Roger C. Parker Interview:
Learn how to use your book cover to attract buyers,
sell your book, and build your brand
Roger C. Parker
"The $32 Million Author"
Roger interviews us tomorrow:
Friday, May 2, at 11:00 AM EST.
Graham and I will Roger C. Parker’s guests tomorrow, Friday, on his exclusive Published & Profitable live teleseminar interview. Roger is the bestselling "$32 Million Author.” Over 1.6 million readers own copies of his 38 books, translated into 37 languages.
Not surprisingly, Roger is as passionate about the power of books and book covers as we are.
Here is your invitation from Roger:
************************************
Meet book cover coaches and marketing consultants,
Graham Van Dixhorn and Susan Kendrick, author of the
www.BookCoverCoaching.com Blog and their special
report with complete step-by-step how to's for authors
and publishers, From Back Cover to Bestseller: How to Write
"Buy-Me-Now” Back Cover Sales Copy.
Learn how to create the book cover and back cover copy
your book needs to jump off the shelves and off your website.
The interview takes place tomorrow,
Friday, May 2, at 11:00 AM EST.
To participate in this free call, please Dial in to:
(218) 486-1616
Access Code: 513391#
I look forward to sharing this information with you.
© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc.All Rights Reserved. http://www.writetoyourmarket.com 715-634-4120
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Book Cover Coaching: Book Cover Marketing Interview, by Roger C. Parker
Monday, February 18, 2008
Book Cover Coaching: The "Squeaky Green" Book Title
The "Squeaky Green" Book Title
How a Twist on a Familiar Phrase
Created the Perfect Book Title for Method
(And how you can clean up on your book title, too!)
By Susan Kendrick
Great book titles deserve to be talked about. And, they are! A few short words in just the right combination quickly create their own kind of buzz that gets people excited and talking about "that new book." That "Ahh" and "Wow!" factor is exactly what we're after when we develop book titles and subtitles for authors and publishers. It's also what we look for and celebrate in the books we post in these articles. That's because every fresh, innovative book title you hear about puts you that much closer to developing your own bestselling titles, for your own books, ebooks, and information products.
Why Squeaky Green Works
Squeaky Green is written by co-authors Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, founders of Method, the San Francisco-based company that makes ecologically sound cleaning products. Method is featured in this month's Fast Company magazine as one of The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies. You can also learn more about Method at http://www.methodhome.com.
Lowry and Ryan's Squeaky Green is a perfect example of a powerful book cover strategy: Use a twist on a familiar phrase. This strategy works so well because it combines something already familiar to people--a well known phrase, in this case "squeaky clean"--with a fresh twist that makes it unique, memorable, and best of all, something that people now associate with you and your message. Given Method's eco-friendly "green" product line, Squeaky Green is a no-brainer. It is one of those book titles that strikes you as completely right in every way.
Here's something else you can learn from this book and these authors. Take a look at the subtitle: "The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home" comes in to clarify the content of the book and the benefit to the reader. And, unlike some books that might save the name of the company for mention on the back cover, Squeaky Green promotes the Method company right up front in this subtitle.
This does two things: 1.) It gives Method instant visibility as the company and product line behind this book. 2.) And, perhaps more importantly for market positioning, it shows that the company is as committed to consumer education and support as it is to quality products. This is just one more way this truly innovative company rises, yet again, heads and shoulders above the competition to creat a whole new playing field and then dominate it right from the start. See how you can learn from their example.
"Pre-Order This Item Today"
Or, why wait to start profiting from your book? Squeaky Green is also a good example of how to use your book cover to sell your book before the book itself is even released. You can see on Amazon that the official release date of this book is April 1, 2008. Yet the book is already available for sale, based on presence of the book cover alone. Look carefully around Amazon and you will see a lot of books in this situation.
This is why we strongly advocate developing your title, subtitle, and book cover design as soon as possible, so that your book cover can be out there marketing and selling your book, and enhancing your credibility as an author and business, while you take care of final manuscript and production details. For 13 ways your book cover can help market your book and your business, go to http://www.BookCoverMarketing.com.
How to put this Squeaky Green strategy to work for you
Any time you see or hear about a book title that really catches your attention, simply break it down and analyze why it works. Squeaky Green starts with a familiar phrase, "squeaky clean," then adds in the eco-friendly element by changing "clean" to "green." Try this with your message:
1. List as many phrases, sayings, and even cliches as you can related to your general topic. For you that may be health, nutrition, personal finance, relationships, parenting, law, property management, travel, etc. You can google famous quotations about your topic for ideas.
2. Create a list of words that describe your unique approach to the topic, including words that rhyme with the words in the first list.
3. Now start substituting words from list two into the phrases in list one.
Your brain is now likely to start making connections. For example, if you are an expert on nutrition during pregnancy, you might have the familiar phrase, "Eating for Two" in your first list. If your particular approach to the topic is nutrition during pregnancy when you are expecting twins ... you might create this new book title twist: "Eating for Three!"
