The Business of Self-Publishing Blog

Benefits vs. Features: A Crucial Key to Selling More Books

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

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Updated December 26, 2022

Subtitle
If you cannot explain the benefits and features of your book, the readers will not buy it

Synopsis
One of the biggest marketing mistakes we non-fiction authors can make is confusing the benefits and features that readers will get if they buy our book. And at first glance, it might seem a little challenging to understand the differences – especially if you’re writing a book for the first time. So, here is a quick explanation to help you understand the fundamental differences between a book’s benefits and features.

What You Will Learn
1. You will learn how to define your book’s benefits.
2. You will learn how to define your book’s features.
3. You will learn how and why benefits and features work together to help you sell more books. Continue reading →

Posted in Book Marketing | Tagged Authorship, Back Cover Copy, Benefits, Book Design, Book Marketing, Book Selling, Bookselling, Copywriting, Differentiation, Features, Nonfiction, Perception, Podcast, Problem, Product Benefits, Product Features, Value, Value Added | Comments Off

Needs And Wants Reduced To Its Simplest Terms (Infographic)

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

Updated December 9, 2022

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Posted in Marketing | Tagged Audience Needs, Audience Wants, Book Marketing, Customer Needs, Customer Wants, Needs, Wants | Comments Off

Understanding Your Reader’s Needs and Wants Can Lead To Higher Book Sales

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

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Updated January 22, 2023

Subtitle
Needs versus wants in non-fiction book marketing

Synopsis
Your needs and wants, as an author, can be surprisingly and distinctly different than those of your readers. But, once you realize these differences between you and the reader, you can focus on truly understanding your reading audience and their needs and wants. So, here is a short discussion to help you define and understand what your reading audience needs and wants in their own life, which has led them to you and your non-fiction book.

What you Will Learn
1. You will learn why your needs and wants don’t necessarily coincide with those of your readers.
2. You will learn why you must ask yourself the right questions to understand your readers.
3. You will learn how and why understanding the needs and wants of your audience will make you stand out from the crowd and thereby help you sell more books. Continue reading →

Posted in Book Marketing | Tagged Book Marketing, Book Sales, Consumer Needs, Consumer Wants, Emotional Connection, Needs, Nonfiction, Reader Needs, Reader Wants, Wants | Comments Off

Understanding Your Reader’s Needs AND Wants Can Lead To Higher Book Sales (Infographic)

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

Updated December 11, 2022

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Posted in Audience Needs, Book Marketing, Infographic, Reader Needs, Wants And Needs | Tagged Book Marketing, Book Sales, Consumer Needs, Consumer Wants, Infographic, Nonfiction, Reader Needs, Reader Wants | Comments Off

Authors: If You Learn How To “Walk In Your Readers’ Shoes,” You WILL Sell More Books! (Infographic)

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

Updated December 10, 2022

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Posted in Book Marketing, Empathy, Non-Fiction, Sympathy | Tagged Audience, Book Marketing, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, Feelings, Marketing, Non-Fiction, Self-Publishing, Sympathy | Comments Off

Successful Non-fiction Authors Do Not Confuse Empathy With Sympathy

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

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Updated February 16, 2023

Subtitle
Having genuine and honest empathy for your audience is one of the keys to success as a non-fiction author

Synopsis
Even though empathy and sympathy both involve your feelings about your readers, they refer to two distinctly different emotions. As an author, book marketer, and emotionally mature adult trying to help people, you must genuinely understand the difference. Here is a short discussion about the importance of empathy and how it relates to your book sales.

What You Will Learn
1. You will learn the difference between empathy and sympathy.
2. You will learn why understanding the difference will help you sell more books.
3. You will learn why empathy can help you create a great book. Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged Audience, Book Marketing, Carnival Of The Indies, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, Feelings, Marketing, Non-Fiction, Podcast, Self-Publishing, Sympathy | Comments Off

5 Surefire Ways To Optimize Your Book’s Sell Sheet (Infographic)

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

Updated December 10, 2022

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Posted in Book Marketing, Sell Sheet | Tagged Book Marketing, Copywriting, Marketing, Marketing Materials, Marketing Principles, Offline Marketing, One Sheet, Online Marketing, Outbound Marketing, Sales Sheet, Self-Publishing, Sell Sheet | Comments Off

5 Surefire Ways To Optimize Your Book’s Sell Sheet

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

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Updated December 10, 2022

Synopsis
To become or remain financially successful as a self-publisher, you must be able to quickly and effectively get your marketing message to your book-buying audience. Your book’s sell sheet is an excellent tool to do this. The sell sheet is a perfect marketing tool for offline AND online marketing – because it’s simple to understand and gets directly to the point. So, here is a short discussion of five specific ways to make your sell sheet a potent marketing tool.

What You Will Learn
1. You will learn about the five essential elements you must incorporate into your book’s sell sheet.
2. You will learn how and why these elements are essential for your book’s success.
3. You will learn the five most important ways to optimize your sell sheet so that people want to read it.
Continue reading →

Posted in Book Marketing, Call To Action, Inbound Marketing, Offline Marketing, Online Marketing, Outbound Marketing, Sales, Sell Sheet | Tagged Book Marketing, Carnival Of The Indies, Copywriting, Marketing, Marketing Materials, Marketing Principles, One Sheet, Online Marketing, Outbound Marketing, Sales Sheet, Self-Publishing, Sell Sheet | Comments Off

All Blog Traffic Is NOT Created Equal (Infographic)

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

Updated December 9, 2022

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Posted in Audience, Author Platform, Book Marketing, Infographic, Platform, Social Media | Tagged Audience, Author Platform, Blogging, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Infographic, Social Media | Comments Off

Is A Large Platform Critical For An Author’s Success?

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.

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Synopsis
Creating a huge platform with many thousands of followers might seem like the most obvious way to achieve success. But there’s more to it than that. A huge email list, and huge Twitter and Facebook following, are all great, and are always an accomplishment to strive for. But the quality of those followers is what’s really important.

What You Will Learn
1. You will learn why a large author platform isn’t always the best or most practical for most self-published authors.
2. You will learn why high-quality email addresses are more important than a large number of email addresses.
3. You will learn what you need to do to start building your author platform. Continue reading →