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).

Howard emailed this week and said,“I am still thrilled with the book cover. I am constantly getting comments from readers and even some literary agents about the title, the series name, and just the overall look and feel of the book. I am proud to show it. The feedback I am receiving regarding the content is very positive as well.”

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.

Questions? Please give us a call at 715-634-4120 or email info@WriteToYourMarket.com

© Copyright 2007, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc.
www.WriteToYourMarket.com
715-634-4120

Book Cover Coaching: Book Titles--Use Four-Letter Words

Book Title Strategy No. 4
Use Four-Letter Words (OK, Five)

By Susan Kendrick

Just as one word titles have great visual impact (Book Title Strategy No. 2), so do a few short four- or five-letter words. They possess that same authority and presence. They are the "Strong, Silent Type" of the book title world--all marketing muscle and no flab. They mean business. They make you look. They command attention and respect. You can't help but take in
these titles in at a glance and immediately want to
know more.

These titles also look good at any size

Because of the dimensions of a typical 6" x 9" book cover, short words can be used to create a vertically stacked title that works well with those cover dimensions. Even as an online "thumbnail" graphic, which is how most covers appear on websites, blogs, and Amazon, this short stack holds its power at any size to create a billboard look for your book.

Sold? Here are some examples.


To show you the visual "pop" of these short-word book titles--and maybe more importantly, to see what a major New York book PR firm looks for in the titles it promotes --take a look at the following Bestsellers on Rick Frishman's Planned Television Arts website.

Nonfiction:

__ New Ideas From Dead CEOs

__ 3-Hour Diet

__ The Birth Order Book
__ The Last Link

Fiction:
__ The Rule of Four
__ Evil Inc.

__ Big Bad Wolf

Will your book cover pass the PR test?

In a recent email exchange with Rick, here was his comment that came up about the importance of your cover: "The way your book is packaged tells us a lot about you and your message. Bring us something we can sell. Give us a book cover that can help make that happen!"

Rick, president of Planned Television Arts, is also
executive vice president at Ruder Finn, and executive
publisher of Mega Book Publishing--a division of Morgan
James Publishing. Take a look at these website links to see how the marketability of your great content, starts with a great cover, AND how the title and subtitle is the foundation of that cover.

Now, imagine what could have happened to these titles

We often use and teach others to use a fill-in-the-blank exercise (several of these phrases together actually make up another one of our title strategies). One of these phrases, to get you to summarize your basic
message and think in sound bites, is:

This book is the ultimate guide to ______________________

Let's use New Ideas from Dead CEOs for this exercise as an example of how to go from a title of long words to short words. Imagine that this title started out like this:

Take 1 -- This book is the ultimate guide to ...
"Business Principles from the Corporate Legends Who Developed Them "

OK, that sums it up. But, keeping in mind that we want to find short words to say the same thing, so far we only have "from." The next round could go something like this:

Take 2 -- This book is the ultimate guide to ...
"Business Ideas from Legendary CEOs"

OK, so now we have substituted "ideas" for "principles" and "CEOs" for "Corporate." Notice how the process of tightening the message into shorter words is helped by being more specific each time as well. "Corporate" becomes "CEOs" specifically. And, if it already says "CEOs," does it really need to say "business"?

Todd Buchholz is known for his edgy take on things. So to bring his personality into the mix as well, let's move right to the edge with these words, too:

Take 3 -- this book is the ultimate guide to ...
"Ideas from Dead CEOs"

Almost there. What would really give this title some pop, make it stand out as the fresh new business book it is, and give it one final irresistible twist? Here it is--the paradox of "new" ideas from "dead" guys, getting the point across that these time-tested principles are still as relevant as ever:

Take 4 -- This book is the ultimate guide to ...
New Ideas from Dead CEOs

Now, stack each word on top of the other and see the final impact. The dark humor of the cover graphic completes the look ,without competing with the sheer word power of the title itself.

The Four-Letter-Word title strategy is one of many, and most stand-out titles represent a combination of these strategies--we use and teach at least 23. Now, look at that Bestsellers page again. There are examples of at least four other other kinds of title strategies. We'll cover these in coming articles. Now, Click Here to see what else Rick, Dan Poynter, John Kremer, Tom Antion, and seven authors have to say about the book marketing power of your book cover.

And, remember to check back here for more book title strategies over the next few weeks.

