Writing A Book, How To Attract Your Audience

Writing a book is not a stand alone process. You are not journaling. Your book is being written for others to read. Who? Who is going to read your acim? It is extremely helpful to have a clear picture of your audience before you sit down to write your book. You will want to know what age they are. Where they live. What their interests are. What they spend their money on and so on. You do not have to do an in depth demographic study; just get a good idea of who you are writing your book to before you write it.

Once your book is written you have another hurdle. How do you tell your audience about your book and how to you motivate them to buy?

Ask yourself three questions:

What problems does my audience have? Understanding the problems your audience is dealing with not only helps you write your book, it helps you sell it. For example, if you are writing a book about how to choose accounting software for a small business then potential problems might be:

Do not have enough time to do the books

Not an accountant – do not understand accounting principles

Current software is too complicated

Do not want to pay a CPA to do my books.

Need to invoice and pay bills from one location.

How does my book solve those problems? The next question is important because it will help you sell your book. People buy books for entertainment, for education, for hope, and to have their problems resolved. Take a few minutes and write down how your book solves your audience’s problems.

Your book on choosing accounting software may break down a reader’s options into an easy to use comparison chart. Your book may tell them exactly what they need and do not need from a software program. Your book may educate them on basic accounting principles in easy to understand descriptions so the reader knows how to compare software and how to use it correctly to grow their business. Turn these solutions into powerful benefit driven statements and you have your sales page already written.

How do I tell my audience I have solved their problems? Of course just because you understand your audience’s problems and your book solves them does not mean you are going to sell your book. You have to tell them that you solve their problems. There are a few key places to announce your book’s strengths.
Book’s title – This is the most important place to state the benefit of your book. Continuing with the accounting book example a benefit driven title might be: Choosing Your Business Accounting Software. A non-accountant’s step by step guide to make the most of your time, money, and sanity.
Table of Contents – This is also part of your book that people often look at to make a buying decision. Give each chapter a benefit driven name. For example, Chapter One – Understanding Accountant Speak.
Back Cover. The back cover is reserved for a quick elevator pitch where you again list a powerful benefit or problem that your book solves along with a few testimonials or reviews that can attest to the fact that your book does indeed solve those problems.
Articles, blogs, newsletters and more. Tell the world about your book by writing content that also solves their problems. For example, if you write an article about 10 Mistakes Small Businesses Make Setting Up Their Accounting Software then you have provided valuable information. Include a link to your website in the closing of the article and you likely have a new customer.
Press Releases are written to announce to the world that you have something important to say. There is nothing more interesting and newsworthy to the media than a common problem solved. Write a press release and tell the world about it.

Attracting your audience is as simple as solving their problems with your book and telling them about it. It does not have to be complicated. A few well placed ads. A number of helpful articles published both online and off, and a bit of media exposure and you will have sales figures you only dreamed of.