Why People Won't Buy Your Book

[Stafford Battle]

During the last few months, my wife and I have had the opportunity to attend many book shows and festivals -- in DC, Maryland, and New York City. It is gratifying to see so many new black faces promoting their literary works. However, in observing money transactions between authors and readers, sadly, many books just don't sell. At writer's meetings, authors complain of travelling hundreds of miles and spending hundreds of dollars only to sell one or two copies of their inventory.

What's up? Why aren't people buying?

There are a number of possible answers. 1) In a show that offers table after table after table of authors, customers find it difficult to choose. And, most buyers simply can't afford to buy every book or author they see or want to support. If you walk into Borders you don't buy every book on the shelf. You select carefully then purchase. Actually, it is much easier for authors to sell books at small venues with only a few authors. 2) Readers often purchase because of the author's presentation and not just the book. When an author stands infront of an audience and presents his or her story; more books are sold. Ask any motivational speaker -- their solitary back of the room table is crowded at the end of a talk. 3) Maybe your book is just NOT that good. Sure, you may have spent weeks or more likely months or years preparing your "baby". But if the cover is not up to par or, the inside of the book is not well designed, or the story is weak and uninspired, readers won't buy. They will smile and say "how nice" and walk away to the next table.

It is issue #3, that we as authors frequently must study.

Look in the mirror and say, "Is my book any good? How does it compare with similar books? Have my friends and family told me the complete truth about the quality of my writing and presentation?"

Honest criticism is the writer's best tool. That's why the most profitable writers relish hardnosed, horn-rimmed, by-the-stylebook-only editors whose red ink flows like rivers of blood over precious manuscripts. Its more than spell check and grammar. Someone other than your lover or parents must tell you when your words suck; and, most important, give suggestions on how to make them better.

Then you decide how to proceed. Maybe, that's why readers won't buy your book. You may need to write a better book.

[Yasmin Coleman]

One of the most ardent and challenging aspects to the African American business culture is getting African Americans to read a book let alone buy a book. The majority of best selling black authors must first have their books sanctioned and promoted by white media and white readers before they become of any interest to African Americans.

Hmmm I disagree...folks who come to mind who are best selling authors who hustled and got there deals because of their hustle rather than the white media/reader include:
Eric Jerome Dickey (he had a strong black following...which made white publishers take note)
E. Lynn Harris
Tracy Price Thompson
Victoria Christopher Murray
and say what you wanna say...also Zane...it was BLACK FOLKS BUYING HER BOOKS IN DROVES so much so that she was able to write her own ticket with S&S!
Sorry but we don't always have to wait for Mr. Charley to give us our due...and AfAms are no different than anyone else...reading is DOWN ACROSS THE BOARD...for white folks 2...but wait we are different because there's a research study that was done last year which shows that Black Folks read more for pleasure/leisure reading than other folks...and in case you're wondering who did the research...a white company...:)

[BELLETRISTIC PRESS]

Great article, Stafford! Books are indeed judged by their covers, and the power of author promotion should never be underestimated. At BP we find when the author is proactive in marketing their work, it builds name recognition and that invariably translates to sales. Not only that, but the reading public enjoys meeting the person behind the book. And for readers, there's nothing like having a signed copy of a book. Signed copy contests are among the most popular and effective marketing tools in publishing. Sure, you take a loss by giving away a few freebies, but that's just the little picture. The big picture is those giveaways represent all the people who now know about your book, but didn't before. Now they'll each tell a friend, their friends will tell friends, their friends' friends will tell friends and so forth. That leads to name recognition for the author, public awareness of the book, and branding for the publishing company. BP always prints "complimentary" copies that we give away to reviewers, the authors themselves, and for contests as part of our marketing plan. TIP for self-published authors: allocate a certain amount of books from your printrun as giveaways. Say for every 100 books you print, set aside 10 to market, promote and sell the other 90. That's a tried and true marketing strategy that self-publishers overlook because they see the book/money as being wasted when it could have been a sale. Not true, look at the big picture.

[Yasmin Coleman]

At BP we find when the author is proactive in marketing their work, it builds name recognition and that invariably translates to sales

Yes...and also agree that authors need to look at the big picture when it comes to review books...each author should try and set aside 100 books for giveaways...I'm not saying that you have to give away that many...but you need to have books in reserve to use for contests, press kits, reviews and SUPERREADERS OR FAN CLUBS...some of your best sales will come from folks who read your book and promote (not loan) your book to others!

