10 Tips for Book Titles That Sell Well
By Judy Cullins
(excerpted from an article at http://www.spannet.org/article-cullins-title.htm)
A clever title is great if it is clear, but a clear title is always preferable. The best? A clear and clever title. A shorter title is better than a longer one. Your reader will spend only four seconds on the cover. While some long titles have succeeded, usually the shorter, the better.
A title is part of your book's front cover. Busy buyers including
bookstore buyers, wholesalers, distributors and your audiences
buy mainly because of the cover. Dan Poynter, author of Writing
Nonfiction, says, "The package outside sells the product inside."
Make your cover sizzle.
Start with a working title before you write your chapters. Include
your topic, your subject and use the book's benefits in your sub-
title if possible. Here are your ten tips for titles that sell:
1. Create impact for your title - check out magizine print and radio ad headlines.
2. Include your solution in your title.
3. Make it easy for readers to buy.
4. Expand your title to other books, products, seminars, and
services.
5. Use an original expression - a way of expressing one idea for your book - yours alone.
6. Include benefits in your subtitle if your title doesn't have any.
7. Choose others' book covers in your field as models.
8. Be outrageous with your book title.
9. Be your strongest salesperson self.
10. Include your audience in your title. This gives your book a slant.
An outstanding title sells books. Make sure to give this part of your book, the number one essential "Hot-Selling Point," some time and effort.
Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet" she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at: www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles.
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