How to Develop The Right Marketing Message For Your Self-Published Book

How to Develop The Right Marketing Message for Your Self-Published Book

12/9/2015

What I'm about to do right now, not many writers and authors would be willing to do or say. I am going to take this moment to become as transparent as possible.

I wrote my first physical book in July of 2014, and unbelievably, it was not as successful as I hoped. Want to know why? It was because I rushed it. I wrote the book and tossed it outside into the ether expecting it do something magical.

Remember what I said in the introduction? “Dreamers fantasize but thinkers materialize.”

Well, with that first book, I did more fantasizing than I did thinking and materializing. I had no book-marketing plan, no plan to put to work at all.

Since the day of the publication of that first book I have been studying sales and marketing, copywriting, which is essentially sales in print, and most specifically how to use the skills of salesmanship to sell more books.

I've studied how some of the most famous and most successful authors have marketed their work (and bear in mind, much of their marketing is done by the marketing departments or teams at their traditional publishers, of which they can afford).

As a self-published author, the chances of you having those kinds of resources are very slim.

So what is a self-published writer and author to do?

Well, you need a plan, you need not just any ole kind of marketing message, you need the right marketing message for your book.

Not to mention, a team of supports and word-of-mouth evangelist to get the message of your book out there, but we will cover that last part a little later in this blog series.

You see, as an author, regardless if you are writer of non-fiction or fiction, chances are you are not passionate about sales and marketing or copywriting, but the truth is: to be successful in this line of work it is going to require you to suck-it-up and be willing to do the hard things.

I am talking about the things that other self-published authors aren’t willing to do. That is the only way you will leave them in the dust and be able to be added to the list of greats, such as Stephen King, J.K Rowling, Mary Kubica, David Baldacci (one of my favs), John Grisham, Stephenie Meyer, and the list goes on and on.

One of the greatest public speakers, Cavett Robert, said to Dan Kennedy when he was first getting into the public speaking and seminar business was these kick-you-in-the-butt words, “Don’t be too much in hurry to promote (or throw your book into the ether, like I did), until you get good. Otherwise you speed up the rate at which the world finds out you’re no good.”

Pretty rough advice to listen to, but worth listening to nonetheless. And it applies to authors and our books as well. With that said, it has been my observation that many self-published writers and authors rush to promote their newly published book without stopping long enough to really make sure they have a book worth promoting and worthy of readers diving into.

In today’s incredibly over cluttered, competitive book market, your book needs a truly great marketing message more than any time before in this industry. Moreover, your book had better truthfully represent what your marketing message says about it.

Another way of articulating this point is by this anonymous poem for advertisers:

A lion met a tiger
As they drank beside a pool
Said the tiger, “Tell my why
You’re roaring like a fool.”

“That’s not foolish”, said the lion
With a twinkle in his eyes
“They call me king of the beast
Because I advertise!”

A rabbit heard them talking
And ran home like a streak
He thought he’d try the lions plan
But his roar was just a squeak.

A fox came to investigate –
Had luncheon in the woods.
Moral: when you advertise, my friends,
Be sure you’ve got the goods

The Ultimate Book Marketing Plan for Self-Published Authors does not start with any particular media or strategy (we get to those things later); it starts with putting together the best, promotable and profitable marketing message possible that truthfully and specifically represents “the goods” you’ve got, or the desired outcome you want your readers to have.

Understanding What You’re Up Against, Conquering Your Foes, and Outwitting Your Competition When Necessary

As you set out to construct an irresistible marketing message for your book, you have to take a moment and conduct a thorough survey of everything you are up against – every other author of significance that is presenting his or her book’s marketing message to your target reader.

You need to develop a marketing message that somehow is heard over the noise of all the other authors in your category or niche and places you in a category of one.

Later in this blog series will talk about taking the road less traveled – and operating in a protected selling environment of your own making.

