Wednesday, December 19, 2018

How Authors Sell Books Based On Their Level Of Uniqueness





Authors are always looking to distinguish themselves – and their books – from one another.  Consumers, the media, and bookstores need to know why you – and not the next guy.  So how will you make sure people perceive the appeal that you offer?

Depending on the number of books published in your genre, you will have to go out of your way, to a certain degree, to make sure you sound different, better, and new.  Even if you feel your competitors are not as good as you, that their books are mediocre, or that your book is so unusual, you need to show it, not just believe it.

What do consumers have to go on when buying a book?  Look at all of these touch points:

·         Physical:  Cover, title, page count, paper quality, book design, typeface
·         Price:  Is it economical or in proportion to value offered?
·         Availability:  Is it in stores, POD, easy-to-order, or delayed?
·         Reviews:  How many, by whom, saying what?
·         Content:  When skimming, what will one think of your writing style?
·         Media:  Are you generating authoritative coverage of your book?
·         Ads:  Is some ad guiding them to buy?  Why should one buy your book?
·         Testimonials: Are there third-party endorsers of note saying you’re great?

As an author you are a brand, and so you need to think about how you are to be viewed by those you need to impress. A decent book, a competent message, and a neat appearance are not enough to break through.  They are the minimum. If you don’t have a good book, can’t express yourself well, or don’t look like someone people should pay attention to you certainly are not going anywhere.

There’s no script for how to stick out but that’s exactly what you need – a plan to make yourself seem special.  So how would this play out in the real world?  Well, let’s look at the points where you can sound, look, or be different from others:

·         Your website
·         Your press release
·         What you say or do in a media interview
·         The content posted on social media by or about you
·         Public appearances, like a bookstore signing or an event.

So each step of the way, think about how you can say something catchy or memorable.  Can you make an outrageous claim or call for an investigation into something?  Do you want to lead a reform movement or declare a new era is upon us?  Do you have some hard news to share or secrets to reveal?

Does your appearance match your personality?  Do you use humor and wit appropriately?  Are there cool visuals or props to share that will get attention?  Can you pull a stunt or figure out some way of sharing your message creatively?  Think of how to be special – and then escalate from there.


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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.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.

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