4 myths about sell sheets that can ruin your book sales

PresentedbyJosephC.Kunz,Jr.KunzOnPubl ish ing.com

UnderstandingTheMythsAndMisperceptionsAboutSellSheetsCanDramaticallyImprove

YourBook’sOverallSuccess

Introduction

• Doyouhaveasellsheetforyourself-publishedbook?

• Doyounothaveonebecauseyoubelievethatitwon’thelpyousellmorebooks?

• Understandingthemythsandmisperceptionsthatmanyself-publishershaveabouttheroleoftheirbook’ssellsheetcandramaticallyimproveabook’soverallsuccess.

4MythsAboutSellSheetsThatCanRUINYourBookSales

Introduction

• Havingawell-preparedandprofessional-lookingsellsheetforyourbookwillgoalongwaytoprovetothedistributors,wholesalers,andbookstoreretailersthatyouareseriousaboutthesuccessofyourbook.

• Iftheybelievethatyouhavetheabilityandstaminatomarketyourbooklikeaprofessional,foranextendedperiodoftime,theywillbemuchmorewillingtotakeachanceonyouandyourbook.

• InthislistIdispelthemostcommonmythsthatIhearfromotherself-publishers.


Myth#1.IDon’tNeedASellSheetBecauseIUseADistributorToSellMyBook

• Havingyourbookwithadistributorisgreat.

• Thedistributorwillhandlemanyofthechallengesofgettingyourbookontotheshelvesofbookstoresandintolibraries.

• Theywillcontactthestores,negotiatepurchasingwhenpossible,andloweralotofthebarriersyouwouldfaceonyourown.

• Workingwithdistributorscantrulybeanadvantage.


Myth#1.IDon’tNeedASellSheetBecauseIUseADistributorToSellMyBook

• Evenifadistributorisdoingmuchoftheheavyliftingforyou,thedistributorstillexpectsyoutobeveryinvolvedinthemarketingofyourbook.

• Yoursellsheet,whichyoucreate,offersyourbook’sinformationthewaythatyouwantitpresented– inthebestlightpossible.

• Havingproducedaveryprofessionalandwell-thought-outlookingsellsheet,willhelpyougetadistributorinthefirstplace,andhelpthemsellmoreofyourbooks.


Myth#2.IDon’tNeedASellSheetBecauseIDon’tSellMyBookDirectlyToConsumers(AndMyClients)

• Ok.Youmaynotsellyourbookdirectlytoconsumers.

• YourbookmayonlybeavailableonAmazon.

• OrmaybeyourbookisonLightningSource,andtheymanageyoursalesanddistributiontoAmazonandtoallotherretailers.

• Butifyouhaveanyhopesofsellingmorethanahandfulofbookseachmonth,youwillneedtostarttakingthemarketingofyourbookmoreseriously.



• Asellsheetisnotonlyreadbyretailers,wholesalers,andlibraries.

• Consumerswillalsolookatyourbook’ssellsheettohelpthemlearnmoreaboutyourbook.

• Retailersandwholesalersneedtoseeyoursellsheettohelpthemdecideiftheywanttocarryyourbookornot.

• Iftheydoacceptyourbook,theirsalesteamwilluseyoursellsheettohelpthemsellyourbook.



• Theywillalsoneeditwhentheyareassemblingtheircatalog.

• Librarypurchasingdepartmentswillneedyourbook’ssellsheettoalsohelpthemdecideifyourbookisappropriatefortheirpatrons.

• Forconsumers,andyourclients,youcanputaPDFofyoursellsheetonyourwebsiteandinyourmediakit.


Myth#3.IDon’tNeedASellSheetBecauseIConstantlyPromoteMyBookOnSocialMedia

• Socialnetworkingandmediawebsitesareveryuseful,andtheyshouldplayanimportantroleinyourmarketingplan.

• Butyoushouldonlychoosetwoorthreetofocusyoureffortson.