To start off, I have a little exercise for you: Stop reading for just a moment and go find your local newspaper, nearest magazine, Yellow Pages, or go to the Internet and do a search for your competition. Look at the first ad or marketing message that pops up, grab a note pad and pen or pencil, and start writing down each promise, feature, benefit, and statement you see.

When you find one of these statements in the next ad you look at, put a mark next to it and count how many times that statement is used. If you find a new or different statement in another ad, add it to your list, then record the number of times that statement is used.

This exercise is valuable for two reasons. First, the Yellow Pages is one the most difficult advertising arenas to get into, and to be quite honest, when was the last time you saw an author promoting their book in a Yellow Page ad?

Secondly, today, the Internet is an arena of clutter and most surfers online are sorely tempted to shop around. In both places, you are literally surrounded by your competitions adverts.

However, when it comes to the direct-mail marketing media, what you end up getting is one-on-one attention from your ideal reader.

What you get is the opportunity to deliver a complete marketing message to your ideal reader without them being seduced or tempted to check out a thousand other authors in your niche and what they have to offer.

When it comes to the Yellow Pages, your ads are grouped together with all of your competitors; which again, I insert here: when was the last time you saw an ad for a book in the Yellow Pages?

And when it comes to the Internet, your competitors marketing message is just a click away.

In these arenas, only the strong will prosper. These are the kinds of things that you are up against.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Internet marketing has it place, and we will cover some marketing tips and strategies using this medium later in this blog series, but you will have more breakthrough success with your self-published books and marketing efforts when you start offline.

Going back to the exercise that I had you do above, what you end up discovering is this: Everybody is saying the same thing. And, guess what… they are all giving generic, unfocused messages that are big and broad and not really written for anyone in particular.

Even though this seems like the "right way" to do things, because that is the way everyone else is doing them, trust me when I tell you: it is definitely the wrong approach if your chief aim is to be successful, or even to dominate your book’s market.

Whether you want to believe it or not, the key to the success of your book being able to compete or even dominate your market is to differentiate your book from all your competitors in a positive, appealing, and preferably compelling way.

Many marketing pros and experts call this a “Unique Selling Proposition” (USP). In the words of Dan Kennedy, “Without this, you are merely a choice. With it, you can be the choice.”

Giving Your Self-Published Book a Great USP

A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is a way of explaining your book’s case against your competition and against all other choices, actual or fictional, of your books particular market.

For non-fiction work, most authors present their book’s USP directly in the title. The following are four examples:

Start Your Own Information Marketing Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success (By Robert Skrob) - (AFF)
The Official Get Rich Guide to Information Marketing: Build a Million Dollar Business Within 12 Months (By Robert Skrob and Dan Kennedy) - (AFF)
Platform: Get Noticed In a Noisy World – A Step-By-Step Guide For Anyone With Something to Say or Sell (By Michael Hyatt) - (AFF)
The Direct Mail Solution: A Business Owner’s Guide to Building a Lead-Generating Sales-Driving Money-Making Direct-Mail Campaign (By Graig Simpson and Dan Kennedy) - (AFF)

After reading after those titles, I am sure you can testify that it doesn’t take much to know what those books are about or what they are promising to the reader.

That is the power of a compelling title. The title is the marketing message (USP) in and of itself. It makes a promise to the reader and cultivates a desired outcome in the heart and mind of the reader.

Moreover, those titles (USPs) also speak directly to a specific kind of reader. For example, someone is who wanting to record an album/demo and get it in front of a respectable record label or radio station may be interested in Michael Hyatt’s book, Platform.

However, that same reader would probably find very little value in the books about starting an information marketing business or learning about a direct-mail campaign (although knowing about direct-mail marketing could be valuable for that aspiring song writer and artist later down the road).

Now, as for fiction writers and novelist, it is a bit more difficult to implement this USP title strategy because the books that novelist write are more for entertainment and less about information or education.

In other words, a non-fiction writer writes to teach, and their readers are their students. A fiction writer, however writes to entertain, and their readers are their audience.

