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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Marketing Strategy 8: Covers Sell Books, Front and Back

As an author you get inside the mind of your character if it is fiction, or teach or explain a concept well if it is non-fiction. But, have you taken the time to get inside the head of your buyer? If you haven't or don't know where to begin, start with yourself.

Go to the bookstore with a topic in mind. When you arrive look at the books that attract you. Why do they? What was it that made you stop to look? Remember these points, or if you are like me, you need to jot them down or you'll forget. By any chance was it the book cover? If you said, "Yes!" you are not alone. Many of us are attracted by a title, the illustrations on a book cover, or the color, yet once the "first-attraction" is over, we flip it to the back or open up the book and look at the book jacket copy.

A book cover may convey a thousand words... but if the words on the inside don't measure up it goes back on the shelf. An author does not have long to impress a potential customer, it is mere seconds. What is your cover story? What makes you pick up a book or purchase it? I'm curious to know.

1 comment:

  1. For me it's the title, the author and the other books the author has written (reputation), the cover and the pictures on the cover. Then the story of what it's about.

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