We’ve all heard the old adage – don’t judge a book by its cover.  But when push comes to shove and we don’t have all day to spend browsing the bookstore or Amazon aisles, isn’t that exactly what we do? It’s no different than meeting someone new. In ten seconds or less we’ve already formed our first impression. We know whether or not we want to know them better or would just as soon never see them again. Your cover is that first impression. It’s what determines whether or not your book is sold and read or continues to collect dust on the shelf or the cartons in your garage!

The Importance of Book Covers

Did you know there are over 100,000 new books published each year?  A great cover design with an equally great title and subtitle are key to getting you noticed. Your front cover and spine design say “pick me up”. Your back cover and the information contained there scream “buy this book!” Combined they are truly the most vital marketing tool that you have.

A great book cover can give you and your ideas instant credibility and visibility in your marketplace. It can be used to “brand” you, particularly if you plan to do a series of books. A well thought out cover design can be the foundation for your entire marketing plan.

So why don’t more authors, especially self-published authors, spend more time and thought on their covers? Well because we assume that it’s the information on the inside of the book that counts, not the artistry on the outside. After all, we’ve spent countless hours pouring our hearts into our writing making sure that our message is enlightening, helpful or entertaining. Writing’s the hard part, right?

Your Book Cover Team

The answer to that question is “it depends”. It depends on how adept you are at copywriting and graphics design and web design and all the other things that go into creating a marketable book that extend far beyond the words between the front and back cover.

Unfortunately, most authors aren’t great copywriters. For one thing, we’re too close to our subject matter. We love what we’re writing about so it can be difficult for us to feel like we have to “sell” someone else on reading it. In addition we haven’t spent years studying what words or phrases incent people to buy like professional copywriters. But deciding whether or not to enlist the services of a copywriter is just the beginning.

The most important thing you can do, even before you begin writing, is to decide exactly what you will do on the book and what you will hire others to do.  In order to do that, you need to be clear about your objective. Do you want your book to be the next best-seller? Are you using the book as an entree into the world of professional speaking? Is the book your way to launch a line of information products or to sell your services?

Once you have your objective you can then start thinking about who should be on your team. Here is a list of people you might want to consider:

1.  Copywriter – you need a great title and subtitle and the right back cover information to get your book noticed.
2. Graphic Designer – titles and subtitles only get you so far – a great design can really grab the reader’s attention
3. Website Designer – you will want a place where people can learn more about you, buy your book and any other products or services you have to offer
4. Internet Marketer – someone who understands SEO and how to drive traffic (people) to your website
5. Self-publishing coach – particularly if this is your first time at bat – a coach can save you time and money in getting your book to market
6. Interior Book Designer – these people can take the format of your cover and carry it through the interior of your book insuring a professional seamless look and feel from cover to cover

Remember, a well designed cover is the most important investment you can make in your book so take it seriously and enlist help if you need it.