It’s no secret that when it comes to content, audio is the new king. In fact, digital audiobooks are the fastest growing segment in publishing, and the Audio Publishers Association reports that for the eighth year in a row, the audiobook market has seen revenue growth in the double-digits. These are impressive statistics, but if you’re still skeptical about jumping aboard the audio revolution, we understand. So, don’t just take our word for it – listen to Joyce Laszloffy.

Joyce is a nutrition coach, self-proclaimed “recovered sugar addict,” and as of recently, a best-selling audiobook author. In the first year of launching her I Kicked Sugar course, Joyce sold about 80 eBook PDF downloads. But, after converting the same content to audio, she sold 4,300 audiobooks in just three months. Soundwise made it easy for her to deliver and scale the course, which, in Joyce’s words, was “selling like hotcakes because people love audio.” What’s even more incredible is that she did it almost all on her own.

Wondering how you, too, can sell your audiobooks online? We spoke to Joyce recently to learn more about why she chose Soundwise, how she used Facebook Ads to market her audiobook, and her secret formula behind selling over 4,000 audiobooks online in three short months.

But First, Who is Joyce?

For nearly her whole life, Joyce Laszloffy struggled with weight, body image, and sugar addiction. That all changed five years ago, when she managed to kick sugar out of her life for good. As more and more people asked Joyce how she made the life change, she realized that sugar is a real addiction for many people. She knew then that she had to share her story. 

In May 2019, Joyce launched her website for I Kicked Sugar, a 10-module course that teaches women step-by-step how to kick sugar out of their lives. She began pushing her course to as many people as possible using grassroots marketing strategies, from promoting it through seminars at company events, to generating buzz on local news channels and in magazines. 

After selling 80 PDF downloads in the first year, Joyce knew she wanted to bring her course to the mass market. She turned to her husband, a copywriter and marketing wiz, for advice on how to grow the I Kicked Sugar community. 

His words of wisdom? Audio, audio, audio.

Why Did Joyce Choose Soundwise?

After Joyce’s husband encouraged her to tap into the audiobook trend, she recorded the entire course PDF in audio and hired a low-cost sound engineer to fine-tune the recording. Then, she was faced with a big question: How would she deliver her audiobook content?

Audible seemed like the popular answer, but Joyce knew she wanted more control over selling her product and experimenting with setting different price points. On the other hand, she didn’t want to deal with the confusing logistics of direct-to-consumer file downloads and transfers. She needed a way to deliver her audio that offered both mobile convenience and a high level of control.

Joyce’s husband found Soundwise after some internet research, and the rest is history. The app’s flexibility for publishers, mobile-friendly features, simplistic design, and affordable price point made it the perfect choice for Joyce to launch her new audio course. 

How Did She Market Her Audio Course?

Of course, having a great product is only the first step – to really sell it, you have to get the word out.

Facebook Ads were Joyce’s primary method for pushing her I Kicked Sugar audiobook. She started small: on her first day of advertising she put out roughly four ads, and walked away with a $30 profit. Although she hired an I.T. person to set up the Facebook Ads, Joyce created her own ad creative, wrote her own copy, and determined her own target audiences through researching competitors and talking to her customers. 

Now, she spends about $12,000-$14,000 per month on ads, and she recently even took her marketing to the next level by hiring a small advertising agency.

What Can We Learn From Joyce’s Story?

Joyce began her I Kicked Sugar audiobook journey with little money, and virtually no help – she just knew it was a passion that she had to pursue. Her story shows that you don’t need to be an audiobook expert or an advertising genius to be a successful audio content creator. Here are are our six key takeaways from Joyce’s story:

      1. Lead with audio

Joyce knows that her audiobook is her best offer, so she uses it to lead her Facebook Ads. She says that she frequently hears stories from women who love the convenience of being able to listen to the audiobook on the Soundwise app while they’re cleaning, mowing, driving – anytime, anywhere. 

If customers purchase the audiobook through a special Facebook ad promotion, they also have the choice to bundle it with additional PDF course books and guides – but having a killer audio offer is truly the way that Joyce gets her customers through the door. 

     2. Tap into a niche market

There are thousands of health and fitness trainers, but Joyce was able to shine by tapping into a very specific struggle: sugar addiction. Her course is about more than just weight loss, because she focuses on conquering both the mental and the physical side of food addiction. 

Having a unique angle or solving a specific problem for your target audience  will help you stand out from your competitors and get you on your way to selling more audiobooks. 

     3. Believe in what you’re selling

Joyce says that a key to her success is that her customers truly feel her heart and soul in her work. This passion is a common theme for many entrepreneurs. After all, if you don’t believe in your product, why should anyone else?

     4. Know your audience

Before selling I Kicked Sugar through Facebook Ads, Joyce spent a year working on getting to know her target ad audiences. Whether she was speaking to customers face-to-face at events or researching other ads for products her customer might buy, Joyce devoted time to understanding who she needed to target. Once she’d had enough sales, she was able to build lookalike audiences off her existing buyers. 

If you know your customer avatar, then you can write ad copy that really resonates with them. So, before you take the plunge into the world of Facebook Ad marketing for your audiobooks, make sure you spend the time really doing the research and getting to know your audience.

     5. Have great ad creative and copy

Imagine you’re scrolling through Facebook. Are you more likely to click on an advertisement with boring language and poor design, or do you only stop to look at ads that really pop? Creating professional visuals and compelling copy for your brand is key. 

Joyce’s ads are especially successful because they tell a great story. Let’s take a look at an example:

Here, Joyce walks us through a complete story arc – she begins with talking about her personal experiences, leads into the details of the course offerings, and finishes with her special offer. We also get a taste of her genuine, authentic voice, which is key for connecting with consumers. 

Joyce also noted that it helps to include the promotional price in the visuals – a limited-time offer of $14 for an awesome audio course is something that’s hard to pass up!

     6. Experiment, Experiment, Experiment

Are you going to have incredible, show-stopping sales on the very first day? Unless you’re a magician, probably not. Joyce spent time tweaking her Facebook Ads by testing out different copy, visuals, and audience categories. She also experimented with different prices for her audiobook and courses. 

Practice, as always, makes perfect. The more time you invest in your product and your marketing, the more it will pay off in the long run.

Conclusion

Joyce’s story shows that in our modern, on-the-go age, consumers are craving quality audio content. Soundwise provided Joyce with an easy way to deliver audiobooks to her audience, without having to give up control. But what made Joyce really successful was having a unique audiobook angle, a passion for her product, and expertly crafted and targeted Facebook Ads. By spending time getting to know her audience and experimenting with her ads, Joyce was able to tell a great story that convinced thousands of women to join her in their journey to kick sugar. 

Check out Joyce’s audio course, I Kicked Sugar, on Soundwise.