It should be said right up front what anyone who has ever tried to come up with a great book title already knows: Creating book titles is both a science and an art, so serendipity and the those "ah-ha" moments are definitely part of the equation. Work hard and have fun to increase your chance of coming up with a winner. If you have questions about how to come up with the best title and subtitle for your book, please give us a call at 715-634-4120, or email us at info@WriteToYourMarket.com.
What are some of your favorite book titles?
Post your comments here to inspire your fellow authors, publishers, book marketers, and other readers of this blog!
© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.http://www.writetoyourmarket.com/715-634-4120
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Book Cover Coaching: Back Cover Copy for Online Sales
Living Proof! More Ways to Use
Your Back Cover Sales Copy
to Boost Online Sales
By Susan Kendrick
It's been awhile, I know. But, I'm back, and with another great example of how smart authors get the most selling power from their book back covers online. Take a look at this book purchase page for Leveraging Diversity by Kim Olver and Sylvester Baugh. My partner, Graham Van Dixhorn, worked with Kim and Sylvester to develop the subtitle and back cover copy for this book. On this purchase page, you see the front cover of the book . . . and this:
"Click here to read back cover of book."
This is a perfect example of how to quickly convert browsers into buyers. You are no doubt already familiar with the statistic that book buyers spend no more than 15 seconds looking at the back cover of your book. What you say back their has to make them "get it!" and want what's inside.
It's the same online
You have just seconds to make an impression before your potential buyer clicks away to another page--or someone else's website. The condensed, powerful positioning copy you painstakingly develop for your back cover already says it all and is designed to sell. Make sure you put that all-in-one elevator speech to work on your website--or anywhere you want your book to be seen AND sold.
With the added boost of your book's cover design to make your back cover "sales package" really shine, your back cover headline, positioning message, testimonials, high profile bio, call to action, and more, become an irresistible sales pitch for your reader. Use it everywhere you can.
For more ideas about how to use your book cover online, check out our article posted on November 12, 9 Ways to Create Instant Website Content with Your Book Cover.
"From Back Cover to Bestseller"
For our complete guide to writing buy-me-now back cover copy for your book, download our free special report--17 pages of proven information, advice, and how-to's. See the GREEN cover on this page or go to www.BackCoverToBestseller.com.
© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc.All Rights Reserved.http://www.writetoyourmarket.com/715-634-4120
Monday, December 24, 2007
Book Cover Coaching: The Book-Marketing Holiday Quiz
Can you answer these 10 questions?
By Susan Kendrick
It's officially the holiday! I hope all your stockings are hung and you are relaxing either by a cozy fire or on a lawn chair, depending on where you live.
Now for some fun. Here's a way to keep your book marketing savvy sharp, even as you take much-needed time to reflect and recharge.
HINT: This show aired in September 2007.
HINT: Would you dare to go to this extreme of less-is-more on your back cover?
3.) Which books are part of a series of FIVE or more books?
HINT: There are three of them.
4.) Which book title is an example of a "neologism"?
HINT: "Neologism" means a new word or expression and is the book marketing secret behind such bestselling phenomenons as Freakonomics.
5.) Which non-fiction books use their subtitles to describe specific benefits or solutions to the reader?
HINT: I count four.
6.) Which books use their subtitles to make memoir or personal experience more relevant to the reader, which by the way is one of the most challenging aspects of creating covers for these kinds of books. Do you think the ones here succeed?
HINT: I count four of these books as well.
7.) Which book uses the front cover to promote the author's TV and nationally syndicated radio shows?
HINT: This much copy could be a real mouthful on a front cover, but this book still has a clean, lean, billboard appeal.
8.) Which two book covers use quotes by other bestselling authors to help market them?
HINT: One is fiction and one is non-fiction.
HINT: There are at least 10 -- some are included as articles on this blog.
HINT: This book has just been made into a movie.
Bonus Round!
HINT: This book is available right now as a "pre-order" only. But this author is already making money on this book. Not bad! How will you use your cover to pre-sell your book?
How did you do?
If you absolutely can't find the answers, hang in there. I'll post them next time. But, right now it's time to enjoy the snow and my family. Best wishes to all of you for a relaxed and inspired holiday with those you love.
Susan
All Rights Reserved.http://www.writetoyourmarket.com
715-634-4120
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Book Cover Coaching: Price Your Book to Sell
How to Price Your Book:
Use These 3 Factors to Help You Decide
By Susan Kendrick
Pricing is one of the most important decisions you will make for your book, and one of the final decisions in the book cover process. You can determine the price based on three factors: competition, page count, and printing cost. Think of these as the three C's. Ideally, all three of these factors work together to help you arrive at a price that's best for your book.