For fiction writers, your USP and marketing message will have to come out of the copywriting (salesmanship in print) that sale and markets your work, such as the book's description copy.

You have to understand that a USP is all about positioning. It is all about positioning yourself as the go to author in your particular genre.

For novelist and fiction writers, the main thing that positions them from other writers in their market is their readers. For example, when you think of horror novels, what authors comes to mind? When you think of political thrillers, what authors comes to mind?

For most, when we think of horror novels, the first author that comes to mind is Stephen King. When it comes to political thrillers, our minds usually go directly to John Grisham. These two authors have positioned themselves as top successful authors in these genres, and you can find this in their marketing messages.

When writing the copy (sales in print) for one of these novels, how often do you read about how these authors are considered the #1 author in their genre? How about how they are always referred to as being New York Times Bestsellers?

The basic point that I am trying to get across to you novelist and fiction writers out there is that when it comes to perfecting your USP and marketing messages, unlike with non-fiction writers and how their USPs are usually incorporated into their books titles, your USPs need to focus in on you as the writer and author.

In other words, with non-fiction, it is all about “positioning” the book itself (yes, a non-fiction writer needs to position himself/herself as well, but the book does a lot of this for them), but with fiction writers it is mainly all about positioning you as the author.

A USP is also another way of summarizing the chief benefit that your book has to offer. For example, one (if not, the) chief benefit of this blog series is being the number one source every self-published author needs to have, and study, in order to successfully market their book to the right reader, the right way, for ultimate success.

Plus, your USP may also express the ultimate theme of your book.

In fact, let me put it to you like this: what makes your book completely unique from every other book out there in your market?

You see, there are USPs based on just about anything you can think of. For example, there are USPs based on color, size, scent, celebrity endorsement, and on and on.

The most obvious, I suppose, is that of being number one. However, when you are number one, as with all marketing messages, extreme care must be given to match the right message with the right audience.

As you begin to place a lot of concentration on developing the perfect USP for your book you may find that you will become newly aware of USPs for other books and authors, and you can learn from their examples – both positive and negative.

In order to develop your marketing mind, you need to become USP sensitive and ask yourself these questions about every book’s marketing message you encounter in your daily activities:

Does this book have a USP?
If not, can I think of one for it?
If so, is there a way I can think of to improve it?
Is there any idea here that I can borrow for my book?

How One Book’s Amazing USP
Built an Entrepreneurial Empire

I am not sure where exactly you are at in your writing journey and in your journey of trying to market your self-published book, however, the following is an example worth modelling after when trying to come up with your books irresistible USP:

Dale Carnegie’s book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People: The Only Book You Need to Lead You to Success” (AFF) is one of the best examples you can review when it comes to understanding the power of a great USP.

The title of that book presents an intriguing promise and benefit. It positions itself in a different class from all the other books in its genre. In fact, at the time when this book was written, there weren’t many books written on this subject. So, there wasn’t much out there to compete with. Not to mention, the name Dale Carnegie, at the time, also was a name that was well-known and respected.

When readers saw this book -- with that name -- they immediately saw Dale as an expert in the field. The author’s name, plus the title of the book, made it a stepping-stone to an entrepreneurial empire.

In short, this book evolved into a seminar event, course program, and CD and DVD informational products.

That is the power of a truly great USP. It is worth taking the time to work on the artistry of a very strong USP for your book. And it is not necessarily easy! I know clients of mine, plus other authors that I follow, who have taken months, even years, to finally hit on a USP that they liked and really worked for them.

For each of these creative and inspiring authors, the months of frustrating brain strain have paid off quite handsomely.

I would also like to mention that you could go to various businesses and review various products in the same industry to help you with developing the perfect USP for your book. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a book, it can be from any kind of product that speaks to the same reader and kind of market you are trying to reach.

