FREE or low priced learning event, which interested persons can gain access to by buying the book at a price below the selling price, but above the cost price you purchased bulk copies as the author.
The advert or promo for the event would offer the book at a reduced price, to all those who register to attend. They would have to make payment for their copies before the event, and then come on the d-day with any questions they have, which you would then answer, after your short presentation based on the book.
You would end by mentioning services you provide…
From there some could even hire you to consult for them.
To boost the marketing impact and create more awareness, you could give free invitations to journalists from media houses to attend.
If they like what they see or hear, they would broadcast in their media – but you would not have to pay them.
The planning for this must be done right though, and you could even hold it at regular intervals, say monthly, at different locations, to create awareness.
I used this to sell my books in the past. It works.
I call it Public Speaking for Business Marketing (PSfBM). It is a better way to sell your book. It helps you kill more than 1 bird with only 1 stone.