Questions? Please give us a call at 715-634-4120 or email info@WriteToYourMarket.com

© Copyright 2007, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.writetoyourmarket.com
715-634-4120

Book Cover Coaching: Creating a Book Series and Brand

Make Mine a Series!

Use Your Book Title to Create a Brand...and a Book Series

By Susan Kendrick

(It was an honor to develop the book positioning, subtitle, and front and back cover sell copy for this book. The title, however... is all Dottie. Read on to learn more.)

This seems like a good time to acknowledge a legend in the speaking and publishing industry, Dottie Walters, and to use her books as an example of how to create your own book series.

Dottie Walters, who passed away in February, 2007, was a marketing genius, world class speaker, bestselling author, and speaking industry icon. She was also dearly loved and respected worldwide.

The Origins of a Series
Dottie's international bestseller, Speak and Grow Rich, has and continues to help new and veteran speakers reach their greatest career potential. Interestingly, her now famous book title is a prime example of one of the book title strategies we use and teach--"Use a Twist on a Familiar Phrase." Speak and Grow Rich was a twist on the title of Napoleon Hill's bestselling book, Think and Grow Rich. Dottie was a longtime fan of Hill, and he of her. About Dottie he said, "Dottie, how does it feel to have blown a handful of inspirational stardust into the world?"

Dottie's grandson, Michael MacFarlane, started developing Share and Grow Rich after Dottie's death, to honor her, her life, and her career. President of Walters Speaker Services and Walters International Speakers Bureau, Michael was Dottie’s business partner and traveling companion for 17 years. He witnessed first-hand her "sharing" philosophy at work in her own life and career and in the lives of the authors, experts, and speakers she counseled. Dottie's philosophy, which drove her own career and the success of others straight to the top, was:

"SHARE everything you know, and people will beat down your door for more."

What you can learn from Dottie and her book:
(See other articles on this blog that cover the following points in depth. Use the "Search Blog" link at the top of this page.)

1.) Create your book cover before your book is finished--so you can start marketing and selling your book before it's finished
You'll notice that the shopping cart status for Share and Grow Rich on Amazon is still "Pre-order this item today." With the cover complete, this book is already out there selling itself, even though the book has not yet been released. You can do the same for your books and products--on your own website, on affiliate websites, through media interviews, on Amazon, etc.

2.) Use your book title to build an entire brand
Speak and Grow Rich became a bestselling brand for Dottie because she made it so. The domain name, http://www.speakandgrowrich.com/, is not just a website for her book, but for her entire business. It says right on the home page that this is "The #1 Source for TOTAL Speaking Success." This one site offers seminars, products, Sharing Ideas magazine, articles, and more. Use this same "book-to-brand" approach as a business model for your books, products, consulting, seminars--whatever you have to offer. Then other books in that series automatically reap the benefit of and build on the visibility you have already created.

3.) Develop a book title with series potential built right in
Many authors and experts have books or ideas for book that could--and sometimes should--be broken down for different target audiences. For example, you might have a proven way to help people manage their money, but that guidance contains dozens of particulars for different situations. The book-series solution is to create a series of books for your different target audiences, each with a host of specific tips, resources, timelines, exercises, worksheets, checklists, etc.

Your book series might look something like this:

Your lead book or series "template":
The Money-Smart Guide
A 12-month plan to erase debt and enjoy the good life

Books in your series:
The Money Smart-Guide
A 12-month plan to erase debt and enjoy the good life
For ...
... Entrepreneurs
... Young Families
... Retiring Couples
... College Graduates
... Medical professionals
... Authors, Experts, and Speakers

You can see how you could develop a series of niche books and book titles depending on your particular expertise and how you can grow and expand that expertise for various markets.

Back to Dottie
There are a variety of ways to create book titles and book subtitles that become a bestselling book series. In Dottie's case, the structure of her book title itself--not just the subtitle--provided the flexibility to create a series. Speak and Grow Rich became Share and Grow Rich. Try out these ideas for your book or pproduct and see how you can create both book titles and book subtitles that stand strong on their own and also easily expand to grow with you and your business.

"The solution is close at hand."
One thing Dottie always said that I still take with me is, "The solution is close at hand." Look closely at who you are, what you offer, and how that can expand that beyond what you are doing right now to keep growing your own business and the lives of others. That is the seed of your own bestselling series. Get started!

Questions? Please give us a call at 715-634-4120 or email info@WriteToYourMarket.com

© Copyright 2007, Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc.
www.WriteToYourMarket.com
715-634-4120