Give Them A Reason Why
This is the final part of the 3-part series on 3 Tips for Better Book Cover Design.
—–> Click Here for “Part One”
—–> Click Here for “Part Two”
Something that keeps a book from getting purchased is that the reader can’t tell what’s in it for them. They’re interested in the book; they have it in their hands and then put it down without buying. Why?
Because they didn’t see any details that would feed their desire of what they were looking for in this book.
Meaning they were looking either for information that gave them an answer to a problem, solved an issue, provides education in an area they are looking to grow in, or if it is a fictional book, providing a plot or scenario that intrigues them. Essentially, a reason why they NEED your book.
This is where you seal the deal; you must use the cover real estate wisely. By using the sub-title, the back cover and image elements together, you MUST feed their appetite to give them a taste of what the book will give them.
Many times you see the back cover wasted by an ‘about the author’ or just images. And unless you are a well-known author where your name alone will sell a book, you need to utilize the real estate you have to make the potential buyer want to buy.
Here are a few things to consider for your back cover:
IN THIS BOOK YOU WILL LEARN…
- TESTIMONIALS
- AS SEEN ON/IN
- STATS ABOUT THE SUBJECT
- FACTS ABOUT THE TOPIC
- STORYLINE TEASER
- A SHORT BIO TO QUALIFY YOUR ABILITY
Each of these items give potential to tell the reader that they want, the information in this book and it satisfies the need they are looking for. Of course you always need to remember that too much of a good thing can cause confusion and a confused buyer never buys.
If you put too much information on the back cover, they won’t read it because they can’t easily scan it — it seems like too much work. Keep a happy balance. One thing many people forget is that “white space” is a design element, as well.
The final piece to discuss is the sub-title. It should enhance the title, again another place for the reason why. The title makes a statement and the sub-title explains or answers that statement. It is also a good opportunity to strategically add the keywords that you researched earlier.
The best way for me to demonstrate this is with some titles of books that come to mind. I will start with one of my books as an example. Here are my title and sub-title.
50 Biggest Website Mistakes: Secrets to Getting More Traffic, Converting More Customers & Making More Sales.
You can see in this example the Title “50 Biggest Website Mistakes” lets them know the book will tell them what the biggest mistakes are, but the subtitle tells them that by avoiding those mistakes the rewards they can achieve.
One title that has caught my eye in the past is Blink – by Malcolm Gladwell.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.
In this Title “Blink” grabs your attention and makes you question. The subtitle gives you a little more to think about and intrigues you to want to find out more.
Here’s another Malcolm Gladwell Book: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
You can easily see how the subtitle enhances or even completes the title. It can make or break the first selling point of your book, so make sure you take the time needed to research and develop the best combination that works for you.