Pricing is just one component of your book's back cover. For a complete 10-Step guide to creating your entire back cover "elevator speech" for your book, please download a complimentary copy of our easy-to-use 17-page report, "From Back Cover to Bestseller."
Competition
If your book will be shoulder to shoulder with other books on Amazon, in bookstores, catalogues, book clubs, etc., one way to decide on price is to do some comparison shopping. What is the price range for other books on your topic, for a similar audience, and of similar length? Determine the low and high end of that range, and then either price your book comfortably in the middle or slightly higher.
Price and perception of quality are closely linked, so if you charge too little, you risk undermining your book's credibility. In other words, if your book is one of the cheapest on your topic, it may be assumed that your book doesn't have as much to offer as other, competing titles. On the other hand, if you price your book at the highest end of the price range, depending on your target audience, you risk losing buyers who may not be ready to spend that much. Of course, some authors and publishers will intentionally price their books high to enhance the perception of value and exclusivity of certain titles. Knowing your competition and the buying habits of your target audience will help you find your best price fit for your market.
Page Count
The following calculations come from the website of Morgan James Publishing, whose author-friendly Entrepreneurial Publishing™ model is a great resource for self-publishing authors looking for the book marketing perks of working with a publisher. Here is the MJ breakdown of how to calculate the price of your book based on both manuscript word count and page count. They note that the price is determined in part by competing titles, and that you can increase or decrease the price of your book for competitive reasons.
Manuscript . . . . Page Count . . . . Recommended
Word Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Price Range
20,000 (or less) . . . . . 75 (or less) . . . . . . $ 8.95 - $10.95
40,000 . . . . . . . . . . . 120 . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.95 - $13.95
60,000 . . . . . . . . . . . 180 . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.95 - $16.95
80,000 . . . . . . . . . . . 240 . . . . . . . . . . . . $15.95 - $19.95
100,000 . . . . . . . . . . 300 . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.95 - $21.95
120,000 . . . . . . . . . . 360 . . . . . . . . . . . . $20.95 - $23.95
140,000 . . . . . . . . . . 420 . . . . . . . . . . . . $22.95 - $26.95
160,000 . . . . . . . . . . 580 . . . . . . . . . . . . $25.95 - $29.95
180,000 . . . . . . . . . . 540 . . . . . . . . . . . . $27.95 - $31.95
200,000 . . . . . . . . . . 600 . . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95
Printing Cost
The following section on estimated printing costs is from Dan Poynter's website:
Dan notes that for hardcover books, printing traditional hard or "case" binding runs about $1.00 extra per book.
Like so much else about your book cover, pricing is also about positioning and perception of quality. And, as you can see above, book pricing also needs to take into account production costs and other profit-loss calculations. Use the three pricing factors above to confidently decide what's right for you and your book.
Do you have questions about the book cover for your book?
Please give us a call at 715-634-4120 or email info@WriteToYourMarket.com
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Book Cover Coaching: 5 Places to Send Online Press Releases Right Now
Get the Word Out!
5 Places to Send Online Press Releases Right Now
By Susan Kendrick
(See the 5 websites and link to Entrepreneur Magazine how-to's, below.)
Sending out press releases online is just one more way to rev up your book marketing efforts, even if your book hasn't been released yet. This is because press releases are not just announcements about your book or product. Ideally they show how your message, approach, technique, process, etc. relates to currently newsworthy topics and trends.
The real goal of your press releases
The real goal of your press releases is to position yourself as an expert resource, someone with vast experience and knowledge of a particular issue or topic. You want to be someone that journalists, TV producers, and radio show hosts confidently turn to for background info, a comment, or full interview. When you describe yourself as the author of a "forthcoming book" (another good reason to finalize your book title as early as possible), you further enhance your expert status.
The thing to remember is that your press releases are not about you--they are a way to make your expertise available in a way that helps media professionals do their jobs better. This is just one more way that helping others is the best way to help yourself.
Entering the daily flow of online press release distribution should become a consistent part of your book marketing efforts, whether your book has already been released, or is still in the development stage. And, like everything you do to promote your book, view your press releases as another good way to reach out and create relationships, this time with the large number of media professionals who are always looking for reliable sources of great information.
Here are 5 ways to get out there and be seen by decision-makers online!
See a recent article in Entrepreneur magazine for tips on using each of these services. Go to http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2007/december/186532.html
(Scroll halfway down the page to the "Spread the Word" article.)
http://www.marketwire.com
http://www.pr.com
http://www.prnewswire.com
http://www.prweb.com/
© Copyright 2007, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
www.WriteToYourMarket.com
715-634-4120
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Book cover coaching: How to Turn Your Book Cover Into Instant Website Content
9 Ways to Create Instant Website Content with Your Book Cover
By Susan Kendrick
We say it again and again -- do it right, and your book cover becomes the foundation for all your book marketing efforts. With a once-and-done approach, you can go on to use your book cover sales copy anytime you need powerful, at-a-glance, "short copy" to promote your book.
