Promote Your Book with Power-Bites
By Rob Eagar The more you rely on technology to spread your message, the more you must be brief. We live in a world of smaller screens, smaller attention spans,…
By Rob Eagar
The more you rely on technology to spread your message, the more you must be brief. We live in a world of smaller screens, smaller attention spans, and smaller conversations where media platforms continuously shrink discussions. For instance, radio and TV interviews these days are typically no longer 3 - 6 minutes. And, social media tools, like Twitter, limit your remarks to just 140 characters.
To market successfully in a world of micro-communication, it's crucial to speak concisely with power. People no longer give authors a long time to explain what they do. You've got to capture another person's attention right off the bat.
The best way to grab someone's interest is to speak in powerful sound bites, or "power-bites." Think of power-bites like a newspaper editor uses punchy headlines to introduce articles. Talk about your book in a manner that makes someone curious or inquisitive.
For example, I'm starting to promote my new book, “Sell Your Book Like Wildfire," which releases in early-June. When media reporters, bloggers, or publishing executives ask me about my book, I don't go into a long drawn-out description. Instead, I lead my responses with pithy power-bites, such as:
- Never tell someone what your book is about. Tell them "What's in it for me?"
- If you want to sell more books, stop selling books and start selling results.
- Start small to sell big. Light a fire with your kindling audience first.
- My book is the bible of book marketing.
- Marketing is easy with 3 simple questions: What's your value? Who needs it the most? Where do they congregate?
If you write fiction, here are some great examples of power-bites to describe a novel:
- My novel is for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship.
- Discover a story that reveals how to risk everything to be true to yourself.
- Enjoy the pleasures and intrigue of a bygone age.
- Experience how love and hate, cowardice and courage, good and evil are always a part of life, in our own time, as well as on the eve of the greatest war the world has ever known.
In a fast-paced world where Facebook, Twitter, and the 24/7 news media allow everyone to have a voice, it's more important than ever to cut through all the noise. Use power-bites to punch through the cacophony, gain people's attention, and spread your message like wildfire.
Action Step: Take a moment today to create three new power-bite sentences for your book.
About the Author:
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors and his new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, will be published by Writer’s Digest in June, 2012. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com
