5 Reasons to Write Your Back Cover Copy While You're Still Writing Your Book--part 5

#5. Turn your Book Cover into a Speaker One Sheet

By Susan Kendrick

Here it is, the fifth and final post in our 5-part series. Enjoy!

Books and speaking have always helped each other: Being an author improves your ability to get speaking engagements, and speaking increases your ability to sell and pre-sell your books. Here's how to take that relationship one step further and use your book cover copy and design to create your speaker one sheet.

Start with your Book Title and Subtitle
If you are currently a speaker or want to start speaking on the same topic as your book, you can use your book’s title and subtitle as the topic title and subtitle for your one sheet. Doing so helps you build a consistent brand for your message and your expertise—as both as an author and speaker.

If you will be speaking to a more tightly targeted group or situation, you can add that identifier to the title. You can even create a series of presentations targeted to different audience needs or circumstances. For example, a book titled “Top 10 Leadership Secrets” can become more tightly niched speaking topics:

- “Top 10 Leadership Secrets--for a Down Economy”
- “Top 10 Leadership Secrets--for IT Managers”
- “Top 10 Leadership Secrets--for Keeping Your Most Talented Employees”
- Etc.

Now, Borrow Your Book’s Back Cover Copy
For non-fiction books, the copy components you should have on your back cover are similar to those that belong on your speaker one sheet. One thing to keep in mind is that your back cover copy is usually written as a one-on-one conversation with your potential reader. Your one sheet copy, on the other hand, is directed to meeting planners and other decision-makers that will hire you based on what you can do for their audiences and how that will ultimately help those companies and organizations.

See how the following copy elements from your back cover translate onto your one sheet:

- A headline that immediately speaks to some hot-spot need, dilemma, question, statistic, or desire for improvement
- Stand-out-from-the-crowd positioning copy that shows why you and your message are the solution your potential clients are looking for
- Powerhouse bullet points that tell what the audience will take away from your presentation
- Killer endorsements. If you are just starting out and don’t yet have endorsements specifically about your speaking, you can usually get permission from your sources to tweak their book quotes so that they speak not just to your book, but to your overall expertise on your topic
- A high-profile bio that reinforces your credibility, expert status, and related services

To complete your one sheet, now add these elements to your copy:

- “Short List” of High–Profile Clients
Like testimonials, this list speaks to your credibility by showing who else has already made use of your expertise and services. Again, if you are just getting started in speaking, this list can represent companies and organizations for whom you have provided consulting or training. Many new speakers will even offer to speak at well-known, big-name organizations or companies for free to be able to include them on their list of clients and to fine-tune their presentation delivery.

- Media Appearances (Not necessary if none are available yet)
Keeping your target audience in mind, list where you have been featured in major media outlets—radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, industry publications, and websites.

- Additional Topics List
This is a list of the topic titles of other presentations you deliver as either keynotes or seminars. It demonstrates the range of your expertise and your ability to deliver on a variety of related and sought-after topics. It is a great way to generate repeat bookings right from the start.

- “Educational Materials” List
This is the place to list your book and one or two other relevant products, workbooks, etc. Most companies and organizations have an “Educational Materials Budget” that may be used to order books, etc. for their audience participants.

Graphics—Look to Your Book
Again, borrow from your book cover to create the layout and design for your one sheet. This will give you a cohesive "visual brand" across all your marketing materials. Your speaker one sheet can be designed with the same color, fonts, and overall look of your book cover. You should also have a photo of you on each side of your one sheet. And, include the name and contact information of the speaker’s bureau that is promoting you, or your own name and contact information if you are promoting yourself to meeting planners.

The point is, you don’t have to wait for your book to arrive from the printer before you can start benefiting from the credibility and expert status that book gives you. You are already an expert; your book is just the culmination of that expertise. Get out there and enjoy the rewards of your hard-won knowledge and wisdom, even if you are still working on your book. And, let your book cover work as hard as you do to make that happen.

For more help on how to create your speaker one sheet or your complete speaker’s kit, email us at info@WriteToYourMarket.com or call us at 1-888-634-4120.

Happy Publishing … and Speaking!
Susan

© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.WriteToYourMarket.com/ 1-715-634-4120.

Book Cover Coaching: 5 Reasons to Write Your Back Cover Copy While You're Still Writing Your Book--part 4

#4. Enjoy Having Instant Book Website Copy Ready to Go

By Susan Kendrick

Here it is – Reason #4 in this Book Back Cover series.

With all you have to do to publish your book--finalizing your manuscript; moving on to interior design, production, and printing; setting up a book website, etc.--do yourself the favor of eliminating at least one task from that often overwhelming to-do list: Writing your website copy.

