Some tips to increase your book sales

So much to do, so little time. (I think I have heard that said somewhere before.)

At least I have found a few moments to share another post about being an indie author.

I do not normally write a ‘list’ style post as they generally tend to be little more than ‘clickbait’.

However, on this occasion, I have made an exception to the rule and produced a sort of list post myself.  But one I hope is better and far more informative than those ‘clickbait’  I mentioned above.

I hope these tips will help you create a book which will sell in (vast) volume.

“On with the post”

I hear time after time and frequently read, on social media, authors asking why no one is buying their book(s).

It could be down to many things, even the lack of serious or targeted promotion.

Novice writers often spending too much time and effort in posting their book(s) on author group pages… HINT… authors are more interested in writing their own books and most already have a vast TBR library they will get around to reading, soon(ish), one day, maybe later, or never.

You need to put your energy and effort into targeting those people who are more likely to want to read your work than another author. (Coals to Newcastle, busman’s holiday… ring a bell?)

However, before you get anywhere near that stage, here are a few basic questions, self-check questions, you should ask yourself and, this is most important, answer honestly.

You will only be letting yourself down if you lie to yourself.

In a nutshell, you must ask yourself, (way before you publish) if your book looks professional and is your blurb up to scratch?

These are the questions you need to use to clarify each point of consideration.

Regarding your books cover:

1, Does it look professional.

No, truly; do your book cover(s) look like they could be displayed alongside the best sellers on show in your city’s premier bookstore?

If you cannot say it does with absolute certainty, take a mock-up, even a full-colour print of your cover and visit some bookshops. Hold your image up, place it on the shelf next to the big named author’s books.

Now, give it ten coats of looking at. Ask those who are browsing what they think of your intended cover.

This is a form of market research. It can save you a ton of heartache let alone money. But you must be honest and you must listen to what others say, after all, it is they who will be buying your book, not you.

 

2, Does your book cover clearly demonstrate the genre of your book?

Your potential readers will, most often, have one or two genres they prefer. Like many people, once we find something we enjoy it takes a giant leap to change.

Therefore, if your book does not accurately reflect the genre of its content, you WILL be losing any potential readers initial interest.

 

3, Does your cover immediately garner attention?

Is it sufficiently attractive to stand out among other books on the shelf or on Amazon?

Does your cover artwork stand out amongst the other books around it? How well does your book ‘stand-out’ as a ‘thumbnail’ image on an Amazon page full of other books?

Are your friends or the bookshop browsers immediately drawn to your cover? If not, you need to make changes.

Note: Too many authors make the mistake of trying to tell the entire books story on their covers. This is not what the cover is intended to do. In simple terms, the cover is like a candle flame to a moth. It is there to attract a person browsing to take a closer look at your book. Once the browser has the book in their hands or has ‘clicked’ for more details, the cover has done its main job.

After which the points below come into play.

 

 

4, Does your book title grab attention?

Pretty much like the cover image ‘as a whole’, the title of your book must do several things. It must accurately reflect the genre of your book while defining its own individuality.

Along with this, it must show who the book is intended to be read by. Not an easy task to succeed at, especially when regarding fiction, which is far more subjective than non-fiction.

Regarding non-fiction, your title must indicate the benefit and what makes your book different to other covering the same or similar subject matter.

 

5, Does your book’s subtitle and/or description clarify who the ideal reader is?

Does your description work as a prime first hook on the general browser?

The description (subtitle) should convey the emotional (or practical) payoff to the reader when reading your book. (The ‘what’s in it for me’ factor)

To communicate this your description needs to capture the curiosity of the browser, it must take them on a clear, cohesive, emotional journey and leave them wanting to know more. You must engage their curiosity?

Is your books description length similar to the prime authors/major publishers books of the same genre?

Note: Nothing on the cover of a major publisher’s book is thereby happenchance, everything is carefully calculated and designed based on a vast database of market research and marketing sciences. You should not go far wrong by following their designs and formatting.

 

6, Pricing your book

Have you priced your book to match that of similar titles of the same genre by other indie authors?

Here price point could be a major influencing factor. Price your book too high and few will buy it. Too low and many will perceive it as a low-value item and pass it by.

The trick is to get this balancing act weighed off. Not an easy task.

 

7, Are your books first pages intriguing enough?

Many online bookstores offer a ‘look inside/sample read’ function. This is akin to flicking through a few pages of a physical book in a bookstore.

When considering this fact, it becomes clear you need to ensure an early hook is built into the first pages, say the first 10% of your book.

This will create an intrigue, a wanting to know ‘What happens next’ question into your potential reader’s mind, encouraging them to buy your book.

I hope these pointers will help you with designing your books cover and when writing your ‘blurb’.

You will find many more ways to reduce your publishing costs and loads of money-saving methods by reading ‘The Frugal Author’, immediately download-able HERE.