Remember that kid who decided to
take apart a toy just to see how it worked? And then, surprise…that same kid
couldn’t figure out how to put it back together again. We authors can sure
learn something from that one kid. We can learn how to use reverse engineering
to figure out why readers buy our books. Think about it. Kids take something
(computer, radio controlled car, Barbie dolls) apart to see how it works, get
to the guts of what makes that thing go, run, fly, burp. So why shouldn’t
authors be able to take apart the sale that lured readers to buy the book in
the first place?
The first question you should ask
yourself is: Why did you purchase insert
name of book? Was it because it was your friend’s book? Perhaps a
suggestion? Or a book you learned about through a review? Was it an emotional
purchase? A New York Times Bestseller? Or was the book part of Oprah’s book
club? I want you to chase down the sale and figure out what made you buy that
certain book. Got it? Good.
Now once you do this kind of reverse engineering you can build a
profile for the sale. You get to see how a sale is built. You get to know how
the book market works. That’s when you can develop a marketing strategy for
your own books. Get it? Great.
A lot of times you’ll find the
answer is word of mouth via the social media, or a friend suggested the book
(or wrote it), or they passed by a bookstore window and the cover caught their
eye. Even Oprah has the golden touch. Dig deep, and find the reason for that
sale.
While doing my own reverse
engineering, I suddenly saw this quote from Bill Gates in my Twitter feed: “You’re most unhappy customers are your
greatest source of learning.” That’s when it hit me. Book reviews. Not the
one-star reviews you get from trolls, but those reviews that seem sincere, yet
only give you a 3 star. Those are gold. Use these kinds of reviews to fine tune
your writing. Listen, really listen to what the reader/reviewer is conveying to
you, and apply their advice in your next book if it rings true with you. I know you can’t please everyone, but
you can certainly make changes in your writing that will help boost your book sales
and reach new readers.
Thanks a heap for
reading my blog. Authors, if you have time, please leave a comment and share
what you do to track down your book sales. If you’re a reader, please share what
leads you to buy a certain book? I’d appreciate your input. Cheers!