If you have published a non-fiction book, I would recommend reviewing and analyzing other non-fiction authors in your niche or genre, pin point the USPs that they are using and see if you can come up with something better.

Or find a way to implement their USP in your marketing message. Of course, I am not telling you to still their message, but what I am saying is to find authors that are already successful in your niche and model after them.

To Your Ideal Readers Question,
Your USP Must Be Their Ideal Answer

When you seek out to attract a new reader for the first time, there is one question that you must answer – the question that was engineered by the copywriting legend, Dan Kennedy.

You must ask yourself: “Why should I choose your book versus any/every other competitive option available to me?”

Dan Kennedy invented this question in order to help writers and authors (as well as business owners and entrepreneurs), like you and me, better understand what a USP is and to use a crowbar to pry out ideas from our little marketing heads in order to dig out the makings of a great USP.

How to 10X Your Book’s USP With an Irresistible Offer

In order to articulate this idea of motivating your ideal reader to take action to buy your book, I want to take a moment, step outside of the book marketing space, and enter into the personal life and travel space.

What kind of irresistible offer can you think a travel agent could give for one of their packages?

How about something like this: for $198.00 per person, $396.00 per couple, I’ll put you up in a luxurious minisuite in an exciting Las Vegas hotel, right on the famous Strip…give you tickets to a show with famous entertainers…put a chilled bottle of champagne in your room…let you drink as much of whatever you want whether you’re at the gaming tables, playing the slots, or in one of the lounges…hand you $1,000.00 of my money to gamble with…let you keep all your winnings…and, as a bonus, guarantee you’ll at least win either a TV or a faux-diamond ring.

Obviously a deal like this can’t be given to everyone, so this kind of offer can only be given to a small number of first come, first served, eager buyers and vacationers.

Assuming you trust the offer, how fast can you get to the phone and call in order to reserve your package? Would you go out in a blizzard and drive to the post office to get your order form in the mail before the deadline?

Well, truth be told, this was a real offer. It was marketed by a guy name Bob Stupak, the entrepreneurial owner of the original Vegas World hotel (now the Stratosphere) and one the most creative and out-of-the-box entertainment market thinkers around.

For years Bob kept his hotel fully booked, he even had a waiting list going, and got paid months, even years, in advance by his guest – all thanks to his ability to create such an irresistible offer.

He used the cash flow generated from that offer to grow his hotel from a tiny, slots-only joint to a huge, two-towered showplace.

Bob is no longer in the hotel and entertainment business, and so his kind of marketing has seemed to have left with him. So you won’t see these kinds of offers in this market much (if at all) these days.

Plus, some irresistible offers are free, sometimes not. This idea of 10xing your book’s USP and marketing message is all about offering exceptional value. Either with a free or over-the-top, benefits centered offer like Stupak’s, you are using a value driven USP strategy.

Now, what kind of irresistible offer ideas can you think of to go along with your book? What kind of offer can you give to your ideal reader that will make buying your book a no-brainer decision?

Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
With The Right Book USP

What you have to understand is there are two basic approaches to timing and to a timing-oriented marketing message.

One is, to adapt your book to the opportunity or mandate of the moment. In other words, you book’s marketing plan must be suited to your ideal readers circumstance of the moment.

In taking this kind of systematic approach you have to believe the circumstance of the moment is an opportunity with at least a year’s life span ahead of them, and way to come out of the backside of those circumstances with a book-marketing message that is flexible enough for long-term success.

The other is to present your book based on timing factors. Your book will excel, specifically, because of timing and trends. In other words, when you know your book’s target market to the “T” (your ideal readers wants, needs, and desires); when you are able to know the exact kind of storm that hovers over only them…that is when you have found the perfect timing to invest in presenting your book’s marketing message, which they will see as a shelter from the storm directly overhead.

In Your USP and Book Marketing Messages,
Stay True to Your Values

A wise man once told me, “If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything.” With that said, there is just about anything that could sway you away from your values as an author and entrepreneur. Things like a recession, or new competing authors.

