Boost Your Book Marketing Materials: 3 Key Strategies
“You don’t need a big promotional budget to get noticed and make your waves.” – Kevin Kaiser, Wharton
In the landscape of self-publishing, the difference between a book that languishes in obscurity and one that finds its audience often comes down to three main parts of your book marketing materials: a compelling book description, SEO keywords, and an effective sell sheet. This writer’s guide, part of the “Is Your Book Ready to Self-Publish” series, delves into the practicalities of crafting these crucial elements, ensuring your work stands out in a crowded market.
Here, we get to the heart of what makes a book blurb work. It’s not only about summarizing your story. It’s also about selling it. We break down the essential components of an engaging fiction blurb—how to hook your reader from the first line, succinctly introduce your protagonist, and succinctly present the stakes without giving away your plot.
For non-fiction authors, the focus shifts to pinpointing the reader’s problem and presenting your book as the solution, highlighting benefits and takeaways that promise to enrich the reader’s knowledge or life. We also touch on the strategic use of SEO keywords, a not-so-secret weapon in book marketing materials for boosting your book’s visibility online.
Beyond the blurb, we explore the creation of a sell sheet, a one-pager that can make all the difference when catching the eye of booksellers, librarians, and event organizers. From design tips to content must-haves, we guide you through making a sell sheet that reflects the professionalism and uniqueness of your book.
This writer’s guide is designed to be your path through the nuances of book marketing materials, with a straightforward approach to writing book descriptions and sell sheets that engage, inform, and persuade. It’s about refining these tools to not just showcase your book, but to ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Join us as we explore how to polish these critical aspects of your self-publishing journey, aiming for clarity, impact, and ultimately, reader engagement.
Let’s get started!
Craft a Killer Book Description
As part of your book marketing materials, you’ll need a well-crafted description to market and promote your book. It’s sometimes called a “blurb,” but writers will argue they have different meanings. In this discussion, they’re used interchangeably. Essentially, the description is the sales pitch distilling precisely why readers should buy it among endless options.
If you’ve written one for the book’s back cover, now is a good time to tweak it for various uses.
TIP: If you haven’t written a book description, do it sooner than later.
Besides placing it on the back of your cover, parts of the description can be used elsewhere. Put some sections on your sales page at Amazon, Draft-2-Digital, or other publishing platforms (we’ll discuss those in another chapter). Use different parts of the description to create ads. Use aspects of it in your newsletter, social media, and website.
Because you’ll get serious mileage from the book description, give extra time to perfect it. Polish sentence structure for powerful flow and clarity.
Key Strategies for a Persuasive Fiction Book Blurb
A well-crafted blurb is essential for grabbing the reader’s attention. Master summarizing plot, stakes, and selling points persuasively. The description should encapsulate the heart of your story, spotlighting the protagonist, central conflict, and intrigue without spoilers.
Keep readers hooked. Tightly written blurbs range from 100 to 500 words. Here’s the standard structure:
Opening Hook
Begin with an engaging opening hook, revealing the protagonist and central conflict without giving away spoilers. Craft a bold opening line showcasing the protagonist and tone. For example, “When Janine’s sister goes missing on the way home from school, she must confront the town’s dark secrets to get her back.”
Genre Label
Clearly label the genre to set reader expectations. Help readers identify tropes and expectations upfront with a genre label like “a sci-fi thriller” or “contemporary romance.”
Main Character & Goal
Introduce the main character and their goals. Dive deeper into the motivations of your point-of-view lead character. Describe their pressing objective or ambition at the story’s start that incites action. Limit character names and places mentioned so new readers won’t feel lost.
Primary Obstacle
No gripping plot proceeds smoothly. Set up the central obstacle or antagonist force standing in the way of your protagonist’s initial goal.
The Stakes
Spotlight the significance of success or failure. What significant threats do the characters face? What’s at risk emotionally, physically, and philosophically? High stakes amplify reader engagement.
