According to Book Business, “The No. 1 reason people buy a new book is because it’s written by an author they like.” This statement was made in an article of Fourteen Tips to Increase E-book Sales in the latest issue of their bi-monthly magazine. Addressing the question, “Do book browsers convert to book buyers?”, writer Peter Hildick-Smith offers this tip: Play to your author’s strengths.
This is a fascinating insight, equally relevant in print books, because the number one frustration I have experienced in marketing my book – Pajama School – is that people express interest in reading it, but that interest rarely translates into sales. I knew it would be hard to break into the market as a new author, but I had no idea just how hard it would be! That’s probably why the above observation resonates so much with me.
What exactly does this mean for new authors? Apparently, somehow they have to get lots of people to like them. 🙂 How this translates in practice I really don’t know. But if you have any tips or thoughts you’d be willing to share on the subject, I’d love to hear them!
November 25th, 2010 at 8:48 am
I guess this is why you have to (a) be on radio and television shows (b)have a social media presence and become part of the trusted “in” group for your target market – who is your target market? Potential home schooling parents? Educators? Current home schooling parents with kids approaching high school age? – and (c) lots and lots of speaking at clubs/conferences etc in front of the same target market.
Also I think this is the power of a good blurb. Peter Bowerman attributes his phenomenal sales of the Well-Fed Self Publisher to a front and online blurb from Dan Poynter. Marketing Books with a blurb from David Bly do well etc. Although some people discount the power of blurbs I expect it has a lot to do with how well known the blurbee is.
At least this is what I think. I’m putting it into practice now so I guess we’ll know in the next year or so.
BTW it took 14 months for Chicken Soup for the Soul to hit any kind of best-seller list and they already had lots of back-of-the-room sales. AND Deepak Chopra took 14 YEARS! You’ll get there if you stay committed and market every day. I believe in you.
November 30th, 2010 at 7:36 am
[…] the same issue of Book Business that I referred to last week, Peter Hildick-Smith also gives publishers this tip in his article, Fourteen Tips to Increase […]