Let me make this as plain as possible: The success of your authorship will never be achieved without a spirit of consistency in your values. Whatever your book’s mission is – or your personal life’s mission is – stay true to what you believe in.

Again, stepping outside of the literary space, in order to articulate this point, consider that of the empire of FedEx. In their infancy they committed themselves to being on-time, as-promised delivery, and there are many classic stories of how FedEx employees went out of their way to ensure that this fundamental value wasn’t just some marketing talk, but actual practice.

Writing and Marketing With a Worldview
(Your Author Vision Statement)

Now, after talking about values, I think this is a perfect way to transition into the talk of a Worldview when it comes to your marketing statements. This next idea I got from Jeff Goins in Tribe Writers.

Essentially, the formula that Jeff came up with to craft up a powerful Worldview is by filling in the following blanks: Every ______ should ______.

Some examples of this could be:

Every _writer___ should _write for their readers.____
Every _writer___ should _write from the heart.___

In short, it is a statement that you feel extremely passionate about.

Now, not everyone may agree with your worldview, but your followers will and should.

Personally, I believe that before you actually sit down to write your book’s USP and marketing message, I would highly suggest taking some time to write your worldview statement and personal author vision statement because this will become the heart and soul of your book’s marketing message.

The following is my worldview and personal author vision statement:

William’s writing and books are highly respected, considered to be biblically sound, and written from the heart of a passionate servant of the Most High (Jesus), which proclaims life changing principles that are changing the world one reader at a time!

It’s Time to “Craft” Your Book’s
Marketing Message and USP

To make it perfectly clear, your USP and marketing message is the story you are going to tell about your book in your advertising, marketing, online and offline media, in direct-mail, and by conversation.

Your book’s marketing message will be founded on strong values, and possess a permanent message that you convey consistently.

Now, at different times, for different purposes, you may hook different offers, propositions, promotions, or enhancements to your book’s marketing message.

You may customize your message for different audiences, however, the story you tell will be centered around the most complete and compelling USP you can create.

Coming up with the best book marketing plan for your self-published book is not going to be easy. As I mentioned in the introduction, dreamers fantasize and thinkers (planners) materialize.

Your book marketing plan starts with crafting up a compelling marketing story, developing a great USP, and coming up with an irresistible offer.

Keeping in mind everything that we have discussed in this post, get a large pile of blank 3x 5 cards and start putting one fact, feature, benefit, promise, offer component, and marketing idea on each card.

Do this until you have several creative brainstorming and mind-mapping sessions under your belt, and have exhausted everything that you know about your book, its competition, and your ideal reader.

Then do your best to prioritize the items, in order of their probable importance to your readers and their contribution to differentiating you from your competition.

Through this exercise, you can come to the creation of the best possible USP, a supporting sales story, and one or more related irresistible offers.

Stay tuned for the next post in this series, we are just getting started!

About William Ballard
People have referred to William has having the mind of a business man and the heart of a minister. Freelance writer, author, direct-response copywriter, blogger, and content marketing specialist, William Ballard, helps writers and authors, like you, broadcast their message across the Internet (and offline through direct-mail response style marketing) in order to be seen as experts in their field.

William started blogging back in 2007, but officially launched his freelance writing business in 2014. Since then, he has been featured in Entrepreneur, Writer's Digest, Wealthy Web Writer, Writer's Weekly, THRIVE Global, and many others. His teachings and mentorship come from real-life experiences. Yet, none these "bragging rights" or "claims to fame" matter much to him. William's mission is to serve and help people like you attract high-value readers and clients, monetize the work you contribute to the community at large, scale your audience and overall reach, and generate a handsome living doing what you love.

To get access to William's advanced writing and business building content, consider becoming a Medium member, it is $5 bucks a month and provides you unlimited access to stories on Medium. And if you sign up using this link you will be supporting William as he provides value to you and the writing community at large.

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