• Butthereisabigproblemwithrelyingtooheavilyonsocialmedia.

• Youdonotownthatspace.

• However,youcancontrolyourownblog,yourownwebsite,andallofyourmarketingmaterial.


Myth#3.IDon’tNeedASellSheetBecauseIConstantlyPromoteMyBookOnSocialMedia

• Amarketingplan,andmarketingmaterials,andamediakit,arenotcompletewithoutasellsheet.

• Sobesmart,andownallofyourmarketingmaterials,andcontrolwherethatmaterialisused.

• Nosocialmediasitecantakethatawayfromyou- ever.

• Remember,oneofthemainreasonsthatyougotintoself-publishinginthefirstplacewastocontrolyourownfate.

• Neverforgetthat.


Myth#4.IDon’tNeedASellSheetBecauseReadersWillFindMeWhenTheyNeed(OrWant)MyBook

• Ihopethatbythisstageofthegameyouknowthatthisisnottrue.

• Creatingafinanciallysuccessfulbooktakesalotmorethanhoping-for-the-besttomagicallyhappen.

• Itwouldbegreatthatyourbookisneededanddesiredbythereader.

• Buttherearesomebasicwaystoattractthebuyerandthereader.



• Firstofall,youmusthaveagreatbook.

• Itscontentmustbeveryeasytoreadandalsoprovidegreatinformationthatreallyhelpsthereaderbettertheirlifeandbusiness.

• Itscovermustalsolookamazingandbeabletoattractandholdtheirattention.

• Thesearefundamentalrules.

• Thenextruleisthatyoumustremindpeopletheyneedyourbook,orelseyouwillbeoverlookedandforgotten.



• Asellsheetplaysanimportantpartofthisprocess.

• It’sjustthatsimple.

• Youmustunderstandthatsellsheetsarenotjustforselling.

• Asellsheetisjustonepartofyourmarketingplan.

• Andlikemostmarketingmaterials,itperformsseveralmarketingfunctionsatthesametime.

• Andit’snotthatdifficulttocreate.

• Sodon’tleavemoneyonthetablebynothavingasellsheet.


Conclusion

• Ihopethisdiscussionhelpeddispelsomeofthemythsandmisperceptionsaboutusingasellsheet.

• Youmustrememberthatasellsheetcanbeusedonitsown,suchasahand-out,butitmustbeincludedinyourbook’smediakit.

• Togethertheyformanintegralpartofyouroverallmarketingplan.


Conclusion

• Asanewself-publisheryouwillquicklycometounderstandthatyouarealsoamarketer.

• Self-publishingandmarketinggohand-in-hand– especiallyifyouhaveanyhopeofbeingsuccessfulatit.fini


ConnectWithMe

• B log : KunzOnPub l i sh ing . com

• L inked In : L inked in . com/ in/JosephCKunz J r

• S l ideShare : S l i deShare .net /JosephCKunz J r

• I tunes : The Bus ines s O f Se l f -Pub l i sh ing

• Twi t te r : Tw i t te r. com/JCKunz J r


AboutMe


Author,educator,businessowner,husband,andfatheroftwins.

Memberof:• IBPA:IndependentBookPublishersAssn.• AIA:Assn.OfIndependentAuthors• NFAA:Non-FictionAuthorsAssn.• BookWorks:TheSelf-PublishersAssn.

4MythsAboutSellSheetsThatCanRUINYourBookSales©2016JosephC.Kunz,Jr.

Readandsubscribetomyblog,whereIshareeverythingIhavelearnedabout

publishing,aswellasrunningmybusiness.

4MythsAboutSellSheetsThatCanRUINYourBookSales©2016JosephC.Kunz,Jr.

Listenandsubscribetomypodcast,whereIshareeverythingIhavelearnedabout

publishing,aswellasrunningmybusiness.

4 myths about sell sheets that can ruin your book sales

Marketing