Your book cover is your most important marketing piece. A professionally designed cover is the main focus of your brand and self-promotion materials.
Utilize your graphic designer to create materials that engage and reach your target audience. A graphic style complements your book cover and visually builds your brand.
It’s essential to be consistent across all media. As you promote yourself, your audience will recognize and identify you quickly. Here is a short list of effective ways to showcase your book cover.
Business card – Make a great first impression to connect with potential businesses. This important tool is very economical to print. Feature your book cover. Include your name, phone number, email address, and URL. Add a question, tip, or offer that leads people back to your website.
Sell sheet – A sell sheet is a critical tool in your promotional toolkit. There’s a plethora of great information online about what it is, why you need it, and how to create one. A sell sheet packs a lot of information onto one page, so good design matters. Here is what it should contain: your book cover, title, subtitle, your name, formats (hard cover, paperback, ebook), ISBN, page count, category/genre, where the book is sold, and a professional author photo. Also, include a brief but punchy description, a couple of short testimonials, the publisher, and most important, contact info (website, email address, and phone number)!
Website – Feature your book cover on your Home page. Display your author photo on the About page; and dedicate separate pages to testimonials, your blog, the media, contact info, social media buttons, how and where to buy your book, and email newsletter sign-up box. A great article to read: “The Basic Components of an Author Website” https://janefriedman.com/author-website-components/
Social media presence, such as a Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Pinterest – (With FB, make sure you have a separate business page, in addition to your personal page.) Ask your graphic designer to create a custom images that includes your book(s) for each site.
Bookmarks – A well-designed bookmark is a keeper! Readers will appreciate and use it, perhaps in your book. Bookmarks should include your book cover, name, publishing logo (if you have one), website, and how to purchase the book. Include your best blurbs / testimonials on the back side with a call to action and, of course, how to contact you.
Postcards – Use postcards to announce upcoming speaking or book-signing events. A postcard has the same information as a bookmark, but the back side is for mailing. Caveat: You need to have a mailing list with physical addresses, or you can buy a mailing list. Better yet, use the postcard design as an e-blast to your email fan list.
Note cards – Print cards with your book cover to use as a thank you notes or just to keep in touch. Everyone loves a handwritten note.
PowerPoint Presentation – If you plan to speak, remember “a picture is worth a thousand words,” so use graphics liberally. PowerPoint and Keynote provide a variety of templates to make your slides colorful and interesting, keep copy to a minimum, and make use of bullet points.
Are you ready to get started? N-K designs books (covers and interiors), plus marketing materials for authors. Let’s talk about promoting your book.
