Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar:

Maximize Book Sales With These

Book Cover Improvements

Bill Van Orsdel (303) 974-7845 Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com

Checklist:

ü You have researched your target reader

ü You have researched your genre

ü You have or are creating a cover

ü You plan on working with a professional

ü  Fiction or nonfiction book

Before we get started…

�  WaveCloud is an Author Services platform and an ebookstore

�  Helping writers become successful authors is our #1 priority

�  Not a “How To Do”, but a “What To Do”

�  Watch this webinar: Maximize Book Sales With These Book Cover Improvements

A word from our sponsor

Bill Van Orsdel WaveCloud  CMO  

A word about our guest

•  Teddi Black: Professional Book Cover

Designer

•  Has designed more than 300 book covers

•  Fiction & Nonfiction

•  Many repeat authors

•  Her goal: Help clients create book covers

that sell books!

Key Points A.  Your book cover is one part of the three-legged stool that generates

interest for book sales (along with descriptions and stars/reviews)

B.  Cover goals: �  Capture eye �  Confirm genre �  Convey professionalism �  And for nonfiction: call out promise

C.  Maximize “available” graphic space for book covers

D.  Know how to work with a design professional �  What do you need to know? �  What questions should you ask?

E.  Target the right audience: Adults vs. Teens vs. Kids

F.  For print - use all of the elements on the back cover (Print-on-Demand)

Book covers generate interest that leads to sales

�  Goal: Convince those who visit your sales page to read your book description and reviews

�  Purchase Behavior: Awareness à Interest à Trial à Purchase

�  Interest created by: Book covers and then description

�  Trial created by: Sampling or social proof

�  Better book cover = more description reads

Better description reads = more review reads (trial)

Book review reads (trial) = more book sales

Why does this matter?

�  Create “A Cover that Sells Books”

�  “Capture the Eye” with an outstanding image, story, color, theme, tone, composition, and typography

�  Confirm your Genre(s) (Mash-Ups) or Subject Area

�  Convey your Professionalism

�  + For nonfiction à Convey Benefit Promise

Goals for your book cover:

Maximize “available” graphic space for book covers

�  Images in 72 DPI or better (don’t scale up!)

�  In color (mindful of black & white displays)

�  RGB color mode

�  .JPG format

�  1563 x 2500 pixels (rough “Golden Rectangle”)

�  Beware of white background, use a frame

�  Less than 5MB and another less than 2MB (B&N)

Collaboration Tips Working With A Professional Book Cover Designer

�  Agree on procedure & price upfront including: how to handle

extras (i.e. time, images, re-works, multiple versions, 3-D version) &

file ownership!

�  Provide: Synopsis, Logline+Hook, image examples, book

examples, genre, theme and tone direction, main

character(s) description(s), etc.

�  Engage with meaningful, well-thought-out, final direction

and comments. Credit your designer!

Refining a book cover

Refining a book cover

Refining a book cover

Refining a book cover Final Cover

Refining a book cover

Refining a book cover

Refining a book cover Final Cover

Tell a story, elicit an emotion

Tell a story, elicit an emotion

Target the right audience

Typography: good vs. bad

Typography: good vs. bad

Typography: good vs. bad

Back cover examples

Back cover examples

Back cover examples

Back cover examples

Back cover examples

�  Name the book’s genre, explicity

�  ISBN & correct bar code

�  About the author (optional)

�  Price

�  Blurb

�  Strong book description (logline + hook)

Back cover, often neglected

�  Fiction: Logline + Hook

When ____ happens to ____, he/she must ____ or face ____.

i.e. “Marked for death along with his companions, a toy rabbit

must learn to cry real tears in order to save himself from being

thrown into a burning pit by the boy he loves.”

�  Nonfiction:

Authority + Benefit Promise + Unique Proposition (may include

author credentials)

Back cover description

Final Recommendations: A.  Your book cover is one part of the three-legged stool that generates interest

for book sales (along with descriptions and stars/reviews)

B.  Cover goals: �  Capture eye �  Confirm genre �  Convey professionalism �  And for nonfiction: call out promise

C.  Maximize “available” graphic space for book covers

D.  Know how to work with a design professional �  What do you need to know? �  What questions should you ask?

E.  Target the right audience: Adults vs. Teens vs. Kids

F.  For print - use all of the elements on the back cover (Print-on-Demand)

�  Enjoyed  this  webinar?  WaveCloud  has  more  online!  Addi<onal  webinars  can  be  viewed  here:  WaveCloud  Webinars  

�  Ask  ques<ons  regarding  self-­‐publishing,  request  a  topic  you  would  like  to  learn  more  about,  or  tell  us  what  you  think  at  authorinfo@wavecloud.com.    

WaveCloud Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar Series:

Questions?

Bill Van Orsdel (303) 974-7845 Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com