Use your front and back cover text to create your:
__ Website content
__ Press releases
__ Pitch letters to the media
__ Talking points for radio interviews
__ Online catalogue copy
__ Proposals to book distributors
__ Proposals to joint venture partners
__ Speaker Materials
__ And more!
So, how exactly does this work?
One of the best things I can do for you is bring you behind the scenes to see how our clients are using the book covers we develop for them as their number-one sales and marketing tool, in this case, as website content.
Howard Bono is the author of The Money Thing Made Easy. We developed the title, subtitle, series name, front cover tagline, and back cover sales copy for Howard's book. We told Howard how he could use this copy and his cover to launch all his book marketing efforts. Howard's a great student. Look how he has used his book cover to create his book website content from the ground up.
See the dramatic "Before" version of this book!
Note: Howard's "Before" cover was one of 12 please-help-me! makeover candidates that we included in our "Live and Uncensored" Ultimate Book Cover Makeover teleseminar. To get this teleseminar--complete with visuals (in a separate PDF file), commentary from us AND one of today's leading book cover designers, please click on the "Cover that Book" Photo on this blog or Click Here. The Makeover teleseminar is Bonus #3 in this total Book Cover How-to package.
9 Ways to Instant Website Copy:
Go to www.TheEverydayMillionaire.com
1.) Book Series Name
We created the series name, "The Everyday Millionaire," for Howard. It's a large enough "umbrella" to encompass all of Howard's proposed future books, products, and services. See how Howard uses this series name as a main graphic feature on each page of his website to continually build that brand visibility.
2.) Front Cover
Brands are created by exposure, repetition, and consistency. Howard makes the most of this by showing you the front cover of his book multiple times and in multiple ways throughout his website. The front cover is on his Home, About the Author, and Books pages. Even on his video, the book is displayed on Howard's desk as the primary visual.
3.) Front Cover Tagline
We created the title and subtitle for Howard's book, then added the tagline, "Spend smart, dump your debt, and finally put some money away." You can see how well that tagline works as a main headline at the top of every page--that conversational, down-to-earth tone shows who Howard is and what makes his message different.
4.) Back Cover Sales Copy
Many people use the back cover sales copy as actual content on the website page. What Howard has done is more "Amazon-esque." On the Home page, when you put your cursor over the book's front cover, it changes to the back cover. Then on the Books page, he shows the actual front and back covers side by side, with the option below to "Click to view book cover full size."
5.) Link to Speaking
Notice the Speaking page on Howard's website. In the book's back cover bio, we mentioned that Howard also does workshops. This is an important point. Use your back cover bio to promote your other related services you offer. Then, again, use this copy to create the content on your website by creating a link to that service.
6.) Free Downloads from the book
The back cover copy also mentions in a bolded sub-headline that this book contains "Easy-to-follow forms, step-by-step summaries, and eye-opening questionnaires." Great. Can't wait to see them? Howard has included three of these worksheets as free downloads right on his Resources page. He could also make these downloads available when visitors submit their name and email, so that he can build a list of qualified prospects and stay in touch with them about special offers, his blog, new products, radio shows, teleseminars, etc.
7.) Link to main business website
One question people frequently is, "Should I put my book on my existing website or start a new website just to market the book. The answer is both. Then create links back and forth between the two sites and to your blog. You can see how well Howard does this. His book site links to his existing business website, Old West Mortgage, and blog. Both of those sites not only promote the book but, again, use it as the centerpiece of their content.
8.) Tone
Now look at the consistency of tone between Howard's book cover and website content. We had someone ask us recently during a teleseminar how to avoid "compelling words that don't overpromise ... or resorting to fear tactics or hyperbole to talk about the benefits?" In personal finance, as in any book category where you help people in their personal lives or businesses, honesty and integrity is critical. Howard's title, subtitle, tagline, and back cover copy are all examples of how to create a connection of trust with your buyer and share the benefits of what they will get from your book without in any way overpromising.
9.) Website Domain Name
We talk a lot about how to use your book title as your domain name, and that's Howard's next step. His book website is currently named for his book series name, but he is renaming it TheMoneyThing.com which is easier for people to remember and key in, especially when he talks about it on his radio show, "The Money Thing with Howard Bono." This radio show, volume discounts on larger book orders, and more are all features he is building into his new site ( still in progress).
Get Bonus #3
Again, to see Howard's "Before" cover and the rest of the Ultimate Book Cover Makeover finalists and the Ultimate Makeover Winner, it's available as Bonus #3 in our complete book cover package. Click Here to learn more.
© Copyright 2007, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc.
www.WriteToYourMarket.com
715-634-4120
