Book Marketing Buzz

People either love it or they hate it; but one thing is for sure, they are buying it.

How do you get people to buy your book?

Unfortunately, the answer to this is, you can’t.  There is no secret formula; there is no magic key, there is no gold at the end of the rainbow.  Unless… people have heard about your book through recommendations of their friends or through the media or through some other forms of publicity that made them sit up and go, “I’ve got to have that book!” 

People can’t be made to buy your book through blatant advertising unless the advertising comes from someone who is familiar and well-known.  It could be Oprah or it could be a member of your family; it doesn’t matter.  Have someone tell you this is the best book they’ve ever read, you’re bound to take notice.  Have it land on the NY Times Bestseller List and everyone starts talking about it, that’s more than likely a sold book.

So, in order to get people to buy your book, you have to have a book that is recommendable.  That’s the most sure-fire way I know of to get someone to buy it.

How does one make one’s book recommendable? For starters, it could be controversial even if the controversy isn’t in the author’s favor.  In January ‘08, I will be representing Kathleen Willey, author of the book, TARGET: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON (World Ahead Media, Nov. ‘07) for a virtual book tour in which I will be sending Kathleen throughout the blogosphere to talk about her CONTROVERSIAL book.  This book is highly recommendable; in fact, our informants have just told us that it just made the New York Times Bestseller List because of its CONTROVERSIAL nature and of this date, it’s #174 at Amazon. People either love it or they hate it; but one thing is for sure, they are buying it. 

What’s really remarkable about this is that sometimes the author has no idea it’s going to be as controversial until after the book is published.  And, then there’s the aspect of whether a publisher would even be interested in a book that would be controversial, thinking that if it received bad reviews because of its controversial content, it wouldn’t sell.

Kathleen Willey is one such author who is proving them wrong.  World Ahead Media, branded as the west coast’s leading conservative publisher, believed in Kathleen Willey.  From a publisher’s standpoint, they knew it was only a matter of time before it would be money in the bank.  These are the kinds of publishers who have the hindsight to see ahead and don’t mind going with their gut instincts.

Sure, it’s a gamble.  From a publisher’s standpoint, it’s a big gamble.  But, I have a sneaking supspicion this gamble is going to pay off as Kathleen Willey’s book provides us with not only reading entertainment, but hits that controversial button to the point where everyone is going to be talking about it. And, guess what happens then?

People buy.

Stay tuned for the next installment of “How Do I Get People to Buy My Book?” at a future date on Book Marketing Buzz or sign up for our feed at the top left hand sidebar so you don’t miss it! 

Tags: Book Marketing Buzz, New York Times Bestseller List, Kathleen Willey, Target: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton, World Ahead Media, How Do I Get People to Buy My Book?