A clever title is great if it is clear, but a clear title is always preferable. The best? A clear and clever title. A shorter title is better than a longer one. Your reader will spend only four seconds on the cover. While some long titles have succeeded, usually the shorter, the better.
A title is part of your book's front cover. Busy buyers including
bookstore buyers, wholesalers, distributors and your audiences
buy mainly because of the cover. Dan Poynter, author of Writing
Nonfiction, says, "The package outside sells the product inside."
Make your cover sizzle.
Start with a working title before you write your chapters. Include
your topic, your subject and use the book's benefits in your sub
title if possible. Here's your ten tips for titles that sell:
1. Create impact for your title-check out magizine print and radio ad headlines.
Check out other authors' titles on the bookstore shelves. Your title must compel the reader to buy now.
Which title grabs you? Elder Rage or Caregiving for Dad?
2. Include your solution in your title.
Does your title sell your solution? Make sure it answers the question rather than asks one. For instance, Got Minerals?, or Minerals: The Essential Link to Health. Use positive language instead of negative. For instance, Without Minerals You'll Die can be Minerals: The Essential Link to Health.
3. Make it easy for readers to buy.
Readers want a magic pill.
They want to follow directions and enjoy the benefits the title
promises. For example, 1001 Ways to Market Your Books by
John Kremer gives at least 1001 ways for authors and publishers to market their books.
4. Expand your title to other books, products, seminars, and
services.
Make sure that your title will work well with the title of your presentations, articles and press releases you'll need to promote the book. Such seminars and teleclasses titled "How to Write and Sell Your Book- Fast!" and "Seven Sure- Fire Ways to Publicize your Business" come under the umbrella "fast book writing, publishing and promoting."
5. Use original expressions--a way of expressing one idea for your book--yours alone.
Sam Horn, author of Tongue Fú!, puts her special twist on defusing verbal conflict.
6. Include benefits in your subtitle if your title doesn't have any.
Specific benefits invite sales. For instance, Marilyn and Tom Ross' Jump Start Your Book Sales: A Money-Making Guide for Authors, Independent Publishers and Small Presses.
7. Choose others' book covers in your field as models.
Go to your local bookstore with five-colored felt tips pens and paper. Browse the section your book would be shelved on. Choose five book titles and covers that attract you. Photo copy or sketch those, noting the colors, design, fonts, and sizes of fonts. Add other colors you like. Place the book cover you love near your workstation to inspire you. For the final copy, use professional cover designers if possible.
8. Be outrageous with your book title.
People do judge a book by its title. Your reader will spend only four seconds on the front cover and eight seconds on the back cover. It must be so outstanding and catchy that it compels the reader to either buy on the spot or look further to the back cover. Take a risk. Be a bit crazy, even outlandish.
9. Be your strongest salesperson self.
Choose the strongest words, benefits, and metaphors to move your audience to buy. Titles do sell books.
10. Include your audience in your title. This gives your book a slant.
When your title isn't targeted other famous authors' titles win out. Always make your title clear and make it easy for your audience to recognize they need your book. Your title and front cover is your book's number one sales tool. Short titles are best, say three to six words. John Gray didn't get much attention with his book "What Your Mother Couldn't Tell You and What Your Father Didn't Know." He shortened it to the now famous, "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus."
An outstanding title sells books. Make sure to give this part of your book, the number one essential "Hot-Selling Point," some time and effort.
Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com
Marketing your own book can seem like a scary task.... Read More
First, your ebook needs to have an attractive title. The... Read More
Your print or ebook is nearly finished. You wonder if... Read More
Your print or ebook is nearly finished. You wonder if... Read More
Have you ever walked into a bookstore when an author... Read More
To know what to do at the right time in... Read More
How would you like to sell more copies of your... Read More
If Random House pulls up to your house with a... Read More
Whenever someone suggests you do a book signing and you... Read More
There are over ten thousand daily, weekly and monthly newspapers... Read More
After months of scouring the internet, I could not put... Read More
Color is tricky at the best of times. If you... Read More
Not all books come out whole, all at once. In... Read More
Authors/publishers are great at getting their books written. But after... Read More
Much has been written about book proposals. But less has... Read More
Editors will buy a book for one or more of... Read More
Does a title really sell a book? The short answer... Read More
Most authors say, "Everyone will want my book, and when... Read More
As a literary publicist I often am asked about publicity... Read More
Play a bigger game with your book sales by expanding... Read More
Since I self-published my first book, "101 Ways to Improve... Read More
1991 was a pivotal year in my life. My professional... Read More
Any book that is in its 14th edition must be... Read More
Your book expresses your wondrous information, your creativity, and your... Read More
Imagine you share a huge penny... Read More
Have you listened to radio lately? If you have, chances... Read More
Think of your book on the bookstore shelf trying to... Read More
Want to sell a lot more books? Want clients calling... Read More
Writing a book is becoming more and more of a... Read More
This is the survey result of 325 people conducted by... Read More
You've been thinking about writing a tips booklet. After all,... Read More
What is your excuse for not being published? "I don't... Read More
During the past year or so, I have done nearly... Read More
Does a title really sell a book? The short answer... Read More
TIP # 1Online reviews are paramount in importance when it... Read More
A flyer is an excellent, inexpensive way to promote your... Read More
Surprisingly, book stores are not always your greatest source of... Read More
Authors/publishers are great at getting their books written. But after... Read More
While traditional marketing can work for the book author or... Read More
If Random House pulls up to your house with a... Read More
What you do after you have written your book is... Read More
Not all books come out whole, all at once. In... Read More
No matter what any publisher or marketing company tells you... Read More
How would you like to have countless people clamoring for... Read More
Successful authors are convinced that radio interviews are the very... Read More
Even if your book or service is excellent, they won't... Read More
Writing a book is becoming more and more of a... Read More
With the large increase of books being published by self-publishers,... Read More
This is intended for informational purposes only. Selling books by... Read More
If you are discouraged because traditional methods of book or... Read More
A book event (a book signing) is a popular way... Read More
So you've written a book, had it published by a... Read More
If I was asked to describe the perfect book, one... Read More
Many authors hit a roadblock when it comes to putting... Read More
Authors, especially self published, small press and Print on Demand... Read More
Why write an introduction? Nobody reads it anyway. Up until... Read More
Without a website, an author is unknown. Without a website,... Read More
Remember that the miracle of cloning sheep has its drawbacks.... Read More
After months of scouring the internet, I could not put... Read More
We hear a lot these days about more books actually... Read More
Once upon a time, people went to bookstores when they... Read More
The topic of your book or eBook counts-big time. Which... Read More
The six-figure book advance, like the New York Times bestseller,... Read More
What is your excuse for not being published? "I don't... Read More
Most authors sigh a sigh of relief when they finish... Read More
1991 was a pivotal year in my life. My professional... Read More
Book Marketing |