Engross with Expanded Synopsis
Follow your blurb with a fuller synopsis covering major plot turns and key chapter takeaways. Synopses generally run 500-1,000 words. Outline individual chapters first to consolidate them into a cohesive overview. As you draft a synopsis, consider the following:
- Focus on pivotal moments and obstacles without playing spoiler.
- If critiquing a work, emphasize constructive feedback on areas to improve.
- Use active voice and sparing vivid details to avoid density.
- Add social proof by incorporating quotes from positive book reviews or high-profile author testimonials. For example: “This thrilling page-turner kept me reading all night!” – Bestselling Author.
Key Strategies for a Persuasive Non-Fiction Blurb
Hook readers with benefit-focused blurbs. Develop the art of persuasion based on reader problems, your solution, and how readers will benefit (the desired results). Shift focus from fictional “characters” and “plot” to spotlighting the core reader benefits and takeaways from your book. Effective non-fiction blurb structure:
- Opening Hook: Start with a concise statement hooking interest in your concept or approach.
- Reader Benefit: Next, call out the primary reader benefit derived: how specifically will your book help readers solve problems? What skills will they gain?
- Takeaways: Elaborate on 1-2 other powerful takeaways or skills they should expect by highlighting key chapter topics at a benefit-driven level.
- Credibility Statement: Close by building up relevant expertise credentials that establish your authority on this subject. Build credibility by incorporating pull quotes from positive reviews or high-profile author testimonials.
- Spotlight Impact in Synopsis: In the non-fiction synopsis, provide expanded yet high-level overviews of key chapter or section content summaries. Center them on their tangible value relative to alternatives. Demonstrate the breadth or depth of insights.
Keyword Strategies
In addition to writing the description, spend significant time doing additional keyword research. As part of your book marketing materials, research keyword search terms your target readers apply when exploring book options in your niche. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) keywords improve visibility.
Use the SEO keywords in your description to improve visibility when readers search. Place them in the title or subtitle. Place them early in the description. Some experts suggest placing keywords in your introduction. Incorporate 4-7 SEO target terms naturally in summaries to highlight unique angles. Call out 4-7 terms in summaries where relevant.
But don’t force awkward strings of keywords that degrade readability. It will work against you.
Honing the description is time well spent. It and the critical search terms you choose set expectations in the minds of browsers about the reading experience you’ll deliver. For fiction, structure a compelling summary introducing the protagonist and obstacles.
For non-fiction, spotlight how your solutions will solve their problems or issues and benefit the readers.
Sprinkle credible social proof. Carefully incorporate strategic keywords. Polishing these elements results in an overview priming reader excitement, driving conversions, and ultimately maximizing the commercial success of your book.
Treat description writing with the diligence of manuscript creation. These paragraphs may make or break a potential fan’s decision to become immersed in the world you’ve created.
Sell Sheet Strategies
A one-page sell sheet includes pertinent information that booksellers, gift shops, or other businesses might want to know before purchasing your book. A sell sheet is a simple way of letting the masses know about your work without sending them a physical copy.
Instead of mailing out a ton of copies of your book and spending time, money, and energy at the post office, attach your sell sheet in an email. Or provide a stack of them at events.
Sell sheets are also excellent to have available on your website. Visitors to your site will clearly understand who you are and what your book is about.
How To Create a Basic Sell Sheet
First, take the time to research the publishing industry to develop a professional design for your sell sheet. Then, write a relevant book description. Make the content powerful by addressing the readers directly. Set a tone that reflects the tone in your book.
Use what you wrote for the description and, for non-fiction, highlight the book’s benefits. Also, include contact information and a call to action. The sell sheet should include a succinct description of the book, relevant purchasing information, and a high-resolution cover of your book.
Try a template to format a sales sheet quickly using Microsoft Word, Publisher, Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Apple Pages, QuarkXPress, or CorelDraw.
Consider adding mockup photos of how it would look as a paperback, on an eReader, or a phone. Creative Indie and other websites have free mockups.
Other Items for Your Sell Sheet
- Any key endorsements you’ve received.
