Cudos! You finished that book and it’s off to the printer. Now the second shift of work (MARKETING) begins and you need a killer sell sheet for your future best seller. It’s a top marketing tool that is arguably the easiest piece of ad work you can create for yourself.
Why have a sell sheet?
Because it’s easy and practically free! Gone are the days of blowing your budget on physical copies of your books to send to every. single. contact. you’ve ever made. While you should still send out carefully targeted advance reader copies (ARCs), drafting an effective sell sheet is a time and money saver. It is simply attached to an email or printed in small stacks for in-person events. They can live on your author website and Amazon author page. If you upload it to social media pages, it’s an easy click to boost that post and advertise your work.
Creating a killer sell sheet
If you can design a decent flyer, you can create a killer sell sheet for your book. Think of it as a business card and treat it like an integral part of your marketing plan.
You need the following:
Must haves:
- A high resolution image of your book cover – preferably saved as a jpg or png file at 300 dpi. This will prevent the image from becoming too pixelated with size changes.
- A well written, succinct summary – Don’t give away the secret sauce! The summary should have a first sentence hook with just enough description to leave the wanting more…and having to buy your book to get it!
- All relevant purchasing information – This includes contact info for the publisher and/or distributor of your book. If your book is available on third party selling sites like Amazon, list it! The ISBN number, retail price, trim size of the book, and case amount (if known) is often included.
Extras that help:
Reviews – If you have already received notable reviews, you should include those quotes (see image 2). The reviewer should be a person who lends to your credibility. Therefore, friends and family don’t usually fit this criteria. Don’t worry, it’s okay if you don’t have any at first. (see first image)
Pro Tip: Check out Publisher’s Weekly, Booklife, dedicated to the world of self-publishing
- Social media handles – Face it, this is where we all live and spend a significant amount of time. Share your passions outside of writing. A favorite recipe, your rescue dogs, or that time you saved the Queen of England. Readers want to connect with you outside of “buy my book!” posts.
- Design elements – Small, professional looking design elements that speak to your brand will give off a polished, professional look.
- Author Bio – Depending on room, you can include a small author bio with a link for more information. If you run out of room, a simple “For more information, visit www.yourwebaddress.com for more info” will do.
Pro Tip: Sometimes book stores want to know which BISAC category your book falls into. It tells booksellers where your book fits on the shelf. If you know it, you can include that info as well.
While the term sell sheet implies a large size, you can create them in any size. small post card or 6″ x 9″ work just as well. Regardless of what you choose, be sure the design (and print as needed) quality is as professional as possible.
Design may not be your thing. Fortunately, it’s ours and we excel at it! If you are looking for assistance in creating a killer sell sheet for your book, or in any area of self-publishing, contact us at [email protected]. We’re here to help!
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