Judging a book by its cover – I have long wanted to attend a panel at a literary festival made up of people behind the scenes – publicists, marketing people, book sellers, publishers. The people who actually have to sell our books. Getting them to contribute to a blog was the next best thing. I asked them to respond to two questions: what makes a book sell and what can an author do to promote their books? I found their answers so useful and informative, I hope you do too.
In your experience what makes a book sell?
The first thing that a customer looks at is the cover (cover design, author title, book title & publisher logo) these are the factors that make a customer buy into a book before they have even read the blurb or reviews. In a sea full of fish you have to be different, alluring and communicative with your visual elements.
When you’ve finally gotten their attention through your visual elements, you have to ensure that your content is up to the standard of the reader you are targeting. The writing needs to be a page turner (literally). Also, the secret is not in the plot, it’s in how you describe it. As a reader I want to smell, taste and feel everything. Have you ever tried to tell a good story to someone but lost their interest because of how you were telling it [eeeeeek]?
Sam Nkosi, Publishing Assistant specializing in digital strategy and marketing for Blackbird Books https://blackbirdbooks.africa/
In terms of non-fiction, I have found that if readers are able to see some aspect of their own lives or histories or aspirations, then they are more likely to buy a book and, importantly, recommend it to other readers. The reaction to fiction is more varied, but in general I think readers pick up commercial fiction looking for an escape from their current realities – something we can all use right now [yes!]
Andrea Nattrass – Publisher – www.panmacmillan.co.za
There are usually so many factors that have to align for a book to succeed and it’s rarely a sure thing. The first thing I would say is the profile of the author and their back list. Online media does help, and in this day and age, so do platforms like Netflix if you are lucky to have sold rights to the book. Books often sell due to trends as well so timing in the market-place is crucial; it’s important to know what is doing well. That being said, if your book is something original and fresh, it’s more likely to sell regardless of what else is out there in the market.
Vis Chetty, Sales Manager for adult local and agency titles, Penguin Random House South Africa https://penguinrandomhouse.co.za/
I am drawn by the cover design then title and lastly the blurb. If the cover speaks to me and I find it appealing then I am sure to buy the book. I then check the quality of the book. It’s important to me that a book is well bound and the font is pleasing to the eye. I’ve had instances where I was saddled with a loose bunch of pages after paying good money for a coveted book. Never again. I have become more discerning and always cast a beady eye at what I pick up off the shelves in bookstores.
Lorraine Sithole – passionate promoter of books
- Facebook: @lsitholelorraine
- Twitter: @LS3841
- Instagram: sithole_lorraine_
(image: How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang)
There are so many factors at play. Ultimately, we’re chasing that word-of-mouth, zeitgeisty, everyone is reading this I must get my hands on it effect to take a book into bestseller territory. I think it takes a combination of passionate sales people, clever marketing and targeted publicity to set this in motion by putting a book out to the kind of readers who will spark word of mouth. This all works to its best effect when a book really resonates with the social or political context it lands in at the particular moment it’s released.
Jennifer Ball. Publicist at Jonathan Ball Publishers: http://www.jonathanball.co.za
Word of mouth is the very best seller there is – it comes with no advertising budget and genuine endorsement. It’s the thing that leads to little fires spreading everywhere about a book [I see what you did there 😊]. Sometimes its quick and sometimes it’s slow.
As a bookseller, titles work to sell books (I think the current fave My Dark Vanessa is doing just that) and covers definitely sell books, I’m afraid. You absolutely can judge a book by its cover – I know immediately what message a book is sending from its cover, and so do our customers.
Launches sell books too – they bring it alive and create an energy around it, and of course there are social media spin-offs. You can sell 30 books of one title in a night. Do you have any idea how hard that is to do otherwise?? (we’re talking small indie scale here of course).
(image: The Terrorist Album by Jacob Dlamini)
Kate Rogan
Love Books. Melville. Johannesburg
011 726 7408
Three things make a book sell: marketing, word of mouth and community. In my few years in the publishing world, I have grown to understand that the books you see everywhere often get there because they are prioritised in the marketing budget, especially in international markets. Readers see these titles as superior because they are everywhere and buy them, and so the cycle continues. Next, there is the real magic – word of mouth. A book is beautifully written and plotted, captures a zeitgeist and the hearts of readers. It doesn’t have a big marketing budget but word spreads through readers, bloggers and reviewers. Then, with community, authors nurture a group of readers through newsletters, social media etc, which translates into sales.
Amy Heydenrych, author. https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Heydenrych/e/B077K52P26
What can an author do to help promote their book?
Hosting book launches (book tours) and engaging with readers. You want to make your customer/reader feel like they are important and you are giving them exclusive content. Ensure that your publisher does not forget about you during the decline phase of your book’s life-cycle, because that is when the opportunity to reprint arises [excellent advice]. Remind customers who had planned to get the book and entice those who were reluctant.
Some books aren’t always able to get the best spot in the bookstores or get reviews on mainstream media so that’s where social media is able to help-out and reach a wider audience. And since few people write real reviews on Good Reads nowadays, social media allows you to see what people really think of your book. It can be a bit daunting and vicious so it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted [you said it!]
Sam Nkosi, Publishing Assistant specializing in digital strategy and marketing for Blackbird Books https://blackbirdbooks.africa/
There is so much an author can do to help promote their book, ranging from engagement and promotion on social media (not only book-related; readers are interested in learning more about an author and an author’s opinions, so they want the author to have a presence on social media that is not solely devoted to promoting their book), to being available for and receptive to publicity events, such as interviews, launches and signings and book-club events, whether these are in person or online.
