One of my 2-year old’s favorite songs is “The Cover is Not the Book” from the new Mary Poppins movie. It’s a catchy tune (I probably have it memorized by now). The only problem is the song isn’t close to being true.
That’s because the Cover IS the Book.
Amazon controls about 70% of book sales across the globe. And your book shows up like a teeny tiny thumbnail on Amazon. So if you want to sell a lot of books and change the world, you better have a cover that attracts the masses.
So this week, we’re going to talk about what goes into a GREAT book cover.
Tip #1: Your Title MUST Make a BIG, BOLD Promise So it Gets Attention.
That’s because the average Amazon user isn’t on Amazon to look for your book. They are there to buy cheap toilet paper (from China), cheap electronics (also from China), or shoes (…China again).
Your job as an author is to DIVERT the Amazon user’s attention and REDIRECT them to your message. That redirect has to happen on the cover. Otherwise, they may never look inside.
Clever titles are great if you’re writing a book for your family and friends. But if you want to sell more than 20 books, your title has to deliver the goods.
So your title / subtitle should clearly delineate your book’s BIG promise.
Actual conversation…
Me: “What’s the title of your book?”
Author: “The Elephant is Yellow”
Me: “What is your book about?” (NOTE: this is the question you don’t want to get.)
Author: “Autism”
(Insert scratching record player needle noise here)
This is the way a book conversation should sound…
Someone: “What’s the title of your book?”
Me: “21-Day Miracle: How to Change Anything in 3 Short Weeks”
Someone: “Oh Cool!”
Tip #2: My favorite Book Titles (or Subtitles) Start with “How to…” Written (or Assumed) in the Title.
By the way, I go into much deeper detail about Book Titles on this show.
(NOTE: there is also a riff about my favorite book of all time “How to Avoid Huge Ships” which will crack you up.)
Tip #3: SIZE Matters
Most authors think that everyone can read everything on your cover.
Not true. Most people will never see your book…even if it’s right in front of them. That’s because (on Amazon) your book shows up like this…
So if you want to make a bunch of sales on Amazon, be sure to make your book POP so people can catch the idea…even if you’re tiny.
Final Thought
The world really needs your book right now. So why not make it a priority to get that done so you can reap the benefits.
Out.
Ed
P.S. I am going to launch a program called “Top Gun Book Mentor” in just a couple of weeks.
You will get me as your mentor, coach, and advisor as you write and launch a book. My guarantee to you is that you’ll be a Best Seller.
It will be a small group (about 10 people) and in the $5k range. But you will get a lot of access to me…and you’ll have a book you can be proud of. Interested? To get on the waiting list, head over here and fill out this short 6-question survey.
