Best Sales Books Free Download The Fourth Monkey
Hercules Montero
This page provides lists of best-selling books and book series to date and in any language. "Best-selling" refers to the estimated number of copies sold of each book, rather than the number of books printed or currently owned. Comics and textbooks are not included in this list. The books are listed according to the highest sales estimate as reported in reliable, independent sources.
Many books lack comprehensive sales figures as book selling and reselling figures prior to the introduction of point of sale equipment was based on the estimates of book sellers, publishers or the authors themselves. For example, The Lord of the Rings as one text was recorded to have sold only 967,466 copies in the UK by 2009, but at the same time the author's estate claimed global sales figures of in excess of 150 million.[8] As such accurate figures are only available from the 1990s and in western nations such as US, UK, Canada and Australia. Further, e-books have not been included as out of copyright texts are often available freely in this format. Examples of books with claimed high sales include The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas,[9] Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes,[10] Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en[11] and The Lord of the Rings[12] (which has been sold as both a three volume series, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, as a single combined volume and as a six volume set in a slipcase) by J. R. R. Tolkien. Hence, in cases where there is too much uncertainty, they are excluded from the list.
Having sold more than 600 million copies worldwide,[13] Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling is the best-selling book series in history. The first novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, has sold in excess of 120 million copies,[14] making it one of the best-selling books of all time. As of June 2017, the series has been translated into 85 languages,[15] placing Harry Potter among history's most translated literary works. The last four books in the series consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books of all time, and the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sold roughly fifteen million copies worldwide within twenty-four hours of its release.[16][17] With twelve million books printed in the first US run, it also holds the record for the highest initial print run for any book in history.[18][19]
The Perry Rhodan series has sold more than 1 billion copies,[321] but is not listed because that figure includes magazine sales, not novels alone.[citation needed] Similarly, the Jerry Cotton series has sold over 300 million copies, but most of these were in magazine format.[322]
There is a unique way to trap monkeys in the islands of the South Seas. The natives drill a small hole in a coconut, hollow it out, and fill it with rice. When a monkey puts its hand in the coconut to get the food, it cannot remove its clenched fist. Refusing to let go of their prize, the monkeys are unable to escape.
Stop yanking at the coconut. Let go of your past and pause to ponder what you are doing and where you are going. Go back to the basics of marketing and create a plan that defines your mission, generates objectives, establishes strategies, and develops specific tactics.
Next, develop strategies that will direct your efforts to achieve your objectives. Think of your strategies as statements of the general direction you will take in each of the four areas of marketing: Product, Place, Price, and Promotion.
Place strategy. Place refers to your distribution network. There are three general channels: direct, indirect, or a combination of the two. Indirect distribution to retailers utilizes some variation of the traditional distributor/wholesaler/retailer (bookstore, supermarket, airport store, etc.) system. Alternatively, you might consider the technique of marketing directly to non-retail buyers in corporations, associations, schools, or the military. The most effective system combines both.
Pricing strategy. There are three basic pricing strategies: 1) a penetration strategy with a low price, 2) a skimming strategy with a high price, or 3) a competitive strategy, pricing your book similar to competitors.
Promotion strategy. There are four general promotional tools you can use at different times (online or offline) to accomplish your goals. These are sales promotion, publicity, advertising, and personal selling.
Product tactics. If you chose a strategy that expands your product mix, list the actions you will take to do so. For instance, is your title a candidate for eBook and printed book? Audiobook? When and how will you have them produced?
Place tactics. Plan ways to work with partners and alternate (non-bookstore) retailers to sell more of your books. Also, explore non-retail segments (businesses, associations, schools) that might purchase your book.
You should always evaluate what has worked for you in the past and try new strategies and tactics as necessary. Aim high. Set big goals that will motivate you to action. Remember, some people thought Goliath was too big to hit. David thought he was too big to miss. Whether you have a stone in your sling or your hand in a coconut, you may need to let go to succeed.
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