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Five Book Back Cover Mistakes and How to Solve Them
Did you know that your back cover information is, after the cover, the best way to sell more books? And, that most authors, emerging and experienced, miss this opportunity to engage more potential buyers? Your book's front cover and sizzling title must impress your buyers in four-eight seconds. If they like it, they will spend ten-thirty seconds or so on your back cover-a great opportunity to convince them that your book is necessary for their pleasure or success. Does your back cover pass the test? 1. Mistake: Too many non-powerful words and too busy to have a focus. Solutions: A back cover of 6 by 9 inches should have fewer than 60 words. Use sound bites; picture and emotional words; benefits, not features; and testimonials to capture your readers' attention to keep your message focused. Make every word count and be willing to get five-fifteen edits. 2. Mistake: Too much superfluous material on it such a long author's bio or large photo. Potential buyers want to know how the book will help them, teach them a skill, or entertain them. Solutions: Print only a one or two-line bio on the back cover. Put your photo and more bio on the inside of the back cover. Omit features such as format information, which belong in the introduction. Connect with your buyer emotionally with specific, powerful ad copy. For self-help books use bullets with specific benefits, and enough of the right kind of testimonials (specific benefit driven) to sell your book in 30 seconds. For fiction, modify to include a bit of plot, with a powerful quote or dialogue. Use bookstore models to assist you. 3. Mistake: Repeating the book's title at the top of the back cover. Solutions: Since your potential buyers already know the title and are stimulated enough to look at the back cover, hook them with an emotional question or statement to read on. Create a "Hot Headline" that compels your reader to buy. Notice the headlines in your newspaper. Visit your bookstore and notice other best selling authors' headlines. "What's So Tough About Writing?" by word smith Richard Lederer, author of The Write Way; "Imagine Being an Author," in Dan Poynter's Writing Nonfiction; "To Age is Natural?To Grow Old is Not! In Rico Caveglia's Ageless Living, or "Imagine 1000's of People Reading your Book Next Month! for your coach's "How to Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast!". 4. Mistake: Omitting testimonials. In her book, "A Kick in Your Inspiration," Ruth Cleveland got one testimonial from an ex convict! Jacqueline Marcell, author of Elder Rage, took eight months to get forty testimonials from celebrities. Her book is endorsed by: Steve Allen, Ed Asner, Dr. Dean Edell, Dr. John Gray, Dr. Nancy Snyderman/ABC, Regis Philbin. Jacqueline Bisset, and Phyllis Diller. It was worth the effort, because in April 2001, she made the cover of the AARP Bulletin distributed to over 35 million readers. It included a feature story, some how-tos and contacts and pictures of the author and her book. She had to dance fast, and order 10,000 books to get distributed by the time the piece came out. After it came out, she was inundated with speaking engagements. There's a problem you might love to have! After you write several books and become rich and famous, you, like other professionals, will fill your back cover with testimonials. You won't even need to add benefits, because people have already bought your other books and liked them. Potential buyers will purchase when they see people they trust and know recommend the book. Besides filling the back cover with testimonials, you may want to even add extra testimonials in the front pages of the book. The more testimonials, the better! 5. Mistake. Independent publishers submitting galleys to reviewers, distributors, and wholesales without ANY back cover information. Solutions: "Make the back cover your first area of concern," says Susan Howard, Director of Consulting Services at top publishing firm, The Jenkins Group Inc., who write "The Publishing Connection" She adds, "Waiting for testimonials is generally the reason the back cover of a galley is left blank. Failure to realize the value of the back cover seems to equate with the failure to realize that the text for the finished back cover can always be changed before the printing of the book." It's important for writers to "market while they write"-- To make each part of their book sell copies. The back cover is all-important. 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
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news NBC News announces layoffs; Correspondents let go (AP via Yahoo! News) Several correspondents and other staff were laid off at NBC News this week as part of $500 million in planned cuts at General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal, according to a person familiar with the situation. Scripps puts Rocky Mountain News up for sale (AP via Yahoo! News) The Rocky Mountain News, Colorado's oldest newspaper, was put up for sale Thursday after its owner, E.W. Scripps Co., said it lost about $11 million on the business in the first nine months of the year. Scripps putting Rocky Mountain News up for sale (AP via Yahoo! News) E.W. Scripps Co. says it's putting the Rocky Mountain News up for sale after losing $11 million on the Denver operation in the first nine months of the year. Oil hits near 4-year low on weak economic news (AP via Yahoo! News) Oil prices sank Thursday to lows last seen nearly four years ago as more bleak news from