[KODIACK]

I find it usefull to have a platform. If potential buyers have never heard of you, or you're not connected with something that has fame , or is "In the now" You wont sell books!
I am fortunate so far and Im selling hundreds of copies since nov,07....

[George Wilder Jr.]

That is true. There is also another reason some may purchase your book. And that is the economy. Gas prices, food prices, joblessnes, and the every growing high cost of housing play a big part of people's budgets. People have no problem heading off to the nearest library for reading material.

[George Wilder Jr.]

There is always another reason some may not purchase a book. And that is the economy. High gas prices, food prices, joblessnes, and rising cost of housing. This too will play a big part in who will buy your book. The library is an big option. We all want mega sells, however, we have to deal with reality.

[ITAR]

Very well put...Sheesh..You really got me running scared now....LOL

[Sonia Pichardo]

USE TECHNOLOGY GUYS

What Mr. Battle has written is quite true

"Readers often purchase because of the author's presentation and not just the book. When an author stands in front of an audience and presents his or her story; more books are sold. Ask any motivational speaker -- their solitary back of the room table is crowded at the end of a talk."

Has anyone thought about changing the way they market their book? If you are a self-published author, you need to bring your "book" (or baby) in front of as many audiences as you can. Why don't you use technology to bring your story in front of as many people as you can?

For example use the Scott Sigler method.

EarthCore by Scott Sigler was originally published in 2001 by iPublish, an AOL/Time Warner imprint. With the novel doing well as a promotional ebook, Time Warner was planning on publishing the novel. With the economic slump following September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Time Warner did away with the imprint in 2004, Scott decided to start podcasting his novel in March, 2005 as the worlds first podcast only novel to build hype and garner an audience for his work. Sigler considered it a "no brainer" to offer the book as a free audio download. Having searched for podcast novel's" and finding none, Sigler decided to be the first . Sigler was able to get EarthCore offered as a paid download on iTunes in 2006 . EarthCore had over 10,000 subscribers. Sigler is leveraging new media to keep in-touch with his fans, regularly talking with them using social networking sites, via email, and IM. (Taken from Wikipedia)

Full disclosure: I am the owner of HarlemFriends. We are an audionovel company that brings new authors to new audiences through the power of podcasting. If you would like to know more about our business please visit my page.

However, for self-published authors to gain a following they must strategically and willingly allow audiences to hear (free audionovels), read (free e-book downloads) and experience the novel and the author (multi-city book signings and events). Since many authors are not signed to lucrative book deals and may have constrained budgets, the author has to ask him/herself: How can I best reach my target audience? Is there a way that I can develop a relationship with the reader that makes them look as my work as valuable and necessary? Once you can answer those questions and follow through with action, I believe people will ask to buy your book. Using new media technology is one cost-effective way to do this.

[Enoch Mubarak]

The major mistake black authors make is trying to do what white authors do. The reply by George Wilder Jr. on Jan 17 was the most accurate explanation to date as why you can't sell your book.

When you have black people without disposable income coupled with dependents deciding the best way to spend the few dollars they do have, buying a book is not an option unless you are determined to buy something just for you on your trip to the mall. Even at that you must still prepare yourself to reap the whirlwind of criticism from your dependents calling you selfish and unthoughtful of their needs.

If black a woman has 3 children an unemployed man and $200 to spend make sure you are alone if you decide to spend $25.00 on a book because otherwise your dependents and man will be in your ear reminding about how hard times are especially with high gas prices, food prices, joblessness, and the rising cost of housing. They will insist that your book purchase could have waited until the situation got better.

White people on the other hand don't need to rob Peter in order to pay Paul therefore constantly using them as the shiny example of how to sell your book or how to market black authored books is totally unrealistic.

To sell a black authored book to black people is a unique challenge that requires thought, preparation and diabolical planning not creative planning.

Many black authors in order to sell or promote their works rely heavily on salacious titles and provocative high gloss book covers. Many attempt to pattern their writing style and subject matter around either Donald Goines, sex and betrayal or poetry. As a result the black book market is flooded with black authors all telling the same story.

The major media outlets don't cater to black authors therefore exposure is limited to Barnes and Noble, Target, or some other commonly recognize book outlet. Having your book listed on Ingram's database is of no true benefit to black authors because black people don't understand nor recognize the significant of it.

Black people are impulsive buyers.They are not concentrated buyers. Black people buy on the spot and if they buy a book directly from the black author you can believe they are going to let you know that they are buying the book to support you and for none other reason than that.

