- People
buy on emotion and how they feel.
- Some
will buy based on price or try to commoditize your book.
- Everyone
buys on ignorance – there is always something they don’t know.
- People
buy what they know, are familiar with, and are comfortable with.
- You
don’t have to correct their misperceptions if it is not in your favor.
- Never
lie or make up things but you can dress up the truth.
- People
buy from people they like or relate to.
- They
buy on fear, ego, greed, desire – touch all of those buttons.
- Don’t
judge the buyer or his/her personal life – you don’t have to like them to
sell to them.
- Only
say as much as is needed to sell someone – don’t talk your way out of a
deal.
- Present
yourself as an expert or authority and speak the lingo they would expect
to be associated with your topic.
- Make
timely references to things in the news or pop-culture that relate to your
subject matter to show you are up-to-date.
- Lead
with benefits – tell them what they will get – identifying how to solve a problem,
prevent one from occurring, or how to capitalize on an opportunity.
- Connect
with them on something – anything – just keep getting yeses to things –
find common ground, a meeting of the minds, and identify things they like
and agree with them.
- Inject
humor – people like to laugh or put even serious issues into perspective.
- Do
not mention personal setbacks – no one will buy from you out of pity. They
will feel like they want to run away if you tell them that you don’t feel
well, that your kid broke his arm or that your spouse is leaving you.
Mention the setback only if it ties into your book’s message.
- Mention
names or events they recognize and can relate to even if they are not
directly connected to your book in a personal way.
- Offer
few risks – give them a chance to feel they are not signing their life
away.
- Respect
that people won’t be forthcoming or even truthful with you initially.
- Find
out what the customer hopes to accomplish and then position your book as
addressing those areas of concern.
- Try
to package your book with the other things or services to sell.
- Do
your outreach, follow-up, and then follow-up again – then move on.
Need PR Help?
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page
views, can be reached at [email protected] He is available to help authors promote their story,
sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in
successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your
advocate, teacher, and motivator!
About Brian
Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be
followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is
copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now
resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue
dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The
Writer and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts
over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by
www.WinningWriters.com as a “best resource.” For the past three decades,
including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses,
Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres,
right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark
Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay,
Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan
RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He
hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah
Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association,
Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and
Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have
been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY
Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington
Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, &
Co-Op Association Handbook. It was featured
in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.