Book Marketing Information

Top 10 Tips for Book Titles that Sell Well


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


MORE RESOURCES:

E-book marketing – Needs Good Marketing Strategies
PRarticle.com (press release), Canada - Oct 3, 2008
baddi, Himachal Pradesh, India (PRarticle.com) - E-book marketing is not as easy as selling hard copy of books; this requires a different kind of approach. ...


Adman Kuzwayo hangs up his hat
The Times, South Africa - Oct 9, 2008
Kuzwayo is the author of the best-selling book Marketing Through Mud & Dust, which he released six years ago and is now lauded as a marketing guide to many ...


Sydney Morning Herald

Dear diary, small business is blooming marvellous
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - Sep 30, 2008
In fact, Solomon's record of her business start-up is more like Bridget Jones meets Richard Branson, or how to tend your rosebush while avoiding the thorny ...


All-Inclusive Bargains May Hold the Key to Traveling in Today’s ...
TechWhack (press release), India - Oct 6, 2008
Stressed out about the economy? In need of an affordable getaway? Choosing to book an all-inclusive vacation this fall may be the sensible solution. ...


Leaving very little to the imagination
National Post, Canada - Oct 9, 2008
Granted, the Christmas Book marketing tool plugged through the Great Depression, pausing publication only in 2001 after the Sept. 11 attacks. ...


9 am—5 pm Saturday — Clayton High School, Mark Twain Circle and ...
St. Louis Post-Dispatch,  United States - Oct 10, 2008
In between is, well, pretty much everything else — plus advice on drawing, writing and book marketing. JH Based on the Nickelodeon show, "The Backyardigans ...


Call Your Play and Save Up to $200 When You Publish with iUniverse ...
Biloxi Sun Herald,  USA - Sep 15, 2008
iUniverse, an Author Services brand of Author Solutions (http://www.authorsolutions.com), is the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported ...


Choose the Marketing Metrics That Are Right for Your Organization
MarketWatch - Sep 16, 2008
In her latest book marketing expert Laura Patterson shows how to master the most important marketing and business challenges of recent years: How to ...


PR Web (press release)

Lt. Col. Bob Weinstein: You are the President of the United States ...
PR Web (press release), WA - Oct 1, 2008
Some of the highlights of the workshop included presentations on book marketing, career development, marketing materials, and getting booked as a speaker. ...


iUniverse Author, Professional Poker Player Featured in Oct. Podcast
PR.com (press release), NY - Oct 1, 2008
Bloomington, IN, October 01, 2008 --(PR.com)-- iUniverse, the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing company, ...

Book-Marketing - Google News

home | site map
© 2006