Monday, April 16, 2018

Go Beyond Your Book’s Story & Your Credentials To Promote Or Sell Your Book




We all sell our books by selling ourselves.  We rely on our core strength to be front and center, to convince people to buy the book or the media to cover it.  But what’s your second or third best feature?  You’ll need to know in order to go far.

When talking about your book you might sell the contents, telling us what’s in it and why it’s unique, new, comprehensive, etc. When talking about yourself, you may highlight your credentials – pro experience, training, schooling, and personal experiences.  You might reference some good media placements, key testimonials and the timeliness or relevance of your message.  But what if the facts aren’t enough?

You may believe a story is so strong that it sells itself, or that your insights and experiences are so interesting that others should want to talk to you, but there’s something else you need to closely look at and make sure it’s strong.  It’s your appearance, energy level, creativity, and personality.

We already agreed that book content and author credentials count for a lot and they need to be clearly presented, but behind what you write or say are these other intangibles that need to be groomed and perfected. These are what really sell others to take an action step and to literally buy in.

Let’s look closely at the likeability factor. Let’s face it, people judge us all day and night.  Is she pretty?  Is she youthful?  Is that one fat, pretty or dull? Is this one cheap, ignorant, or selfish?  We look at one’s body, image, voice, scent, friendliness, level of enthusiasm, and body language to determine if we want to buy a book from them – or interview them for a story.

Take a look at your appearance.  Do you dress the part?  Is something distracting others from listening to you?  Are you in good health and decent shape?  Are you attractive?  I know this shouldn’t sound like someone going to a dating site, but people do business with those they admire or find are similar to them.  What are you showing others?

Next, and the most easily corrected area, is your energy level.  Get rest, eat right, exercise, and take vitamins, consume caffeine, or do something to give you a shot of enthusiasm and vibrancy.  People feel moved by the energy around them.

Then look at your charisma. Are you a jokester, story teller or the helpful resource? Do you listen with sympathy and empathy?  Are you a charmer?  What type of person are you putting forward?

Lastly, how creative are you in what you say and do?  Think of how you can up your game and do things differently, better.

So, as I asked earlier, do you know what it is that enthuses others to buy from you, interact with you, or cover you in the media?  Whatever your strengths are, you’ll need to play them all up.  Don’t rely on having great content or a fabulous career.  You need to go the extra mile with your looks, passion, energy levels, and personality.  Otherwise, you’re not going to be discovered or embraced the way you’d expect or hope for.

To learn your strengths and identify weaknesses, look in a mirror.  Then ask others around you with a checklist for review, on what they perceive your strengths and weaknesses to be.  Get prepared for a reality check, but don’t cry and fold into a ball.  Do something about it.  Take advantage of the critical feedback and constructive advice and build a better presentation of yourself.

Now, just one point here that needs to be emphasized.  There’s no singular standard that we each must strive for. Nor should we expect to change everything where we fall short of an ideal.  But you should acknowledge room for improvement can be made, and to do your best to be your best.  Some changes will come easily and naturally while others may never come.  That’s okay.  

One has to know their limits but such limits shouldn’t be the excuse to allow you to change nothing.



“Good words are worth much and cost little.”
-- George Herbert, Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“How strangely do we diminish a thing as soon as we try to express it in words..”
--Maurice Maeterlinck, ‘Mystic Morality’ The Treasure of the Humble (1896)

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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource

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