With your book’s back cover copy in hand, you already have the content for the book landing page of your website. We advise our clients to cut and paste their back cover copy right into that page and have seen incredible book-selling websites get up and going very quickly this way. And, because that back cover copy is designed to SELL your book on the back cover, it is ready to do that same thing on your website, and in 350 words or less for a great billboard effect there as well.

Good for your book -- Good for your website!

Think about it. In developing your book’s back cover copy, you’ve already made your most important positioning and branding decisions. And, the copy itself is the best sales rep you have:
- A great headline
- Stand-out-from-the-crowd Intro copy
- Powerhouse bullets
- Killer endorsements (or endorsements in the works, see previous post)
- An “About the Author” bio that reinforces your credibility, expert status, and related services
- A Call-to-Action that instantly builds your list of qualified prospects
- And more …

To complete this book website content, all you need is the book’s front cover graphic and a buy button to start promoting and even pre-selling your book while you are finalizing the book itself. With your author credibility established, this web page can also introduce and link to your consulting services, speaking, seminars, etc.

Make Your Back Cover Copy a Book Marketing Priority!

Your book’s back cover copy is the foundation of your BRAND and ALL YOUR BOOK MARKETING EFFORTS. Yes, it’s that important. Make the copywriting for your back cover a once-and-done success that you can use to build powerful, at-a-glance visibility for you, your message, and your ability to help your target market. We work with and personally advise hundreds of authors and experts, so we know how well this back cover process works--on your book and on your website. Consider contacting us if you want help creating those same results for you and your book, or just need help thinking through your book’s back cover copy. It’s easiest to reach us at info@WriteToYourMarket.com. Or, call us at 1-888-634-4120 and we’ll return your call within 24 hours.

Happy Publishing!
Susan

© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.WriteToYourMarket.com/ 1-715-634-4120.

Book Cover Coaching: 5 Reasons to Write Your Back Cover Copy While You're Still Writing Your Book--part 3

#3. Get Those High-End Endorsements You’ve Been Fantasizing About!

By Susan Kendrick

Having your back cover copy in hand--at least a solid, working version of it--is a great way to get endorsements for your book while you're still working on it. You can then add the endorsements you get to your back (or front) cover before you finalize it and the book goes to press. Starting this endorsement process while you’re still working on your manuscript is important because getting endorsements can take time—time to decide who to approach, time to build enough of a relationship to get in the door, time for the endorser to respond, time to accommodate his or her travel and work schedule, etc.

Why Timing Makes the Difference for a Successful Book Cover
Starting the endorsement process while you're still working on your manuscript lets you to complete this task in time to use those endorsements on your book cover. Many authors start the endorsement-getting process too late and miss the opportunity to include pending endorsements on their cover. This usually happens when there is another deadline in place, like needing to finalize and print your book for a big speaking engagement or marketing event. This time-crunch also happens when the author is trying to meet an arbitrary, self-imposed publication deadline he or she feels compelled to meet, even when extending that date to include some really great endorsements would be worth the wait. This timing is a balancing act between getting the elements you need in place for your cover and getting your book to press and to market. Starting the endorsement process early helps you achieve the best of both worlds.

Worth the Wait?
Yes, remember that endorsements--from experts in your field, bestselling authors, satisfied clients or customers, celebrities, or other “household names” recognizable to your target audience--are critical for establishing your credibility and are perhaps the most powerful selling feature on your book cover. Endorsements are one of the first things both readers and buyers look for on your book cover—who is saying what about you and your book. For “The 3 P’s” of getting and choosing endorsements for your cover, check out this Book Cover Coaching article.

But wait, how can you ask for endorsements when your manuscript isn’t even finished? Don’t you need your manuscript to show those people you want to endorse your book? Yes, but you can provide them with either a completed manuscript, or in many cases, just your Introduction and several key chapters to give them a feel for your message and your level of expertise. Send these chapters along with your front cover and your working back cover copy.

Your back cover copy does three things to help you get the endorsements you want:
-- It tells potential endorsers what the book is about and the importance of that message to people they care about as well
-- Like your front cover, it shows that this book is “real,” with a well-developed intent and marketing message
-- It allows each potential endorser to see the rest of the back cover on which his or her comments and name will appear

This last point is especially important for gaining the trust of potential endorsers in you, your message, and how you will professionally showcase them on your book cover. If you have already secured other endorsements, all the better, because new endorsers will be able to see who they will be appearing with on the back cover of your book and therefore on your website and other marketing outlets. Done right, your back cover copy goes a long way toward showing potential endorsers the benefit to them of appearing on your book. It’s a good way to start what should be a mutually beneficial relationship.

For more information on the benefits of starting your book cover as early as possible, and for step-by-step how-to's for using the book cover secrets of today's bestsellers, please visit http://www.BestsellingBookCover.com

Happy Publishing!
Susan

© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.writetoyourmarket.com/ 715-634-4120.

