Author Tip: Up Your Book Sales Before Publishing

You want your book to be a bestseller. Maybe you have an agent, even a publisher, but how to help your book or ebook reach the top of a bestseller list?

There are tons of books, blogs and web sites with articles on marketing strategies, using the correct marketing mix, tips on writing, and, well, you get the idea.

Here is one tip:
Get feedback from people for whom the book is written!
No, your book is not for everyone. Who are your prospective readers? Women, mothers, men, men in the military? Whether you write sci-fi, non-fiction, fiction, young adult, your manuscript must appeal to the readers in that market.

The only opinion that really matters is the opinion of your prospective reader. Not your family, not your editor - your reader. Don't be so busy writing you don't take the time to get feedback.

What are your best tips to market your book or finding your audience?

Why Isn't My Book Selling?

You're a writer. You worked hard on your manuscript. Hopefully you have engaged an editor, your cover is unique and a real grabber, as is your title. The finished book actually looks like a traditionally published one and you have taken the time to get some reviews before you rushed to print.

You thought writing the book was tough. Well get ready...

When it comes to marketing, there is no silver bullet, no magic wand, no cure-all pill. It takes work. Let's assume for a moment you have written a good book. It is vital to understand that all the PR, advertising, promotions, web sites, social networking, book signings and talks won't guarantee you a bestseller. But if the following elements are not in place, it is a sure-fire bet the chances of your book selling beyond some of your family and friends is slim.

To improve your chance for success make sure you have these key elements in place:

1. A Budget
2. A Marketing Plan for the Book
3. A Publicity Plan for the Book
4. A Web Site for the Book
5. An Effective Web Site
6. The book is listed on Amazon and Amazon Kindle
7. Have a message your readers can relate to. What is the WIIFM? (What's In It For Me) This is the benefit that will drive the reader to purchase your book.

There are many books, seminars, workshops, and blogs that have useful information, but none are in lieu of having the above in place.

What successful actions have you taken to increase the sales of your book?

Six Writers Tell All About Covers and Blurbs

Do book blurbs and cover art matter? 
Yes, a lot. They can turn a book into a bestseller. Endorsements should be sought many months before creative work on the cover begins. The cover should be eye-catching and illustrative of the book's topic. Take my word for it, and take the words of six authors who spoke to The Awl and revealed the truth about blurbs, cover art, dealing with publishers, and who decides what. 


Thanks to Steve Harrison for the link to Mathew Galloway's article in The Awl.

"Writers by definition spend a lot of time on the inside of books, which is why what happens on the outside—namely, cover art and blurbs—can feel precarious and daunting. Often these elements are beyond an author’s control or expertise, which can be painful to admit, particularly when the "expertise" of graphic designers and marketers seems so subjective or at odds with an author’s “vision” for a book.
To get some advice on navigating these issues, we [The AWL] asked a handful of writers—including Kate Christensen, Bennett Madison, Stefanie Pintoff, Mark Jude Poirier and Tom Scocca—who have been through the process these questions: read more ...

What are your thoughts??