Selling books to the black mindset without the help or benefit of white media conglomerate interest is a challenge unlike anything you will ever experience.

Enoch Mubarak
www.mubarakinter-prizes.com

[Yasmin Coleman]

To sell a black authored book to black people is a unique challenge that requires thought, preparation and diabolical planning not creative planning.

To sell a book to anyone today you need to be creative...because someone told authors...black and white that if they had a story to tell put it in a book, hustle it and folks will purchase it. Granted folks with the most hustle can sell some books...but with the plethora of same storylines it is becoming harder for any author to sell books...including best selling authors. A big mistake that many authors make is that they never think about how they're going to market their book until they have 3K sitting in their living room. Well...that's a little late to begin a marketing plan...but it's not to say that you can't move those books. I've been in Marketing for 20 years...and spent stints with several Fortune 500 companies...and when it comes to marketing products...everyone needs to know who their target audience is...the problem that many authors make is that they don't know who they wrote their book for and therefore they don't know who to target their book to. A christian fiction book doesn't have the same reader base as an urban lit book...but authors tend to use the same methods to promote both genres and therein lies the problem. While you can promote to the masses...one would do much better to promote to those who will actually buy their book because that reader is predisposed to the genre.
Black and white folks are both impulsive buyers...black folks don't have a lockdown on being impulsive...but the key is that books are IMPULSIVE purchases...they are NOT necessities...hence the first thing to get cut or not when money gets low. Honestly an avid book lover will skim on movies, music and parties before they cut back on purchasing books...and you are so right about AfAms purchasing books from folks who seem to be upfront and personal whether its in person or online...folks making the most noise are often times the ones who do break through the clutter and get us to purchase their books. I have friends who recently wrote books in genres I'm not fond of...but guess what they had good books and not only am I recommending their books to others but I've bought a few of each of their books to give as gifts to friends who enjoy those genres. I can't hype on Word of Mouth enough...or writing a good tale...if the storyline is well written and the storytelling is good...I will tell everybody and his momma about your book...but hmmm if your book is riddled with errors I don't care how good the book is ...folks will never hear me promote it because my first allegiance is always to the reader...and I don't believe readers should purchase books which have been hastily thrown together and published just because the author is trying to make a buck.
I don't believe you need the 'benefit of white media conglomerate interest' to sell your books. If that were the case Zane, Relentless Aaron and many other erotic or urban fiction authors would not have ever written the book. Regardless of what you might think of their writing styles...you've got to respect the fact that both of them are o/standing promoters and if folks want to learn more about how to promote a self-publishing title and sell enough books to garner the interest of the white media conglomerate...see they did the darn thang first...and then the white publisher came looking for them. Actually in Zane's case she got to write her own ticket...sis is a sharp businesswoman! And therein lies the answer...most writers/authors are not...writers just want to write they don't want to promote their books and as long as they're doing one and NOT the BOTH it's going to be detrimental.

[J.J. Michael]

Hi Stafford,
Great article. I just like to add a few tips from my experience selling books. You can read the full article on my blog. In case you are an inspiring author and just beginning to promote your book here are a few tips to create a winning book signing experience.

• Put an ad in free neighborhood community newspapers about your signing.
• List your book signings on online Event Calendars.
• Send an email blast to book clubs in the city you are signing in.
• Send an email blast to your friend’s network on www.myspace.com
• Bring your own large poster of your book cover to be prominently display on an easel in the store.
• Have a guest book were readers can easily get to it.
• Always have bookmarks, postcards or other free gifts to give to your readers.
• Stand at the door and with a big smile hand out a postcard to potential readers.
• Let the potential reader hold the book and look through it. Holding the book oftentimes end up in sales.
• Have a great pitch line for the book. Pitching the book gives the potential reader the personal touch.
• Give a big thanks to the reader and encourage him or her to write an online review for you.
• Also thank those who chatted with you, but didn’t buy the book. Many times they will purchase the book later.
• If you have someone to help you be sure to get someone who is upbeat, friendly and don’t mind working. They can stand at the door or walk around the store distributing fliers and encouraging potential buyers to come to your table.

Pat yourself on the back when you sell out, and even if you sell only a few books still give yourself kudos for getting out there and promoting your book.

JJ Michael
author of Life is Never as It Seems
It's Not Over Yet
www.jjmichael.org

[Bertha M. Davis]

Michael,

I just love your tips on selling books. You have given me some great ideas on promoting my books. Thanks for the wonderful tips!

BMD