Writing and publishing a book is your gift to the world, figuratively speaking. Apart from the personal satisfaction it brings, producing a book is a tangible way for you to share your knowledge, your wisdom and your stories with others, both now and in the future.
There’s just one problem: you can’t share your wisdom and stories in book form if no one will buy or read it. You need to actually sell your book (whether or not you end up charging money for it) if you want to give your book to the world – to have it matter and actually get read.
While it does take some time and careful planning to do right, the good news is that it’s probably easier to sell your book than you think. Here are three essential steps that will help you get started and be ready to sell your book:
1. Produce a Quality Book
While this step may seem self-evident at first glance, I assure you that it’s not and this step is not to be overlooked. If you want to sell a book that will matter and get read, you need to start by producing a quality book. But what does this mean?
A book is composed of several elements, including the book cover, book title, back cover text and the book content itself. A quality book ensures that each element lives up to a certain standard so as to meet or exceed readers’ expectations. With everything competing for our attention these days, people no longer have the patience for substandard books and products. From the very beginning, you must enchant your potential readers, not repel them.
A book cover should attract the eye and invite readers to take a further look inside. A book title should pique a reader’s curiosity. If your book is nonfiction, the title should also accurately represent the content to be found inside, while if it’s fiction, your book title should evoke a mood. The back cover text should be friendly, succinct and persuade readers that they want more – they want your book.
Finally, the book content itself should be well organized and well thought out. It should provide readers with what they were looking for when they settled on your book. And to help make that happen, your words should be professionally edited to remove errors and polished to make them shine.
In other words, a quality book is a book that readers will want to read again and keep on their bookshelves for a long time to come.
2. Tell Your Story
Why would a millionaire CEO emphasize his journey from nothing? Why do companies create commercials focused on everyday family moments?
Take a look around you. Stories have long helped people connect with each other – and with products. Telling your own personal story as it relates to your book will help readers make a connection to the book – and be more likely to buy it.
It doesn’t matter if your trials have been internal or external – people relate to stories of struggle, or to stories that they can personally identify with.
Think carefully about the journey that brought you to writing your book and what struggles you dealt with and overcame. Then create your own narrative. Write it down and be proud of what you’ve done.
Use this narrative in your marketing and promotional materials, when you talk about the book and even consider incorporating it into the book itself. This type of story will help your readers better relate to you and better connect with your book.
3. Be Constant in Your Efforts
Ask any salesman how many doors he had to knock on to find one that opened and bought what he was selling. Persistence and constancy are key ingredients to selling anything. One door may look just like another door, but you have to knock on it to see if it’s the right door!
You probably won’t literally be knocking on doors to sell your book; however, you still need to be constant in your efforts. You need to have a practical plan, follow through on the plan and then just keep at it over and over again until you achieve the results you desire.
I know you’ve likely been thinking about your book for so long that it’s natural to get a little discouraged after a day or two of selling. Your potential readers, however, aren’t sick of your book. Chances are they haven’t even heard of it yet! You need to keep at it.
Get out there and keep promoting your book day after day. I promise that constancy will be your book’s best friend.
We Can Help You Sell Your Book Like You Mean It
Would you like some more writing, publishing and book selling tips? We can help get you and your book on the right track. Contact Gail to learn more at Info@DudleyCourtPress.com.
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