Are Authors Really Promoting The Benefits Of Their Books?

Many authors promote their books in simple terms – “It’s a fun read” or “You’ll learn a lot.”  They may position themselves as experts on something, but fail to highlight what one will truly gain by consuming their book.  Here’s a tip:  know the benefits your book offers and champion them.

You may think such simple advice is obvious, but if you reflect on your pitches to the media, do you notice that you undersold or completely ignored the beneficial highlights?

The first thing you must do is reduce the potential readership demographic of your book.  Something that appears to be for everyone, appeals directly to no one.  You are better off segmenting your readership rather than trying to capture everyone.  

For instance, if your book appeals to these demographics – white, middle-class, middle-aged, then say so.  If it’s for women who have kids, say so.  If it’s mainly for African Americans or people who enjoy soccer, say so.  It becomes a strength or a selling point to the class of people that you appeal to.  If you capture even a tiny percentage of a specific group, you’ll be a best-selling author or a wild success.

Second, ask yourself what the main reason would be for someone to read your book?  Will it make them think a certain way, feel something, discover a truth, feel inspired, laugh, feel empowered to act – what?  Whatever your answer to that question is, you should speak of your book only in such terms.

Third, does your book expose secrets, break news, shed light on famous people, or serve some kind of eye-opening confession?  If it’s sensational and offering a wild story, go with that.  Highlight its revelations.

Fourth, go beyond your genre and be specific.  It’s not just a business book, but about workplace management.  It’s not just a health book, but about using a special diet to treat a specific cancer.  It’s not just a novel or a romance story but one of BDSM for LGBTQ.  Again, play up the targets and present stories, headlines, and tips that bring out the real reason one would care about your book.

Fifth, once people are sold on the true, substantive benefits of the book’s contents, you next have to highlight packaging, style, and presentation.  How does the book look and feel?  Does it have images and artwork?  Is the book neatly packaged and printed on glossy paper?  Is it an e-book with extras - video, photos, and important links? Sell the way the information is presented – but only after you’ve convinced people the info is worth their time and interest.

Sixth, lastly, sell the benefits of a book by you.

You have competitors – why should the media talk to you vs. other authors, film directors, politicians, celebrities, and newsmakers?  Figure out what qualifies you to write this book and highlight the training, work experience, personal stories, or qualifying traits that you possess.

Authors have the burden of showing why one should pay attention to them.  The media operates out of a number of assumptions, biases, and limitations.  You need to overcome all of that.  

Sell the benefits of your book’s contents and presentation, as well as your background, and you’ll be in a much stronger position to secure a book review, interview, feature story, byline article, or guest-post.

Good luck!

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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.”