the world's largest economy boosted views that crude could tumble below $40 by the end of the year. E.W. Scripps Seeks Buyer for Rocky Mountain News (Update2) (Bloomberg) Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) -- E.W. Scripps Co. is seeking a buyer for the Rocky Mountain News as the U.S. recession further drives down newspaper advertising. Online Money: Fidelity expands online news focus (AP via Yahoo! News) Fidelity Investments is joining the rush to satisfy investors' growing appetite for news about financial market turmoil. Pound slumps after grim British economic news (AP via Yahoo! News) The pound slumped Thursday to a historic low against the euro and to its lowest level against the dollar in over six and a half years after further grim economic news fueled expectations that the Bank of England will slash interest rates later. Weekly world news quiz (BBC News) At the end of another week, test your knowledge with our world news quiz. UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News (UPI) Mark Ruffalo's brother shot in the head ... Coldplay, Adele earn top Grammy nods ... Oprah taking show to D.C. for inauguration ... Anne Heche expecting 2nd child ... News from United Press International. Get the latest news in racing (Daily Racing Form) In order to read Daily Racing Form's free daily news stories it is required that you have a DRF.com free membership. If you do not have a DRF.com free membership, please register here . You will NOT need to be logged in to read each day's free news stories. Site: news - Google News CNET News Daily Podcast: Facebook, Google open competing services - CNET News
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for book marketing Borders launches first social marketing strategy (Mad.co.uk) Borders is boosting its online strategy by using social media marketing for the first time, in a bid to build brand loyalty. The book retailer aims to extend its brand by engaging users to increase traffic and sales, as well as enhance advocacy and word-of-mouth. Infusionsoft Introduces New E-Book, "Master of the Moment: The Art of Follow-Up Marketing" (Marketwire via Yahoo! Finance) A new e-book from Infusionsoft, the leader in marketing automation software for small businesses, delves into the secret of mastering the moment by being there for your customers and prospects when they need you most. The First Book About Marketing Resource Management (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) Marketing Resource Management", subtitled "The noble art of getting things done in marketing. Efficiently", is now available. Authors Romek Jansen and Frans Riemersma explain in clear wording and through many illustrations how marketing departments can operate more efficiently and how to get the most out of talent, time and money. Leading Online Marketing Firm A Couple of Chicks e-Marketing Wins Hotelier?s Pinnacle Award (Hospitality Net) Only three years young, Canada?s leading online marketing company for the hospitality industry A Couple of Chicks e-Marketing has been awarded the coveted Supplier of the Year Pinnacle Award from Hotelier magazine to be awarded at a gala lunch celebration on Friday, December 5, 2008 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. BOOK REVIEW: 'Pulling Weeds to Picking Stocks' an easy, educational read (Suburban Journals) It's lighthearted, written by young adults and an easy read. "Pulling Weeds to Picking Stocks" is a book written by the Beatty brothers, ages 16, 14 and 8. It's about personal finance and responsibility, something most of us hear about from our parents but not something we typically learn in school. The book isn't just about handling money, though. It also stresses building lifelong character ... Beige Book shows gloominess in New England (BizJournals) The Federal Reserve?s latest beige book report ? an analysis of economic conditions ? said the region that includes Boston is facing a squeeze on consumer financing and a big manufacturing slowdown in 2009. Charles R. Stinson's Architecture Chronicled in Book (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance) MINNEAPOLIS----Charles R. Stinson?s architecture is chronicled in a new book within the Master Architect Monograph Series entitled Charles R. Stinson: Compositions in Nature. The modern architecture book, with text by Camille LeFevre and photography by Peter Bastianelli-Kerze, features Stinson-designed homes and buildings that have achieved international recognition along with his distinctive ... Q&A | Daughter's book recalls Bob Evans with fondness (The Columbus Dispatch) For restaurant icon Bob Evans, "down on the farm" was more than a marketing slogan. The Book People Select Percussion to Help Increase Speed to Market (PRWeb via Yahoo! News) The Book People -- the UK's largest supplier of specialty, top quality books -- selected the Percussion Content Management System to manage five online properties. Recession Forces New Marketing Paradigm for Resorts | By Steven Herron (Hospitality Net) Holy demolition, Batman, what now?? You are ranked well in relevant keyword searches. You have allocated dollars to PPC and you manage your exposure and visibility. You have well placed banner advertising on highly targeted portals that historically have delivered excellent ROI. You are feeling pretty good about your strategic plan with tactics designed to deliver specific business and increases ... Site: book marketing - Google News Beige Book report isn't pretty for western Pennsylvania region - Bizjournals.com
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