Download Marketing Made Simple

Marketing Made Simple for Authors
by Rob Eagar
For many authors, the term “marketing” seems as complex and confusing as learning to speak a
foreign language. Fortunately, the process of promoting a book doesn’t have to be complicated.
Use this proven approach to sell more books based on answering one simple question.
The problem for many authors is that they view marketing as explaining what they’re book is
about, who they are, or why they write. However, this perspective contains a counterproductive
thread – the marketing is all about you. The reality is that nobody cares about you or your book.
Instead, readers care about what you can do for them. And, they won’t give you their money
until you answer their internal question, “What’s in it for me?”
For example, a non-fiction author is asked to explain why he wrote his book. So, he describes
what his book is about or the content inside. A novelist is asked to explain why she wrote her
story. So, she explains her writing style, plot line, or characters. These are legitimate pieces of
information, but none of it tells readers what they really want to know.
To make matters worse, authors put these self-focused explanations all over their important
marketing materials, such as websites, book cover copy, social media pages, newsletters, etc.
Thousands of dollars are spent on marketing. Yet, the most important question in the public’s
mind never gets answered, which is “What’s in it for me?”
Book readers don’t care about your topic, genre, or background. Their primary concern is how
you can make their life better. Therefore, they want to know the results that you can create for
them. To avoid confusion, I define a “result” as any positive outcome, life change, or tangible
improvement that you create for someone who reads your book. In addition, the description of a
result must be specific enough to generate emotional interest. Logic makes people think, but
emotion makes them act. For example, consider the difference between these statements:
Ineffective:
 My book is about how to home organization.
 My novel is a story about a woman who endures an abusive past.
Effective:
 My book helps you experience the soothing calm of an ordered home.
 My novel shows how to trust others with a painful secret and no longer feel alone.
Maybe you think your marketing materials tell people the results that your book offers. To be
sure, try this test. Ask someone who is unfamiliar with your book to visit your website or read
your back cover copy. Give them 60 seconds, and then ask how they would explain your book
to a friend. If they don’t identify the results that you offer, then your marketing isn’t as effective
as it needs to be.
Too many authors expect prospective readers to do their marketing job for them. They think
others will naturally answer the question “What’s in it for me?” on their own. But, readers will not
take the time figure out the results your book offers. That’s your job and the purpose of your
marketing efforts.
When people cannot discern how your book will improve their life, then they will hesitate to
purchase. We all make decisions according to our self-interest. Marketing is the process of
telling people you have their self-interests in mind. When you stop describing what your book is
about and start describing the results you offer, you overcome skepticism and build the trust
required to create a purchase. In other words, don’t tell people the topic of your book. Tell them
the results that it will create.
A results-based approach to marketing simplifies your efforts by focusing solely on the most
critical elements for success. You no longer need to worry about what language to put on your
website, what kind of articles to write for your newsletter, or what to say during a media
interview. Tell people about the results that your book offers, and give examples of readers who
have experienced those results. When you concentrate on appealing to a person’s self-interest,
you light the sparks necessary to sell your book like wildfire.
About the author:
Rob Eagar is the author of Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, which is considered the
new bible of book marketing. He is also the founder of WildFire Marketing, a
consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread
their message like wildfire. He has trained over 400 authors and consulted with
numerous New York Times bestsellers. Find out more about Rob’s book and
consulting services at: www.BookWildfire.com