If you want to sell more books, think like a winning football team. It’s currently playoff football season, and my wife is fond of saying, “All that matters is the 4th quarter.” In other words, the first three quarters of the game are meaningless if you don’t know how to make adjustments to win the game at the end.
For example, the Atlanta Falcons lost the Super Bowl last year after leading 28 – 3. But, when the New England Patriots mounted a comeback, the Falcons didn’t make smart adjustments and blew the game. Now, they’re nicknamed the “Atlanta Fail-cons.”
Why do some football teams consistently win while others lose? If you listen to coaches or the talking heads on TV, you’ll hear a common explanation:
Winning teams make wise adjustments in the middle of the game.
In football, every team starts with a strategy that they hope will work. In most cases, though, things don’t go according to plan. Players make mistakes or the other team has an effective counterstrategy. When things don’t turn out as hoped, winning teams make adjustments and try different tactics. For example, the offense will attempt more passes than they did earlier in the game. Or, the defense may blitz the quarterback more often.
Winning football teams keep trying new adjustments until they find what works. And, they have to make those corrections quickly before time runs out and the game is over.
Marketing your book is a similar process. You start with an initial plan to find readers, build your email list, and sell books. But, just like a football game, things don’t always go according to plan. In order to win, you must learn how to make adjustments. Here are several examples authors might need to consider:
• If you’re not getting many people to join your email list, you need to ADJUST your incentive. Be more generous and make your offer more enticing.
• If you’re spending money on Facebook or Amazon advertising and not getting many clicks, you need to ADJUST your ad marketing hook or imagery.
• If people are clicking on links to visit your Amazon page but not buying many books, you need to ADJUST your book hook or marketing copy.
• If you’re not making enough income from your writing, you may need to ADJUST your skills and take a course to become a better writer. Or, you may need to ADJUST your schedule to write faster, produce more books, or launch new revenue streams, such as coaching other writers, launch e-courses, speak in public, etc.
Championship football teams win games by learning how to make quick adjustments that get better results. Likewise, successful authors figure out how to sell more books by adjusting their marketing efforts and improving their skills. If you feel like you’re losing the game, don’t give up. Be proactive and make the necessary adjustments.
At least take comfort that you’re not racing against a scoreboard clock or being chased by 300-pound men trying to tackle you.
Get expert coaching to improve your book marketing skills and make better adjustments. Contact me for personal help. After helping several authors make the New York Times bestseller list, I know what it takes to win the book-selling championship!
