Marketing Tip

Your Book is Only the Beginning ...

(How to Give Your Readers More)

by Diane Eble

Recently a publisher approached me about republishing a book of mine that had gone out of print years ago.

Needless to say, I was thrilled.

It feels like news of a loved one's demise to get a letter from a publisher saying your book is going out of print. To receive news that a publisher wants to resurrect a book is—well, it's a joy akin to experiencing a miracle. Isn't resurrection always a miracle?

The publisher, however, has ideas about this book. If we go ahead with this, it will be a very different book from the original. New title, half the length, whole new format: "lots of open space, with bullet points, built-in action points, and sidebars of specific topics." The sample book they gave me looked more like a magazine in book format than a typical book.

You know what? I think their suggestions are very good! Once I gave up my initial conception of what the book should be based on what it had been, I caught their vision. (When a traditional publisher makes suggestions, welcome them! Publishing pros usually do know what they're talking about.)

At first, I wondered how I could cut all that content and not hurt the book, but now I'm not perturbed at all. In fact, I welcome the chance to shorten it. The strategy they're suggesting is really a good one, and I suspect will be used more and more in publishing. Which is the main reason I'm writing about this now.

The idea is to have a short book (95-120 pages) that is easy and quick to read, offers good help but is not in itself complete. For more in-depth help, the reader who wants it can go to a website to get more information.

This is a good model for any author to follow. It is a huge  change in the old book model (and welcome, in my opinion). Before the Internet, the customer would buy a book and there was really no way to initiate a back-and-forth relationship with an author. By making something valuable to the reader available online, an author can start a relationship with the reader that is satisfying to both.

I encourage you to consider your book only the beginning of your relationship with your readers. Find ways to make readers want more of you, and then give readers more if they go to your website and get into your "funnel." In this case, I may offer both a workbook and group study questions. Both of these work well for almost any nonfiction book.

Even with fiction, you can find ways to draw people into your fictional world. I know a novelist, Charlene Baumbich, who created a whole site called Welcome to Partonville, the fictional setting of her Dearest Dorothy books. Readers who love the characters of Partonville get to read the "Partonville Press" and sign up for Charlene's Twinklegram (doesn’t that just put a twinkle in your own eye?). On the site Charlene also cleverly places reviews of the book, updates of her speaking schedule, all in a very engaging format.

Such "extras" give readers a richer experience. They keep readers coming back. They promote loyalty. You're able to give readers more of you. It all works together to generate that most wonderful advertising there is--word of mouth.

So if you're writing a book now or thinking of one, plan into your strategy ways to get readers to come to your website for more. They will thank you for it, you'll sell more books and reach more readers, and everybody will be happy!

... And if you're ready to incorporate these suggestions into your book starting now, I invite you to check out the Jump Start Your Book: 12 Steps to Writing a Book that Sells. It's actually a complete Tool Kit for starting your book, including some terrific audio incredible bonuses and a follow-up coaching session to plot the right publishing path for you.

All great accomplishments start with one decision, one action step. Check out Jump Start Your Book now and see if it's the right action step for you at this time.