Why Are Some Authors More Successful Than Others?

by Heather Colman

Each case my differ slightly, but in most cases there are
specific reasons why some authors are more successful than others.

> The Title

Much thought and careful consideration must be given to the title. Thousands of ebooks are submitted to e-Book Palace every year. I can tell instantly which ones will get the most click thru's just by the title.

Which of these titles do YOU think will attract more attention?

1) "Article Marketing Success"

2) "How to Earn a Six Figure Income Selling your Articles to Magazines"

While title #1 tells the reader it's about marketing, articles and success, it doesn't define "success." 

Title #2 is more specific. It identifies a specific "result"
the buyer can expect to achieve when reading this ebook.


> The Cover

When I see a shoddy, non professional looking cover that looks like it was made by a 5 year old, it's difficult for me to conceive that the content will be any better. Will I pay money to read what this author has to say? Not on your life!

Visual Impact is CRITICAL!! I can't stress that enough. Next to your title, the cover is your most important sales tool. It's the FIRST thing your prospect sees and YES... make no mistake, your ebook IS judged by it's cover. It's human nature.

If the author doesn't understand the importance of "visual impact", he/she most likely doesn't have much to say that I would pay to read. If it looks like trash, it's going to be perceived as trash.

Take a look in the eBook Search Engine Cover galleries to see some professional looking covers. You'll be amazed at how inexpensive it is to have a great looking cover for YOUR ebook.
http://ebooksearchengine.com/covers.html          


> The Description

If your description puts me to sleep or reads like a lot of
other mundane descriptions, it won't get me excited enough to buy your ebook.

Again... you need to be specific about what the reader can expect to gain by buying your ebook. Your description should be an extension of your title.

Here's an example of an excellent description for the ebook "Subconscious Internet Marketing" by Larry Dotson & Joe Vitale.

Notice how specific elements are highlighted.


Find out 746 ways to get people to buy your products and services -- NOW.

* Find out 217 emotional triggers that will put your prospects in a receptive buying mood! (See Chapter 7)

* Get the 194 special "mind" effects that get prospects to visualize your product solving their problem. (See Chapter 9)

* Find out the 33 persuasive mind tips that will make your sales letters so enticing that prospects won`t dare pass up the opportunity to take advantage of your offer. (See Chapter 11)


What is it that YOUR reader can expect to gain from buying YOUR ebook? Make a list. When you have that done, you have the beginning of an excellent description.


> Sales Page

If your sales page is written for a "general audience", don't expect to sell many ebooks. Even if you have an ebook that would be of interest to "anyone", your sales copy should be written for a SPECIFIC audience. If you try and sell to everyone, you won't sell to anyone. That's a FACT!

The best resource I've reviewed to date for learning how to write compelling sales copy for a SPECIFIC audience is an
interactive course called "The Step-By-Step Copywriting Course"
written by Karon Thackston.
http://ebookpalace.com/hop/1016578064.html

This course is different than any other copywriting material I've seen because it's interactive. Not only does Karon provide an abundance of much needed copywriting information, (the RIGHT information), but she takes you through it one step at a time. It's a learn and write as you go course.

This is not an ebook you'll read part of the way through and forget about it. You'll be actively involved in each step. The lessons at the end of each segment are invaluable! This gives you an opportunity to learn each segment at a pace that YOU can feel comfortable with.

By the time you're finished with the course, you'll not only know WHO your target audience is, but HOW to write to them. You'll be writing your copy as you go through the course.

I highly recommend this course for anyone who wants to learn the right way to write copy. It WILL improve your sales because you'll be writing copy for a specific target audience.
http://ebookpalace.com/hop/1016578064.html


> eBook Marketing

I've said this a hundred times before and I'll say it again.
Your job is NOT done just because you finished that last
chapter. You HAVE to participate in marketing your ebook if you plan on achieving any level of success in your sales.

So you have publisher... so don't hundreds of other authors. That doesn't mean your ebook is going to sell. Publishers serve a great purpose. They provide a home for you to host your ebook. They can accept payment for your book when a customer wants to buy it. They may also provide editing and compiling services. They'll probably make you a snazzy looking webpage, BUT... they won't do much for you in the way of marketing. Some publishers will feature your ebook in their ezine. That's great, but it's usually a one-time thing. YOU will be responsible for the lionshare of the marketing. Get use to it.

How do you do that? There are hundreds of free and low cost strategies for marketing your ebook. One excellent way is to get your ebook listed in as many FREE Directories as possible. You can start with  The eBook Palace Directory. 

Other directories can be found by searching for "ebook directories" without the quotes at: http://www.google.com. Make the most of these free resources. Get listed in as many directories as possible. It's great exposure and it will improve your search engine rankings because of the number of linked pages back to your sales page.

IN SUMMARY

Paying close attention to these 5 elements will greatly improve your success as an author. If you don't believe me, take a close look at what OTHER successful authors are doing. When you do, you'll find these common threads between them.

More than 30,000 book readers visit eBook Palace every month. Shouldn't YOUR eBOOK be there? http://www.ebookpalace.com

Increase your sales by up to 300% displaying your cover in a quality 3D format. For the "professional" look, click here: http://ebooksearchengine.com/covers.htm

© 2002 Heather Colman, http://www.ebookpalace.com