Book Cover Coaching: 5 Reasons to Write Your Back Cover Copy While You're Still Writing Your Book--part 2

#2. Start Talking Intelligently About Your Book, NOW!

By Susan Kendrick

Don't you love it when people ask you about the book you're working on and getting ready to publish? Well, maybe you love it, and maybe you don't. It depends on if you feel like you have a good answer.

When people call us for help with their book titles, subtitles, back cover sales copy, and related branding, we listen to them take 20 to 30 minutes or more just to explain what their book is about, who it will help, and how. And, much of this comes out only when we ask very pointed questions about the book and their expertise. But that’s us. You’re not going to have that luxury of time when you’re trying to explain to a potential reader, consulting client, speakers bureau, radio show host, magazine editor, joint venture partner, distributor, or any other decision-maker you need to hook with your ideas.

An elevator speech is what’s needed, and that’s just what your book's back cover copy is. It gives you that headline hook to draw people in. It tells them what’s in it for them, why you and not someone else, and who else is backing you up with their endorsements. Pretty good for 15 seconds worth of sales copy. Imagine how good you and your book will sound when you can give a concise, powerful description that makes gets people excited about what you have to offer.

The sooner you can do this, the better.

Put your back-cover elevator speech together while you're still writing your book so that you can start talking intelligently about your book, and promoting it! For a step-by-step guide to creating this kind of buy-me-now elevator speech, pick up a copy of our Free Special Report, "From Back cover to Bestseller," then come back tomorrow for Reason #3 to start your back cover while you're still writing your book.

For more help on when to start your book cover and why, and how to confidently navigate the entire book cover process, from book title to book cover design, printing, and more, visit http://www.BestsellingBookCover.com.

For help with your front or back cover, the overall branding of your book or business, or with other questions, please contact us at 1-888-634-4120 or email info@WriteToYourMarket.com.

Happy Publishing!
Susan

© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.writetoyourmarket.com/ 715-634-4120

Book Cover Coaching: 5 Reasons to Write Your Back Cover Copy While You're Still Writing Your Book

#1. It's Easier to Write and/or Finish Your Book

By Susan Kendrick

As promised, this week you get a series of five reasons to write your book’s back cover positioning and sales copy as early as possible, ideally while you are still writing your book. If you take a look again at the last post, on when you should start the entire book cover and why, you’ll notice how these reasons overlap.

Why Is the Back Cover Such a Big Deal?
It’s important to specifically emphasize the importance of starting your back cover early, because the back cover copy often becomes an afterthought in the book design process. But, when you approach the back cover more proactively, you give yourself a powerful foundation to your brand and to your book marketing success. You literally build that success right into the book itself and start making a name for yourself while you’re still working on your book.

Don't Be the Only One Working Hard on Your Book!
Put together your back cover copy as soon as possible, so that when your book is officially released, it has already been building your reputation as an expert on your topic, paving the way to higher consulting fees and higher-end speaking engagements, and generating pre-orders for your book. In other words, while you’re still working hard on your book, your book cover is already working just as hard for you!

So here you go—the first of five reasons to starting your back cover positioning and sales copy while you’re still writing your book.

1. It's Easier to Write and/or Finish Your Book
Quite simply, if you have a working version of your book back cover copy in front of your while you’re working on your manuscript, you are literally working with the end in mind. That is, your back cover copy is where you decide how you will tell readers and buyers exactly what is contained in the pages of your book and how that benefits them. And, during the back cover process, you will no doubt come up with some ideas about what should be in your book if you have not planned for it already. For example, you may decide to tighten your audience niche, that your book is just for start-up businesses vs. any business; parents of children under 12 vs. all parents; people retiring alone vs. people retiring as a couple; cancer-fighting foods and lifestyle habits for women vs. men and women. From there, you may even decide that you have the potential to write not just one book, but a series of books for various target audiences. Developing your back cover copy is full of exciting “Aha” moments about your message, your mission, your target audience, your business, and most importantly about you and what you ideally want to and can offer. All this from your back cover! Start your back cover while you're completing your book and create not just a better book cover, but a better book, or books!

To get started on your back cover, get the how-to guide you need. Yes, it’s free, it’s from us, and it’s the only complete guide on the subject. Get yours now at Back Cover to Bestseller, then come back tomorrow for Reason #2.

For more help on when to start your book cover, why, and how to save time, money, and aggravation by doing it right the first time, visit http://www.BestsellingBookCover.com.

For help with your front or back cover, the overall branding of your book or business, or with other questions, please contact us at 1-888-634-4120 or email info@WriteToYourMarket.com.

Happy Publishing!
Susan


© Copyright 2008, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.writetoyourmarket.com/ 715-634-4120