To clearly describe your acim, you must know what it’s about and whom it targets. What it’s about will be what you’re selling, and whom it targets identifies the audience to whom you hope to sell it.
Agents and editors tell us that a surprisingly large number of writers can’t clearly explain what their books are about.
These authors usually can detail their motivation, philosophies, and their personal dreams, but they can’t describe the specific benefits their books will give their readers. For example, they don’t say that it will teach novices to hook up computer networks, to bake mouth-watering lemon squares, or to design stylish children’s sweaters.
When authors can’t clearly describe their books, agents and editors usually conclude-with good reason-that they can’t write a salable book. And if writers can’t describe their own books, how can they expect agents or publishers to sell them?
Instead of describing their books, many authors tend to litter their descriptions with unverified – and often unbelievable – superlatives. They might say, “This is the best, the most informative, the most up-to-date, or the only book on . . .” Or they will claim that it will become a runaway bestseller, an all-time classic, or a great TV series. In describing your book, forget the hype and stick to the facts. Simply state what it will do.
To create an effective publicity campaign, understand your niche. Since the public has so many options and listens so selectively, your first big hurdle, which can be huge, is to get their attention! To make them stop and listen, you must know:
o What your book is about
o Exactly for whom it was written
Clarify who your audience is – identify the specific group or groups that will be most likely to buy your book and why they would buy it. If you believe that your book has a broad or universal appeal, name the demographic groups that would be most interested in it, according to their size. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that it will appeal to everyone, because it probably won’t, and it will distort who your audience actually is.
Authors tend to mistakenly believe that it’s better to appeal to wider, broader-based audiences than smaller, more defined groups. They don’t want to overlook any potential buyers, thinking that if they pitch to larger groups, more people will buy their books.
However, publishing experts tell us that the opposite is true: The shotgun approach seldom attracts as many readers as tightly targeted methods do.
Know you niche. Identify the principal audience that will most likely read your book, and then focus your publicity campaign on it. Then, if you believe that your book will appeal to additional audiences, decide what resources, if any, you will commit to reaching those additional groups.
