Lately, I’ve been thinking about marketing and what my books have to offer the world. I wrote a post a while back on defining your audience, but today I’d like to focus on what makes people want to buy books. Then I’ll go into some things you can identify in your own writing that might help you understand what your stories have to offer readers, which can help your marketing.
Understanding What Consumers Buy
The secret of marketing is not selling the product, but selling what comes from buying the product. People don’t buy things. They buy the identity and feelings that those things provide.
Think about cigarettes. If anyone thought about the product, they wouldn’t buy it. Set fire to something that tastes awful and then breathe it in? No thank you. So why do they sell? Because manufacturers are selling the identity and feeling that come with smoking. If you smoke, they say you’re a rebel or cool or sexy. If you smoke, they say it’ll make you feel good. People buy cigarettes either to claim an identity (such as being cool like their friends) or to make them feel better temporarily. That’s why cigarettes sell. Please note, I definitely do NOT support smoking (or vaping). It’s just an obvious example of how identity and feelings sell products.
So, how does this equate to books? When you sell your stories, you aren’t selling the product but the identity and feelings that comes with it. Let’s break those two aspects apart and look at them closer.
Identity: I want to be…
Readers are mostly escapists. They want to forget their own lives for a while and be someone else. What they want to be will determine what they want to read. A woman moving to a new town looking for love. The jewel thief about to pull off the biggest heist ever. A Jewish mother in Nazi Germany. Even a teenager just navigating the drama of high school. Readers feel drawn to buy books that sell the identity they wish they had.
Readers will naturally be drawn to specific protagonists and plots based on their desires. It could be the protagonist’s occupation (thief, soldier, veterinarian, etc.) or personality (strong-willed, cocky, altruistic, etc.). A timid introvert may love books featuring arrogant spitfires. A married woman may love romance books because she wants to experience the fun of dating again. The protagonist is a major part of what you sell when you pitch your book to readers because they experience the story through the character’s viewpoint.
Feelings: I want to feel…
Book are essentially therapy in text. If written correctly, readers should feel what your protagonist does. That means they can go through the stages of grief with the character, fall in love, or even find forgiveness. Readers spend on average eight hours reading a book. That’s a good chunk of time where their minds are being shaped by the story so they’ll be drawn to books that make them feel good. Whether that’s making them laugh or cry, they seek an emotional experience that they think will make them feel better.
People read to find love, success, revenge, enlightenment, vindication, etc. These feelings can also be seen as book themes. The protagonist’s internal arc is typically linked to the main emotional draw of the book. Realizing he is enough, allowing herself to be loved, finding the courage to face his fear. The feelings you sell with your books are closely related to the theme and what lesson the protagonist learns (or doesn’t learn).
Understanding What You Sell
Marketing isn’t about selling a product, but an identity and feeling. Let’s put that lesson into practice. Think about one of your stories as you read further.
What identity are you selling readers? Are you selling a lone wolf or a tight-knit team? A thief or a detective? A sarcastic girl or an optimistic boy? A reluctant hero or the chosen one? A self-sufficient woman or a woman looking for her other half? A cocky man or an altruistic man? Take a moment and write down five words to describe who your protagonist is. Make sure to include at least one title (detective, wife, villain) and some defining personality traits (witty, funny, blunt).
What feelings are you offering readers? Humor or tragedy? Desperation or self-confidence? Redemption or vindication? Understanding or pride? Consider your story. What lesson do you try to teach the protagonist? What themes are present? If you had to pick one feeling that readers walked away with after the story is done, what would it be? Write down anything that comes to mind and then narrow it down to three or five words.
Your combined word lists should encapsulate your story. Those words are what you’re selling readers. Find ways to work in words from your lists into your pitches, summaries, and book blurbs. By using trigger words for a specific identity and feeling, you’ll be more likely to catch readers who would like your story. You can also look for books that have a similar feel and market to those fans by using those books as comparison titles.
Being able to identify both the identity and feelings of other popular books can help you recognize your ideal audience. For instance, let’s say you’re speaking with a woman about books she likes. She says her favorites are Apprentice to the Villain (by Hannah Nicole Maehrer) and Long Live Evil (by Sarah Rees Brennan). You can quickly categorize the identity and feelings these books sell: cheery protagonist, empowered woman, criminal life, and sweet romance. If your book has similar vibes, then you can confidently recommend it to that reader. By knowing what your book offers in a handful of words, it’ll be easier to know when you found a good audience for the story.
Final Thoughts
This post wasn’t anything earth-shattering about writing, but I hope it helped you see your story in a new way. As writers, we are so concerned about writing the perfect pitch and memorizing it that we lose the chance to connect with readers. Next time you are speaking with a reader, try asking them what books they like. Then see if you can find similarities with your story. Maybe give them five words from your list and see if it interests them. If they aren’t a good fit, it’s okay. Not everyone needs to buy it and love it. Work at understanding readers instead of selling a product. Even if your book isn’t a perfect fit for them, they may buy it anyway because they like you.
Thanks for reading!
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