How to Find Readers Who Actually Want to Buy Your Book
EPISODE NINETY TWO
Are you exhausted from posting content that gets likes but zero book sales? You're not alone. Most authors are stuck in what I call "pebble marketing" - scattering their efforts everywhere and wondering why nothing's working.
Here's the truth: you don't have a follower problem, you have a targeting problem.
In this episode, I'm breaking down the exact strategy to find readers who are already looking for books like yours and are ready to buy. No more throwing content at the wall and hoping something sticks.
What you'll learn:
Why targeting "all romance readers" is killing your sales
The difference between browsers and buyers (and why you've been focusing on the wrong one)
The 3-layer system to identify your ideal buyers
Where your readers actually hang out (hint: it's probably not where other authors are)
My 5-step action plan to start attracting buyers today
Stop wasting time on vanity metrics and start building an audience that actually supports your books. Your ideal readers are out there. You just need to know how to find them.
Ready to get serious about your book marketing?
Download my FREE Book Marketing Blueprint to start building a foundation that actually works: https://jenndepaula.com/book-marketing-blueprint
Want the complete system for building a thriving author platform? Learn more about The Author Circle membership: https://jenndepaula.com/the-author-circle
Transcript
How to Find Readers Who Actually Want to Buy Your Book
Stop chasing random followers who will never buy your book.
I know you've been there. You're posting videos on TikTok, sharing on Instagram, maybe you’re even tried Substack, and you've got followers, but nobody's buying your book.
Here's the honest to goodness truth: you don't have a follower problem. You have a targeting problem.
And in this video I'm going to show you exactly how to find readers who are already looking for books like yours and are ready to buy. No more throwing content at the wall and hoping something sticks - because that never works.
So if you want to get a jumpstart on your overall book marketing plan, be sure to download my FREE Book Marketing Blueprint to help you get started building a foundation that actually works. I’ll add the link below.
When it comes to promoting a book or building an audience, most authors are doing what I call "pebble marketing." Picture this: you're standing by a lake, throwing handfuls of pebbles into the water. They will scatter everywhere, but only make tiny little points of impact.
So if I were to ask you who you write for and you say "anyone who loves to read." You're standing on the shore throwing tiny pebbles, creating tiny ripples with no lasting effect.
But when you know exactly who your ideal reader is, that's like taking a boulder and dropping it right in the center of the lake. It makes a massive impact in one spot, but the ripples reach much further than those scattered pebbles ever could.
The mistake I see authors making? They think they need to reach everyone who reads their genre. They are throwing pebbles.
When authors say, "My book is for anyone who likes romance!" "All thriller readers will love this!" "Every entrepreneur needs to read my business book!"
No. Stop. This is exactly why your marketing feels exhausting and isn't working.
When you try to talk to everyone, you're talking to no one. Your message gets diluted, your marketing budget gets scattered, and your ideal readers—the ones who would absolutely love your book—never even notice you because you’re blending into the noise.
Here's what is going to change everything: understanding that there are two completely different types of people engaging with your content.
Browsers are just window shopping. They might like your posts, even follow you, but they're not emotionally invested. They're entertainment seekers, not book buyers.
Buyers are actively looking for what your book provides. They have a specific problem they need solved, an emotion they want to feel, or a transformation they're seeking. They're not just scrolling, they're searching.
The magic happens when you stop trying to convert browsers into buyers and instead focus on attracting people who are already in buying mode.
But how do you find these ready-to-buy readers? Let me show you.
Layer 1: Identify Emotional Triggers
Your ideal readers aren't just looking for entertainment. They're seeking specific emotions and transformations. For fiction readers, they might be craving escapism from a stressful job, or they want to feel the thrill of solving a mystery alongside your protagonist. For non-fiction readers, they might be desperate for a specific solution, or they're ready to finally tackle that life change they've been putting off.
So ask yourself: What emotional state is my ideal reader in when they're most likely to buy my book? Are they frustrated? Excited? Overwhelmed? Hopeful? Target that emotion.
Layer 2: Turning Point Moments
Your buyers aren't randomly scrolling one day and deciding to purchase your book. Something triggered them to start looking. Maybe they just got promoted and need leadership skills. Maybe they're going through a breakup and need escapist fiction. Maybe they're launching a business and need marketing guidance.
These turning points—these "aha" moments—are when people become active buyers. Your job is to show up right when they're in that moment.
Layer 3: Where Buyers Actually Hang Out
Here's where most authors mess up: they assume their readers are where all the other authors are. But readers and authors don't necessarily hang out in the same places.
Your romance readers might be in Facebook groups discussing their latest book obsessions, not following author hashtags on Instagram. Your business book readers might be listening to industry podcasts or reading newsletters, not watching author TikToks.
Stop following the author crowd and start following the reader trail. This might take some research, but this is time very well spent.
You don't need to be everywhere. In fact, being everywhere is killing your results.
Pick one—maybe two—platforms where your ideal buyers actually spend time, and dominate those spaces. I'd rather see you have 100 engaged email subscribers who buy every book you release than 10,000 social media followers who never purchase anything.
Remember: social media followers are window shoppers. Email subscribers are buyers.
Here's what you're going to do right now:
Step 1: Stop thinking about "readers of my genre" and start thinking about one specific person. Give them a name, a story, a specific problem or desire that your book addresses.
Step 2: Ask yourself: What just happened in their life that made them actively search for a book like mine? That's your targeting trigger.
Step 3: Research where that specific person goes for book recommendations. Is it Goodreads? BookTok? A specific Facebook group? A podcast? Go there.
Step 4: Create content that speaks directly to their turning point moment and emotional trigger. Stop talking about your book and start talking about their problem.
Step 5: Always—and I mean always—give them a clear next step. Don't assume they know to check out your book. Tell them exactly what to do.
The difference between authors who struggle to sell books and authors who build loyal, buying audiences comes down to one thing: being specific.
If you want to take this even further and get the complete system for not just finding your ideal readers, but building a thriving author platform that consistently sells books, I'd love to invite you to join The Author Circle.
This is my book marketing membership where fiction and nonfiction authors get the step-by-step training, tools, and ongoing support to confidently grow their audience and sell more books—without the overwhelm or guesswork. Inside The Author Circle, you'll get your personalized Visibility Plan, learn how to expand beyond social media, and join a community of authors who are actually making this work.
You can learn more about The Author Circle in the link below.
And if this video helped you realize you've been targeting wrong, drop a comment and tell me one specific thing you're going to change about your approach. I read every comment and love hearing about your breakthroughs.
Remember: you don't need more readers, you need the right readers. And now you know exactly how to find them.