- A brief “tagline” that sums up your book in one sentence.
- Your professional author photo.
- Your bio, especially if you’re a non-fiction author or a speaker.
- Color imagery or extra illustrations.
- Comparisons to other titles like yours.
- Links to additional resources, such as a reader’s guide or teacher’s guide.
Book Marketing Materials Wrap Up
The art of crafting an effective book description, using SEO keywords, and a professional sell sheet is not just an exercise in creative writing but a strategic approach to marketing your book. These elements play a pivotal role in capturing the interest of potential readers and industry professionals alike.
A compelling book description acts as your book’s ambassador, conveying the essence and intrigue of your story or the value of your non-fiction work in a concise, persuasive manner. Likewise, a well-designed sell sheet can significantly enhance your book’s appeal to booksellers, librarians, and event organizers, providing them with all the necessary information at a glance.
The insights and strategies discussed here are grounded in the broader principles and guidance offered in our book Is Your Book Ready to Self-Publish? This series, and the book it draws from, provide a comprehensive resource for indie authors navigating the complexities of self-publishing. By focusing on these critical components of your book’s marketing strategy, you’re not just preparing your book for publication; you’re setting the stage for its success.
For authors committed to making their mark in the self-publishing landscape, understanding the nuances of book descriptions and sell sheets is indispensable. We encourage you to explore the other guides in this series for more in-depth discussions on various aspects of self-publishing. Each writer’s guide builds on the last, offering valuable insights to enhance your publishing endeavor.
Is Your Book Ready to Self-Publish? and its workbook, both available on Amazon, offer a treasure trove of information and advice for indie authors ready to take the next step. Whether you’re fine-tuning your manuscript, exploring marketing strategies, or navigating the publishing process, this book serves as an essential guide to achieving self-publishing success. Get your copy today and unlock the full potential of your self-publishing journey.
We hope these strategies for book marketing materials have inspired you, providing the necessary tools and insights to advance your journey as an emerging indie author. Writing is a journey of endless learning and improvement, and you’re not alone in navigating it. We’re excited to be by your side, offering encouragement and support every step of the way. Our goal is to provide you with essential knowledge and practical advice, empowering you to move through the literary world with increased confidence.
Don’t wait. Start today! How can we help? To let us know, please fill out our contact form. Happy writing!
For more help, see the other parts of this series on preparing getting your manuscript ready for self-publishing. first guide in the series. Lastly, for help writing a non-fiction book, read Write Your First Non-Fiction eBook: a 30-Day Workbook for Getting It Done.
FAQs
To further enrich your understanding of crafting compelling book descriptions and effective sell sheets, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions that delve into the nuances of these topics. These FAQs aim to clarify any lingering doubts and provide additional insights to ensure your self-publishing efforts are as effective and impactful as possible.
How long should my book description be to maintain reader interest without revealing too much?
Answer: Aim for a book description length between 150 and 250 words. This range is sufficient to engage the reader, provide a glimpse into your book’s content, and maintain intrigue without giving away key plot points.
Can I use testimonials in my book description, and if so, how?
Answer: Yes, incorporating testimonials in your book description can boost credibility. Select one or two powerful quotes from reputable sources or well-known authors in your genre. Place them at the beginning or end of the description for maximum impact.
What’s the most effective way to choose keywords for my book’s SEO?
Answer: Conduct keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner or Amazon’s search function to identify terms your target audience uses. Choose keywords that are relevant to your book’s content, genre, and themes, and integrate them naturally into your description and sell sheet.
Should the sell sheet include pricing information, and how should it be presented?
Answer: Yes, include pricing information on your sell sheet. Present it clearly and concisely, along with any relevant discounts for bulk purchases, to make the decision-making process easier for retailers and event organizers.
How often should I update my book’s description or sell sheet?
Answer: Update your book’s description or sell sheet whenever there’s a significant change, such as new accolades, testimonials, or editions. Regular updates can also be beneficial for refreshing keywords and improving SEO over time.
