Why Isn’t My Book Selling?

When your bookselling is not as active as you would like it, its time to ask yourself some tough questions particularly if it is an ongoing issue. Nevertheless, stunted sales are not limited to newbie authors, many established authors encounter the same challenge from time to time.

Here are a few questions with possible solutions for consideration:

• Is my book covering a topic that interests many people? Your niche may be too small. Before writing your book, do an online search to determine how many people are interested in your topic. If you and a handful of people on the internet are interested in this topic, for instance, your book sales could possibly flop. To sell substantial quantities you must have a good size market that consists of more than family and friends.
• Does my book have an effective name? Some well-known authors heeded the advice of their publisher by changing the name of their book to a more catchy but relevant title. The results were immediately beneficial. Using keywords in your title or subtitle when selling books online can also boost traffic to your book.
• Does my book have a professional cover? Your cover is the first opportunity for readers to take an interest in your book. Therefore, if your cover is poorly done, it’s a turn off no matter how great the content is. Ask yourself the question: how does my book look next to a professionally designed book? If it is not good, then upgrade your cover; it can improve your sales potential tremendously.
• Did I have my book professionally edited? Many people opt to do this themselves hoping to save money. Poor grammar and a few typos are a huge turnoff for most readers. Many will point out your errors quicker than what they loved about your book. If your book is worthy of being published, ensure that it is presented professionally from start to finish.

Here are the last 4 Book Selling Tips

• Are my illustrations professional? Your illustrator may be the best artist in the family but that doesn’t mean their illustrations are professional. There are illustrators who have various styles and are consistent with the flow of their drawings. Taking the professional route may help the movement of your book if everything else is in order.
• Am I marketing my book? There is no set it and forget it approach in publishing your book. Books don’t usually sell by themselves, you have to be engaged in the process for online and brick and mortar sales. This does not mean that you necessarily need a large marketing budget. What it does mean is that you need to be more assertive in using every available free and cost-effective channel in promoting your book.
• Is my sales category too broad? When posting your book for sale on Amazon, you must select a category to list your book in. As there are millions of books available in some categories, it is helpful to be more specific in your selection. If your genre is cooking, you can say West Indian Cookbook or Bahamian Cooking. The broader the category, the more likely you are to get lost in it, however, if it is too small it may show that there is no interest in that area.

Last but not least!

• Do I have a good book preview? Most buyers are selective these days with their purchases. This is one reason why you should always have a selection of your book available for people to read. Readers want to see more than the table of contents in their preview, in other words, they want to read substance. If they take the chance and make a blind purchase, you could get a scathing review with a refund request.