Andrea Nattrass – Publisher – www.panmacmillan.co.za
The major one is: SELL. Most authors don’t really realise how much power they have in selling their own work. The publishers can get your work in stores in large amounts on publication but for the book to backlist well, authors need to be able to sell over the months after publishing. Also, be clever with your online media. The more followers you have, the more eyes you have on your brand. Work on your brand and image. When the market speaks about your book and they start the sentence with, ‘Have you read the new Lauren Beukes? You’re on your way.
Vis Chetty, Sales Manager for adult local and agency titles, Penguin Random House South Africa https://penguinrandomhouse.co.za/
(image: Afterland by Lauren Beukes)
Enthusiasm. Engagement. A little bit of enthusiasm towards your new book goes a long way. Shout it out on social media. This new way of living has forced us to reimagine unconventional ways of bringing books to the readers and there are so many exciting ways of engaging with readers. You may even gain yourself new fans.
Lorraine Sithole – passionate promoter of books
- Facebook: @lsitholelorraine
- Twitter: @LS3841
- Instagram: sithole_lorraine_
Consider your personal brand, be present on social media and not just to promote your book, but to participate in conversations on related topics which can generate much more interest than a straight ‘buy my book please’ [Yes! Those Tweets/posts are sooooooo boring]. Engage with readers as much as you can online and at literary events, well – virtual events for the foreseeable future.
If you’re not working with a publicist through your publisher, consider hiring a freelancer and work closely with them to secure media coverage across mainstream and niche platforms. Always have your elevator pitch totally waxed for any given situation. Make connections with other authors and be supportive of one another on social media. I can’t say this last bit better than Margaret Atwood did, so I won’t – “It’s tough out there in bookworld. Tread carefully. Don’t speak so softly that you can’t be heard, nor so loudly that you’re deafening. Cary a medium-sized shtick.”
Jennifer Ball. Publicist at Jonathan Ball Publishers: http://www.jonathanball.co.za
When an author understands that they need to be actively engaged in the promotion of their book, it is a dream for publishers and booksellers, neither of whom have big marketing or advertising budgets. Audiences love an engaged author and are likely to respond by buying a copy of a book. Authors can also prolong the life of a book by continuing to engage with their audience and the media around their book. Authors should make themselves available for events related specifically to their book, and to anything around books generally (if you get my drift). It’s tough to stand out so you need to work at it all the time.
Kate Rogan
Love Books. Melville. Johannesburg
011 726 7408
When it comes to promoting a book, I think an author can just be available to do as many interviews and talks as possible and engage with their readers when tagged in reviews. That being said, I think your impact on the success of selling your book comes a long time before. The main thing you can do is write the best book possible, so that it strikes a chord with your readers and travels far. You can also build your network of other authors on social media and engage with potential readers online and through a newsletter/patreon.
To be completely honest, I do what I can and, most importantly, what feels natural. I think the moment you start pushing yourself to Self Promote, it comes across as just that. If you have a genuine rapport with your community, they will want to buy your book. The rest is up to forces far beyond your control, like cover design, who stocks your book, how much it is promoted, and luck.
(image: Author Amy Hedenrych holds on to her copy of the gorgeous HAMNET with a white-knuckle death-grip)
Amy Heydenrych, author. https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Heydenrych/e/B077K52P26
And finally…
- Well known authors who write good books and have a strong reader following sell well. This is a known fact and as a publicist it is so much easier to promote a well-known author.
- Publishers Marketing Campaigns that include publicity campaigns and social media such as facebook, twitter and Instagram.
- Authors can assist by promoting their books to their own readers with events and social media. This is very powerful.
- Bookshop buy in to a specific title by promoting authors to their databases, events, social media and specialised promotions such as the Exclusive Books Recommended Reads monthly, Homebru and other in store promotions.
- Covers are also a hot selling point.
- Author shouts and reviews on front and back covers.
- Collaboration projects between retailers and other likeminded corporates.
In the time of Corona virtual events have shown a higher attendance level of guests than in real time yet the sales are not matching the attendances [so we still need proper book launches!] This has to be explored and promoted.
Helen Holyoake, Independent Book Publicist for 25 Years https://www.facebook.com/HelcoPromotions/
- https://www.twitter/ @helcopromotions
- https://www.instagram holyoakeh
Thank you to all the wonderful, knowledgeable people that contributed to this blog. I think what came up again and again is the word of mouth aspect. So please, if you have enjoyed a book by a particular author, shout about it on social media and to your friends and don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon.
If I think about the reasons I buy books – before ebooks, it was:
- If I was familiar with the author’s work
- The cover – remember those white covers with the pretty pics for chicklit?
- Word of mouth
These days, I still buy books written by my favourite authors, but I’m very influenced by social media and by the opinions of people I trust. I tend to buy international books on kindle, and I look for bargains there (cost is a BIG issue) and I buy hard copies of South African and African books – often two copies – one for me, and one for a friend. I like to get them signed and give them as gifts. My hard copies are also precious to me, they are often written by friends, I’ve bought them from one of my local bookstores, they are not books I will lend or give away.
What makes you buy a book? We would love to hear back from you. Happy reading and don’t forget to shout about the books you’ve enjoyed!