Giving Away Free Ebook Version as Promotional Tool to Sell More Books

More authors are choosing to give away a copy or portion of their books in ebook form as a promotional tool.

Reasons may include:

• to get readers interested in their books on the backlist
• to encourage them to tell their friends (who will soon have to purchase it)
• create buzz
• create a mailing list for other products such as coaching packages

Have you done or considered it?

Consider this post "They Called Him Mad at the Academy, but the Promotion Will Live!" in the Publisher's Weekly web site.

This unknown author...

• sold out a signed Limited Edition of 750 copies priced at $75 each in less than 24 hours

• sold more preorders for the $19.99 trade hardcover edition than we’ve sold for any book not written by Stephen King in our 22 yrs in business

• More than 10,000 readers downloaded the book for free during the first two weeks alone, and sales strongly back-up our decision to try
  this “crazy” idea to promote the book. [PW source]

I am curious if others have pursued this. I am in the process of putting together an ebook of tips from the experts as a free download for those participating in National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. This is to spread the word about the campaign, give them an item of value that costs us very little, build relationships with both readers and participant writers and build our mailing list.

I'd love to hear your ideas!