The title you use for your book can actually increase sales. This article will inspire you with three stories of how changing book titles has lead to increasing sales, as well as a challenge to apply this to your life.
This is a true story! I heard this first story from Vic Johnson, a genius at Internet marketing. I recently heard him speak and then I read his great book with an intriguing title: “How I Created a Six-Figure Income Giving Away a Dead Guy’s Book.”
Here’s the first story …
In the early 1900′s, there was a Russian immigrant. He had a unique way of selling books. His sales plan consisted of putting the titles of the books on an order form. He didn’t even include a description of the book, the authors or number of pages. He just put the title. Next to the title, he put a line for the quantity. Next to that, he put the price.
At the end of each year, he evaluated the sales of the 100′s of books on his order form. Any book that did not sell at least 10,000 copies, he simply changed the title. Same book. New title. His strategy worked, too!
So, take the title you have of a book that you have written. Or, take the working title you have of a book you want to write. Brainstorm with a friend or colleague a list of different titles for the same book. Focus on titles that you think will sell.
Here’s a second story …
More recently, Sterling Press published “Eye Spy,” a book on optical illusions. It fizzled. It was re-titled “Eye Teasers.” Unfortunately, sales were still mediocre. Then, the exact same book was re-titled “The Great Book of Optical Illusions”; it sold over 200,000 copies.
Here’s a third story …
Once, there was “The Squash Book.” It sold 1,500 copies. When it was re-titled “The Zucchini Cookbook”; it sold over 300,000 copies.
Challenge
Imagine your book, article, product or service … attracting 1,500 customers. Try that on like you would a coat or new outfit.
Then, imagine it attracting 300,000 customers, just because of an attractive title. Try that one on. Notice the difference.
Phil Johncock
And now I would like to invite you to click here to watch the short YouTube video “Google Your Name: Top 3 Ways To Show Up” and begin to take control of the brand called “you” on Google.
From Phil Johncock – The Online Mentor