Book Marketing: The Importance of Selecting a Great Book Title

Choosing the right title for your book can make a huge difference when it comes to marketing and selling your book.It's far easier to sell a book with a great title - even a poorly written book - than it is to sell a great book with a poor title.

Generally, there are two elements to composing a book title.The main title should be short and catchy while the sub-title basically tells the reader the benefits of reading the book.Some titles are self-explanatory and don't really need a sub-title.However, many authors, particularly new authors, neglect to use a sub-title and as such are losing out on a primary marketing tool.

An example of a great book title that fires the imagination is "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.This book has no sub-title yet most people who read this title are intrigued to discover just how thinking can make you rich.

However, one of the titles that was originally considered for this book was "Make Oodles with Your Noodles".Somehow, it doesn't quite have the same appeal, does it?I doubt that if this title was used for this book that Napoleon Hill's classic would be as well read as it is today and that would indeed be a shame because so many successful people have been inspired by this book.

But it's not just new authors who make the mistake of not choosing a great title, bestselling authors can make the same mistake as well.For instance, Robert Allen, author of the bestselling "Multiple Streams of Income" once wrote a book which he initially called "The Challenge".

Now, "Multiple Streams of Income" is another example of a great book title.How to make money is always a popular topic and who wouldn't want to learn how to create multiple streams of income?The sub-title of this book is "How to generate a lifetime of unlimited wealth".It's what is generally called a "no-brainer".

However, the title "The Challenge" is another matter.Robert Allen himself later admitted that this was a "terrible" title.A major problem with this title is that it's too vague and yet it's not intriguing enough.In addition, many people are sub-consciously put off by the issue of a challenge.People are looking for solutions rather than challenges.

"You don't walk into a bookstore looking for a challenge."Nothing Down" was great "Creating Wealth" was great but "The Challenge" where did that go?"
Robert G Allen

Sixty thousand copies of "The Challenge" were originally sold which would be a respectable number of books for many authors but not for someone in Robert Allen's league.

Also, had this book been written by a less well-known author with less book marketing experience it would have probably sold fewer copies.

The publishers gave him back the rights to the book and he later re-released it as "The Road to Wealth".It was much more successful selling hundreds of thousands more copies.

So don't underestimate the power of your book title to drive book sales.It's probably one of the most important decisions you'll make regarding your book and your book marketing strategy.There's just one caveat to this.Choosing a book title is not a decision you should make entirely by yourself.

When it comes to deciding your book title, seek expert advice and also seek the opinion of your target market.It is often the case that your target market will not be attracted to the same title as you.And no matter how painful the decision to go with a title that you may not be enamoured with it's far less painful than having your book bomb.

About the Author

For more expert book marketing advice check out the Book Marketing University.

And for a FREE teleseminar on how to turn you book into an Amazon bestseller visit Becoming An Amazon Bestseller.

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On The Campaign Trail - Leaflet Distribution In Politics

It's the biggest concern to any politician who wishes to see their ideas come to fruition; how do I get my message across to the most people possible.It's all very well having the best idea but unless you can get it into the minds of the voting public then it's no good to anyone.Of course one of the biggest mass media tools is television, but even this has restraints and drawbacks.You rely on people tuning in to listen to what you have to say.Unless you are already well know the chances of that are slim.

Leaflet distribution offers an effective alternative.
Television advertising costs big money these days.The need to look as good in high definition on some of the super sized screens that are on the market right now has meant that a badly produced commercial stands out like a sore thumb.As a result if a politician is going to undertake a TV commercial they'll need to hire the best people possible so that they portray the right image; clothes, location, make-up, sound...the list of things to consider goes on and the cost mounts up.

One of the other majors concerns of any politician is always money.Getting the most for your money, not wasting a penny and justifying any expenses are all at the front of a politician's mind when making any sort of decision.Leaflet distribution, then, has added attraction as a marketing or promotional tool.It is relatively inexpensive, can reach large numbers of people quickly and can be adapted to specific needs or requirements.

Throughout history leaflet distribution has been used in politics to influence decisions and get a particular point of view across.It has helped groups like the Civil Rights Movement and the Suffragettes achieve their aims and it has been used in every democratic nation on the planet to tell people why they should vote for a particular person or idea.It's probably the most cost effective and easiest way of reaching lots of people all at once.

In countries that are governed by oppressive or dictatorial regimes political leaflet distribution is at its most effective.The methods some governments go to in suppressing large groups of people are sometimes shocking and they are always carried out with a view to suppressing free thought and stopping discussion of new ideas.In that situation people turn to surreptitious means to get their message across.Because of the immediate nature of leaflets and their ability to convey a message quickly they are a popular tool among groups of radicals and campaigners, especially those who live under potentially dangerous political systems.

In Central and Eastern Europe the leaflet was an important propaganda tool in bringing about democratic change.Leaflets containing anti communist literature and images were distributed as a way of destabilising governments and making people aware that change was being planned.

The role that leaflet distribution played in bringing down the Soviet Union has added irony in that it was the Russian Revolution at the beginning of the 20th century that made the most of leafleting as a political tool.Before the October Revolution of 1917 its impact had been negligible.After the revolution it was looked at as a serious method of communicating a message and bringing about change.

In recent times it has been used to great effect in Korea, Bahrain and Nigeria.

About the Author

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the marketing industry.

Find out more about leaflet distribution and marketing.

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• Book Marketing: The Importance of Selecting a Great Book Title